Alternative to a S&B short dot

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rooster33

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Got the S&B short on my service rig and I quite like it. So much so that I want one on my AR 180 B, however I can not justify spending that kind of cash. Will be mostly using it for plinking, the odd tacrifle match but mainly deerhunting. What are my choices, as a red dot to 4x or higher magnification optic. Mounting will not be an problem as I will spotweld a 1913 rail to the existing mount, much like the flattop sig's. And no I can't afford to buy a sig. Thanks,
Laszlo
 
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http://www.frontiertaxidermy.com/html/dms.html
 
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Just get quick detach rings and use your Short dot on both. It is far more repeatable then the DMS and adjusting zero's wouldnt' be an issue if you got a solid set of rings. The plus is that you get to use the same great optics for both rifles. I was skeptical about the repeatibility of the 1913 rail but I took my Mk4 off my rifle and sent it in to be bedded at ATRS and when it got back I mounted the scope and went out to re-zero and it was bang on to where it was when I took it off.
 
im using that sight, its the millet DMS-1 , good sight, nice n clear , doesnt loose zero from recoil on an M14 so it should be fine on an AR180 .
the center circle and dot can be illuminated with 11 levels of brightness . 1moa dot in the center of the circle
only downfall is a 3.5" eye reliefe which doesnt have much room to move

i would still reccomend it though


if you want better quality though there is the Falcon SIR 1.5-5x with a 4a reticle
 
At this time the only scope I would sink any money into as an alternative to the S&B is the NightForce 1x4 NXS + Zero Stop, all the others are unproven. Yes the NXS are $1300.00+ CAD but...........

The Falcon lineup is still in the teething process as is the Millet DMS line which was bought buy Bushnell. I don’t know about you but I get scared from just looking at the Falcon web site, seems pretty crappy as they don’t even mention if the scopes are nitrogen purged and waterproof and if so to what depth - that speaks volumes to me anyway.

If I was a gambling man and poor, maybe the DMS 1x4, only because they claim they are nitrogen purged, shock proof and waterproof @ 3ft for 1 minute :D, and because Bushnell have a pretty good rep for replacing defective scopes but again anything made in China even if it is Bushnell branded is subject to poor quality control so you get what you pay for.

Or why not just buy a Leupold 1.5x5 MRT and you know you have a fairly decent scope for what you want, both reliable and fairly affordable, kind of a sure bet.

Everything else is fairly unproven or might be too expensive for the type of firearm you wish to mount a compatible optic to. Just my opinion.
 
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I have an IOR 1.1-4x CQB scope. Not the cheapest, but much less than a Short Dot. Quality is excellent, but the illumination isn't visible in full sun. Capped turrets so you aren't going to mess with zero accidentally and mine has mils marked for range estimation/holdovers, not the current one with the bullet drop reticle.

They used to make the same scope with a 4A reticle in the first focal plane that I wouldn't mind trying out.
 
Well I was kind of in the same situation as rooster and needed a good quick optic on an M4 type firearm without breaking the piggy bank, so after doing a bunch of research I decided on the Burris XTR 14. I know the illumination is not as bright as the S&B but everything else about it is better. It is lighter, does not have big ugly turrets that snag on everything, block your forward view and are just begging to be broken. Also it has a holdover reticle design calibrated specifically for the M4 which is way more quick than the S&B turret BDC. They are Waterproof, fogproof, shockproof and have a good thick main tube. The glass is coated with a great coating and optically very clear. They also have a forever warranty wich is transferable. And the most important part they are not made in China! They are around $830.00ish at Wolverine but will not be in for about three months, so if you want one you better order now.;)

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http://www.burrisoptics.com/xtrtactical1.html
http://www.burrisoptics.com/pdf/XTR_Ballistic556.pdf
 
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