OK... Ill put in my two cents.
Holographic Sights Aka Eotechs
These sights for me are the
quickest gunsights that anyone can put on a rifle. The reticle consist of a Circle and a dot. The Circle is 65 MOA and the center dot is 1MOA. MOA ( Minute of angle) denotes how much of the target is covered by the dot in 100 meters/ yards.
A 1 MOA dot will cover 1" of the target at 100 meters. The Eotech has a Large circle ( 65MOA) for quick instictive shooting, and the 1MOA dot at the center will allow for better accuracy. The Circle dot reticle can also be used as a rangefinder. Newer Eotech can be bought with BDC dots for longer ranges. The larger reticle is also easier to pick up against cluttered backgrounds which helps in faster target acquisition.
To maximize the potential of the EOTECH or any red dot scope. A magnifier can be installed behind the sight as to give you a magnified view. magnifiers can be purchased from 1.9x, 3x-4x ( aimpoint/ eotech magnifiers)and several makers now make 5-7x magnifiers. This allows the Eotech to be used for short range to medium ranges ( up to 600 meters) by flipping the magnifier behind the sight.
Aimpoints and other Red dot sights
These are my second choice for speed optics. Battery life on Aimpoints with ACET technology have exceeded 10K hours. They are built like tanks and I will not hesitate to use one when SHTF. The only drawback is that Aimpoints have a fixed dot size. 5 and 10 MOA are common. 5 MOA is about the size of a beercan at 100 meters. Not really good for accurate shooting. Bigger dots are quicker to put on target but detracts from accuracy. This is also a tubed design. magnifiers can also be used to enhance target acquisition at longer ranges.
[
B]Tripower- Trijicon[/B]
Awesome sight, works just like an Aimpoint but uses 3 power sources for reticle illumination. ( Fiber optic, Tritium, Diode.... some also allow Light sticks). I like these better than Eotech only for one reason. It uses a chevron as a reticle instead of a dot. I find that the larger chevron is easier to pick up . Using the tip of the chevron as an aiming point is also very effective in making longer accurate shots as it does not cover the target. or quick snap shooting.
Trijicon-Reflex
This is a tubeless reflex sight that excels in CQB applications. It relies on Tritium or Fiber optic light collectors to illuminate either a dot or a triangle.
I am partial to triangle reticles as it provides a more accurate aiming point as compared to dots. It is also not as bright and for me, washes out in bright backgrounds.
Mini Red dots, C-more red dots, Kobra Collimating sights
Tubeless design, works really well but not really suited for Dirty , dusty , rain, muddy situations. A small LED Diode projects light into the lens to produce a red dot / reticle. These are good until dirt blocks the LED window and the red dot dissappears. They are good for situations where your firearm will stay relatively clean. C-more makes a co- witness sight that really resolves this issue as the Iron sights are always deployed to bak you up if the red dot fails.
Low power , adjustable scopes ( 1-4x)
a good example of this is the Millet DMS-1, a 1-4x 30mm scope. It allows for 0 magnification for closeup work and is adjustable up to 4 power for longer ranges. Good concept , but the scope still requires some kind of eye relief at 1x magnification. This detracts from speed but is more accurate at longer ranges. I have used this scope on a selective fire AC556K and it has been reliable.
Whats my Choice?
I have played with all of the optics described above. For ultimate versatility, speed and accuracy. I chose the Eotech 552 with an Aimpoint 3x magnifier.
It is truly the best for all applications ranging from CQB, instinctive/ snap shooting, medium ranges up to 600 meters.
For your application, I would really consider the Millet DMS-1, 1-4x scope. This should satisfy your requirements and not break the bank.
A millet m4 riser/ scout rail can be mounted backwards on your scout rail to have the scope sit in its usual position. or just mount it with standard 30mm ruger rings.
I hope this helps.
Goatman556
You may want to check this thread out
http://www.perfectunion.com/vb/showthread.php?t=63072