Thread: Cheap red dot sights?

Hi, just asking...but has anyone got first hand experience with a cheapie red dot sight that had actually turned out to be pretty dam awesome?

I've had a few over the years, including not so cheap examples like aimpoint and eotech. The best value for money was a Tasco that lived on one of my AR's for years and other than the odd flat battery (my fault for leaving it on) it never gave any issues.

I also had a Japanese red dot called a Hakko, this was on an action pistol I used to shoot. It must have had about 200 rounds minimum every two weeks put through it...once again no issues.

So - what else is out there? I'm about 5 years out of date on these sights, potentially technology has advanced?

Thoughts?

Holosun around $200 if that's what you consider cheap. Very good for the $$

Bushnell TRS 25 is the gold standard among the absolute dirt cheap sights.

Holosun is becoming the standard for cheap but good. The Chinese have caught up to Aimpoint in terms of battery life. I have seen mixed but mostly positive reviews on most of their products. If I was in the market for a red dot and I didn't care about branding I would buy one.

I have an Eotech which is a POS. I can't believe people used/use these for actual serious use. I only really like them for that legacy war on terror kind of aesthetic.

Aimpoint would still be the gold standard overall in terms of dead nuts reliability.

To summarize I own - a TRS 25, an Eotech 512 and an Aimpoint T1. I have had trigger time with some others - Vortex SPARC and Strike Fire (you could do worse but also much better for your money, very average sights), Aimpoint M4 (Big, cool that it runs on a AA, expensive and big), Holosun 503( I think? Very nice for the money, gives you basically similar features to a T1 for less money. Solar and battery powered. Eotech rip off reticle is nice).

Thank you! That's exactly the information I was after.

Yes my eotech broke after a few months use. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement.

After reading the above and a few quick Google's, I think I'll buy the Bushnell TRS 25. It will fit my action length perfectly and should look good there too, which is always a bonus.

Cheers for such informed replies.

Kj

Another satisfied TRS-25 user here.

Originally Posted by Beavis

Bushnell TRS 25 is the gold standard among the absolute dirt cheap sights.

Holosun is becoming the standard for cheap but good. The Chinese have caught up to Aimpoint in terms of battery life. I have seen mixed but mostly positive reviews on most of their products. If I was in the market for a red dot and I didn't care about branding I would buy one.

I have an Eotech which is a POS. I can't believe people used/use these for actual serious use. I only really like them for that legacy war on terror kind of aesthetic.

Aimpoint would still be the gold standard overall in terms of dead nuts reliability.

To summarize I own - a TRS 25, an Eotech 512 and an Aimpoint T1. I have had trigger time with some others - Vortex SPARC and Strike Fire (you could do worse but also much better for your money, very average sights), Aimpoint M4 (Big, cool that it runs on a AA, expensive and big), Holosun 503( I think? Very nice for the money, gives you basically similar features to a T1 for less money. Solar and battery powered. Eotech rip off reticle is nice).

i just repaired an eotech, to say its mid range in quality would be forgiving. awful POS

Originally Posted by gonetropo

i just repaired an eotech, to say its mid range in quality would be forgiving. awful POS

is it just poor build quality with gaps and bad glass?

Originally Posted by Danger Mouse

is it just poor build quality with gaps and bad glass?

just on the electronic side it looks like the soldering was done by a brain dead gerbil, interestingly the gun city ranger red dot sight is well made for the price.

First red dot I had was a TRS-25, still going strong after 5 years. Sat on 3 of my ARs and now on my .22LR upper. I currently run a Lucid M7 micro red dot and a Vortex Sparc 2. Battery life nothing beats the TRS-25, reticle is acceptable. Lucid M7 seems to chew up the battery for breakfast. But the Vortex Sparc 2 has the least blurring of the reticle in my 6/6 vision eyes and impact on my wallet. Even the Eotech and RMR has significant blurring. Cant comment on the Aimpoint unfortunately.

You might want to explore the both models of the Primary Arms red-dot as an option.

+1 on the TRS-25, great value for money.

+1 on the trs25, can often be found for under us$70. I own several aimpoints,trijicon and eotech red dots and while they are in another league to the trs25 the trs25 will do everything most people want for a fraction of the cost. That said my next red dot will be a holosun as the do one with eotech style retical that I want to try out on a shotgun. Aimpoint comp m4 is my favorite red dot sight-I just prefer the bigger tube. If you can find a secondhand bushnell zoom dot they are a fantastic sight, can't be found new anymore but secondhand are often under $200- big tube that fits std 30mm rings so can mount as low as you like and the dot size is adjustable from almost invisible for a well aimed shot to fecking huge for real fast point blank stuff.

My only comment on the TRS25 is that if it were the same price as the Holosun I'd take the Holosun hands down, much better build quality and small improvements like hidden battery compartments. I can only see the TRS25 in nz for over $250(haven't looked hard though) and thats what my Holosun cost. Buying from overseas I got my TRS for much cheaper than that

I've seen TRS 25's for as low as $US50. If buying locally Holosun hands down. I would buy Holosun over anything Eotech any day of the week.

Really good info guys. I have been wanting to try a red dot on my .22 upper but have been cautious of commiting to the cost without ever using one. The price point of an imported trs25 is a gamble Im ok with. - cheers

Shame about the Eotechs, I 've always liked the reticle with the 1 moa dot in centre. Have a trijicon, rmr run mainly on a pistol, it's built pretty solid but if bought one again would get the new one where you can manually adjust brightness. On overcast days it sets it self too bright and can blotch target for precision. It also has it's days where craps out and you fire another round and vibrates back on, screw that if your life depended on it, open sights