Thread: What's the difference between a 50 dollar red dot and a 300 + dollar red/green dot?

I have a AK-47 Norinco bwk-92 and have a BSA red dot and it seems to work really well and always hold zero... So i was just curious what is the difference between a cheap red/greeb dot and a expensive red/green dot scope?

Bragging rights! watsamatta with you? poor or something?!? LOL all joking aside though, pricing has a lot to do with reliabilty and being durable. There are plenty of other factors such as fit/finish/machining/design/clarity and so on. The BSA works perfectly fine and you won't need an aimpoint/eotech if you're just using it for plinking on occasions. However, battle conditions are different and the aimpoints/eotechs (yes i know there are other optic brands but i am lazy) are designed to take any kind of weather conditions and the most important feature is being resistant to shock. I know the bsa seems durable enough but trust me it won't last for long if you're really going to test it.

When it comes to optic the saying is especially true. "you get what you pay for".

usually battery life, durability, and better glass .

most aimpoints batteries last 5 years ON. some 8 years on.

Aimpoints, Acogs, can take A LOT of abuse watched the T one on a ar15 dropped out of a helicoper
and the glass was cracked and but still worked and hit its target.

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I had a cheap ones glass bust when the rifle fell over in the garge

Maybe more water/weather proof you need to compare side by side specs

but if your happy with the cheapo and don't plan to enter any intense competition that really matters, or think the sky is falling or your life is gonna depend on it well then your fine.

I am not putting down cheap red dots at all some of them are pretty good. personally I really like the S.P.O.T. red dot cost $150 and is very durable but does not have the extended battery life of a aimpoint. Also like the primary arms products as well.

I have a BSA red dot ($50) on a 10/22, a Bushnell Trophy red / green with selectable reticles ($80) on my turkey shotgun, and an aimpoint ($400) on my AR. If you only had one, you'd think any one of them is fine, but put them side by side and look at the same target through all 3 and you'll see why there is a 10-fold difference in price. After looking through the Aimpoint, the cheaper red dots look like a foggy day - you can see stuff, but it's not a confidence builder. Is the Aimpoint worth $300 more? On the platforms they are designed for, I think so. But if you are just plinking, have back-up irons, and don't care about burning through button batteries, you can always buy 8 or so BSAs and consider them disposable.

Originally Posted by joshchamberlain88

you can always buy 8 or so BSAs and consider them disposable.

Tape all 8 together and you got one mean nun chuck...sorry CQC tactical melee self defense weapon.

My cheap red dot washes out in bright sunlight...green is said to be the preferred color out doors.

Dinhrose,
I think I saw a nun chuck like that on an episode of MacGuyver once.

I had a cheap BSA red dot a while back. It was only a range gun but after less than around 30 shots on my semi auto shotgun and it would no longer calibrate windage or elevation. Still worked but you couldn't sight it in at all. Maybe on just a .22 or pistol carbine they would be ok...

What's the difference between a 50 dollar red dot and a 300 + dollar red/green dot?

A green dot and $250 bucks.

Originally Posted by Tomoizle

So i was just curious what is the difference between a cheap red/greeb dot and a expensive red/green dot scope?

The dot is still there after the first shot......lol. I really only had this happen with a holographic site. I bought one of the cheapo Chinese reflex jobs, sighted it in - dead nuts accurate for one shot, then the dot disappeared. I've actually had decent luck with our cheapo multi-dot sight i have. I see the blue dot better then the green or red personally

I think battery life, as well as the ability to leave the battery in it while stored, and durability in field use are likely some points that set the higher end sights up on their little pedestals.

I have 2 Walther Top Point Red Dot Scopes. One is on my Walther G22 bullpup .22lr rifle, and the other will go onto my 10/22. These are great inexpensive red dot scopes, and the one on my G22 has held zero and is dead on accurate when sighted in.

Just my 2 scopes worth of opinion.

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Capitalism is BO$$!!!

I shot over 300 rounds through my ak and the BSA red dot still hold zero with no problem or light turning off...

Have noticed that on my NcStar (TV screen style, not tube) that if you look through it on the edges instead of the center the aim point changes. Not so with the Eotechs.

Its pretty hard to beat a BSA for the price. I had one on my ar10 and it was accurate as heck and it never had any issues with zero or lighting it had even taken a couple of spills with me when i was using it got a little scratched up but nothing major still works today! Not bad for a 25 dollar red dot .

JP