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Thread: Red Dot choices

  1. #1
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    Red Dot choices

    I have owned and used most of the Aimpoint red dots for a number of years now and like most here, am partial to the T2 on the AR platform. I purchased a Sig Sauer Romeo 5 for use on an inexpensive PCC (Ruger PC9) a while back and was impressed with it especially given the cost differential. My question is can anyone tell me how two seemingly similar products can have such a wide cost differential.

    The reason for my question is that my son just purchased a S&W M&P Sport 2 and i as a good dad provided the Vickers sling, Colt side swivel and extra Magpul mags. He wants an Aimpoint because i have one but is it really that much better than a $140.00 Romeo 5?
    NRA Life Member and Certified Instructor
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  2. #2
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    I feel like there was recently a thread of Sig Romeos dying, I think one poster reported that his department had exchanged a magnitude of them due to failures.

    I only trust Aimpoint.




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  3. #3
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    I would have no issue running a Romeo... even for home defense. But if I were fighting in the military, I'd spare no expense on my sight choice.

    I have no doubt that there's a durability and electronics quality issue between an aimpoint, and a chinese RDS.
    "What would a $2,000 Geissele Super Duty do that a $500 PSA door buster on Black Friday couldn't do?" - Stopsign32v

  4. #4
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    I have a Romeo 5 on my 9MM AR-SBR. Its been fine, but it's just a range toy.

    Everything else has Aimpoint.

  5. #5
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    I have had very good luck with every generation of over a dozen Primary Arms/Holosun/Romeo 5 RDS over the past decade. Including an early PA RDS gas tube mounted on an AK. I would even argue that many of my newer ones have less bloom/better dot quality than my T1s.

    My only recommendation would be to replace the mount. These seem to be much cheaper in comparison and I have seen many stripped and even broken clamping screws and mechanisms. Although it does seem wrong to spend $60-100 on a new mount for a $150 RDS, I believe it increases reliability 100%

    Note: I only mount these RDS on my "fun guns". The rest all wear Aimpoint or Trijicon as a matter of QC and statistical principle.

    Dennis.

  6. #6
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    Aimpoints are probably (arguably) the best quality, but if on a budget one has to consider the intended use for the rifle. I have owned Aimpoints, Holosun, DI Optical, Vortex, and a few others that were ok. The best (as far a durability) were the Aimpoint, DI Optical (South Korean Military) and Holosun's. We allowed several LEO's to try their Vortex RDS to qualify in our patrol-rifle courses but none of them (six or 7) were able to complete the course, so we excluded them from our acceptable RDS's for duty. If you wonder why the price difference, it will probably come down to where they are produced, labor and components quality.

    P.S We tested several of the Vortex rifle scopes (not RDS's) and they make some really nice scopes, just a little too fragile with their "RDS's.
    Last edited by popo22; 03-25-20 at 11:53.
    "A Wise Man Changes his Mind, but a Fool Never Does."

  7. #7
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    If cost is the issue, good, used Aimpoint Pros can be had for no more than ~$350 here and on other sites. My organization issues them en masse with no complaints. To that end, we also authorize T2’s (my preference as well) and Romeos, although I’ve never seen the latter issues.

  8. #8
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    I also was shocked how well the Romeo dot was clean and how it triturated well from zero to max. Very impressive for $125 to the door.

    PB
    "Air Force / Policeman / Fireman / Man of God / Friend of mine / R.I.P. Steve Lamy"

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by popo22 View Post
    ... We allowed several LEO's to try their Vortex RDS to qualify in our patrol-rifle courses but none of them (six or 7) were able to complete the course, so we excluded them from our acceptable RDS's for duty....
    Which RDS? The newer micro ones and/or the older AA ones?

    Thanks!

    Dennis.

  10. #10
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    $150 SIG Romeo vs. $810 Aimpoint T2 (I believe the T2 replaced the T1, even though there are probably still new T1 sights out there for sale); ~$660 more for Aimpoint.

    Marketing gets a bit complicated from R&D/production/price to consumer.

    What could be reasons to justify Aimpoint charging more than SIG:

    SIG production costs in China vs. Aimpoint in Sweden: +$200
    SIG brand name vs. Aimpoint's name: +$150
    Possible or perceived design & parts quality: +150
    10 year Aimpoint warranty vs. SIG's 5 year (on the electronics) warranty: $150

    This gets into what-the-market-will-bear; demand in how many can be sold at a given price; Aimpoint's projected profit vs. cost to develop and manufacture over a product's life-span; what costs might already have been absorbed with prior product development.

    Personally, I liked Trijicon's MRO sight (currently mounted on an AK47, which is priced in between the Aimpoint and SIG. I tried one Holosun but must have gotten a bad one with glare when looking through the optic during the day which appeared sort of what the "Northern Lights" would look like. On an AR15, I've got a newer style Eotech, also, but I like the MRO a bit more.

    As others have said, it comes down to what you, the end-user, can afford or is willing to pay, coupled with perceived needs/wants; e.g., I like good optics, but don't need to pay extra for night-vision capability.

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