SHIT with a capital SHIT

 

^ What he said. Barska products are absolute junk.

 

I wouldn't.. Gun Show junk just like NC Star

A lot of people like Aimpoint ,Eotech ,Trijicon but of course that's the high dollar and well worth it.. For the money I'm going to get a Vortex Sparc. http://www.vortexoptics.com/category/sparc_red_dot
Go to you tube and various sites and read the reviews

Another is the Vortex Strikefire

Both can be got at http://www.3riversprecision.com/ free shipping and if you watch both videos closely they tell a promotion code to enter at checkout to get a discount.

 

you get what you pay for in this game.

 

I wouldn't.. Gun Show junk just like NC Star

A lot of people like Aimpoint ,Eotech ,Trijicon but of course that's the high dollar and well worth it.. For the money I'm going to get a Vortex Sparc. http://www.vortexoptics.com/category/sparc_red_dot
Go to you tube and various sites and read the reviews

Another is the Vortex Strikefire

Both can be got at http://www.3riversprecision.com/ free shipping and if you watch both videos closely they tell a promotion code to enter at checkout to get a discount.

Joe bob outfitter's is a site sponsor and offers a discount as well with free shipping on orders above 90 dollars so you may want to check him out as well if you are looking for the vortex and you will be hard pressed to find someone that ships things faster.

 

Thanks.. I will have to do that. Didn't think of that. It will be about 2 weeks before I do.

 

I wouldn't.. Gun Show junk just like NC Star

A lot of people like Aimpoint ,Eotech ,Trijicon but of course that's the high dollar and well worth it.. For the money I'm going to get a Vortex Sparc. http://www.vortexoptics.com/category/sparc_red_dot
Go to you tube and various sites and read the reviews

Another is the Vortex Strikefire

Both can be got at http://www.3riversprecision.com/ free shipping and if you watch both videos closely they tell a promotion code to enter at checkout to get a discount.

I'd stay away from the Sparc. The power button is activated way too easy and the battery dies extremely fast. And those batteries are nearly impossible to find. Also mine started going dead after being OFF for a few days.

 

My hobbies include photography and astronomy, and, with optics you always get what you pay for - I'm not aware of any exceptions. On the positive side - all quality camera lenses, telescopes, or scopes in this case last a lifetime.

 

I'll have to argue with you on the battery's..Radio Shack here carry's them. Ebay http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-PANASONIC-CR2354-CR-2354-3v-lith-battery-EXP2019-/390097766200 10.00 for 17.75 . Most towns have a battery plus even little ole New Bern. For about 3.50 or so but why do that when you can get 10 for about 18.00
As far as the button, it's that's just a minor design flaw.. I have left my sights on the el cheapo NC Star and other scopes before. It happens. I wouldn't let that stop me from buying the scope. Did you put it through the torture test like the video above. Do that with a Barska or NCStar...Somehow I cant see from 100's of reviews of the SPARC I have read vrs yours would sway me over a battery issue.
Another decent optic is primary arms on reviews https://www.primaryarms.com/Red_Dot_Sights_Primary_Arms_s/903.htm However stock is low at this time..
If battery life is the issue then I guess your next step up is Aimpoint Micro T-1 Tactical Red Dot Sight for about 650.00 Hmmm 199.00 vrs 650.00? It's up to you the buyer.

I'd stay away from the Sparc. The power button is activated way too easy and the battery dies extremely fast. And those batteries are nearly impossible to find. Also mine started going dead after being OFF for a few days.

 

http://www.carolinashootersclub.com/threads/104856-Vortex-Sparc-for-my-AR-question

 

I believe Aimpoint claims the best battery life of any red dot optic with their CompM4. One single AA battery will last 8 years on setting 8. That's a pretty damn long time.

 

Aimpoint pro for $360 when on sale is a great bargain.

 

I believe Aimpoint claims the best battery life of any red dot optic with their CompM4. One single AA battery will last 8 years on setting 8. That's a pretty damn long time.

I was thinking about this. Can you imagine how many mall ninjas buy these, put them on their rifle, turn the sight on and leave it on, and put their rifle in the back of the safe for months at a time?

 

Aimpoint pro for $360 when on sale is a great bargain.

This is exactly what I was thinking. The best new price I have found has been $360 on sale, but even now, you can pick them up for $380 from AZArmament, using one of their discount codes. Most other places seem to be selling them for $400 to $420 shipped.

 

This is exactly what I was thinking. The best new price I have found has been $360 on sale, but even now, you can pick them up for $380 from AZArmament, using one of their discount codes. Most other places seem to be selling them for $400 to $420 shipped.

Thanks. That is what a local gun dealer told me as well. He did recommend a tasco propoint red dot as a good entry level red dot scope.
I have a crimson trace rail laser on mine at the moment and just using iron sights.

 

What is the primary purpose for having one?

I have a Barska 1x RD on my HD AR. I have found it to be very reliable and it holds it's zero quite well for an inexpensive optic. I can easily hit 2" groups at 50yd and 4" groups at 100yd with it. (That's good enough for me!)

I for one, don't have hundreds of dollars to sink into an optic that will be used very little. (Hopefully, NEVER used in a defensive situation.)

-

 

What about utg.

 

While I'll agree with most of the replies here that you get what you pay for, if you are happy with it...that is all that matters. I bought a Barska spotting scope for $50 from cabelas that doesn't seem too bad. I'm happy with it for now.
But mostly barska is on the low end of the totem pole. They are better than nc star which is complete garbage!!

I bought a Vortex Strikefire for my AR build as it was half the price of the Aimpoint Pro. If I every get some extra $$ I'd still like to have an Aimpoint. They ARE the best and set the standard.
I have a cousin in law that has a barska scope on his 30-06 and it holds zero and he has killed quite a few deer with it.
A Z06 Vette and a Hyundai still get you from point A to point B. One will get you there a lot quicker while the other is fuel efficient and has a 100K warranty! Lol
Welcome capitalism.

DirtySCREW

sent from the Honeybadger Messaging Service

 

What about utg.

Someone will come along and give a more detailed response, but in my limited experience there is no good "get out in the cheap" optics options. I tried to find a good <$100 option and there is a LOT of garbage that would be ok for an airsoft gun, but for the real deal they just don't cut the mustard.

The best "budget" optics I've seen are the primary arms or Vortex options. Perhaps not the best choice for long term combat operations, but for 99.9% of what the average joe will be doing they are perfect. Some people run TruGlo or Bushnell and they are fine, but for a hair more you can get more solid options.

From there you jump up right into Eotechs, Aimpoints, and Trijicons.

I fought the fight an wasted a lot of cash on cheap junk optics I was sure would be "just as good", and they weren't.

Best optic advice is to run irons (which work fine) until you can afford or find a mid level solid optic. Trying to "save money" is just expensive in the long run, you will be unhappy and dissatisfied.

 

From my research of reviews your 100% spot on... Hopefully in a few weeks when my work picks up. I'll have my vortex and give my review then.
Problem with gun shows and optics. It's like going to a flea market looking for a good ipod.
Usually used clothes and junk..
I have seen this for years at WS gun show,Greensboro and now here in New Bern..
On one side you will have a table of Barska and NC Star go on other side of show same thing.. Best you can hope to find is a BSA somewhere in the middle.

Someone will come along and give a more detailed response, but in my limited experience there is no good "get out in the cheap" optics options. I tried to find a good <$100 option and there is a LOT of garbage that would be ok for an airsoft gun, but for the real deal they just don't cut the mustard.

The best "budget" optics I've seen are the primary arms or Vortex options. Perhaps not the best choice for long term combat operations, but for 99.9% of what the average joe will be doing they are perfect. Some people run TruGlo or Bushnell and they are fine, but for a hair more you can get more solid options.

From there you jump up right into Eotechs, Aimpoints, and Trijicons.

I fought the fight an wasted a lot of cash on cheap junk optics I was sure would be "just as good", and they weren't.

Best optic advice is to run irons (which work fine) until you can afford or find a mid level solid optic. Trying to "save money" is just expensive in the long run, you will be unhappy and dissatisfied.

 

Someone will come along and give a more detailed response, but in my limited experience there is no good "get out in the cheap" optics options. I tried to find a good <$100 option and there is a LOT of garbage that would be ok for an airsoft gun, but for the real deal they just don't cut the mustard.

The best "budget" optics I've seen are the primary arms or Vortex options. Perhaps not the best choice for long term combat operations, but for 99.9% of what the average joe will be doing they are perfect. Some people run TruGlo or Bushnell and they are fine, but for a hair more you can get more solid options.

From there you jump up right into Eotechs, Aimpoints, and Trijicons.

I fought the fight an wasted a lot of cash on cheap junk optics I was sure would be "just as good", and they weren't.

Best optic advice is to run irons (which work fine) until you can afford or find a mid level solid optic. Trying to "save money" is just expensive in the long run, you will be unhappy and dissatisfied.

Thanks. Not really trying to go cheap. At the moment just trying to learn more about the options. Stopped in a couple of gun shops to ask about the redfield and nikon scopes and bushnell elite like what I have on my browning a bolt and they did not have them but had plenty of the ncstar and barska and each tried to explain how good they was. I actually put a crosspoint 2-7 on it the other day and turned the cross hair lights on and really liked it but then again its another cheaper line of scopes. Was not mine but a friend I was shooting with that had it mounted on a muzzle loader. Thanks for info. Learning more about this ar15 stuff and now hooked

 

I would love to able to afford better optics myself. But, some of us just don't have the $$$.

Sure, I wouldn't use one in competition; nor would I want to go to war with it. But, I've found Barska to be good enough for the application in which I use it.

 

What about utg.

Someone will come along and give a more detailed response, but in my limited experience there is no good "get out in the cheap" optics options. I tried to find a good <$100 option and there is a LOT of garbage that would be ok for an airsoft gun, but for the real deal they just don't cut the mustard.

The best "budget" optics I've seen are the primary arms or Vortex options. Perhaps not the best choice for long term combat operations, but for 99.9% of what the average joe will be doing they are perfect. Some people run TruGlo or Bushnell and they are fine, but for a hair more you can get more solid options.

From there you jump up right into Eotechs, Aimpoints, and Trijicons.

I fought the fight an wasted a lot of cash on cheap junk optics I was sure would be "just as good", and they weren't.

Best optic advice is to run irons (which work fine) until you can afford or find a mid level solid optic. Trying to "save money" is just expensive in the long run, you will be unhappy and dissatisfied.

From what I've read, UTG, Barska, Nc Star, and BSA all get thrown into the same "crap" category.

BUT this is not always the case as I have a BSA Sweet 22 that I really like. I only got this after seeing Cruizingwith4's BSA Sweet 22 and was impressed with the optic clarity. I still have some fine tuning I want to do with the scope when I get some time with match ammo, but she is on target giving good groups on my custom built Ruger. I need to have some trigger work done to really reach the scopes potential. And BSA does have Sweet 223 scopes as well that can compensate your bullet's weight at longer distances.

I also have a Bushnell trophy red dot that works really well on my Ruger 22/45 pistol.

But about the best you will find for you're money is probably the Primary Arms. I will admit I do NOT own one....but have YET to see a bad review of them. They are HIGHLY praised over at AR15.com. Second would probably be the Vortex Strikefire or Sparc...depending on what you are wanting. Again, I bought the Strikefire that I will try on my AR I'm building.

NO matter what you buy, just make sure you have back up sights as they never need batteries, etc etc.

DirtySCREW

 

BSA Sweet 22 is a great .22lr scope. But you are not dealing with the recoil that AR15s and centerfire rounds put on optics.
My dad's 22 I got him has a Sweet 22, my 22 has a Mueller APT, great for .22lr.

It's about Recoil.

I have heard good things about C-More railway red dots, they aren't breaking the bank red dots.

I used an EOTech Zombie Stopper, Trijicon Reflex, and a Trijicon ACOG TA11E. The EOTech and Reflex are on my MG, they handle the abuse and hold 0. The TA11E is on my AR10.

I would like to get a CompM4 Aimpoint for my Bushmaster next, or do an EOTech and 3x Magnifier set up.

But the sub 100 dollar red dots are Shit reverse engineered in China for Airsoft. Thats what you have to watch out for. Recoil is what a Scope needs to be rated for.

A great scope option for like 308 and other higher recoil .cals is the SWFA Super Sniper scopes.

I have been checking out the Burris Fast Fire also as an option for my 22/45 and for an AK project I am going to start.

 

I'll have to argue with you on the battery's..Radio Shack here carry's them. Ebay http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-PANASONIC-CR2354-CR-2354-3v-lith-battery-EXP2019-/390097766200 10.00 for 17.75 . Most towns have a battery plus even little ole New Bern. For about 3.50 or so but why do that when you can get 10 for about 18.00
As far as the button, it's that's just a minor design flaw.. I have left my sights on the el cheapo NC Star and other scopes before. It happens. I wouldn't let that stop me from buying the scope. Did you put it through the torture test like the video above. Do that with a Barska or NCStar...Somehow I cant see from 100's of reviews of the SPARC I have read vrs yours would sway me over a battery issue.
Another decent optic is primary arms on reviews https://www.primaryarms.com/Red_Dot_Sights_Primary_Arms_s/903.htm However stock is low at this time..
If battery life is the issue then I guess your next step up is Aimpoint Micro T-1 Tactical Red Dot Sight for about 650.00 Hmmm 199.00 vrs 650.00? It's up to you the buyer.

I couldn't find that battery in three different radio shacks. I ended up ordering them on line. I wouldn't bet my life on it due to the fact the battery would go dead every few days weather it was on or off.
Buy once cry once aimpoint or eotech...