Time to start researching for optics for the AR15. The EOTech 516 and the Aimpoint ML3 have both caught my attention. Everything I have read so far seems to be more of personal preference between the two, as they both are quality. So I'm looking for input on them. Has anyone used the sightmark knock off of the aimpoint. There seems to be alot of talk about it on ar15.com and majority of people seem to like it, but then again if your going to do it why not do it right? Thanks

No experience with the sightmark. EOTechs and Aimpoints both have their pluses and minuses, but either will serve you well.

One thing to note with EOTechs is that certain models (can't remember which off the top of my head) have been plagued with battery problems. Supposedly newer revisions have addressed most of those issues.

 

When it was time for me to decide, I went with an Aimpoint, mostly because the battery life couldn't be beat.

1) You get what you pay for

2) Try your best to shoot a couple guns with one of each optic first before buying

3) Aimpoint tends to have better battery life as Caine mentions and the mounts are generally better made for proper co-witnessing with your irons in the lower 1/3 of the optic

 

I shot with an Aimpoint Mirco T-1 this last weekend and loved it, that will be my next purchase as soon as I can sell some other gear.

 

Good luck

I have the aimpoint and it's bomb-proof. After a long shooting session I put it in my rifle bag on the underside of my M1A, and it spent the ride home grinding the magazine release against the glass on the front of the optic (the cover somehow popped open). Huge, nasty gash in the glass, but somehow when you look through it, you can't see any difference. Not a hint.

 

Fantastic optic.

1) You get what you pay for

 

My brother bought a cheap red dot for his 12 gauge.

 

Took 5 shots with it and threw it in the trash. 6" groups @ 50 yards is unacceptable.

1) You get what you pay for

 

My brother bought a cheap red dot for his 12 gauge.

 

Took 5 shots with it and threw it in the trash. 6" groups @ 50 yards is unacceptable.

 

From what I read, shotguns are pretty picky about what kind of slugs they like to shoot. Was the gun sighted in before the red dot?

1) You get what you pay for

 

My brother bought a cheap red dot for his 12 gauge.

 

Took 5 shots with it and threw it in the trash. 6" groups @ 50 yards is unacceptable.

 

From what I read, shotguns are pretty picky about what kind of slugs they like to shoot. Was the gun sighted in before the red dot?

 

+1 for rifled slugs slugs.

 

Rifled Barrel + Sabots and most shotguns will hold 1inch groups at 50 yards.

Easy to remember. Knockoff = crap.

 

Don't do it.

 

As stated, you get what you pay for.

Clearly the knock off is out. And it seems the aimpoint vs eotech is just personal preference. :doh:

i got a $30 tasco red dot from amazon for my AR. works just fine, hardly needed much sighting in at 50 yards.

I have the aimpoint and it's bomb-proof....

Fantastic optic.

 

times 2

 

i have had identical experience with my aimpoint..

It's kind of ridicilous to think that only EOTech and Aimpoint make the only halo, red dot or reflex sights

that are not garbage. Yes there are a ton of cheap optics out there from china but there are some good ones

for about half the cost of a EOTech or Aimpoint.

 

Bushnell makes excellent optics they have never let me down with scopes there are reviews on just

about every optic out there I am sure you can find one on these.

http://shop.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/ ... x?a=449050

http://shop.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/ ... x?a=449049

 

http://www.cmore.com/tactical.html

http://www.midwayusa.com/browse/BrowseP ... andId=2242

It's hard to beat these, they are pricey from this site but can be found from midway much cheaper.

I know 2 guy's that have taken their personal one with them to Iraq and Afghanistan to use on their M4's because

they are that good.

 

EOTech and Aimpoint are no doubt excellent optics and well made but there is no reason

why someone with a lower price point cannot get a excellent optic without having to drop $350.00 to $600.00.

It's kind of ridicilous to think that only EOTech and Aimpoint make the only halo, red dot or reflex sights

that are not garbage. Yes there are a ton of cheap optics out there from china but there are some good ones

for about half the cost of a EOTech or Aimpoint.

 

Bushnell makes excellent optics they have never let me down with scopes there are reviews on just

about every optic out there I am sure you can find one on these.

http://shop.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/ ... x?a=449050

http://shop.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/ ... x?a=449049

 

You are definitely right about Bushnell. Their Holosight is the same sight as an Eotech minus the guard, and at a much better price.

http://www.opticsplanet.net/bushnell-holosight.html

They are made in the same Ann Arbor, MI factory as the Eotechs.

 

 

For anyone else considering knock-offs, the most important reason to avoid them is to prevent giving the manufacturer of these any business. There are unscrupulous dealers (and possibly unaware dealers) selling knock offs as the real thing. Our troops have been known to buy these before deployment and because of the quality, they can easily break or lose zero, putting our troops in danger. There was even a case of an ebay dealer selling fake serial number stickers for Eotech knock-offs.

It's kind of ridicilous to think that only EOTech and Aimpoint make the only halo, red dot or reflex sights

that are not garbage. Yes there are a ton of cheap optics out there from china but there are some good ones

for about half the cost of a EOTech or Aimpoint.

 

Bushnell makes excellent optics they have never let me down with scopes there are reviews on just

about every optic out there I am sure you can find one on these.

http://shop.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/ ... x?a=449050

http://shop.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/ ... x?a=449049

 

http://www.cmore.com/tactical.html

http://www.midwayusa.com/browse/BrowseP ... andId=2242

It's hard to beat these, they are pricey from this site but can be found from midway much cheaper.

I know 2 guy's that have taken their personal one with them to Iraq and Afghanistan to use on their M4's because

they are that good.

 

EOTech and Aimpoint are no doubt excellent optics and well made but there is no reason

why someone with a lower price point cannot get a excellent optic without having to drop $350.00 to $600.00.

 

Thanks for the info, I appreciate it. The cmore doesn't really look durable the way just the lens sticks up, is it?

It's kind of ridicilous to think that only EOTech and Aimpoint make the only halo, red dot or reflex sights

that are not garbage. Yes there are a ton of cheap optics out there from china but there are some good ones

for about half the cost of a EOTech or Aimpoint.

 

Bushnell makes excellent optics they have never let me down with scopes there are reviews on just

about every optic out there I am sure you can find one on these.

http://shop.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/ ... x?a=449050

http://shop.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/ ... x?a=449049

 

You are definitely right about Bushnell. Their Holosight is the same sight as an Eotech minus the guard, and at a much better price.

http://www.opticsplanet.net/bushnell-holosight.html

They are made in the same Ann Arbor, MI factory as the Eotechs.

 

 

For anyone else considering knock-offs, the most important reason to avoid them is to prevent giving the manufacturer of these any business. There are unscrupulous dealers (and possibly unaware dealers) selling knock offs as the real thing. Our troops have been known to buy these before deployment and because of the quality, they can easily break or lose zero, putting our troops in danger. There was even a case of an ebay dealer selling fake serial number stickers for Eotech knock-offs.

 

Thanks for your input.

The cmore's are built to last, they are a halo sight and are built like tanks.

Trust me you would not see soldiers taking them off their personal rifles and then off to war if they were not.

The comes in several different models, the cheaper ones have a polly frame like the EO-Tech and they are great for plinking or the range, if you plan to go to war they have a aluminum frame that is built like a tank. The glass is tuffer then one would think most of the time all the high end use hard coated and weather proofed glass. They have a interchangeable moa system which is great if you shoot at all different ranges. Some even have the rear back up sight built into the system it can be

used directly through the glass if the optic fails for some reason. It's well worth it's weight in gold.

The cmore's are built to last, they are a halo sight and are built like tanks.

Trust me you would not see soldiers taking them off their personal rifles and then off to war if they were not.

The comes in several different models, the cheaper ones have a polly frame like the EO-Tech and they are great for plinking or the range, if you plan to go to war they have a aluminum frame that is built like a tank. The glass is tuffer then one would think most of the time all the high end use hard coated and weather proofed glass. They have a interchangeable moa system which is great if you shoot at all different ranges. Some even have the rear back up sight built into the system it can be

used directly through the glass if the optic fails for some reason. It's well worth it's weight in gold.

 

Understood. Thanks

i just ordered a few knocks to give them a try...1 eotech clone and a aimpoint clone with magnifier---1 is for my gsg and other is for my wasr 10 i spent $180 with shipping for gsg mount, 2 the 2 red dots and magnifier i will do a right up on all the above...

i will do a right up on all the above...

 

No - no you won't do a right up. You might create a write up, but it will probably need that guy Ed - you know, the one who does EDiting.

what kind of shooting do you plan on doing, are you just going to the range and punching paper? If so I would suggest something with a little mag like 1-4x.

Hey civictuner, was the aimpoint clone with magnifier a "Strikefire" by chance? They have gotten really good reviews considering their $150.00 avg. price. In their defense, they resemble an aimpoint but are not intended to be clones. Their controls are different locations and they have the option of red AND green dots. They are also NV compatible. Dave(?) Fortier did a favorable write-up in ShotgunNews a while back and I've read good reviews on other forums. They include a 2x magnifier that threads on the back and a high or low mount (high is for co-witness on ARs). I plan on putting one on my MP15FT as soon as I can get away with it!