Red dot - which one?

First topic message reminder :

So -one of my matchdots is going to have to go in for service soon (sticking adjustment). Not a really big deal - it's >5 years old. However, it started me thinking. The matchdot has pretty much been the 'go-to' red dot for the last few years and I was wondering if there was a 'better' alternative of late. Of course that rather relies on your interpretation of 'better'. For reference - I want better reliability than an Aimpoint, lighter than a Fastfire and under $100. Of course I also want a flying car and this weeks lottery numbers :-)

Given the impossibility of the want - are there any realistic options within the same sort of price bracket as the matchdot? I accept that the 22 may have a different solution set than the 45.

I have a couple of old Aimpoint 5000, I bought them both back in the mid-90's one just crapped out because of a battery leak - my bad, great DOT's.  When it came to buy a dot for bullseye shooting I went with the Matchdot II because of the zero set elevation knob and the 2-8MOA dot*.  I do believe the H1 has a slightly more uniform dot and both seem to have no parallax.  The MD II dot uniformity and brightness (even with new batteries) varies between the 4 I own, all are more than acceptable but there is some variation.

I have just recently added an HD-Micro to the stable which I am running on my Nelson - I like it.

- Dave

* I settled on a 2MOA DOT so the H1 would have been just fine.

rich.tullo wrote:I have both Primary Arms and H1. H1 Quality is superior. Primary arms is excellent. Primary Arms $169, H1 on Sale $530. 

Only difference is reflex may be a little less at 50 than the Primary Arms. At low level the PA dot is actually nicer. 
I would absolutely say the Primary Arms is better than a Ultradot Micro but not an Ultradot 30mm tube. 

My guess is over time the Aimpoint is worth the money but for the same money I can buy 3 Primary Arms. 

RT

The Primary Arms RBGII sells for 90.00 (Amazon) and I can't find a better one then that. Are you paying too much, or is it a different model?

Len

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NC1G0KI/ref=s9_simh_gw_g200_i1_r?ie=UTF8&fpl=fresh&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=desktop-1&pf_rd_r=1754VQBSK0CDG4BGGTA7&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=2437869742&pf_rd_i=desktop

I believe that the Aimpoint is the only dot that has no parallax issues at any distance. The PA and UD dots suffer from parallax at distances less than 50 or 100 yards. Not sure if this affects your situation. I have one of each and while the Aimpoint is much better imho, I couldn't afford 2 of them. The Aimpoint magnification appears to be 1.0 whereas the UD is a tad less than 1. I don't mind it, but it is noticeable.

FWIW,

Joel

i bought a ultradot 25 1" for my high standard supermatic trophy military but for my next project,what is the best aimpoint model for a .22, .45?

1joel1 wrote:I believe that the Aimpoint is the only dot that has no parallax issues at any distance. The PA and UD dots suffer from parallax at distances less than 50 or 100 yards. Not sure if this affects your situation. I have one of each and while the Aimpoint is much better imho, I couldn't afford 2 of them. The Aimpoint magnification appears to be 1.0 whereas the UD is a tad less than 1. I don't mind it, but it is noticeable.

FWIW,

Joel

Not sure where you got your info but ultradots have no parallax at 50 yards and since that's all that's needed for this sport that's why they are the most popular dots used. PA is just a cheap built dot along with most others and a waste of money if utmost accuracy is yur goal. Bullseye shooters are a picky lot, if ultradots didn't preform then you would not go to a match and see a dozen of them to one aimpoint on the guns of very accomplished shooters. IMO if your not running a aimpoint or a ultradot you are loosing points.

I would have to agree with the losing points.  when I first started I was using a Tasco PDP3.  At a marksman level, I wasn't able to tell the difference between it and anything else. As I progressed to Expert, I would get frustrated occasionally when I had a shot way off call.  I just figured it was a bullet with a void in it or a missed bad base & kept on my quest for a better bullet.  Finally decided to cast my own and during Ransom testing I happened to be directly behind the pistol and moved my head while watching the dot.  I had 6" of dot movement when I moved from side to side.  Unless I had the dot centered in the tube, (and usually it was, hence the occasional sputnick) I could easily be 3" or more off call with a perfect x hold.  With my area of hold, at the time, an x ring shot call didn't come often enough.

So I started to ask and really look at what was being used amongst fellow shooters.  I looked through quite a few UD's & never found one that moved more than 1/2", and rarely that.  I went to UD's and never looked back, now running 8 of them on a variety of 1911's & 22's.  And no they're not perfect, I've noticed of late some the UD's seem to have a slight reduction of magnification, so I try to inspect them before buying. 

The tasco still lays in my junk area, wouldn't think of pawning it off to someone else. 

Allen

I was fortunate. When I first started shooting scope in 1989 I bought Tasco PDP2 30mm scopes. Earned high master with them. 22 never needed any zero changes; 895 agg (cantilevered from front tube on 208) . CF on my .38 spl 1911 with grip mount; 889 agg. Used this pistol mostly for Int CF so switched back and forth with grip mount. On 45 it was cantilever mounted of rear tube; 890 agg. As I sit here thinking about this, I realize I made less sight/zero corrections with these old scopes. But on otherhand I was shooting 5+ days a week. They had click adjustment and UD didn't. Put several bazillion rds through those guns and scope never let me down.
Jon

Some of the older dots were ok, The bullseye encyclopedia did some testing on the tasco's and others as I remember showing the parallax they had. I'm sure your skill level had a lot to do with your success, that is an impressive record most of us will never reach.Trouble is many things just are not made as good today as they once were.