Affordable Red Dot Sight

[EE_]

I just ordered one of these for an AK. https://www.primaryarms.com/Primary_Arms_Micro_Dot_with_killflash_p/md-08.htm
Just back in stock. It will co-witness on an ultimak rail.
They have been given rave reviews for being a quality and affordable red dot sight.
Primary Arms can't keep them in stock and I see them being resold on ebay for more.
Primary Arms is a great company with fast shipping.
Anyone use red dot sights on your AK/AR?

http://a248.e.akamai.net/origin-cdn.volusion.com/pknwg.xycut/v/vspfiles/photos/MD-08-2.jpg?1333119794

[Heimdhal]

I saw your thread title and INSTANTLY thought of Primary Arms. Ha!

I've had the PA Micro Dot on my AK with an ultimak rail for cowitness for about a year now and absolutley love it. Quality batteries are important, since you wont get the 5-7 year "on" life like with an aim point, but its not a big deal. By quality batteries, I mean, dont use the dollar store ones like I did, or buy a ton of them and have them handy.

With the cowitness, Im much less worried about batteries and breakage. Honestly, some of the best money I spent on my gun yet was that red dot. Its been through hell, because Im like that with my guns and it hasnt even noticed. I am 100% confident in it. Particularly since it can hold up to the heat of an ultimak rail...which is saying something, not many "low cost" red dots can....

[EE_]

I saw your thread title and INSTANTLY thought of Primary Arms. Ha!

I've had the PA Micro Dot on my AK with an ultimak rail for cowitness for about a year now and absolutley love it. Quality batteries are important, since you wont get the 5-7 year "on" life like with an aim point, but its not a big deal. By quality batteries, I mean, dont use the dollar store ones like I did, or buy a ton of them and have them handy.

With the cowitness, Im much less worried about batteries and breakage. Honestly, some of the best money I spent on my gun yet was that red dot. Its been through hell, because Im like that with my guns and it hasnt even noticed. I am 100% confident in it. Particularly since it can hold up to the heat of an ultimak rail...which is saying something, not many "low cost" red dots can....

Good to hear...I had a feeling you were familiar with these red dots :)
These things sell like wildfire. I'm suprised they don't raise the price on them.
Beats the hell out of spending $600 on an aimpoint.
I can't wait to get mine!

[Heimdhal]

They'll raise the price eventually, Im sure. They've come up a little over the last couple years. They are Aimpoint clones, basicaly, but they are very well cloned clones. So far, I've seen all the same torture test done to them that Aimpoint's have had done to them and they stood shoulder to shoulder, for 1/6 the price.

[steyr_m]

Anyone use red dot sights on your AK/AR

I use an illuminated 1-4x Nightforce scope on my AR. When on 1x, it's close to being like a red-dot sight.... I like it.

[Heimdhal]

PA does make a 4x magnifier that fits behind their dots, you can get a swing away mount for it too (not sure if that affects co witness, though). I'd be interested in testing it out and playing around with it, but not enough to actually buy one, mostly cause Im a broke-ass. :(

[midnight rambler]

Anyone use red dot sights on your AK/AR?

I want NV compatibility, so there's only two manufacturers for that. Got a T-1 on an AK, but that's gonna get swapped out for a XPS3-0 since it's not as fast as I would like. T-1 on the Benelli and it's plenty fast.

[EE_]

I got the PA red dot today...very nice! Looking forward to trying it out, maybe tomorrow.
PA was great about shipping it fast, two days.

I have some ammo coming soon from a friend. He finally got around to picking up the ammo from our bro that died last year.
He had various 7.62x39 Chinese, Norinco, mild steel core and armor piercing too. Also cases of Wolf yellow box copper jacket.

My deceased friend had a nice collection of firearms that a couple vulture friends of his stole from his wife cheap.
My friend was barely in the ground when they swooped in on her to steal them.

I guess I'm saying to you guys with nice collections...make sure your wife knows what to do and who to trust in the event of your sudden death, so someone doesn't take advantage of your spouse. It's not a bad idea to keep a written value on items.

[Norweger]

I just purchased one of these. Turns out the dot is grainy and long.. a faulty red dot with other words.. and this is supposed to be a high end red dot made in Japan. I will try to have it shipped to Truglo to have them take a look at it, but it just goes to show that more expensive isn't necessary better.

Think I'm gonna buy a Bushnell TRS-25.. I'd love one of those primary arms red dots, but it's getting harder and harder to get gun related parts out of the US nowadays.

http://cdn2.armslist.com/sites/armslist/uploads/posts/2012/04/09/362383_01_truglo_trupoint_red_dot_sight_640.jpg

[Heimdhal]

What settings do you have it on?

My only real gripe with the PA, is that on the higher settings, in lower light the dot is just WAY too big and fuzzy (not round and clear). Thats to be expected of most dots in its class, however when outsdie in the bright, bright florida sun, I have to have the dial up to 10-11. This is also my fault because I have failing eyesight and astigmatism (which causes the fuzzy look all on its own). So, the gripe is in transition from bright light to low light, it requires manual adjustment.

I take solace in the fact that if I ever had to use it in those conditions for real, it wouldnt really matter because at in the house ranged, the dot is used only as a quick reflex dot (like that truglo up there) and a crystal clear dot is not necessary.

Just observations, not a discouragment.

[Norweger]

Just got feedback from Truglo.. i guess their lifetime warranty doesn't live up to its name. I just ordered a Bushnell TRS-25 instead.

[Rubberchicken]

I have several here's my review

tru-glo- 2.5 of 5 stars
bushnell 25- 3 of 5 stars
bushnell 32- 4.5 of 5 stars
bushnell holosight- 4 of 5 stars

I don't know if the last two are "affordable" but they are worth the price compared to the first two which I'm going to sell to some other sucker.

I don't recommend these for long range shooting, 100+ yds, I have a 10x tactical scope with quick detach rings. Once sighted it in and I can switch back and forth and add versatility.

[Norweger]

I think i might buy a cheap holographic sight to test as well.

I'm seeing a lot of hype about burris fastfire, but I'm a little skeptical of red dots in that price range produced in low-cost countries... that's why i opted for a japanese made truglo that turned out to be a complete piece of doodoo he-he :)

[midnight rambler]

I think i might buy a cheap holographic sight to test as well.

EOTech makes the only true holographic sight.

[Norweger]

So what would you classify the cheaper stuff as then?

[midnight rambler]

So what would you classify the cheaper stuff as then?

Cheap imitations (made in China) which have parallax error, and imo not trustworthy for personal defense.

[Norweger]

Got my Bushnell trs25 today.

For the money i guess its OK. I did notice that the dot is a little grainy, but nothing compared to my previous purchase.

Strange thing is that out of all my three red dots the cheapest one got the clearest and most pleasant dot to look at. It's a "Mini Docter Made in the USA" which cost me around $30 including shipping from china.

Can't see why it should be so hard to make a good dot for the larger companies when a noname cheapo manages to do it.

[Black Blade]

Primary Arms are good and another is the Vortex Strikefire. These mid-tier red dots are gaining in popularity. I have Aimpoints and Strikefires as well as some Russian (Belarus) scopes/red dots. The clones have come a long way in recent years and are giving the high end market (Aimpoint, Eotech and Trijicon) a bit of competition. I would love to have ACOGs but when the scopes/red dots cost more than the firearms then one begins to look at alternatives.

http://images.yuku.com/image/jpg/9c516014d6c6ddb9db0b142b69f9651b73466fb8_r.jpg

SGL-21 with AIMPoint

http://images.yuku.com/image/jpg/83036c491e0dd4efcecedb15b428d64256eb5038_r.jpg

Daniel Defense carbine with Strikefire red dot and doubler. The gap behind the Strikefire is where I had added a magnifier.

Still, can't go wrong with a Primary Arms red dot and am considering adding a couple myself.

- Black Blade