aimpoint vs. reflex
 

I am currently divided as to which set of optics to persue for my outdoor excursions. I like the idea of a large viewing area with the reflex styles, but does the tint of the lens affect target acquisition? If anyone owns either an aimpoint or a reflex, or both for that matter; please tell me what you think.

P.S. Yes, I know there are better styles of optics but unfortunately they don't sell for under $80. =P

Your terminology is a bit off.
Reflex sight is a synonym for red-dot sight.
An Aimpoint is a specific brand of red-dot sight.

I'm assuming that you're choosing between a closed tubed style sight vs a open style sight.
To answer your question: The tint does not affect your acquisition time at all.

I own a tube-style red-dot sight. I chose it purely because of durability and price issues. I considered the perceived wider viewing area of the open-sight at first, but later realized that your eye has to be directly orthogonal to the screen in order to see the dot anyway. So in that respect, both styles are more or less the same.

Aimpoint closed tube style.
I used to have a open style reflex sight and I got nothing but problems from it. I couldn't find the dot even on the highest setting(with a fresh battery). The way it sat was also really funny(may have been bad luck)

The tube style I never have had a problem and it has been wonderful.

I've had pretty much every type of red dot sight with the eotech being the one I like the best. Unfortunately, this is going to be a bit out of your price range so it's probably not an option. It is however more like a reflex sight than what I belive you mean by an aimpoint (tube type closed sight) Both pretty much do the same thing, but IMO the reflex sights tend to be the less obtrusive in your sight picture. I find the tube type, although more resiliant than the cheap reflex sights, harder to see your target in dark conditions and slower to line up your target.

Which one is going to be better for you is a matter of trial and error. You won't know till you try both. You can get both cheap reflex and aimpoint type sights on ebay for less than $40 inc shipping. My recommendation is to get both and sell the one you don't like for the same you bought it for.

Good luck.

a slight hijacking:
@ pivot - do you have the real eotech or the replica? The real ones are utterly amazing but If you have the replica, I'd like to hear your opinions on it. Any problems with the viewing angle? How's the clarity of the cross hair?

Zi-Xiao

you can pick a Tasco RDS from walmart for $42.97, great little sight and perfect if you are on a budget

I use the tasco sight that jayhad is referring too. It's a tube style sight and I find that it has worked well for me in all situations, light or dark. The sight is well build and sturdy. I was using a cheap crossman RDS but it was hard to find the red dot in bright surroundings, also it took a bb and the optic glass/plastic shattered. I have not had these problems with the Tasco RDS.

In Open style reflex sights it's harder to identify whether your point of impact is affected by parallax. Also, it's easier to install a lense protector on tube styles like aimpoints should you choose to.

That's great, thanks guys. I appologize for the flawed terminology, but as you can see, I'm still pretty new to the optics.

The aim points are a nice affordable, good looking, good functioning Reflex sight. With ones with trademarks, and a series of mounts, they can get quite unique. My only issues is the red lenses can be a give away. itd worth it to invest in a KillFlash, ive also had this issue with ACOGs. My favorite so far is the Hurricane EOtech 552 HWS replica. It is unbelieveable!

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g4...3/HPIM0751.jpg
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g4...3/HPIM0753.jpg

srry for the bad quality.

Nice Eotech, kg3.
I've noticed that in lower quality rds (like my KA one), that the dot is out of focus if you focus on a close object (ie. within 10 meters). Do you experience that with your hurricane?

no, it is extremely crisp and clear. Since the lense tube is clear though, and not tinted like Aimpoints, it can be hard to see in Extreme Brightness (Sunny, and Snow, or Sand) but is rarely a problem. It auto adjusts, runs of 2 AAs, moisture resistance, and tempered lens. Also has Green and Red Reticles.

One thing i dont like about Aimpoints is the reticle bleed, sometimes gets in the way of aiming.

Yeah im mean look at the FOV on eotechs:

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...r/IMG_0565.jpg

*Sigh* I simply cannot afford an EOTech... well that's a lie. I can afford it, but not tuition as well. They do look freaking beautiful though.

If you decide to get a relflex site, make sure you get a high quality one with very little reflection off the lense.

I have a cheap $29 one and when I'm prone and hidden, I'm getting hit all the time not because people see me, but they seem a big red reflection off my sight. It's upsetting that they don't know what they're shooting at other than a bright red object, and I end up getting shot...usually in the face mind you.

Cheap tubular red dots have very little of this problem, but it still exists. It's much easier to fix though. Just put a wire mesh screen on the front of your tube and you're set hide and pick off people.

I'm trying to get some mesh to cover my reflex site and see if that helps. I have doubts.


Seeing as EOtech came into this, I was wondering, are the crosshairs on EOtech scopes supposed to be slightly fuzzy? I have a friend that bought an original eotech and the crosshairs are not clear and crisp. I understand that eotech uses a hologram type film for the reflection of the laser crosshair. Is that what causes the fuzziness of the crosshairs?

try zeroing the optics.

It was either set on a setting too high for the actual surrounding or you might need to wear glasses.

Dim the setting down till you lose the fuzziness or get a new prescription for your glasses. Remember, the aiming reticle is a projection that is set at about 75 feet infront of the sight. If you can't see objects properly at that distance, you'll also have some problems getting a sharp reticle from the EOTech.

Zeroing the EOTech does nothing to correct this fuzziness. You're only moving the reticle to where your shots are hitting at a set distance.

Just to back this up, I had purchased my Eotech before I had laser eye surgery and felt that the reticle was fuzzy. After my near-sightedness was corrected, the reticle now appears clear and crisp.

Another thing to consider regarding illuminated reticles in either open or tubed housings is that your 'free' eye - not the eye looking through the scope itself - makes the sight picture. Try this: cover the front of your scope, now, leaving both eyes open, sight your target using the covered red-dot. It still works just fine because your mind superimposes what both eyes are seeing into one image. Having a big sight picture can provide extra eye relief, but doesn't make much difference if you have use of both eyes. I have an Eotech which I love, but have decided an ACOG with illuminated reticle and 3x magnification will give me the best of both worlds. Using the same principle as above, I can aim quickly using the illuminated reticle and my free eye. Since the sight picture in the ACOG moves more quickly because it is magnified, the brain ignores it and uses the picture from the free eye allowing even this magnified scope to be used effectively as a reflex sight. However, when I wish to 'zoom in'. I simply focus on the sight picture given in the scope itself to see 3x.

Last bit of advice - cheap optics give cheap results. If your reticle is washed out in bright light, or is bleeding all over your target in darkness, its because you saved a few dollars. I haven't yet encountered a situation where my Eotech was ineffective (so there no need to claim a certain type of sight doesn't work in certain conditions, when it simply boils down to the brand.)

I know zeroing it adjusts reticle position but i didnt know if it was misaligned. It was a guess. bad call on my part srry!

on some of my guns a use a walther rds, works great with no parallax

I own both a real Aimpoint and EOTech and I personally, I like them both. the EOTech gives me a great field of view and I use it for cqb games. From what I hear, hurricane makes a pretty good replica buti think it still costs around $180USD. I dont know how durable the HUD is on that unit though but Ive taken point blank shots to mines without it cracking. The aimpoint may be a better option in the case of durability since you can add a killflash to protect your front lens. If you place the sight closer to your front sight, you can still have a wide field of view along with rapid aquisition. I have played with an aimpoint replica made by Guarder and it was fairly similar. The zeroing had some issues but for the price it worked great. I would definitely recommend a replica aimpoint with killflash if you play rough.

reflex site(open style), simply because it's smaller and doesn't obstruct your view too much.
Believe it or not, i use my "open reflex sight" with the rubber protective cap on, i just cut up the part that's facing me ofcourse. You really don't need to see THROUGH the lense to be able to see the aiming reticle. By covering up the front of the lense you
#1 protect it from incoming BBs, and
#2 you effectively eliminate the RETICLE from disappearing among the background.
#3 you eliminate potential light refecting off the sight which may give away your position.
Ofcourse this only applies if you aim with both eyes open. Try it, it works better this way! . :)

You can't do this with a tubed style RDS coz sight allignment with the sight hole is MORE crucial then with the open lense types.

???