Solid NON-AIMPOINT Home Defense Optics for Astigmatism (EXPS2, P4Xi, etc.)

**grizzlyblake** · 10-03-17, 06:30

I've searched and read through a lot of old threads but have not come upon a clear breakdown of other non-LED RDS options that are rugged and trustworthy for defending life and property. There are a couple that touch on it, but none that I've found that really break it down.

I've run an Aimpoint PRO on my HD 6720 and it's very fast and workable at close quarters distances, but due to astigmatism I get the whole blurry/starred dot effect and end up dropping down to BUIS for anything over 25yds or so for precision work. Minute of man is doable with the dot for a good bit further but it's frustrating to be limited by gear like that.

I'm a Toyota/Glock/Colt guy so I like bombproof gear. With that said is there anything on the vetted and recommended list for non LED optics in the sub $700 price bracket? The EO Tech reticle is crisp for me, and obviously LPVs like the Steiner P4Xi are as well at 1x, but I cannot find a good consensus of experienced opinions here that state whether those outlier options are dependable and rugged enough for home defense, LE work, etc.

This optic will be going on a new 6920 Trooper that will be 100% dedicated to home and property defense - inside the house and out to 200yds or so outdoors. The bombproof standard is a 6920 with an Aimpoint PRO. Is there any other option in the same relative price bracket that is not a LED red dot? If not I'll just run another Aimpoint (maybe a micro) and accept the limitations at distance. I *cannot* have an optic on this rifle that is not Aimpoint quality.

As much as I hate to ask this - If there is nothing in the $700 bracket of Aimpoint quality - what is the least expensive option for a non-LED that is truly dependable in this use case?

Thanks in advance, everyone.

**jdgiii** · 10-03-17, 07:25

Not sure if this will help you but here it is. I have an astigmatism as well. I run a T1 on my carbine. On longer shots or shots where I want to be precise and when I’m not wearing my prescription glasses I look through the aperture on my rear buis at the dot and target. It really sharpens the dot up.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**grizzlyblake** · 10-03-17, 07:32

Yes that's how I currently handle it, and it certainly helps. It would just be nice to not need to do that, yet still retain the Aimpoint durability of the setup.

The Steiner P4Xi at 1x is great, as is the Vortex Viper PST. I just don't have the sense that they are rugged enough to trust for life and death use. If I'm wrong and they are, that would be great as they are much more versatile than the blurry RDS with a rear peep.

**usmcvet** · 10-03-17, 09:42

You mentioned the EO Tech why not use one of their new improvements models? The EO should fit your budget. A Trijicon 1-4 or 1-6 or the optic the Marines are using would all work too. You are going to spend more than $700 but you’ll get what you want. Sell the Aimpoint and use $700 more and you’ll be good to go.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**praythenspray** · 10-03-17, 10:22

This will be an interesting thread for me. Hopefully several people will chime in about the durability/ruggedness of the Steiner.

I am debating about starting to pinch pennies for a 1-4x scoped GP upper. Based on reticles(and how the reticle illuminates), the only two I really like are the P4xi and the Nightforce NXS. Unfortunately, it is quite a bit of a price jump between them.

**grizzlyblake** · 10-03-17, 10:25

Are the Trijicon Accupowers considered life and death reliable? Under $900 with a quality mount isn't unreasonable.

**ExplorinInTheWoods** · 10-03-17, 14:25

I would say that the accupowers are rugged. Trijicon hasn't put out an optic that isn't. Aaron Cowan put all of the accupowers through drop tests. My 1-8 is pretty tough and has withstood being bang against barricades going in and out of dump barrels. My TR24 has been super durable, Kyle lamb used the TR21 over seas according to one of his books

**bad107** · 10-03-17, 16:59

i like the accupower 1-8

**usmcvet** · 10-04-17, 11:42

Originally Posted by militarymoron

But, as I'm getting older, presbyopia is now becoming a factor - eye fatigue. It's hard to focus for long on near and far objects. I'm going to need bifocals if I still want to focus on my pistol front sight and see far stuff clearly.

That all sounds farmiliar. The eye fatigue really stinks.

Originally Posted by Diamondback

A little offtopic, but thought it might help you to know that Mas Ayoob once mentioned something about a lot of serious pistol competitors who wear bifocals--and a doc I know through AOPA mentioned pilots with same--having the lenses set up reversed from normal top and bottom-lens roles.

Tagged for subscription--I'm not astigmatic, but I am functionally blind without very-high-index lenses (my good eye is 20/400 uncorrected, and for comparison worst allowable for USAF aircrew even as cargo-hold handlers is 20/200 before correction in the bad eye; some of my college range-buddies who were LEO's used to joke about "blind kid shoots by sense of smell"--in case of Bump In The Night I don't even take 'em off to sleep, just long enough to clean 'em when I wake up), so interaction between sighting systems and crappy-ass eyes is a personal concern for me too.

I remember reading about that years ago in one of his magazine articles.