Best budget red dot sight

All,
It would be cool to run either Aimpoint/Eotech/Trijicon red dot sights on everything but that would get kind of expensive. What is the best option other than those brands?
I created a poll to see what the group consensus is. I included the following:
a) Bushnell TRS 25, b) Vortex Sparc, c) Vortex Strikefire, d) Primary arms microdot, e) Primary arm classic, f) Burris speeddot, g) Truglo xtreme red dot (is truglo worthy?)
Poll is here:

https://app.ixsium.com/#!/polls/53dd...-red-dot-sight

All of the items above cost between $79 and $179. I included images in the poll

Am I missing any obvious choices in that price range?

I haven't tried all the lesser expensive brands that you listed but, in my limited experience, the Vortex sights have served me well. I have a SPARC on a .22LR upper and I don't have have any complains about it. I would buy another one in a heartbeat.

Vortex stuff is definitely gaining a reputation for being a robust red dot sight. For a while there were some complaints about quality control but that seems to have gone away. I also use the sparc on an ar15 platform and it has been solid.

Primary Arms microdots have served me well.

I added a couple of red-dot sights folks recommended and were not included in the original poll - particularly ultradot which seems to be popular.I added the street price to each.
Updated poll here:
https://app.ixsium.com/shared/poll/5...sight&src=link

I went with the Sparc after calling vortex for some comparison info on the Sparc and Strikefire. The price difference is only like twenty bucks. The strikefire has green and red led's for the red and green dots. So I was told the battery power had to be split between both making them harder to see in bright daylight. The sparc only has a red dot so all the battery power is dedicated to that single led making much higher brightness settings possible.The sparc is smaller and definately no complaints. Only thing is the Sparc red dot is 3 MOA that can smear a bit at higher settings. But it is a budget priced product so no regrets. And the Vortex VX-3 magnifier is also a great add on. Sportsmans and Cabelas had them for 149.99 recently.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by shrapnel

I went with the Sparc after calling vortex for some comparison info on the Sparc and Strikefire. The price difference is only like twenty bucks. The strikefire has green and red led's for the red and green dots. So I was told the battery power had to be split between both making them harder to see in bright daylight. The sparc only has a red dot so all the battery power is dedicated to that single led making much higher brightness settings possible.The sparc is smaller and definately no complaints. Only thing is the Sparc red dot is 3 MOA that can smear a bit at higher settings. But it is a budget priced product so no regrets. And the Vortex VX-3 magnifier is also a great add on. Sportsmans and Cabelas had them for 149.99 recently.

---

Thinking electrically... Splitting battery power between 2 leds makes no sense unless both are running at the same time.

sparc and strike fire tend to eat detents for the windage and elevation screws thus loosing zero.

Vortex Strikefire (red only version)

My neighbor has been using one for about three months now. It's even holding up at 3-gun very well. Not just a plinking and bench shooter.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kidicarus13

Primary Arms microdots have served me well.

---

X2. Never had a single problem with any of mine.

Why didn't you create a poll in the thread? I'm not signing up to YAIS just to vote.

Primary arms.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by brutal

Why didn't you create a poll in the thread? I'm not signing up to YAIS just to vote.

Primary arms.

---

x2 on everything brutal said...

I've had good luck with my Primary Arms red dot so far. No issues

I bought a Bushnell TRS25 and put it on my 10/22. Went to the range while it was snowing and the red dot would flicker and cut out. Put it away to check it out at home, and it did the same thing. Returned it ASAP.

Never had an issue with the Sparc or TRS.
The Sparc has a smaller objective than most which I didn't like.
Did have a Primary that went bad.
The Aimpoint T1 is so much nicer than the rest.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kidicarus13

Primary Arms microdots have served me well.

---

Same here.

primary arms just got in their newest and best micro dot $89 +shipping $4.40

https://www.primaryarms.com/Primary_...p/md-rbgii.htm

the original hakko or ATN ultrasights are easy to use and can be had in excellent used condition for 100 or so.

excellent clarity, easy cqb use both eyes open, heads up. i do not buy the knockoff ATN that were built in china, the orignals would be made in Japan or belarus, the Hakko is harder to find they dont get sold very often.

this one is $90, http://www.armslist.com/posts/334046...b-square-mount
just make sure where it was made before purchasing, i have never used the ones made in china they may be just fine, the original ATN, from japan was $249 new back in the day

simple easy to use, good battery life, really bright and they hold zero very well, most have a glare filter on them