I’ve only been in the ar game for a little over a year so forgive me if there’s something simple that I’m not seeing.
What is the benefit of a holographic sight ? They don’t magnify correct?
Lpvo are variable from 1 to 4/6/8 whatever you buy.
So would a lpvo be the way to go when comparing the 2?
You can add a magnifier to a holographic or red dot sight. The benefit of a red dot is that it is used at close range. But you can also use it out further if you know your holds. the LPVO has certainly become a competitor for those wanting magnification as well as the benefits of a red dot. The downside is they are heavier than just a red dot.
Gotya, thanks.
Like anything else, your optic choice will come with compromises and what you should choose is entirely dependent on the kind of shooting you do and your own comfort levels.
LPVOs are very good for general use in that you can use them more effectively at a variety of ranges. They offer a ton of different sizes and magnification possibilities. The downsides (IMO, of course) are that they’re weightier than dot sights and can be tougher to shoot with both eyes open. The eye relief can be difficult and dialing in the parallax/focus adjustments can be a pain. I like them in general, especially as someone with astigmatism I like having the reticles etched directly on the glass so I don’t get any distortion.
Dot sights are great for short range, they’re light, simple, because of no magnification they’re much easier to use with both eyes open, and generally have way more flexibility in terms of eye relief/mounting points. As GG said, you can add a magnifier to these as well. The LPVO vs dot/magnifier debate has raged on for a long time, it’s about a 50/50 split on preference and can go either way. Honestly, it’s impossible to say which setup you should get and which you’d prefer, it’s best to try to get your hands on both and try them for yourself.
For context, I don’t run a magnifier, but I have one AR with a 1-4x LPVO and one with a solo green dot. The one with the LPVO has a longer, thicker barrel with a bipod for longer range (I’ve shot it out to 500m) and the one with the dot sight has a shorter thinner barrel and is much lighter and easier to wield overall (I use this one for standing shooting at indoor ranges or for out to 100m, never further.) I could also use the lighter AR with the dot sight for home defense if I wanted, the other one would be pretty awkward and unwieldy for that purpose.
So, honestly, the thing for you to do is analyze the exact type of shooting you do and weigh the compromises of each setup to determine what’s “best” for you.
And then there’s something like this for older eyes which is somewhat in between. I have one and really love it.
https://palmettostatearmory.com/crimson-trace-3-5x30mm-battle-sight-illuminated-hybrid-bdc-cts1100.html
Edit to add: I snagged it on sale for $199.99, I doubt it comes up for that again.
Yeah, prism sights are a little bit of both worlds. They have an etched reticle so there’s no astigmatism issues, and they’re still usable when the batteries die as the illumination doesn’t present the reticle itself, it only lights the etched reticle up. They’re smaller and lighter than LPVOs, but still a bit heavier than standard dots. Some have magnification and some don’t, but they’re not adjustable. Eye relief can be tough on them as well, making them less flexible when it comes to mounting compared to dots.
Like I said earlier, there’s a compromise to be made for any choice.
That one is really clear. 3.5 magnification is still good for close in, and very good eye relief based on my experience
Thanks, I have an lpvo currently because at the time I was under the impression the holographic ones were for handguns.
Dont have any complaints with the lpvo
If the mounting method works, you can put nearly any optic on anything you want. I’ve got several pistol reflex sights on rifles, generally pistol sights are built pretty tough because slides slamming back and forth is worse than the recoil from rifles.