Red Dot vs. Holographic [Archive]

View Full Version : Red Dot vs. Holographic

Frankhenrylee

01-26-2012, 08:49 AM

Hey fellas, been wondering just exactly what the difference is besides their they're construction. I can't tell except that the Holo's are damned expensive and only made by EOTech. Wanting something for my AR, of course, Im always wanting something, but thats another thread. I've got an old Swift 4x that I'm thinking about putting on there and then mounting a small red dot on top of that.

les strat

01-26-2012, 09:07 AM

A holographic sight mirrors a reticle often with a circle and a red dot just projects a dot in the center and has a little more field of view. Some find the holo reticle distracting. Others like it. Battery life can be shorter as well from what I have gathered from other users.

I have a Leatherwood Hi-lux on my AK and it is a pretty darn good red dot for the price (~$80). If you are looking into Aimpoints and Eotechs, I am not the guy to talk to as I can't afford glass like that...... except on my deer rifle of course! :D

O'Dell

01-26-2012, 09:34 AM

I had one of the Holographic sights on my 45 carbine. I liked it, it was a Burris, but the adjustment screws were defective and I had to send it back. I just have a Bushnell tube type red dot now.

LaP

01-26-2012, 09:55 AM

I put a cheap ($75) Tru-Glo red dot sight on my S&W15. I wanted to test the technology first, and then get something high end like an EOTech. So far, I'm happy with the el cheapo sights. They work for my casual and laid-back plinking needs.

Longitude Zero

01-26-2012, 12:05 PM

apheod

01-26-2012, 12:22 PM

EoTech's are made so that they have no parallax. No red dot sight I am aware of can say that. Also with EoTech if the lens is covered or broken as long as the light is discernable the sight is still functioning.

The Aimpoints also have this feature. What that means is that no matter what angle you're looking at the sight from, the bullet will still go where the dot is.

I run an EOTech 556 with the quick release mount and flip up covers from GG&G. I compared the EOTech side by side with the aimpoints and personally preferred the field of view and sight picture of the EOTech. The Aimpoint wins bigtime in battery life and durability though.

M4carbine.net is where I would recommend researching this question before spending several hundred dollars. I'd also recommend looking through the sight you want in a gunstore if possible, before spending any money.

KMA

01-26-2012, 12:28 PM

Longitude Zero

01-26-2012, 12:42 PM

I run an EOTech 556 with the quick release mount and flip up covers from GG&G. I compared the EOTech side by side with the aimpoints and personally preferred the field of view and sight picture of the EOTech. The Aimpoint wins bigtime in battery life and durability though.

Same set up I run. As to battery life I agree but as to durability the Aimpoints I have experience with are more fragile and if they are not broken when smacked they are more easily knocked off true aim than EoTechs.

I have seen EoTechs take a 50' tumble on rocks and not loose zero and work fine. I dropped an Aimpoint on a tile floor and it broke.

jeepster09

01-26-2012, 05:20 PM

I have an eotech and don't care for the sight picture with it. On another gun I got a Trijicon Acupoint and love it. A lot of guys with AR's prefer the Acupoint and I can see why.

http://tactical-rifle-blog.com/?p=49

tv_racin_fan

01-26-2012, 05:55 PM

apheod

01-26-2012, 06:07 PM

biggest thing here i think, is so long as you're buying a quality sight and not a 50 dollar flea market job, you NEED to look through the thing mounted on an AR before buying it. it's a very personal choice and what works great for one guy, another guy is going to hate.

LaP

01-26-2012, 06:53 PM

Which Tru Glo ya got? I got the 2 power version and so far I LIKE. My Tru Glo is paralax free...

The specs read as such:

TruGlo tactical dual color dot sight
30mm objective lens
3 MOA red/green center dot
68' field of view at 100 yards
Unlimited eye relief
Flip-up lens caps and detachable sunshade included
3.82" overall length
7.9 oz.

Since it's not expected to see any rough and tumble activity, this setup works fine for me. It makes a nice introductory model for casual shooting.

tv_racin_fan

01-26-2012, 07:06 PM

AHHH I see.

This is what I have and I don't got an AR...

TRUGLO Red Dot Sight 30mm Tube 2x 2.5 MOA Dot

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/565288/truglo-red-dot-sight-30mm-tube-2x-25-moa-dot-with-integral-weaver-style-base-matte

LaP

01-26-2012, 07:14 PM

tv_racin_fan : Get the AR. Get yourself addicted like the rest of us. Join the ranks of the neverending upgrade/modification shooters.
:D

jeepster09

01-26-2012, 07:29 PM

tv_racin_fan : Get the AR. Get yourself addicted like the rest of us. Join the ranks of the neverending upgrade/modification shooters.
:D

I first thought you were referring to a Harley....:eek: "neverending upgrade/modification"

Longitude Zero

01-26-2012, 07:34 PM

But at least AR mods are voluntary instead of...Well you know the old saying about HD bikes.

tv_racin_fan

01-26-2012, 10:54 PM

tv_racin_fan : Get the AR. Get yourself addicted like the rest of us. Join the ranks of the neverending upgrade/modification shooters.
:D

See I played with the real thing back in the day. NOW if I could get one of them MAYBE I would really really want one. Alas I aint got that kind of fundage and to be honest after a range trip or two the full auto stuff aint all that. I do not want a 3 shot burst where when you are on semi auto the trigger pull is not consistant.. That aint good for accuracy.

My son never said anything about wanting an AR in fact seemed to me he had no interest in one. Then one day at the range (we had taken the furture son in law) the son in law was EXTREMELY interested in the black bag the guy a couple tables down had brought. he asked me what it was and when I said an AR he was all but orgasmic.

When the guy broke it out to play with the son in law was watching with such intent the guy could not help but notice. Lucky I suppose for us the GUY had no clue how to run anAR or he got a junk AR or junk mags I didn't mess with it enough to determine exactly his issue.

ANYHOO when he went to shoot it was like a single shot rifle it flat out would not run. He tried a couple mags and got no where. I asked him could I see it for a second... my son said the guys eye got bought big as saucers for a second when I started tearing it down and then the guy said 'Nam right?

Well I missed Nam and I had no oil and to be honest I aint all that familier with em anymore but I slapped a bit of bore butter (pretty near crisco) on it and looked at some mags and basically told him his mags had an issue and got it to run with ONE of his mags mostly. Told him it seemed kinda dry maybe it wasn't dry it might have had some kinda sticky grease on it.

That day I learned my son does have interest in an AR. Well that and the guys Luger that he let us shoot for helpin him out.

Oh yeah.. after I had helped him out he let the son in law shoot it but forgot about my son. The guy went to tryin to zero in his ACOG but had no clue what he was doing yet again. I spoke up and told him he needed to forget that and just play for today and get someone to help him make it run maybe buy some good mags. Then asked him could my son shoot it... Well the range master had been intently watchin him and commentin about me helpin him and stuff and when my son sat down and started to shootin the son in law got out the binos and started callin his shots... Ok so it wasn't long range or nothin and it was on the bench, just body tho. BUT the son in law is saying BULLSEYE, BULLSEYE, BULLSEYE.. etc and the range guy commeneted well anyone can do that on the bench.. when my son turns and he was not happy but alal he said was mind if I stand? Son in law goes to callin his shots again.. BULLSEYE, BULLSEYE, BULLSEYE... he missed one on that go but it was on the edge.The guy said ok now THAT is some shootin. ALL them kids could talk about on the way home was that AR and the shootin.

So anyhoo yeah one day I gotta get a couple AR's. SBR and a CAN... Yankee Hill Machine ARs look pretty nice...

LaP

01-26-2012, 11:23 PM

tv_racin_fan:

There was a thirty year break between shooting an M16 in the Air Force and shooting my own personal AR. On the very first couple of shots, it immediately brought back old memories of hearing the recoil spring flexing within the buffer tube, the light kick on my shoulder, the distinctive "crack" when I pulled the trigger, and the satisfaction of those 5.56 rounds going right where I aimed them. I had forgotten how much fun it was to shoot with this rifle.

No regrets .....It was worth the money.:D

tv_racin_fan

01-26-2012, 11:36 PM

Lets see... 79-09 it may well have been 30 for me too sir.

Frankhenrylee

01-27-2012, 04:00 PM

Here are two reviews of the Vortex SPARC Red Dot sight and the Leatherwood Hi-Lux CMR 1-4x24mm scope. Do not take my word for it, but IMO both of them a worth the money.

Vortex SPARC Red Dot sight:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLXsscsiZ9M&feature=relmfu

http://www.vortexoptics.com/product/vortex-sparc-red-dot-scope

Leatherwood Hi-Lux CMR 1-4x24mm scope:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l27uTiDjre0&feature=player_embedded

http://www.hi-luxoptics.com/

Hey, thanks for telling me about the Leatherwood CMR. I may have just found the scope I'm going to get. SWFA is throwing in there S.A.L.T mount ($60) for free right now. I looked at a couple other reviews and at 1x it is very close to being just like a Red dot. Love the reticle too.

LMT42

01-27-2012, 06:32 PM

Hey, thanks for telling me about the Leatherwood CMR. I may have just found the scope I'm going to get. SWFA is throwing in there S.A.L.T mount ($60) for free right now. I looked at a couple other reviews and at 1x it is very close to being just like a Red dot. Love the reticle too.

It'll do while you're saving for a leupold 1.1-8x24 ;)