Clarity, Durability, and Longevity

Quick…give me the top 3 things you look for in a red dot sight.

For me, clarity, durability, and longevity.

Clarity meaning: How crisp/clear is the dot?

Durability as in: Can it be bounced around the floorboards of my trucked, lugged through the woods bouncing off trees, and still retain
zero?

Longevity referring to battery life: Do I need to carry a spare battery with me on a hunting trip or during a training class in order to get through the week(end)?

For most people, in order to achieve those 3 things, they think you have to spend a week’s paycheck to afford a solid red dot, and mount. Well folks, its 2023, and Primary Arms is here to rescue you from those intrusive thoughts.

PA has 2 new red dots they released this year that are changing the game when it comes to affordable and reliable sights. As someone living in New England especially, where you’re rarely going to be taking more than a 100 yard shot, these red dots are at home on both your home defense carbines and your favorite brush gun.

First in this line up is the SLx MD-25 Gen 2. This is a 25mm red dot, utilizing Primary Arms’ patented ACSS CQB ranging reticle. Yes…a red dot WITH the ability to range targets out past 500 yards using the patented bullet drop compensator. That means you have the ability to use this dot on your favorite turkey gun in the spring and switch it out on your brush gun for the fall when you’re jumping deer or bumping bear. It has “auto live” technology, meaning after an extended period of time of inactivity, the sight switches off automatically. But, when you pick it up, it activates, and is ready to go with 12 brightness settings and boasting up to 12,000 hours of battery life. (For those keeping track…that’s over a year and a half!) Add in the fact it comes with 4 included mounting options, AND weighs just 6.5oz., making this by far, my favorite new red dot, that is at home on my 45/70 bear gun just as much as it is on my 300 blackout bedside rifle. (https://www.primaryarms.com/primary-arms-slx-md25-rotary-knob-25mm-microdot-gen-2-autolive-acss-cqb-red-dot-reticle)

Next up in the lineup is the classic series RD-25. This is a no frills, slimmed down version of its big brother, the SLx I spoke of previously. Again, it’s a 25mm optic, with a super crisp 3 MOA dot. Including 10 brightness settings, this dot is fast and easy to pick up, and will work well on your pump gun, lever action, or autoloader. It’s simple, rugged, fog resistant for those chilly New England mornings, and comes with a lightweight QD mount, and compatible footprint for various other mounts. (https://www.primaryarms.com/primary-arms-classic-25mm-push-button-red-dot-sight-3-moa-dot)

The best part about both optics? They both retail for LESS THAN $200…AND come with mounts, AND a lifetime warranty from Primary Arms. That saves you enough money to buy a few extra boxes of ammo to practice with!

Matt DeVito
Vice President
Safari Club International NEF