Yeah, I used to lolipop my red dots. Now I don't give a shit. I only use the dot, good enough.

Now let's talk budget optics... Because I'm very curious on this. I have a mix of decent and shit optics. But are there any exceptions to the rule, that a say, $80 RDS can actually be good? Obviously, it might not be as durable as an Aimpoint or similar companies. But say the Bushnell TRS-25, for the guys who can't afford 300-600, does it work?

If any of you have personal experience with that sort of thing, of course.

If you are willing to turn it on every time you pick it up and take the durability hit there are a few good budget options for red dots.

I think it’s fairly well established what optics are reliable

Greetings. Anyone running highcom 4s17 plates? Looking at shellback carrier with their iv 4s17 plates.

No, my plates are garbage and I have only had experience with ESAPIs

No I don’t run plates

I think highcom is supposed to be good, they’re NIJ listed yeah?
Shellback is okay for entry-level stuff

Yeah NIJ listed

They've got some decent kits for around $400 right now with no lead times.

Decent-looking*

So long as they aren't steel and they're rated, why not?

Yeah.

Yeah, those look fine, although single curves will be annoying after a while

I'm not easily annoyed. Willing to give it a shot.

Meaning, they don’t conceal as well, and will hurt your shit a little faster than multi-curve. Not the end of the world, just something to consider

Pros and cons of running a thermal optic vs a standard one

Pros, you can see more shit in the dark. Cons, You can't see color and it can eventually start to mess with your eyes, and depth perception is pretty meh.

Also, batteries. you're depending on them to even be able to use your optic. Same can be said with some red dots too, but there's options out there that don't require batteries at all, or they at least last a while.

Really, it depends on your mission and if you can get steady resupply.

Thermal optics have lag

Can’t see through glass

Poor eye relief

Sparrow my baseline for a red dot is 150 to 200 minimum anything less is a range toy and not to be trusted

Unless you’re just like, hog hunting, I would go thermal spotter and then regular optic with analog NV on your gun

Or run fusion on your lid and a laser on your gun

I wouldn't use a thermal as a main optic personally. Not unless it's just for hunting, and night time. Great for spotting, that really all I'd want one for though.

I mean thermals are dope, but I use them for observation and identification, not as an aiming device

Okay, weapon mounted thermal for spotting or seperate device?

Separate device unless you have a dedicated thermal rifle like serious hog hunters

^

That would be my recommendation.

Hell, depending on how heavy you want that thing to be, you could put the thermal on an offset mount for spotting and then adjust from there. But that'd be unweildy.

Uhhhh

I mean I *guess* you could rig a FLIR breaxh lije that

Yeah... that's a possibility....

Sounds very call of duty lmao

Hahaha, screw it. Buy a Reap IR

With all that said, any reccomendations for thermal spotting scopes?

Bruh for that money you could get a pvs14 and a ecoti