I've come to the point where I don't care for RDS or holographic sights at all any more for two reasons:
1. They rely on a battery and absolutely can not function without it.
2. I have astigmatism and they don't play well with my eyesight.
I have also tried the 1.5x ACOG and don't care for it either. IMO it has enough magnification to be annoying but not enough to be beneficial. I feel Trijicon would have done better to make it as close to true 1x as possible.
Nowadays I prefer something with an etched reticle. Illumination is great but an optic with an etched reticle is still useful if the battery dies or the electronics fail.
On the fixed 1x side there's not a lot to pick from. I've tried the Vortex Spitfire 1x and had good luck with it. It's currently on loan to my father-in-law. I'm currently trying out the Primary Arms 1x Cyclops. So far I really like it, even a bit more than the Spitfire. The ACSS reticle is useful for range estimation and bullet drop compensation but in all honesty I feel those aspects are mostly wasted on me. Unfortunately both of these are low cost options made in China. I haven't had any issues with either one but I don't know how durable they'll prove to be in the long run. Things I've seen online, like the review by Mrgunsngear, are favorable. Assuming they're able to hold up these are nice options if you want something other than a RDS/holographic but still want to keep the weight down.
Now we come to LPVOs. IMO these are truly the king of do-all optics. Etched, illuminated reticles combined with magnification anywhere from 4x up to 8x allows you to do pretty much anything. Most of the better ones are very close to true 1x so they're good up close and shooting with both eyes open isn't difficult. They continue to work even if the battery dies. Drawbacks include size, weight, eye relief, and eye box. IMO size and weight are well worth the trade for the capabilities these optics bring to the table. Eye relief and eye box vary somewhat from scope to scope but IMO are manageable without much problem.
Currently I have a Vortex Viper PST 1-4 and a Trijicon Accupower 1-8. I've also had a Vortex Razor 1-6 and briefly tried a NF NXS 1-4. The only one I didn't really care for was the NF and that's only because I didn't care for the reticle in it.
I feel if you're going to run a LPVO then a good throw lever is pretty much mandatory. I like that some manufacturers are either integrating them directly into the scope or including a lever that screws in/out.
Last edited by SteveL; 12-08-18 at 22:37.
Steve
Disclaimer: I am employed by Shadow Systems. My posts on this site are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer.
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