Originally Posted by
mrozowjj
When I use a red dot what I find is the smaller the dot is the more it looks like a starburst to me. The large the red dot the less it looks like a starburst and the close it looks like a proper dot. I find the 6 MOA and 8 MOA dots look crisp to me but the industry is trending towards 2 MOA which generally looks more starbursty.
When it comes to prism scopes I've found that the lower magnification ones are kind of pointless. For example the 1.5x ACOG has really good eye relief but it still isn't as infinite or quick as a red dot and it cost something like $800 used which at that point I can get a 3x or 4x ACOG for $900 so for me the value proposition is better with the 3-4x ACOGs.
With all other prism sights I've tried none are daylight bright or even good enough for a bright day, to the point illumination is basically for night time only.
So the question I ask myself is how far out do I think I'll shoot this gun and do I want to be fast. What I've found is if speed is the ultimate goal nothing beats a red dot even the 2 MOA being a starburst doesn't hurt my ability to get hits on targets. Ideal for speed is big dot like an RMR with a 6.5 MOA dot. It limits my log range utility with the rifle to say 200 yards if I'm shooting man sized targets and less if I'm shooting say steel plates but it looks super clear, crisp and it's easy to find even if the brightness setting on the dot isn't ideal for the lighting conditions you are in.
If I need to shoot further out I have to go LVPO with the understanding I won't be as fast up close.
To my mind the 3.5x ACOG is the ultimate jack of all trades optic. Better eye relief than the 4x, gives you good range, extremely rugged, not too slow up close, reasonably light. It doesn't excel in any category but it isn't the worst in any category either. I'd consider any similar magnification prism scope as budget friendly versions of that.