"High Value" Red Dot Options?

[JDeko]

I asked this in my 870 DM thread but I figure it might be best to ask in a separate thread for simplicity sake. Are there any good red dot options with 5-digit battery lives and/or shake awake/MOTAC capabilities for around the same $100-$150 dollar price range?

I know about the SIG Romeo5 and MSR, though I see now that the Romeo5s that come with a low mount like mine on my Saiga have gone up a bit in price, as well as the Northtac Ronin series. Are there any other good options? Both those have the Shake Awake, I'd be fine if it just has such good battery life you can set it and forget it for several months. My brother is really good about keeping batteries in things and keeps a lot of spares around the house so that should be no problem.

[VIGILANT]

I'd be concerned the "shake awake" might fail at some point. Keep it simple. My main go-to AR has fixed iron sights.

[Fuel Fire Desire]

The shake awake sensors should all be solid state. I don’t see them failing. And if they did, you can still revert the optic to a manual on/ off function. I have a few optics with shake awake, and I personally love the feature. Especially on HD guns.

My cheap red dots are primary arms (manufactured by holosun) with the circle dot. IIRC they were under $150. While I don’t prefer tube style dots, I do like their value. I dropped my AK with that primary arms circle dot right on the optic onto concrete (HARD). It chipped the coating, but it did not loose zero and still functions. It’s also mounted on an Ultimak rail and gets VERY hot. After a year of being cooked and dropped, it still runs just fine.

[castrotikon]

IMO one of the Sig Romeos would be your best best. I've had 2 and both worked great.

[oldmann1967]

Anything Vortex. I love sparc AR.

Different height amounts come with it.
Shuts off automatically.
Crazy battery life. 300-5000 hours
Night vision compatible.
Rubber jacket.
Turret caps used to adjust .
Common AAA battery.
Battery can be changed while mounted.
Built in rubber dust caps
Ramp protected turrets

$120 on sale

[JDeko]

Anything Vortex. I love sparc AR.

Different height amounts come with it.
Shuts off automatically.
Crazy battery life. 300-5000 hours
Night vision compatible.
Rubber jacket.
Turret caps used to adjust .
Common AAA battery.
Battery can be changed while mounted.
Built in rubber dust caps
Ramp protected turrets

$120 on sale

See shutting off automatically is something I absolutely do not want it to do. The main idea is for it to be on when the gun is shouldered with no further action needed. If "turning it on" was an action I saw as a part of the plan I have a $50 Chineseum Red/Green dot optic I bought back in 2014 when I first got my Saiga that has stood up to being dropped, rained on, 3in 00buck recoil, 3in magnum turkey recoil, etc and still runs like a champ. So shake awake or a battery life measured in seasons is what I'm looking for.

[pscipio03]

Holosun HS403R has I believe a 100,000 hour battery life span, which I believe works out to just over 11 years. Can find them on sale for the $150 price range.
Not sure you need shake awake when your reminder to change the battery when left on is each time someone from the Census shows up at your front door.

[dirtmcgirt76239]

If you are going cheap and on a 12 gauge make sure it's a lifetime warranty.

I have a vortex on a saiga, and primary on a 22 Marlin so not nearly as brutal as a 870.

Only some primary arms are lifetime.

All vortex are lifetime.

[JDeko]

If you are going cheap and on a 12 gauge make sure it's a lifetime warranty.

I have a vortex on a saiga, and primary on a 22 Marlin so not nearly as brutal as a 870.

Only some primary arms are lifetime.

All vortex are lifetime.

I think durability would be a greater concern than warranties. I mean I guess his wife could make use of the warranty if it craps out during a defensive shooting and she survives the aftermath but still I think it being reliable is a better option.

[dirtmcgirt76239]

I think durability would be a greater concern than warranties. I mean I guess his wife could make use of the warranty if it craps out during a defensive shooting and she survives the aftermath but still I think it being reliable is a better option.

the vortex and primary have good reps, people beating the **** out of them on youtube, freezing them, throwing them in the air, hitting the cement, stuff like that.

the cheapie cheapest stuff, has a bad rep on high power rifles and shot guns.

Vortex and primary appear to be here to stay, I lost some covers, wrote vortex on fb messenger I had new covers for free, no questions about anything. Just based on my word that I was a customer.

They can offer a warranty because they are reliable, the warranty does not make them reliable. You go out of business pretty quick selling one $65 red dot, and giving them 3-4 replacements.

that 12-200 area is the sweet spot. Good durability, features, tech behind it. You are not giving up a lot to the 600-1000 red dots that you would notice on your ruger 10/22. A sig, holo, primary, vortex gets it done as good as you need, you are not showing off. If you are a soldier buy the good stuff. If you are professional guide buy the aimpoint. I want a aimpoint, I just know I am not putting a nice aimpoint on 10-12 rifles.