Replica sights... has anyone actually used them?

[Ar180shooter]

valid argument for most of the replicas, but your forgetting that air softers are just as dedicated to having good equipment as real firearm users, and often put these scopes to more abuse than we do, they often demand some sort of quality aswell.

Out of all replicas there is one that stands out, that is the element made elcan specter DR 1-4x. it uses the mount for elevation not the reticle so that helps a bit, and seems to have good reviews regarding build quality, this will also give me a very good idea if i like that type of optic.

Will get back to you guys when I find one, including a review and video of it. Ill also try to put 2-3hundred rounds through it. I will donate $50 to a charity, and appologize if im wrong lol.

Sorry, but I have to disagree with this. The airsofters I've met (several) have been mall ninja commando wannabe's, and are more interested in looking the part than playing it. The optics and equipment used by them look good, but are not built to withstand recoil or any other serious use. There is a whole industry centered around making cheap knockoff products specifically for airsofters. As for putting their stuff through more abuse than we do, perhaps some here only take their rifles to the range in padded cases, but many here do not. I've pushed bush with my Swiss Arms, and even dropped the scope on rocks one time while coyote hunting. I'd like to see an airsoft scope survive that, let alone keep zero (p.s. the Vortex Razor HD I had did hold zero after being dropped on rocks).

Interestingly enough, the earlier Elcan's (the real ones) had issues keeping zero because they used the mount for windage/elevation, and this was only really resolved with the introduction of the Gen 4 mounts... so I doubt the mount on the knockoff works to your advantage. Also, were the good reviews by people shooting real guns, or airsoft guns? Were they people with police/military/competition shooting backgrounds, or amateurs like you or I (FYI I do shoot Service rifle/CQB, but I hardly consider myself an expert)?

It may very well hold up on a real rifle, but keep in mind it is not designed to. Something like a Vortex SPARC is.

 

[Ar180shooter]

I understand that garbage at any price is too expensive.
Having said that, I also understand that I have a family, a mortgage, two cars, etc.
A grand or more (Do these things go for up to $2000?) simply aint gonna happen for me.
So I am also interested in a GOOD reflex that is not stupidly overpriced.

Anyone else have any real experience with the ones that Rabihz24 mentioned?

I know the Vortex is good, and if something goes wrong, it will be covered under warranty. You could also keep an eye open on the EE for a good used EOTech or Aimpoint. I recently picked up a great condition EOTech for under $400.

 

[koobs]

I want some zoom capability, so just getting an aim point or EOtech isnt enough for me, i need some magnification. I initially liked the idea of an EOtech/aimpoint with magnifier, but have heard people not being to happy with that setup after running it a bit and either returned to an ACOG or ELCAN.

so either way im up to $1200 minimum.

as for airsofters, they do alot more running around than us, i dont know how you hunt but when im hunting coyotes or deer i sit still or walk a half km an hour.... my gun doesnt touch the ground, ill walk as long as it takes to find a nice Y shaped branch to rest it against, and ill hit my face off those rocks before i let my gun, or scope touch them. today I fell through ice into a swamp and i was diĆk deep in crap but not even a drop hit my gun... so again durability i can careless about... zero only matters to me.

but hey, all your points are completely correct... they are completely garbage... i just wont take your word for it. rather see for myself.

and ill check out those other suggestions, hope they have some magnification. im goin to my gun shop to look through some real ones on tuesday or weds, maybe they will fit my needs.

 

[koobs]

I don't really understand your argument.

You can justify spending $3000 on a rifle, but not another $2000 on a scope because the R&D and QC is 75% of the price... would the same argument not fall to the rifle?

Why not just get a $400 rifle and a $100 scope with that logic...

In the end I don't care as it is not my rifle or money, but you are just going to be burning the barrel and throwing away expensive ammo if you get an optic that is not up to scratch.

rifle is a different story... not comparable but like i said earlier i still WANT the real one... just not at the moment... ive been spending too much on weapons and gadgets. 460hp benz was fine, but i wanted 600 so i got that too. i just need to slow down a bit, and maybe... just maybe ill find a way to blow less $ with a working replica.

if ill be wasting expensive ammo maybe i should find some replica ammo too...

 

[koobs]

i must say though for under $700 the lucid magnifier combo might be a good compromise.

 

[Ar180shooter]

i must say though for under $700 the lucid magnifier combo might be a good compromise.

Vortex Viper PST 1-4x. Under $700, it's rock solid and it will hold up on a real rifle.

 

[Ar180shooter]

I want some zoom capability, so just getting an aim point or EOtech isnt enough for me, i need some magnification. I initially liked the idea of an EOtech/aimpoint with magnifier, but have heard people not being to happy with that setup after running it a bit and either returned to an ACOG or ELCAN.

so either way im up to $1200 minimum.

as for airsofters, they do alot more running around than us, i dont know how you hunt but when im hunting coyotes or deer i sit still or walk a half km an hour.... my gun doesnt touch the ground, ill walk as long as it takes to find a nice Y shaped branch to rest it against, and ill hit my face off those rocks before i let my gun, or scope touch them. today I fell through ice into a swamp and i was diĆk deep in crap but not even a drop hit my gun... so again durability i can careless about... zero only matters to me.

but hey, all your points are completely correct... they are completely garbage... i just wont take your word for it. rather see for myself.

and ill check out those other suggestions, hope they have some magnification. im goin to my gun shop to look through some real ones on tuesday or weds, maybe they will fit my needs.

It's not like you intentionally drop your rifle, but it happens. If you have a scope that won't withstand a drop or jolt, it won't hold a decent zero either. This doesn't mean you have to spend a thousand dollars to get a decent, functional scope, but replicas don't cut it. If they were made to properly withstand field use, they would be much more expensive than they are.

If you'd rather see for yourself, why even start the thread? Try an airsoft board if you want guys raving about replica sights.

For sh!ts and giggles, A while ago, I tried a couple of friends Airsoft replica sights on my guns (ACOG and ELCAN clone on my Swiss Arms and Ruger 10/22)... They were utter crap. Only the Acog would hold zero on the .22 (hardly a rigorous test too... just shooting a few rounds from the bench). Many people here have been down the cheap chinese/replica optic road before and are telling you not to bother.

 

[Bentleg]

I'm not sure what makes less sense, putting a real optic on a fake gun, or putting a fake optic on a real gun.

If you are an Airsoft shooter and a firearm shooter, it think it makes sense to get a real optic
, and use it on both, at least you get quality for both uses. Though having your $600 holosight shot out with a BB seriously blows.. Obviously not something that is going to happen when you are at the range...

 

[TDC]

I understand that garbage at any price is too expensive.
Having said that, I also understand that I have a family, a mortgage, two cars, etc.
A grand or more (Do these things go for up to $2000?) simply aint gonna happen for me.
So I am also interested in a GOOD reflex that is not stupidly overpriced.

Anyone else have any real experience with the ones that Rabihz24 mentioned?

Everyone has financial obligations, so that excuse is a cop out. It comes down to priorities. Perhaps owning fewer guns and/or being involved with fewer activities would free up the funds to run reliable quality equipment. Then again, most who run knock offs and toy accessories are far from serious about their shooting.

TDC

 

[LordEvilPepper]

well vortex makes 2 red dots that come with X2 magnifiers.... both are around $200
they also make a 3X flip optic fro around $300
great quility, use the spark myself on my cz858

I have seen good knock offs and crapy ones. some of the good acog knock offs were around $300, and held zero perfectly on a ar15 with over 1600 rounds through the gun. I havn't seen this particular one for sale in 3 years now....
Some of the elcan knock offs are realy good, some of them lose zero if you give them a good shake, because they have an even ####tier version of the external adjustments that are natorious for losing zero on a real C79.

When it comes to knock offs what I have seen ( I played a lot of paintball) the glass is normaly pretty decent, the failing points are 1)the redicle mesh not being beefy enough and breaking from recoil of magnum cartraiges, 2)the windage adjustment tube not being seated very well on the adjustment knobs (bad construction that only uses push screws for the adjustment knobs and a week spring on the other side of the tube, all of which is shadly held in place with friction of the screw directly on the anlignment tube and hot glue gun glue or if your lucky a metal tab for the spring) and jumping on shots causing a wondering zero, and 3) the mounts being total bogus ####.

Ncstar has issue with all three
Baraska has issue with all three

Knock off elcans (the cheap ones) have issues with 1 and 3
Knock off elcans (the good ones) issues with#1
Knock off Acog #2 sometimes #3 on the cheaper ones

its not that you can't get a good knock off that will work well with a lighter bullet like .223, its just hard, and even on the better ones you are rolling the dice weither you got one made by chung who gives a damn and actualy assembled it properly or chang who didn't and tossed it togeather as fast as he could and if mister Ling the inspecter actualy cared that day.

 

[luke s]

100% right

why spend $200 on an a crappy airsoft clone when you can get these real (and actually quality) firearm red dots for less

I have the trs, strikefire, and hd7, all great red dots

I really don't advise buying Chinese replicas.....This is total garbage. But you can buy some mid range optics that perform really well for the money.
Bushnell mini red dot TRS-25. PPl swore buy it, excellent red dot for for the money and I own one. 115$..
Bushnell Trophy TDOT RED/GREEN. excellent again...175$...
Vortex strikfire...Lot of ppl use it. And I wont call it an aimpoint clone at all...175$..
Vortex spark 200$...excellent mini red dot.
Weaver Red/Green Dot Sight for 225$..Probably the best one and I own one.
And finaly the Lucid hd7 for 230$. Same quality as the Weaver and one of the best out there...

You cant go wrong with this list. As these products have excellent reviews on the net and youtube. Plus I own 2 of that list. The Bushnell Trophy TDOT and the Bushnell trs25.

 

[AWOL]

I have looked at/through a myriad of Eofakes & fAcogs and they are all very cheap basic red dot sights that are built in the shape of the unit they are meant to replicate. There is little in common with the real ones.

 

[Silveragent]

I'm very impressed with my SPARC. I had some good times with the Strike Fire but I would choose the SPARC over the Strike Fire. SPARC has a noticeably brighter dot. Also I found the Strike Fire adjustment knob gets easily scratched up with a coin (cheap ink).

 

[koobs]

its not that you can't get a good knock off that will work well with a lighter bullet like .223, its just hard, and even on the better ones you are rolling the dice weither you got one made by chung who gives a damn and actualy assembled it properly or chang who didn't and tossed it togeather as fast as he could and if mister Ling the inspecter actualy cared that day.

see i knew its not impossible just difficult, thats why im on this hunt. funny that u say chung and chang, because i messaged Huang from airsoftdepot.com who from the forums seems to be closest to chung in your story lol

 

[luke s]

he also said they cost ~$300, which at that point you might as well save a few hundreds more and get a real deal

and $300 is still way more than quality red dots discussed above

see i knew its not impossible just difficult, thats why im on this hunt. funny that u say chung and chang, because i messaged Huang from airsoftdepot.com who from the forums seems to be closest to chung in your story lol

 

[koobs]

also anyone have experience with any magnifiers? specifically the variable zoom ones like the lucid 1-5x?

I heard the field of view goes out the window with them. it seems that the setup is supposed to be red dot 80% of the time and magnifier only sometimes when you really need it.

Im still gonnna try to find a nice replica to prove works well since i started this whole mess, but Im tempted at the lucid red-dot and 1-5x setup @468 shipped

 

[Silveragent]

Red dot is for quick acquisition. It should still get you on a man-sized target at medium range without needing magnification. You are not looking for scope type accuracy so I don't really see the reason to have a magnifier taking up space on your rail.

 

[koobs]

i guess im not a poser anymore? will get better pics when i get home later

 

[Ar180shooter]

he also said they cost ~$300, which at that point you might as well save a few hundreds more and get a real deal

and $300 is still way more than quality red dots discussed above

Yah, add $75 and you can pick up a used EOTech.

 

[koobs]

Heres wat a $2300 optic looks like. For those still interested in the replicas i spoke with huang from airsoft depot and he said right now there are only two options:
accupoint perfect, and zx1 (think those wer the names)
go to airsoftdepot.com and under red dots you will see two or three with the wording SHOCK PROOF. I didnt make it by 5:00 today to get one but want to grab one for my shot gun.

I hate myself but i love elcan...