Comparison Review of Affordable Red Dot Optics

Frankly, we are not big fans of Red Dot sights, as they are not a good choice for precision rifle shooting beyond 100 yards. But Red Dot sight systems do have a place for pistol shooters, night-time hunters, and folks defending their home and property at short range.

Those considering purchasing a Red Dot sight system should read the Ammoland Red Dot Review by former U.S. Army Ranger Rex Nanorum. Rex took four affordable (under $200) Red Dot optics into the field, putting them through their paces. Rex notes: “Red dot sights are excellent options for those wanting a lightweight upgrade to iron sights and those prioritizing speed over the maximum accurate range.”

READ Full Ammoland Red Dot Sight Review »

Rex tested the five Red Dot units, evaluating them based on multiple key factors: weight, brightness settings, ingress resistance to moisture and particulates, range performance, and battery life.

The Four Under-$200 Red Dot Optics were:

Bushnell TRS-26
Nikon P-Tactical Superdot
Primary Arms Microdot (Md-Ads)
Vortex Crossfire Red Dot

We recommend you read the full review, which includes detailed discussion of multiple factors. But there were some interesting “take-aways” from Rex’s Ammoland review.

Dot Size — The Bushnell has a 3 MOA central Dot, while the other units have a 2 MOA Dot.

Weight — The four units are similar, weighing 5.3 to 6.6 ounces.

Battery Life — The Bushnell TRS-26 and Primary Arms Microdot enjoyed a huge advantage in battery-life, with a claimed 50,000 hours! The Nikon SuperDot offers 14,000 hours, while the Vortex Crossfire delivers only 7000 hours.

Intrusion Resistance — All four units claim to be fog-proof, shock-proof, and water-resistant, typically good for 30 minutes immersion at 1 meter water depth. But the Nikon unit also has a particulate-ingress resistance rating. In the real world, keeping dust out may be more important than the ability to survice a half-hour dunking. In dry states such as Arizona, dust is a bigger issue than water.

The Primary Arms Microdot Earned Top Honors in Ammoland’s Test:

Overall, based on a variety of factors, Rex the reviewer rated the Primary Arms Microdot “best in test”, followed by the Bushnell TRS-26 in second place. The Nikon placed third, while the Vortex was ranked fourth. Rex was somewhat disappointed with the Vortex’s battery life and brightness controls.

Newer Bushnell TRS-26 has larger objective and longer battery life than older TRS-25:

Review of Higher-Priced ($400-$1000) Red Dot Optics
If you’re willing to pay $400 or more for a Red Dot optic, there are many good options. The same reviewer, Rex Nanorum, has tested and ranked five more costly Red Dot Sights:

Trijicon MRO – $400
Vortex UH-1 – $499
Meprolight RDS Pro – $610
Leupold LCO – $700
Aimpoint Comp M5 – $820 ($981 with LRP mount)

Of these units, Rex rated the Aimpoint Comp M5 the highest, with the Trijicon MRO Second.

READ REVIEW of Five Higher-Priced Red Dot Sights »