Guys:
I've been running SPOTs on several guns as "Aimpoint simulators" for a few years now, and have found them to be a good value for the money in a "budget" optic.
No, they don't offer the battery life or durability of an Aimpoint, but they are
worlds better than the el-cheapo Chicom stuff out there (airsoft Aimpoint clones, NcStar/Leapers, Tasco, BSA, etc), and certainly rate better than "garbage". Firsthand "testing" (i.e. accidentally leaving the sight on for measurable periods of time) has shown the battery life to be around 600 hours on the lower brightness settings, which surprised me.
My most-used SPOT rides on the Ultimak gas tube rail of my AK-105 SBR. The gun has had several thousand rounds through it in this configuration, 1170 of which were fired during an EAG Tactical 3-day course in 2007. I have had NO problems, heat-related or otherwise, with this optic/mount combination.
I also have SPOTs on my 9mm AR SBR, and my M-11/9 SMG. No problems there, either, except that the screw on the OEM mount tends to back out after awhile, no matter how tightly it is locked down. An Aimpoint low ring or ratchet mount solves that pretty inexpensively, or you can just witness mark the screw and check it periodically.
My $.02.
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