Do I really have to spend $500+ to get a blur-free red dot sight?

C

coldsilence55

Joined
Oct 4, 2008
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Hello all, I know a lot of you guys (and gals) are into ARs, optics, guns in general. So before I head over and search other forms I figured I would ask here first... I have been looking for an optic for my .22, which will be going onto an AR or Mini-14 in the near future. The problem I have is that every optic I have tried has a blurry dot. I've tried $50 no names, two Burris FastFire IIs, (one other I can't remember the brand name) and most recently a Weaver Red/Green dot sight. None of them have a crisp dot and I know its not just my eyes. I've had several friends check out each to make sure there isn't something wrong with my eyes. Both eyes open, one closed, focusing on the dot, focusing on the target... yet there is still the blur/tail on the dot. Am I just doing something wrong here? I didn't expect much at all from the cheap ones, but in the $200+ range, I didn't think this would be a factor. I have done a bit of research and it seems like Aimpoint and EoTech sights have very "crisp" dots, but I would rather not drop $500+ on a dot sight. If anyone can point me in the right direction here, I would greatly appreciate it!
 
EoTechs have a crisp reticle for you? Hmm....must be my glasses, they've always seemed blurry, Aimpoints have been hit or miss. The Nikon Monarch was a tad blurry, not much though.

Have you tried Vortex? Price point isn't bad and I've heard good things.
 
I've only looked at an EoTech briefly at a gun show, it seemed pretty crisp, and anything else is only based on what I've read online. I'll look into Vortex, I have not heard a lot about them. Thank you for the suggestion!
 
Another vote for vortex. I just put a vortex sparc on my ps90. Love the features. Dot isn't as great as aimpoint but its a great value and cs is awesome from what I have read.
 
Check out the aimpoint pro (patrol rifle optic). Can't get any better for the price and it comes with a wonderful mount. It's a 2 MOM reticle and I couldn't be happier with it.
 
ChristoDart said:
Check out the aimpoint pro (patrol rifle optic). Can't get any better for the price and it comes with a wonderful mount. It's a 2 MOM reticle and I couldn't be happier with it.
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I was going to recommend this one too, don't have one myself but I just finished reading an article on it yesterday...
Otherwise I would say go with an EOTech, if you shop around you can find one new in the sub 400 area... You should be able to find any model optic you are looking for pre-owned or used for a fair to great discount if you check the exchanges and auction sites... Good luck!
 
It is a little more pricey but still a great deal for what you get IMO. I had to wait about two months to get mine because law enforcement kept buying them up from the armory near me. Well worth the wait though! I'll post pics of it when I get a chance. I was thinking eotech but was more drawn toward the lower profile, single dot 2 MOA reticle of the PRO. The price isn't toooooo bad either and id still pick it over the more expensive aimPoints. Go play with them all and you'll get a much better idea as to what will work for you.
 
Usually a blurry dot is caused by two things: astigmatism or having the dot brightness too high.
No fix for the one, the other is easy :p. if you wear glasses and suffer astigmatism (like I do) then they are all going to be fuzzy to one degree or another.
 
Check out the Docter red dot sight. I recently picked one up on sale (3.5MOA) fromSWFA.$250ImageUploadedByTapatalk1337740089.228377.jpg
 
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Got me an AimPoint PRO last month - around $400. Spend the money and get it, you wont be sorry. I put off getting one for years because of the prices of them, but do not regret getting this one for one minute.
 
I have one Eotech, it works great but battery life sucks. I have 3 aimpoints and they're worth the money IMO. Clear dot, accurate, insane long battery life and tough as hell. I bounced my micro off the concrete floor with the full weight of my rifle on top of it. It still works and held zero. The finish is now "used" though. :D
 
Thanks for the feedback everyone! Perhaps it is our eyes. I never originally considered this because I do not wear glasses and have good eyesight, however I have noticed that my right eye is ever so slightly blurry at distance. The Weaver reticle isn't crisp for my left eye either, but is a bit different. Perhaps this is just enough to be very noticeable on these type of optics. I am going to track down some type of gun shop with a decent selection before I purchase anything else.
 
If they are bright enough to pick up fast in a tactical situation they all seem blurry to me. If you crank them down to target shoot though most are okay for me. I also notice a big difference between indoors and outdoors. Indoors is much more blurr. I have Tasco Propoint, Tasco Accudot, Eotech XPS2, and some new little truglo one on my daughter's rifle. I had an aimpoint that was nice but sold it.

I am lookin real hard at leupold VXR right now.
 
Toxie said:
Usually a blurry dot is caused by two things: astigmatism or having the dot brightness too high.
No fix for the one, the other is easy :p. if you wear glasses and suffer astigmatism (like I do) then they are all going to be fuzzy to one degree or another.
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I'd be willing to bet you have astigmatism in your shooting eye. Every red dot, no matter how expensive looks like a cluster of grapes to me. Aimpoints are better but are never crisp unless I squint.
 
Vortex is good for the price range you are shopping in. Try taking the sight in to different conditions and adjusting it. As was said before, you may be running it too bright. If you are looking for a mini red dot (like a Dr. Optic or J-point) they usually have an auto brightness feature on them.

Be careful with buying used or off of an auction sight. Eotechs and Aimpoints have been copied more than Elvis lately.
 
messer454 said:
If they are bright enough to pick up fast in a tactical situation they all seem blurry to me. If you crank them down to target shoot though most are okay for me. I also notice a big difference between indoors and outdoors. Indoors is much more blurr. I have Tasco Propoint, Tasco Accudot, Eotech XPS2, and some new little truglo one on my daughter's rifle. I had an aimpoint that was nice but sold it.

I am lookin real hard at leupold VXR right now.
Click to expand...

My experience has been similar. I was looking at Chinese Eotechs last year at blade and noticed that one moment they were nice and crisp, well defined. The next they went blurry. The green seemed to be clearer to me.

Spend as much as you can on the quality and don't worry about how clear the dot is. You will still be able to shoot faster than irons simply b/c you don't have to line as much up.
 
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