First time buying optics for AR15

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  • Hurtaaron

    Plinker
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Aug 5, 2018
    63
    8
    NWI
    I’m a novice and I have a few questions.

    First is there a benefit for either heads up style or “tube” style red dots?
    i tend to like the look of the heads up.

    Second, I have picked a few options that meet my desired budget. Any input?
    Burris Fastfire 3
    Vortex Venom 3 MOA
    Vortex Strikefire Red/Green
    Primary Arms 2 MOA Advanced Micro Red Dot

    The first two are my ignorant favorites.
     

    63PGP

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Aug 28, 2018
    358
    79
    Boone
    I really like my Vortex AMG. I also have a Vortex 3x magnafier. Most of the time I only have the AMG mounted. The 3x goes on when I know targets are going to be past 300 yards or the targets are very small.
    I picked up both as open box deals on Amazon for about half of the retail. No issues so far and if I do run into any Vortex will fix or replace.

    Vortex Optics - Razor AMG UH-1
    Vortex Optics - VMX-3T Magnifier With Flip Mount

    These replaced a Vortex 3x Spitfire Prism. Moved it to an AR pistol.

    Vortex Optics - Spitfire 3x Prism Scope EBR-556B<br />(MOA)


    Mike
     

    Hurtaaron

    Plinker
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    1   0   0
    Aug 5, 2018
    63
    8
    NWI
    Thank you. That was a good read. I'm definitely looking for type 1. Primary purpose will be for range use and property defense.
    Is there a benefit to the "heads up" style - like the Burris or the Vortex?
    Otherwise the "tube style" Strikefire, Primary Arms Micro, and Sig Romeo 5 are all more competitively priced.
     

    Ggreen

    Person
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    49   0   0
    Sep 19, 2016
    3,686
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    SouthEast
    If you are not in a hurry you can find some killer deals on high end electro optics on midway clearance or samplelist. The romeo 5 will treat you well, they also have a vortex for 322 w/mags that will also treat you well. I've gotten exps 2-0 eotechs off of midway clearance for 300 tho. Supposedly blem, but I couldn't find the issue with them in the year and a half I've had them.
     

    seedubs1

    Master
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    24   0   0
    Jan 17, 2013
    4,623
    48
    Buy a Trijicon MRO and be done with it. It's what you want on your rifle. Wait for Ebay to have another 20% off, and snag one for under $300.

    Don't waste your time on the other BS.

    Thank you. That was a good read. I'm definitely looking for type 1. Primary purpose will be for range use and property defense.
    Is there a benefit to the "heads up" style - like the Burris or the Vortex?
    Otherwise the "tube style" Strikefire, Primary Arms Micro, and Sig Romeo 5 are all more competitively priced.
     

    EricG

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    13   0   0
    Nov 19, 2013
    566
    28
    NWI
    There are a lot of frauds out there too, be careful who you buy from too.

    Sent from my VS810PP using Tapatalk
     

    Ggreen

    Person
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    49   0   0
    Sep 19, 2016
    3,686
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    SouthEast
    I have an mro and I like it. I just don't think I'd ever know a difference under casual use conditions. Keeping to the budget may be necessary for spousal reasons. The sig and the vortex are just fine for most situations.
     

    Hurtaaron

    Plinker
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Aug 5, 2018
    63
    8
    NWI
    Buy a Trijicon MRO and be done with it. It's what you want on your rifle. Wait for Ebay to have another 20% off, and snag one for under $300.

    Don't waste your time on the other BS.
    MROCapture.JPG

    (hopefully that image insert looks ok)
    They are offering $50 off of this - so $299. That officially makes it within the budget.
    Can you tell me why it's $180 better than the Romeo 5?
    I read a couple reviews for it, and they are glowing of course. But, really so are all of the reviews for the Romeo and PA Micro Dot.

    Also! I am pretty scared of Ebay in general. So, I'm spending more money for a nicer thing, but have to buy it from a potentially shady outfit unless I want to pay $450 from a known retailer.
     

    Ggreen

    Person
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    49   0   0
    Sep 19, 2016
    3,686
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    SouthEast
    I'd never buy an mro off of ebay. I'd only buy anything trijicon from a known vendor. You could very well get an alibaba knock off and never know the difference. There are a number of things that make the mro a great electro optic, but if you have to ask what the differences are then you likely won't care. The vortex and the romeo will last a long time, long enough that something much better and more exciting will be released before you break it. Run time, clarity, nvg, dot crispness, and intermittent dials are the main differences, all things (other than the intermittent dial which is awesome) that most shooters will never care about. You will spend another 50 to 150 on a mount for it and in the end the mro will not be anymore handy to you than the vortex or the romeo. Sig has a red dot out with a circle dot reticle, that would be my only suggestion other than the two listed. The 68moa circle makes it handy ranging human sized targets.
     

    Notropis

    Plinker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Aug 22, 2018
    98
    8
    NWI
    I'm going to stick up for the Bushnel TRS-25. When I bought my first one, I wasn't really sure I would like a red dot. When they came down to 100 bucks I gave one a try. I still have it and like it. Picked up a couple others as well. I've never dropped it off a cliff nor dove underwater with it but I'm not under the illusion it's particularly rugged. Mine have never failed in any way and hold zero. I'll probably graduate to something more expensive some day but I can still hit walnuts (most of the time) at 100 yards with that cheap red dot.
     

    BehindBlueI's

    Grandmaster
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    29   0   0
    Oct 3, 2012
    25,890
    113
    I'm going to stick up for the Bushnel TRS-25.

    Our range staff tested them and approved them for duty use.

    I've got Vortex on two rifles and an Aimpoint Pro on another. Battery life for 'left on' is different, but in actual use I don't see much difference. If you're a Scuba K9 SWAT operator deploying to Thirdworldistan your needs are probably different then the casual user or for a patrol rifle that spends most of it's life in a case.
     

    Yamadog35

    - - - - - - - - - - - -
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    33   0   0
    Nov 23, 2008
    743
    12
    Central Indiana
    Look at Holosun also. It is said that Holosun makes the Primary Arms and Sig Romeo sights. I have several Holosuns and they've been great. I also have an Aimpoint H1, a couple of MROs, a couple of Primary Arms micros, a TRS-25 and honestly they've all been great. My use is same as yours - range use, home/property defense.
     

    Alpo

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    2   0   0
    Sep 23, 2014
    13,877
    113
    Indy Metro Area
    I'm going to stick up for the Bushnel TRS-25. When I bought my first one, I wasn't really sure I would like a red dot. When they came down to 100 bucks I gave one a try. I still have it and like it. Picked up a couple others as well. I've never dropped it off a cliff nor dove underwater with it but I'm not under the illusion it's particularly rugged. Mine have never failed in any way and hold zero. I'll probably graduate to something more expensive some day but I can still hit walnuts (most of the time) at 100 yards with that cheap red dot.

    Wait a second. You hit walnuts at 100 yds with a 4 moa dot? Even a 2 moa dot....that's some fine eyesight.
     
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