Ultradot Alternatives?

So I just had a second ultradot (this one a Matchdot II) crap out on me in a year. No clicks on the vertical adjustment and the horizontal adjustment is now one click from one side of the black to the other @ 50 yds. It's not as though I actually alter the sights that much as I load different for short and long line to avoid needing to. The quality of Ultradots seems to have plummeted somewhat of late. I still have my 8 (I think) YO matchdot and it works perfectly.

To avoid having this happen again - the week before leaving for Perry - wonderful timing - and given that I really can't afford the Aimpoint that I want - any suggestions for a similar priced red dot that can cope with being slide mounted on a 45? I do have my backup mounted so it's not massively urgent but any suggestions for commercial row would be welcome. Oh - and without that slight negative magnification would be nice as well.

Thanks
Derek

Maybe Clarence Perkins will comment on this. I shot with him at the state indoor and he was using a Holosun I believe, on his 45. It looked for all the world like an Aimpoint. Seemed to work well. He won the state championship!

Jim

The Sightron S-30 has been working out for me. No reduction and dot is easy to focus. I have two of them now and would not hesitate to get another one of these.

That's a nice looking little sight Len. Is it 1 inch or 30MM?  Dot size?

Jim

This is the thread I started on the Holosun red dot sights;

https://www.bullseyeforum.net/t7142-holosun-red-dot-sights#57747

Have just under a thousand rounds of .45 using it now with no issues.
Get the Kodiak mount using the enclosed screws cause the four screws that come with the Holosun will most likely not take the pounding of the .45
My worst fear was that it would not take the recoil but it has so far.

There are other options but I am happy with both of mine.
YMMV

Clarence

The S30-5 is 30 mm with a 5 moa dot. But dot looks smaller then Ultradot 4 moa. They also make a 33 mm scope but I am not sure I would recommend the 33 to anyone. There are limited choices out there for rings to fit the 33. I have two of the 33s but only use them on 22 rifles. Optics Planet has the S30 on sale a lot so I would expect to pay less then the current price of 169.00. Just info. NFI

http://www.opticsplanet.com/sightron-s30-5-red-dot-electronic-30mm-sighting-device.html

I've had good luck with early Tasco PDP2 and PDP3 30mm red dots.  I think they tend to have the most crisp dots around.  However, the newer ones, made after they were bought out (IIRC, by Bushnell) are absolute crap.  Look for ones that say "Made in Japan."  Avoid ones made in the Philippines, Malaysia, or anywhere else.

we've had very good results with both the Holosun and Sightron S30.. Both dots are around 2moa to my eye.

we use the Halosun 403B or GL.

I made tubes for my Halosun out of Carbon fiber tubing...Worked perfectly..

I know it is not sexy because it does not cost an arm and a leg but I have 3 Millett 30mm red dots that have an adjustable dot size (3,5,8 and 10).  I have several thousand rounds through each one.  Two of them are on 22's and the other my 45.  They have performed flawlessly for me.  The dots are round and clear at all light levels except for the highest, but I have never had to go above a setting of 8 out of 11 even on the brighest of days.  Maybe it is time to think out of the box for change.

Allen Barnett wrote:I know it is not sexy because it does not cost an arm and a leg but I have 3 Millett 30mm red dots that have an adjustable dot size (3,5,8 and 10).  I have several thousand rounds through each one.  Two of them are on 22's and the other my 45.  They have performed flawlessly for me.  The dots are round and clear at all light levels except for the highest, but I have never had to go above a setting of 8 out of 11 even on the brighest of days.  Maybe it is time to think out of the box for change.

I am trying the Millett 30mm on my 25-2 have have no complaints so far.  I have e MatchDot II and like them but do have a complaint about the elevation turrets going into free spool now and then.  Don

I have a couple of millets and the only problem I have is parallax at 50 ft. The scopes work fine for 50 and 25 yd but there is just a lot of potential movement at very close ranges. In a perfect world my eye would stay perfectly aligned with the center of the tube and there is no parallax. You can test it easy enough by comparing different scopes at the short distances. If you can move your head while looking thru the tube and the dot leaves the black (50 ft) you probably should use a different dot. Just my opinion YMMV.

LenV wrote:I have a couple of millets and the only problem I have is parallax at 50 ft. The scopes work fine for 50 and 25 yd but there is just a lot of potential movement at very close ranges. In a perfect world my eye would stay perfectly aligned with the center of the tube and there is no parallax. You can test it easy enough by comparing different scopes at the short distances. If you can move your head while looking thru the tube and the dot leaves the black (50 ft) you probably should use a different dot. Just my opinion YMMV.

I will check that I have only used mine at 20yds and had not noticed any.  I have another on order and also a Aim Point 9000SC for my Nelson.  Don

Update: My backup Ultradot failed (detached mirror) during the 45 match at Canton. That's 2 in less than a month. Annnnd - no one on the (not very full) commercial row has sights for sale. Sigh.

I just picked up a Aimpoint 7000sc. I will have feedback on it shortly. I think it is going to replace an ultradot in my stable.

Len

LenV wrote:I just picked up a Aimpoint 7000sc. I will have feedback on it shortly. I think it is going to replace an ultradot in my stable.

Len

Len I just did that yesterday.  I replaced the Matchdot II on my Nelson with a 9000sc.  I have not shot it this month as I am not shooting this month, but I am a little concerned about the extra weight on the slide.  I am not sure how much it is but I can feel the difference.  Just couldn't afford a H1 at the time.  Don

I like the idea of the 9000sc but it does weight a decent bit more than a Matchdot II. The matchdot II weighs 5.1 ounces where the 9000sc weights 7.4 ounces. I was thinking of putting one on the new pistol Jon is building me but with it being a slide mount I don't know if it will cycle properly with that much weight on the slide.

The 7000sc weighs 7.1 ounce. Just a tad lighter then the 9000 and all of the light controls are for daytime shooting. The 9000 has settings totally wasted if not using night vision attachments. Remember Don there is no problem with scope weight on your Nelson.

Len

What dot size are you guys using on your 9000SC's? I used to use only a 2moa dot on my MatchdotII, recently I've been using 2moa for 50 yards and 4 moa for rapids. I'm thinking of getting a 2moa version and just increasing brightness on rapids to make it more visible.

LenV wrote:The 7000sc weighs 7.1 ounce. Just a tad lighter then the 9000 and all of the light controls are for daytime shooting. The 9000 has settings totally wasted if not using night vision attachments. Remember Don there is no problem with scope weight on your Nelson.

Len

Len that is true and the same for my LB as it is a frame mount.  The SC does not have anything for night vision that I see in the manual.  The M3 and ML3 does.  Don

zanemoseley wrote:What dot size are you guys using on your 9000SC's? I used to use only a 2moa dot on my MatchdotII, recently I've been using 2moa for 50 yards and 4 moa for rapids. I'm thinking of getting a 2moa version and just increasing brightness on rapids to make it more visible.

The 9000sc comes in either 2 or 4 MOA.  I got the 2.  It has off and 9 day light settings the last is Super Bright.  Don

I have a question Don. I have a 9000sc and it may say it has 9 daylight settings but unless your standing inside a closet you can not see a dot until you get to position 3 and that only works if it is very dark. I read (somewhere) that the new model aimpoints were all nv compatible. The question I have is what setting do you have to go to to see the dot?

Len

LenV wrote:I have a question Don. I have a 9000sc and it may say it has 9 daylight settings but unless your standing inside a closet you can not see a dot until you get to position 3 and that only works if it is very dark. I read (somewhere) that the new model aimpoints were all nv compatible. The question I have is what setting do you have to go to to see the dot?

Len

Position 3.  I suspect maybe you might get a dot at 1 or 2 with a very fresh battery.  I also think as the battery get lower in voltage 3 might not give you a dot.  My Matchdot IIs are that way forgot to turn one off and next time using it I haqd to go to 8.  If you turn this 98000sc to 9 you would need welding grasses to use it it lights up the whole inside of the tube.  Don

I think you must have a good battery if 9 is so bright. Mine is also super bright on 9. I suspect I may have one of these.

https://www.aimpoint.com/product/aimpoint-9000sc-nv/

Len that's interesting,  Now I need a set of NV goggles to see it those first clicks do something.  It would be a lot cooler shooting BE at night this time of the year.  The temperature has been in the high 90s before noon and with our humidity it is ljust to hot for this old guy.  Feels like I am back in Vietnam.  Don