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.
This is the trap I see everyone falling into when they discover this astigmatism thing, including myself for a long time. I see everything from a starburst, a cluster of grapes,a weird hashmark thing, or sometimes an actual dot with mild flaring depending on if I'm wearing my contacts or forgetting to TARGET FOCUS. The secret to getting along with the red dot at distance is to realize that whatever that red thing looks like, it's smaller than your ability to put bullets where it covers without magnification. It still covers 2MOA of the target regardless of what it looks like. It will make effective hits reliably out to 300 yards no matter how you perceive the dot. I became super happy with red dot sights when I got over how the red thing looks. Here's a challenge, compare what the dot looks like between staring at it in your living room and outside in daylight focused on an object at distance with the dot hovering over it. I guarantee it will be a lot cleaner in the 2nd scenario.
Meh, in my situation I needed to get another optic anyway so I picked a used Spitfire 1x to try and I have been very happy with it.
My illuminated LPVO works much like a prism scope on 1x except for the eye relief.
Has anyone looked at or used the Steiner t332, t442, t 536 series?
https://www.steiner-optics.com/battle-sights/t432
I was thinking about something somewhat simple and magnified to put on my M&P 10.
From the few reviews I've found (Mr. Guns&Gear) it sounds like it has a bit more eye relief than a standard acog (maybe similar to the tA11?), and around the same price, maybe a little less, than something like a steiner 1-4 with a standard mount. Retail price seems to be about $700 with a mount (not cheap, but not ACOG).
I can't find very much info on the scope.
Anyone else excited about these 3x micro prisms from PA?
https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/...oprism-scopes/
Reviving a necro-thread that I was reading... I shot my first prism today. I picked up one of these based on reviews and the interesting reticle.
I mounted my 1X on my AUG and zeroed it today. I was really impressed with the whole package. The eyebox was no factor, at least not in what I was doing today. It came up quick and naturally, like any quality and well-mounted RDS would. The glass was surprisingly clear, better than I expected, and the illumination is definitely daylight bright, but with the advantage of being able to turn off the power and zero using a precise aiming point. I really like the large horseshoe reticle with the inverted V in the middle. That large ring is very fast at close range and the V definitely gave me a more precise aiming reference at distance. I don't mean that I was shooting at great distance, but I was able to consistently hit a 10" plate @ 200 yds, something that I have not been able to do with a RDS. It also allowed me to be more precise when zeroing. The trigger on the AUG is, well, crunchy, and not particularly conducive to precision shooting. The AUG is new, and new to me, so I'm still learning it.
I've been debating what optic I want for it. I've tried a RDS and now this little prism. In my limited experience I found no advantage to the RDS over this prism, except for a few ounces of weight.
I'm considering the 3X version of this same compact prism for the AUG. We'll have to see what effect 3X has on the close range work. Either way, this glass is nice enough that I won't mind having it around if I decide I don't like it on the AUG.
I’m a big fan of the PA prisms in general, especially the 3x model. I chose to go with a retro type scope on my AUG, but one of the prisms would be very effective indeed.
Ken
BBI: ...”you better not forget the safe word because shit's about to get weird”...
revchuck38: ...”mo' ammo is mo' betta' unless you're swimming or on fire.”
I was looking at the retro scopes today. They’re pretty proud of them—or at least they know they’ve got a niche monopoly. I generally believe that, with glass, you get what you pay for. I’m guessing that with this one you get the good glass you’re paying for, but with a cool-factor/nostalgia excise tax added on as well. Definitely cool, though.