Non electronic sight options

Sharps40

Sharps40

Price, it's all about the price
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What is there for an ar15 in the $100 range that is NOT-

Battery powered...

And IS all of the following-

Small like a holograph
Not more than 1x magnification
Picatinny mount
Has reticle like a scope
Has knobs for windage and elevation not screws
Has a large area to look through
Can be cowitnessed with magpul bois
 
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i think you're gonna have a hard time checking ALL those boxes at once.
see all open sights tick a few boxes at once
biathalon sights are considerably more expensive, but probably won't cowitness. also not made for quick adjustments
 
The closest you'll get is a 1x prism sight.
Looking for a link, brb.

ETA:

Monstrum Tactical Blackbird

Ordered one of these today. 1.5x20 prism scope. https://monstrumtactical.com/blackbird-1-5x20-prism-scope/ I have two of their Raven 3x32 prisms, but haven’t installed them yet. Thought I’d try one of these. Objective is in between the Raven and the Bushnell Lil P (which I also have two of)...
carolinafirearmsforum.com carolinafirearmsforum.com

monstrumtactical.com

Blackbird V2 1.5x20 Prism Scope

The Blackbird 1.5x20 Prism Scope is as sharp as it looks. Featuring a hard annodized aluminum finish with 1.5x magnification. Ideal for rapid mid-range target acquisition out to 100 yards. This scope uses a glass prism optical system rather than a refracting lens system like traditional scopes...
monstrumtactical.com monstrumtactical.com

I have astigmatism so red dots are really red blobs. Prism sights are where I'm going.
 
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You'll need to increase your budget, $100 won't buy much that's actually worth anything these days. This ticks many of your boxes, as do other prism sights:

www.primaryarms.com

Primary Arms SLx 1X MicroPrism with Green Illuminated ACSS Cyclops Gen II Reticle

DetailsThe SLx® 1x MicroPrism with green illumination is an all-new advanced optical system designed from the ground up in an ultra-compact housing, allowing use of backup iron sights and magnifiers. The 1x MicroPrism is part of our SLx optics line. SLx optics built our reputation for...
www.primaryarms.com
 
Vortex and primary arms have batteries so off the table.

I'll check eye releaf on the rail and see if monstrous may work. Looks fully mechanical but ant 1x. 1.5 might not be bad though
 
Sharps40 said:
What is there for an ar15 in the $100 range that is NOT-

Battery powered...

And IS all of the following-

Small like a holograph
Not more than 1x magnification
Picatinny mount
Has reticle like a scope
Has knobs for windage and elevation not screws
Has a large area to look through
Can be cowitnessed with magpul bois
Click to expand...
I do not think a single option exists that checks all of these boxes. At all.
 
I don’t know of anything that’s going to check all your boxes, at any price point. You’re either gonna have to adjust that budget or change up your criteria.

And what’s the aversion to battery powered?
 
Sharps40 said:
Vortex and primary arms have batteries so off the table.
Click to expand...
Prism sights have etched reticules visible when not illuminated. The battery is ONLY for illumination of the reticule, if one desires it, and is not needed to use the optic.

If you want an illuminated non-battery powered sight you're lookint at Tritium and you've just stepped up to Trijicon's line of ACOGs, which are well past your listed budget.

The TA-44 is my favorite ACOG for the money:

Trijicon ACOG® 1.5x16S Rifle Scope | Trijicon®

The legendary Trijicon ACOG® rifle scope in a smaller package designed for close quarters combat and speed-oriented competitions.
www.trijicon.com www.trijicon.com
 
Don't think you will fine anything that can check most those boxes and be 100$
Still think it will be hard to do it and come close to checking those boxes and stay under 3 to 400$

Maybe a LPVO will come close but no co witness.
 
Nebowictz said:
Question. What is the desire for no battery? The prisms have etched reticles that still function without a battery unlike a red dot.
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Failure mode is no sight. Stress mode is forgetting turning it on.

I'm finding some 1x rifle tubes that will prolly do.

I just don't like gadgets that add fragile or unneeded complexity. Set it and forget it cause it's always ready. Rules out batteries.
 
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meprolight has options with light gathering, but not 100 dollars.
 
It'll prolly get a scope on release bases. Mechanical stuff fares better than electronics around my place. My scopes have seen 10 to 40 years use with no maintenance beyond cleaning. None ever lost zero. Several electronic didn't last a season. So. I have an experience based faith .

Same with the ar. Slick side vn upper never chokes or fails. Seemingly, the forward assist models gag simply because an assist is available. I prefer the slick side. Simple seems more suitable.
 
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Sharps40 said:
Failure mode is no sight. Stress mode is forgetting turning it on.

I'm finding some 1x rifle tubes that will prolly do.

I just don't like gadgets that add fragile or unneeded complexity. Set it and forget it cause it's always ready. Rules out batteries.
Click to expand...
Prism sights aren’t susceptible to battery failure. If the battery dies, the reticle is still there and still easily seen by the shooter.

Prism sights aren’t susceptible to stress and forgetting to turn it on. As above, if the operator doesn’t turn it on, the reticle is still there and easily seen by the shooter.

A prism sight will work the same as a LPVO in both of your scenarios.
 
Sharps40 said:
It'll prolly get a scope on release bases. Mechanical stuff fares better than electronics around my place. My scopes have seen 10 to 40 years use with no maintenance beyond cleaning. None ever lost zero. Several electronic didn't last a season. So. I have an experience based faith .
Click to expand...
To be honest and not trying be little anyone. If you are spending a $100 on a red dot. You’re gonna have the experiences that you mention. Cheap red dots are not very good and defiantly not what I would trust my life with.
 
Just get a decent 1-4 rifle scope with no illumination, leave it on power 1, done!
 
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Nope. Not helpful.

I had a good 1x on a muzzle stuffer, gotta remember what it was and get it again I think.
 
Look for used older models of aimpoint? they're still solid, but they run on batteries.
I picked up an old aimpoint 1000 for dirt cheap because the brightness knob was wiggling loose. I cleaned it up and epoxied it. 15 years ago.
Honestly, i should put it on better guns than the cheap stuff i move it around to from time to time. that thing is a trooper.
 
Nope.

No

Batteries

Thanks fellas but I think yall got a battery infatuation.

To afford some of whatcha listed I'd have to sell the mega gay looking keymod forend and floppy loose moe stock and then I'd be in a mess.

I can duct type the gay forend and loose stock but I can't abide electronics for a gun.

I'm out. Mebby latch know what I settel on.


Love yas for trying but batteries is for cars.
 
The prism sights mentioned above will literally work with the batteries removed.

You can take the batteries out and throw them away. And the sight will still work.

The vortex spitfire 1x prism is very close to all of your requirements. It does have a battery but you can throw it away. It may be slightly over the $100 mark but not much.
 
Its an odd thought, but once they made these sights for shotguns and such that were basically a reflex sight, but were ww1 or ww2 era.... no batteries, no tritium. I wish I could remember the name...

Did anyone ever make a copy for modern mounting systems?
 
That hi viz tri viz turkey sight. Maybe it could be made to work on a rifle?
 
Sharps40 said:
Vortex and primary arms have batteries so off the table.

I'll check eye releaf on the rail and see if monstrous may work. Looks fully mechanical but ant 1x. 1.5 might not be bad though
Click to expand...
"has a battery" only means they can be illuminated. These have etched reticles and work just fine with no battery installed.
 
Well, I want what I want but looks like compromise is the only option. The 1x I had before was a vortex, shoulda kept it since its out of production and the replacements are considerably more expensive and larger.

So, seems, after much searching and finding a willingness to "live with" a battery and compartment, I'll try the Monstrum 1x. Worst case, I trade it for some magazines or something. The 1.5 is on sale for $20 less but the 1x has a 6 inch eyebox, better for me and GoodWife as we won't be crawling up the stock/greater lattitude for placement.

I got the got the trailerparkish cheesemod forend shortened and looking and gripping okay for now with the silipuddy insert strip thingies (im wondering how well they'll stay on).....I'll have to come up with something less tacticool later but at least its easy to install the front sling mount and sight.

All thats left is to ditch the green Floppy Moe StockGrip/midlength buffer system for a Black A1 fixed rifle system, tighten up the upper/lower interface and I think I'll be into a rifle that me and GoodWife can enjoy.

Thanks for your patience.

Fracking batteries......
 
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Sharps40 said:
Well, I want what I want but looks like compromise is the only option. The 1x I had before was a vortex, shoulda kept it since its out of production and the replacements are considerably more expensive and larger.

So, seems, after much searching and finding a willingness to "live with" a battery and compartment, I'll try the Monstrum 1x. Worst case, I trade it for some magazines or something. The 1.5 is on sale for $20 less but the 1x has a 6 inch eyebox, better for me and GoodWife as we won't be crawling up the stock/greater lattitude for placement.

I got the got the trailerparkish cheesemod forend shortened and looking and gripping okay for now with the silipuddy insert strip thingies (im wondering how well they'll stay on).....I'll have to come up with something less tacticool later but at least its easy to install the front sling mount and sight.

All thats left is to ditch the green Floppy Moe StockGrip/midlength buffer system for a Black A1 fixed rifle system, tighten up the upper/lower interface and I think I'll be into a rifle that me and GoodWife can enjoy.

Thanks for your patience.

Fracking batteries......
Click to expand...
I have a monstrum 1x,first time I shot with it particles of black ended up all over the inside of the tube. Do not recommend
 
" I just don't like gadgets that add fragile or unneeded complexity. Set it and forget it cause it's always ready. Rules out batteries."

So you're going to buy a sub $100 airsoft grade chinesium optic? That's literally adding fragile and unseeded complexity.

Just stick irons on it if you're that concerned and be done. In reality a primary arms or vortex 1x prism is definitely the way to go here.

If the bolt and the barrel are the heart of the rifle, the optic is the brain. Definitely don't skimp out on it.
 
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