Well, honest question here. Is it worth upgrading to the PRO from the strikefire? Nothing really against the strikefire, but looking to up the reliability as this is my only rifle.

Also, is there any significant difference between the PRO and the other models of aimpoint as far as durability? I see that the PRO does not have the extruded aluminum body, but what does that really mean?

I cannot say anything bad about the Vortex because I don't know it.

I do have an Aimpoint PRO. It's killer heavy duty. I mean thrash proof. It WILL survive abuse you would never do to your rifle!!! (well at least not on purpose)

Yes get the pro

pro +1000.

The strikefire could only wish to be as bright as the aimpoint.

There's no contest. I've owned both.

Can you leave the Strikefire on for three years?

This was the main thing that is making we want to switch.

Now, I had to decide if I want to get a 1x4 or the PRO. Since it is my only rifle, there is a chance I would use it to hunt (never have before, but there is always a chance).

I might have to make another thread for this question, but, if I were to get the PRO, I assume that it would return to zero if I take it off and put it back on?

I just made this upgrade. Got my pro shipped for $350 on black Friday, couldn't pass on that deal.
I love my vortex though, it will be replacing my eotech on my ar, as the battery life on my eotech really sucks.

Aimpoint.

I was trying to decide between the two.  I bit the bullet and spent a little more for the Aimpoint PRO.  I figured it is hard to beat the reliability, the durability, the 2 MOA dot was enticing and the battery life is outstanding... set it and forget it!  While it was about $200 more (got mine for $350 shipped)... I don't regret it one bit!

I guess I need to try and find a deal like you guys did. I guess I can sell my Strikefire for about 100 to offset the cost.

I have both.

I'm cheap and even I got the PRO.  It has a better mount, is from a better company, and is made in a better country for a bit of ownership pride.  I understand that on some accessories second best is good enough for items like a BUIS or rail sling mount that simply has to be solid and work.  I'm not a gear snob.  I would not talk down the Vortex for the recreational shooter, but I got the PRO.

From what I can tell the PRO is a Comp M3 with extremely minor differences.  Seems like one had a forged aluminum tube and the other had an extruded aluminum tube but both are quality.

I've owned both and kept the PRO.  It's obviously higher quality when you can compare them side by side.

If it is your only rifle, I would get the Pro. As soon as you have saved up enough money, purchase the Larue LT-129 mount (so that you can be assured that you will return to zero after mounting/dismounting). For hunting, you could always add on the Primary Arms 3X Long Eye Relief magnifier.

Here are links to the parts I discussed:

Larue LT-129

Primary Arms 3X Long Eye Relief magnifier

EDIT:

Here is a pic showing that the AP Pro coupled with the PA 3X LER magnifier would look like. You could leave the magnifier off and quickly add it whenever greater precision is required:

I have a strikefire and it is a good optic but after getting up in a tree stand only to find the battery was dead I would not trust it with my life and certainly not on my only rifle . yes I had a spare battery in the pistol grip and there was no harm no foul , but deer dont normally break into your house and rob you at gun point.
go aimpoint.

After a recent break in at my home it has been nice to have my AR at the bedside with the optic always on without the worry of my batteries dying. Not to menti on the brightness, ease of mounting, and durability. I too am cheap and got the PRO.

i was on the same boat a little over a month ago, couldn't decide between the strikefire or dishing out the dough for the PRO. Said "screw it" and dished out for the PRO...I don't regret it one bit.

+1000 for Aimpoint

I'd get the PRO and mount combo package from LaRue. Compare prices of the PRO + the cost of any other QD mount and you'll see what I mean. You can stick with the stock fixed mount, but QD is very very convenient to have. Just something to think about if you value the QD feature.

The StrikeFire is a fine choice, for a plinker.  The PRO is about the best value in an optic that you might bet your life on.

Well, I pulled the trigger. Just ordered from Brownells, with the 200$ gift card, free shipping and selling the Strikefire, it will only cost me about 100 out of pocket.

Just FYI the battery life doesnt specify what brightness setting. Probably the lowest one. Iv never seen a M2 last a year on one(or 2) batterys.

Yes it does, on the web site as well as in pages 3 and 4 of the Aimpoint User Manual. It lists how many hours it will run with the brightness setting at 7.

As an owner of both, I would go Aimpoint, for all the reasons stated above.

The strikefire as a great red dot for the price but its lack of credentials in relation to any Aimpoint is glaring. I didn't like the strike fires tendency to switch on while in the bag and draining the battery. It has been repolaced by a T-1 and it is now on my sons .22. If I needed another reasonably priced red dot I wouldn't hesitate to look at the strike ire or spark, but only on our fun guns. The patrol rifle sticks with aimpoint

I own both.  The PRO lives on a 5.56 Middy, my go to rifle.  The Strikefire lives on a Spikes ST22 that I shoot at the range and at chizlers for fun (and training).  Buy the PRO, it is heads and tails above the Strikefire.

Another question,

Does the mount it comes with absolute co witness? Also, which LaRue Mounts would provide absolute co witness?

Quoted from another post:

"Here's the skinny on the QRP2 and spacer. It is absolute co-witness - technically.
It does however, come damn near close to lower 1/3. The irons line up below center, yet not quite low enough that they are actually in the lower 3rd section of the scope."

Many think that lower 1/3 co-witness is the way to go as your sight picture while using the dot is less crowded. It also should be noted that 95% of new RDS owners don't understand the definition of lower 1/3 co-witness. Here is a great video on the subject:





























EDIT:

Here is the best description (with pics) of the benefits of lower 1/3 co-witness:

http://archery.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=3&f=18&t=542595

So based on that, I would have to crank the elevation knob on the optic to get it down to the lower 1/3rd when sighting in the optic? Is there a spacer of some sort on the mount that will give me true cowitness? I have flip up rear sights, so I can easily just put them down or up depending on my needs.

You can remove the QRP spacer but I hear that drops you down a bit below co-witness.  Not sure I follow you on the elevation knob of the optic as that would completely throw off your POA/POI.

Ok, I was thinking there might be a small shim or something to that effect to drop it down just a touch to get absolute co-witness. I think I have answered my own question about the elevation knob.

So, when I mount the optic, I can look through my BUIS and adjust the dot to sit on top of the front post, and this will give me a rough zero (which I will test and correct at the range). But due to the design of the red dot, like my vortex, I will be able to look over the top of the BUIS and still have the dot centered in the tube (or real close) to use without the irons in the way.  Is that right? This lower 1/3rd business is kinda confusing me for some reason, I learn and understand better with the object in my hand, so reading about it isn't giving me all the information I need.

If you can't make sense of the link I posted earlier,  you may not be capable of grasping the concept. I'm not trying to be rude, but this is as simplified as you can get.

Think of it this way...

1. Lets say you dont have the optic mounted
2. Install a front and rear BUIS and zero at lets say, 100 yards.
3. Install a riser to your optic that is known to provide a lower 1/3 co-witness (for example: Larue LT-129 on an Aimpoint Pro)
4. Mount optic (with attached riser) to rifle
5. With BUIS flipped down, zero your optic to the same distance as in step #2 (100 yards).
6. Flip up front and rear Buis
7. Find a wall and mark a penny sized dot on it with a Sharpie marker
8. Place unloaded rifle in a stationary upright position (use shooting bags or a bi pod) 25-50 feet away from wall used in step #7
9. Center the red dot on the mark made in step #7 (in essence, you are "aiming" in this step)
-----a. Red dot should cover the mark made by the Sharpie
-----b. Red dot should be in the dead center of the optic "circle"
10. Back 2 inches away from the rifle. (do not touch the rifle for the rest of these instructions)
11. Lower your line of sight (your whole head should move downwards) about 6-7 millimeters
12. Make certain that while changing your line of sight and head position that the view of the red dot-to-Sharpie mark remains unchanged (meaning the red dot is still covering the Sharpie mark)
13. Note that since the optic and mount were configured for lower 1/3 co-witness that the following are true:
-----a. In step #9, the red dot covers the Sharpie mark while at the same time, the iron sights are located in the lower 1/3 space of the optic view
    *****The iron sights will not be covering (or aimed at) the Sharpie mark as they are rendered "out of play"
-----b. During steps 11 and 12, the red dot is covering the Sharpie mark, The BUIS are aimed directly at the Sharpie mark and both of these events are directly overlapping.
    *****Everything described in 13 b occurs within the lower 1/3 portion of the optic's "circle"
14. Move your head up and down and left to right and note that the red dot stays on the Sharpie mark even though it "appears" to move all around inside of the optic's "circle"

Epiphany moment - 13B is where you are actually conducting a High-Speed/Low-Drag Lower 1/3 Co-witness

Disclaimer:

Red dots aren't 100% parallax free at very close ranges, but you will definitely have a better understanding for what lower 1/3 co-witness is and how it works if you follow these instructions.

Also, please revisit this link as it clearly demonstrates what I am talking about:

http://archery.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=3&f=18&t=542595
   

Thanks, I guess.

I understand that the dot "moves" inside the optic as my line of sight moves. I already have a red dot, so I have seen how it works. I was asking about getting a rough zero buy using the buis to get it close first (which I did with my first, but it was absolute co-witness). I would think that in theory it would work, since the dot will "move" to my line of sight looking through the buis. Maybe I'm wrong. According to some of the posters in this thread I can, http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_3_18/560317_.html&page=1


I'll just wait till the sight gets here, and if I am to much of a simpleton to figure it out, I'll just come back here and ask you.

The minute you have it in hand, it will all make sense. I just wouldn't zero one off the other, especially if you are going for lower 1/3.

Because of this thread I just ordered another Aimpoint PRO.  I figured I would get it now while prices are still $400 before all these new guys with their overpriced panic rifles realize they need an optic.

What is it going on?  I have a Strikefire on a Smith 15-22 for some plinker fun.  Holds zero and works well.  The on button is not in a very good location.  It has since been rotated down.  Aimpoint for serious social fun.

I would not hesitate to buy a Strikefire for my .22lr guns.

It is going on a Spikes rifle, in 5.56. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the Strikefire, but being that this is my only rifle, I wanted something a little more rugged that would be more dependable. I am actually considering keeping the Strikefire for a .22 upper or something similar.

The benefits of the Pro are: ruggedness, battery life, dual height quick release mount, dot size, and price.  If that is going on my only rifle, I would upgrade.  Eotechs aren't bad either, but is more coin than the Pro.