RDS Newbie

[abeallen]

Hey Guys,

My room mate has an SKS with an aftermarket stock on it. I think its the ATI SKS Strikeforce Tactlite. He wants to add a red dot with some sort of magnification on it, and wants to spend under $300 on it. I think he wants about 3x mag. So i thought I'd look into it for him, though I've kinda hit a wall. I'm more into milsurps, so Red Dots are totally out of my wheel house. Can you get red dots with magnification on it? or do you need to buy the separate magnifier? Should he go with some sort of scout scope? Any help you can give would be appreciated. Is there a Red Dots 101 page i should look at?

Thanks.

 

[Brianma65]

I'm not 100% sure, but for a red dot with magnification, to be a. True red dot.
You need a a 1x4 or 1x6 mag scope,with a true 1x .
Or a rds with a magnifier.

Hope this helps

 

[TCLP999]

RDS generally offer no magnification and if they do I haven't seen one over a 2x and that was in a knock off but others may know more on that. Many will use a magnifier with a RDS so they can flip the magnifier to the side when it is not in use. The biggest issue is that stock, it offers no way of mounting an optic unless they go with some janky receiver option which can create issues with the optic lining up, cheek weld or a height over bore issue as well. If it is a tapco stock than the RDS would be mounted far forward on the upper handguard and would not be conducive to a RDS&magnifier/magnified optic other than a scout/pistol scope as they have good eye relief.

The last point of under $300 also makes this tough as even stuff from holosun don't even come in that price range for a RDS and Magnifier. My suggestion would be to get a Tapco railed upper handguard section and a pistol/scout scope with illumination. As that's probably going to be the closest to the price range they are gonna get with have illumination and not having a chin weld on the stock.

 

[Agent Law]

You generally cannot get RDS that are already magnified. Magnified optics use etched reticles that are illuminated, and have shorter battery lives than RDS. The $300 budget will be a tough one. How does he plan on mounting it?