For guys that run red dots...

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I was wondering, do you leave them turned on all the time? I know some types such as Aimpoints are designed to be left on and can run for several years that way, but what about other types such as Eotechs, or Primary Arms sights? I have a few PA sights, as well as an Eotech 512 and only turn them on when using the guns at the range, but was thinking that in an emergency it would be better to have the rifles ready to rock without having to think about turning the knobs on the PA sights, or pushing the button as with my Eotech. How long will these other types last if left on? Thoughts?
 
No, the Eotech or the Primary Arms sights really don't have enough battery life to be left on full time (unless you want to run through quite a few batteries). The Aimpoint no problem.
 
Solution, sell eotech 512, buy aimpoint pro.

If Aimpoint ever makes a red dot with an eotech like reticle (and still 50K hour battery life), I will be all over that like white on rice.

Until then, I'll stick with the EOtech since I prefer that reticle.
 
If its got auto shut off that's not really going to address his issue.

True. The EOTECHS, at least the models I have, will shut down automatically after 4 or 8 hours, depending on which button you pressed to activate them.

OP needs an Aimpoint, or something similar if he wants it constantly on.
 
The Aimpoint battery also lasts a lot long if you turn the brightness down when not in use. I keep mine barely visible where stored, and just need two or three clicks to bring it up for daylight use. This is okay for home defense(I think) because if it is nighttime, the dot is still visible given the relative darkness.
 
The reticule window on my eotech co witnesses with my front sight.
From 10-20' (plenty of range anywhere in my home) I can hit what I'm shooting at without the eotech even being turned on.
Non issue.

I find it strange that the biggest feature I constantly hear about aimpoints is that they can be left on for 100 years or some bs like that.
The Eotech viewing window is 100% better for quick target acquisition. Which is what it's for.
 
I shut all of mine off.... I have aimpoints, eotecs and a few others. I DON'T want to be in a real life situation and have the battery dead. We aren't in a combat situation at this time where leaving it on all the time makes more sense. I know how to push a button or turn the knob, practice it and you will too. The reality is that if we actually needed it in a home defense situation, I don't believe we will have much opportunity to AIM and shoot. I believe, point and shoot at close range is the most likely in a HD situation.
 
but the point about the Aimpoint is that you can't shut it off. You can just turn the brightness down so far that maybe you can't see the dot.

Since when?


FWIW, I turn everything off. I have bioth Aimpoint and Eotech sights, either can be turned on in a matter of seconds. I also have a Trijicon that is in fact always on, this model does not have an on/off switch or brightness switch, its a simple as it gets. The battery is replaced once a year.
 
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My aimpoint pro is on level 7 and stays on.

3 years is good for me. And if someone kicks the door down in the middle of the night I don't need to dick around with the sight.
 
Since when?

Sorry, I didn't mean to start a semantic argument. I don't consider turning the brightness knob until I can't see the dot anymore to be 'off'. On my PRO, I can turn at least 3 clicks after I can no longer see the dot. Is that 'off'? How do i know that the battery isn't still being drained at a slow rate?

Seriously, is that considered 'off'? I don't recall seeing the dot brightness knob referred to as having on/off settings, and can't find the manual ATM.
 
My Aimpoint H-1 has 0-12 marked on the knob. 12 being the brightest, 1 being very dim, can barely see it in a dark room, and 0 being off.

I guess the pro is different.

Aimpoints get such long battery life because they use a PWM (pulse width modulation) led controller. The red dot you see is actually blinking really really fast. The width of the blinking, or pulsing, is changed to adjust how you see the brightness. Longer pulses appear as a brighter dot. At any brightness setting, the led is actually off for a longer time between pulses than it is on -saving battery.
 
I guess is personal preference for some people but the eotech window beats the tube design of aim point. At the end of the day aim point still gives looking through the scope feeling.
I love the design of the eotech and the window. I hate the reticle and battery life, plus they are pretty shitty when it's bright out.
 
Sorry, I didn't mean to start a semantic argument. I don't consider turning the brightness knob until I can't see the dot anymore to be 'off'. On my PRO, I can turn at least 3 clicks after I can no longer see the dot. Is that 'off'? How do i know that the battery isn't still being drained at a slow rate?

Seriously, is that considered 'off'? I don't recall seeing the dot brightness knob referred to as having on/off settings, and can't find the manual ATM.

There is a very visible dot, that is quite obviously the "off" position.
 
I find ( in my very limited use of ) Eotechs to be not so good in bright light.

Aesthetically , I prefer Aimpoints , too. I just think Eotechs look weird , which is totally subjective.

That fraction of a second I save by leaving my Aimpoint PRO on all the time isn't something I worry about. I just like knowing the battery isn't dead.
 
I guess is personal preference for some people but the eotech window beats the tube design of aim point. At the end of the day aim point still gives looking through the scope feeling.

I agree, and that was why I chose the Eotech over the PRO even though the price was similar. I already had one of the Aimpoint M4 clone sights by PA at that point, and while it worked awesome, I wanted to try the large open window style that the Eotech offered. Some people say its hard to see in bright daylight, but I installed the GG&G flip up caps and it helps a lot by giving a built in visor.

I'm glad that I started this discussion because there have been a lot of interesting points of view and information shared. I guess the only real solution to my "problem" (which really isn't a big thing) is to eventually pick up an Aimpoint for one rifle as a quick "go to when things go bump in the night" setup. I would also love to get a Trijicon eventually but that's outside of my budget at this time. For those that run those, I know they use fiber optics to illuminate the reticle, but how does it work in the dark (or relative darkness)?
 
If Aimpoint ever makes a red dot with an eotech like reticle (and still 50K hour battery life), I will be all over that like white on rice.

Until then, I'll stick with the EOtech since I prefer that reticle.

This is precisely why the police prefer eotechs and the miitary prefers aimpoint.
Cop guns spend 99.9% of their life sitting in a rack, pampered.
Mil guns get abused for weeks or months at a time.

To the Op. I believe that the Eotechs will shut off after a predetermined time so you don't have an unexpected dead battery.

Thats not the case with the Bushnell TRS25.

I own aimpoint t3 micros, an illuminated Leupold,and the TRS 25

The aimpoint is just left on. I change its batt once per year, when I change the batts in my safe's lock.
The Leupold shuts off after a couple of hrs if I leave it on.
The Bushnell stays on and would ultimately kill the batt if I forget it. But I've left it on for a week and there were no problems. I believe someone on the internets did a test and came up with about 3000 hours for the Bushnell when set at a minimally visible daylight setting. The bushnells are only on guns that are used as toys, so its not a big deal if the battery dies. I always keep a spare CR2032 battery in my range bag.

This is my 22/45 steel gun that I have a Bushnell on:


Here's a Bushnell on a CMMG .22LR AR I built for someone. I use a $15 YHM short riser when I use one on an AR.


 
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