Reflex or Red Dot Optics

[DEVOREGUNNER]

What is everyone's opinion on Reflex or Red Dot optics. Your preference as to of one over the other and why.

[Grumpyoldretiredcop]

I have both. Red dots generally on range toys, reflex on business tools. Generally, my reasoning is that my business tool won't be caught with a dead battery. Longer battery life on RDS are beginning to render that reasoning almost obsolete, though.

[JDay]

I have both. Red dots generally on range toys, reflex on business tools. Generally, my reasoning is that my business tool won't be caught with a dead battery. Longer battery life on RDS are beginning to render that reasoning almost obsolete, though.

AimPoint has had battery life measured in years for years now. My CompM4 has close to 10 years on a single AA.

[purer00r]

Ya, my aimpoint T1 can stay on for 5 years, so battery isn't an issue. I am going to check out a quality reflex soon. Any recommendations?

[klewan]

Ya, my aimpoint T1 can stay on for 5 years, so battery isn't an issue. I am going to check out a quality reflex soon. Any recommendations?

Just buy the most expensive one you can find. CW on CG is only the most expensive one can be worthy of possession. No way would the manufacturer or vendor increase the price because they think they can still sell them for that; it's more expensive because it has to be! Anything optic has to be the worst in this mindset. Not just guns, but camera lens, telescopes, binocs; if it's got some glass in there, look out!

[MXRider]

The Eotech XPS And EXPS line are definitely worth looking at if you're not interested in an Aimpoint.

[purer00r]

Just buy the most expensive one you can find. CW on CG is only the most expensive one can be worthy of possession. No way would the manufacturer or vendor increase the price because they think they can still sell them for that; it's more expensive because it has to be! Anything optic has to be the worst in this mindset. Not just guns, but camera lens, telescopes, binocs; if it's got some glass in there, look out!

Right on! Thanks for the helpful and positive response, never knew that....never would I think that someone would charge the very most they could for a product, I thought they would start at the very lowest and we would offer to pay more.

[mlevans66]

I have both. Red dots generally on range toys, reflex on business tools. Generally, my reasoning is that my business tool won't be caught with a dead battery. Longer battery life on RDS are beginning to render that reasoning almost obsolete, though.

Are you freaking kidding me? Military uses red dots!
Anyway OP depends on what you are using it for and on what weapon. If you got something that can hold batteries then use a RDS. If you have a pistol or just HD then a reflex seems ideal.

[chino-loco]

I have a sure fire for 4yrs original battery and a sig red dot for 2 yrs with original battery, but the clarity on my TA31f acog is so much better . Alas the cost for the acog is alot more.

[bigbearbear]

BTW guys, are you all referring to the difference between Holographic and Reflex/Red Dot sights? I thought Reflex and Red Dot sights are the same thing?

My understanding is that holographic sights use laser and reflex/red dot sights use LED. No?

[klewan]

Right on! Thanks for the helpful and positive response, never knew that....never would I think that someone would charge the very most they could for a product, I thought they would start at the very lowest and we would offer to pay more.

Right on, smart ***. Usually the competition keeps the price in line with actual cost of production, but not optics. Marketing weasels can just go with a price they want, and if it's a name brand, it sells. So buy the most expensive.

[SuperSet]

This post by CWDraco a few years back helps clarify the differences between Reflex and Red Dot:

"I think he is a slight bit off, or you didn't understand him as well as you thought.

IICR the term "reflex" while talking about optics was started by Aimpoint back in the 80s. Trijicon then named a 1x optic "Reflex". The term is used to describe an optic that allows the shooter to snap up the firearm aim and shoot...a reflex.
That has gotten twisted down the years when Bushnell and EOtech came out with Holographic reflex optics. We now have an amalgamation of terms and definitions related to 1x optics.

RDS= Red dot sight. This is an optic that uses a LED (light emitting diode) to project a dot on a glass surface in line with the bore. This is called Collimator sight. There are two types of RDS.

1)Tubed RDS houses the LED inside of a tube with glass on both ends. (Aimpoint T1, M4....)
2)Reflex RDS has a single glass tower and the LED is projected on to it. (C-More systems ATAC, Sightmark, Trijicon Reflex...)
3)Holosite or HWS, Holographic weapon sight, is a Bushnell or EOTech that uses holographic imaging. (EOTech 5xx, or Bushnell Holosight)

Now when EOTech came out with the Holographic optic. That uses lasers to project an IMAGE on to a glass in relation to the zero of the weapon. As long as you can see the zero point POI/POA, the image will be superimposed over it. There are only two true Holographic sights on the market today. Bushnell Holosite and EOTechs. period...end of story unless another country has made one I dont know about.

After this time manufactures started calling Reflex RDS type sights Holosites, since they started projecting not just a dot but shapes on the front glass. They still use LEDs, but the dot becomes a shape when passes through a filter. There is nothing holographic about it. They just changed the dot to a shape.

Now EOtechs house the laser inside the optic and project the image up into the glass, other Reflex optics still project the LED shape from outside and onto the back of the glass. You can block a Reflex RDS by putting your hand over the glass and the dot or shape is now projected onto your hand.

All Aimpoints are LED Tube type RDS, the common C-more is a LED Reflex RDS. If you say "reflex" think single glass tower with a bean projected on it. If you say RDS most people will think of a tube with glass on either side and the LED inside. If you say "holosite" people normally think either reflex or EOTech...its very confusing sometimes. And this is because manufactures want you to think holosites are holographic images without lieing to you."

[purer00r]

Right on, smart ***. Usually the competition keeps the price in line with actual cost of production, but not optics. Marketing weasels can just go with a price they want, and if it's a name brand, it sells. So buy the most expensive.

So its only name that makes aimpoint/eotech better than a UTG/other lower priced optic....and you wouldn't have gotten a smart Alec remark if not for your original comment...and if your original comment was genuinely not meant to be slightly rude, I apologize.

[JDay]

So its only name that makes aimpoint/eotech better than a UTG/other lower priced optic...

No. Those lower cost optics aren't anywhere close to an AimPoint or EOTech in terms of durability, clarity and battery life. You can smack an AimPoint or an EOTech with a hammer and they'll hold zero and continue to work. My AimPoint has never been turned off and it is still running strong on the original AA battery. I have a 2 year old EOTech that hasn't had the batteries changed yet, although you cannot leave those on 24/7. If you want the best I'd go with an AimPoint. My EOTech sees very little use.

[Insight.556]

No. Those lower cost optics aren't anywhere close to an AimPoint or EOTech in terms of durability, clarity and battery life. You can smack an AimPoint or an EOTech with a hammer and they'll hold zero and continue to work. My AimPoint has never been turned off and it is still running strong on the original AA battery. I have a 2 year old EOTech that hasn't had the batteries changed yet, although you cannot leave those on 24/7. If you want the best I'd go with an AimPoint. My EOTech sees very little use.

^^This^^