I have no experience with Holosun and have no input.
The Sport II from S&W also has the forward assist and dust cover. The minute difference in twist is a non-issue.
Oh, I'm probably mixing up the Sport and the Sport II?
Probably. The first "sport" was a slick side. I'll let others argue if you "need" a forward assist or not, but I won't buy an AR without one. The Sport held no interest for me. The Sport II that replaced it is tough to say no to as an entry level gun. I kind of hate even saying "entry level" as that implies you'll grow out of it. Odds are unless you REALLY take a shine to ARs, you won't shoot enough to wear any of the major brands out, you won't see any difference in accuracy that's relevant to you, etc. If you do start shooting enough for it to matter, the gun was the cheap part compared to ammo anyway, wear out a $500 gun learning what you like and what you don't.
https://www.amazon.com/Primary-Arms...=8-1&keywords=primary+arms+advanced+micro+dot
My SPARC broke and honestly I didn't care for it because of the battery life. The thing just ate the batteries. I ended up with the above Primary Arms Advanced Micro Dot and couldn't be happier.
I've heard that Holosun makes the Primary Arms branded red dots. I've had Holosuns and I also currently have one of those PA advanced micro dots. They've both been good sights for the money.Is this, being Primary Arms, basically the same thing as the HOLOSUN? I'm still a bit confused on that.
That's two vote-of-confidence for the Vortex, from among the optics in the $150-200 price range. I take it that you guys like it better than the Holosun? If so, is there any particular reason?
I'm also interested in comparing red and green dot settings. My eyes can be...funny (very near-sighted, terribly astigmatic, cross-dominant, but good with color differentiation as far as I know). So, that was one of the things that interested me about the Vortex.
If you've got astigmatism that bad then you'll probably want to avoid anything with a projected dot. Almost everything I've seen (and is borne out by personal experience) is the dots those types of sights tend to distort, instead of a sharp dot you'll end up seeing a starburst, a comet, or even multiple dots. I've tried RDSs and ended up replacing every one due to my astigmatism (and its not really that bad) with something with an etched reticle. At the very least look through a few before you buy, your eyes may work fine with them, or they may not.
BTW, I've also got a Ruger, and it is a fine rifle.
If you've got astigmatism that bad then you'll probably want to avoid anything with a projected dot. Almost everything I've seen (and is borne out by personal experience) is the dots those types of sights tend to distort, instead of a sharp dot you'll end up seeing a starburst, a comet, or even multiple dots. I've tried RDSs and ended up replacing every one due to my astigmatism (and its not really that bad) with something with an etched reticle. At the very least look through a few before you buy, your eyes may work fine with them, or they may not.
BTW, I've also got a Ruger, and it is a fine rifle.
If you've got astigmatism that bad then you'll probably want to avoid anything with a projected dot. Almost everything I've seen (and is borne out by personal experience) is the dots those types of sights tend to distort, instead of a sharp dot you'll end up seeing a starburst, a comet, or even multiple dots. I've tried RDSs and ended up replacing every one due to my astigmatism (and its not really that bad) with something with an etched reticle. At the very least look through a few before you buy, your eyes may work fine with them, or they may not.
BTW, I've also got a Ruger, and it is a fine rifle.
have to agree with this. I have great vision and color differentiation. I'm tested on both annually for work. However one thing I've never been tested on is astigmatism. I can use red dots but they look like crap to me. I'll usually see a cluster of small dots and a starburst. It kills me because I like red dots and the way they work. I was planning on buying a SparcAR for a .40 AR pistol but ended up getting the Vortex SpitfireAR It works out really well for me. Nice crisp reticle on red or green. Also when it's not illuminated it still has a black reticle so you can still use it if you run the battery down.
Might be worth looking into if your eyes see red dots like mine do. It's a little over budget at around $250 but worth it if your eyes don't agree with the red dots.
Beat me to it. The astigmatism will most likely cause the OP issues with a RDS. I would suggest taking a look at a 1-4 power scope or similar with a true 1x. If you get it with illumination you can use it at 1x for quick acquisition shooting with a large field of view similar to a RDS.
The Athlon Talos BTR 1-4x24 can be had for under your $200 budget and is illuminated with an etched reticle. Also backed by a similar no questions asked lifetime warranty as Vortex. Athlon Optics » Blog Archive » Talos BTR 1-4×24 AHSR14 SFP IR MIL
See, this is why I love INGO.
I'm thinking, based on all the input so far, it would be a good idea to get the Bushnell for $65, if for no other reason than to determine if a red dot sight even works for me. Even if not, I'm only out $65 (and my dad gets a new RDS *grin*).