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Have any of you guys used one of these? If so, how do you like it? How does it compare to a Eotech? I am thinking of buying one for my AR, and would like opinions, good and bad. Thanks.
Bushnell Holosight
1 - 12 of 12 Posts
I had the bushnell on an A3 flat top bushmaster lightweight "patrolman" rifle (years back) and had it co-witnessed with the irons. I was very satisified with it and it worked well.
Others went with the eotech instead as it is promoted for LE. Costs more but looking thru them side by side i did not see any advantage
in the optics.
The eotech does have a protective bracket to protect the sight better and from memory a reported better battery life and better auto shut-down.
My bushnell used "N" batteries and they were pricey and hard to find in a smaller town but still thought the battery life was good. My understanding now is that bushnell also markets one that uses std aa or aaa batteries.
Also been told that the bushnell is actually a bottom "baseline" model that is made by eotech for bushnell----does look like it.
eotech has some upper models that are superior and eotech is reported as adapatable to night vision..
In hindsight, if doing it again, i'd probably go with the eotech if for no other reason than to get the protective shroud for a serious social occasion rifle and stay away from the "n" battery set-up.
I'd stay with the bushy for "sporting purposes" on a hunting rifle or a handgun.
The bushnell did hold up well on my ar and i also seen them on t/c contenders in 44 mag and .357 for the steel games---no reported problems there either.
Others went with the eotech instead as it is promoted for LE. Costs more but looking thru them side by side i did not see any advantage
in the optics.
The eotech does have a protective bracket to protect the sight better and from memory a reported better battery life and better auto shut-down.
My bushnell used "N" batteries and they were pricey and hard to find in a smaller town but still thought the battery life was good. My understanding now is that bushnell also markets one that uses std aa or aaa batteries.
Also been told that the bushnell is actually a bottom "baseline" model that is made by eotech for bushnell----does look like it.
eotech has some upper models that are superior and eotech is reported as adapatable to night vision..
In hindsight, if doing it again, i'd probably go with the eotech if for no other reason than to get the protective shroud for a serious social occasion rifle and stay away from the "n" battery set-up.
I'd stay with the bushy for "sporting purposes" on a hunting rifle or a handgun.
The bushnell did hold up well on my ar and i also seen them on t/c contenders in 44 mag and .357 for the steel games---no reported problems there either.
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3,602 Posts
Thanks, Deputy, for the excellent report! I appreciate it.
Irregardless of which brand you buy ..... get a model that uses AA bats or better ....... shy away from the "N" bat models.
I own two Bushy's (N models) and like them very much. ..... But, I would like them all the more ....... IF they used less expensive batteries that lasted longer ...... Ie. ..... AA's or better!
One version of the EOTech's are Night Vision compatible .... it adds bucks to the price but is a good feature if you ever contemplate getting NV goggles.
The EOTech's shroud .... all of their models is a good investment. And a better Auto Off feature compared to the Bushy is also important.
So far as accuracy goes ..... I would say as long as either brand is undamaged ..... accuracy is very similar.
With my Holosights ....... I can hit golf balls at 35 yds at high percentages from a .44 Redhawk with an improvised rest.
Three 44s
I own two Bushy's (N models) and like them very much. ..... But, I would like them all the more ....... IF they used less expensive batteries that lasted longer ...... Ie. ..... AA's or better!
One version of the EOTech's are Night Vision compatible .... it adds bucks to the price but is a good feature if you ever contemplate getting NV goggles.
The EOTech's shroud .... all of their models is a good investment. And a better Auto Off feature compared to the Bushy is also important.
So far as accuracy goes ..... I would say as long as either brand is undamaged ..... accuracy is very similar.
With my Holosights ....... I can hit golf balls at 35 yds at high percentages from a .44 Redhawk with an improvised rest.
Three 44s
I think they would be fine on a 20 ga. I've seen them on centerfire rifles as well. If its a 20 ga mossberg---all the better as they are probably already drilled and tapped for bases. I'm not aware of magmification on the bushy. Aimpoints do have magnify red dots but they are a different animal and from memory cost a lot more.
I'll bet I'm remembering wrong...I had a small scope-like device on a shotgun that I saw a red dot through, but it wasn't expensive or I'd not have had it...early 70s....anyways, I'm thinking of improving target aquisition time over the large bead...maybe an express-type sight or a dot-sight...
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3,602 Posts
Guys, I have been using this sight for a couple months now, and am completely happy with it. It is a hoot to go out and blast away with my AR with this sight, and it is more accurate than I would have believed possible. Keeping both eyes open takes some getting used to, but it is mucho faster than a scope or iron sights.
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3,602 Posts
I gave about $150 at the Sportsmans Guide for mine, but I just checked and could not find anymore listed, so apparently they have sold them all. Midway has them, but for a lot more. I did not know just what a deal I got, until I seen this at Midway:
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=326536&t=11082005
That is double what I paid! As a matter of fact, you can buy a EoTech for not much more than that at the Sportsmans Guide:
http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=339230
Not trying to knock Midway here, but dang!
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=326536&t=11082005
That is double what I paid! As a matter of fact, you can buy a EoTech for not much more than that at the Sportsmans Guide:
http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=339230
Not trying to knock Midway here, but dang!
Hello folks,
I gave 150 for my first Bushnel Holo ..... a reconditioned unit.
The second came to me used by a neighbor who did not like it though he NEVER fired his SRH after he mounted it. Sold it to me for 200 just like it cost him.
The holosights are 1X ..... no magnification.
Sheepdog,
You asked about recoil handling ........ you 20 ga. would be very gentle on this sight.
Like someone mentioned ..... both eyes open ....... it takes time to get used to but in my opinion .... that's the best ..... but also you can sight it for one eye open ..... just don't switch back and forth ..... sight it to your taste and stick with it.
I like both eyes open because you have total field of view.
There are downsides with these holosights ...... battery life is not real good with the N battery models ...... I think about 20 hours on a bright setting ... more if you are carrying less brightness.
The pain is to have to turn it on and reset the brightness. It does take a moment or few.
So that's why I stress DON'T buy N models ..... buy AA or better .... more juice .... more hours of opperation between battery changes ..... and thus less likely to get caught with YOUR PANTS DOWN!
I like the adjustable brightness as like other red dot sights ... the brighter it is ....... the "bigger" it appears ..... and (my favorite part) the dimmer it is ..... the smaller it is! One of my holo's is a plain dot ..... a real hoot for precision work ..... that's the one I use to cap golf balls with the .44 RH ..... 35 yards is no real challange.
The dots on these are rated at One MOA..........
The other holo is the conventional one ....... circle and dot ..... it's MUCH easier to find if things get dangerous but to me ..... the plain dot once found in the screen ..... is less distracting.
For long guns ..... rifle or shotgun ..... if the stock fits you well ....... my experience is that after you settle down with the holosight ....... (I am assuming good cheek weld ..... ie. consistent cheek weld ......) that you will find even the plain dot model .... (they don't make them anymore I am told) comes up FAST!!!
And the circle and dot REAL FAST!!
This is written by a Optometrist/hunter that tried a Holosight on a rifle for bears:
http://www.shootersoptometrist.net/...able=tbl_Press&Article_ID=11¤t=articles
However,
There are more contenders in this holosight field .....
The first one I shot was on a Encore pistol ...... a Tasco Optima .... long discontinued but revived in the JP Micro sight.
Doctor also was out to lunch but has been revived ........ and even improved over it's original.
AND NC Star has been pooping along and just now seems to have hit it with their latest model .... but I am cautious on this latest reincarnation as I only got a snippet of it in a Midway flyer.
The JP Micro and Doctor offer some advantages and disadvantages over the Bushnel/EOTech sights.
First they solve the battery problem by using an auto on/off controlled by low light ..... if the light is REAL low ..... I mean you can't see your hand in front of your face low ..... it turns off or virtually off ...... I see claims of 35000 hour battery life in sleep mode and 17000 hour life when on.
They supply a hood to put the unit to sleep and keep the unit's lenses cleaner to boot. And in tandem .... once these units are on .... the intensity is controlled automatically.
These units are much smaller and less bulky. ......... good and not so good ....... the screens are also smaller.
As the intensity is only automatically controlled .... you can't customize the setting as you can on the holosight.
Now some of these ....... I think ...... you had to remove the unit from the mount to change batteries .........
That floored me ......!!
I think that applied to the Optima but I could be wrong ..... and I think but can't swear to it that the JP Micro and the Doctor have fixed that.
And this is not the end of the list of possible choices. Trijicon has an entry. And there is another good brand that I am digging for. When I get the poop ..... I will add it.
Three 44s
I gave 150 for my first Bushnel Holo ..... a reconditioned unit.
The second came to me used by a neighbor who did not like it though he NEVER fired his SRH after he mounted it. Sold it to me for 200 just like it cost him.
The holosights are 1X ..... no magnification.
Sheepdog,
You asked about recoil handling ........ you 20 ga. would be very gentle on this sight.
Like someone mentioned ..... both eyes open ....... it takes time to get used to but in my opinion .... that's the best ..... but also you can sight it for one eye open ..... just don't switch back and forth ..... sight it to your taste and stick with it.
I like both eyes open because you have total field of view.
There are downsides with these holosights ...... battery life is not real good with the N battery models ...... I think about 20 hours on a bright setting ... more if you are carrying less brightness.
The pain is to have to turn it on and reset the brightness. It does take a moment or few.
So that's why I stress DON'T buy N models ..... buy AA or better .... more juice .... more hours of opperation between battery changes ..... and thus less likely to get caught with YOUR PANTS DOWN!
I like the adjustable brightness as like other red dot sights ... the brighter it is ....... the "bigger" it appears ..... and (my favorite part) the dimmer it is ..... the smaller it is! One of my holo's is a plain dot ..... a real hoot for precision work ..... that's the one I use to cap golf balls with the .44 RH ..... 35 yards is no real challange.
The dots on these are rated at One MOA..........
The other holo is the conventional one ....... circle and dot ..... it's MUCH easier to find if things get dangerous but to me ..... the plain dot once found in the screen ..... is less distracting.
For long guns ..... rifle or shotgun ..... if the stock fits you well ....... my experience is that after you settle down with the holosight ....... (I am assuming good cheek weld ..... ie. consistent cheek weld ......) that you will find even the plain dot model .... (they don't make them anymore I am told) comes up FAST!!!
And the circle and dot REAL FAST!!
This is written by a Optometrist/hunter that tried a Holosight on a rifle for bears:
http://www.shootersoptometrist.net/...able=tbl_Press&Article_ID=11¤t=articles
However,
There are more contenders in this holosight field .....
The first one I shot was on a Encore pistol ...... a Tasco Optima .... long discontinued but revived in the JP Micro sight.
Doctor also was out to lunch but has been revived ........ and even improved over it's original.
AND NC Star has been pooping along and just now seems to have hit it with their latest model .... but I am cautious on this latest reincarnation as I only got a snippet of it in a Midway flyer.
The JP Micro and Doctor offer some advantages and disadvantages over the Bushnel/EOTech sights.
First they solve the battery problem by using an auto on/off controlled by low light ..... if the light is REAL low ..... I mean you can't see your hand in front of your face low ..... it turns off or virtually off ...... I see claims of 35000 hour battery life in sleep mode and 17000 hour life when on.
They supply a hood to put the unit to sleep and keep the unit's lenses cleaner to boot. And in tandem .... once these units are on .... the intensity is controlled automatically.
These units are much smaller and less bulky. ......... good and not so good ....... the screens are also smaller.
As the intensity is only automatically controlled .... you can't customize the setting as you can on the holosight.
Now some of these ....... I think ...... you had to remove the unit from the mount to change batteries .........
That floored me ......!!
I think that applied to the Optima but I could be wrong ..... and I think but can't swear to it that the JP Micro and the Doctor have fixed that.
And this is not the end of the list of possible choices. Trijicon has an entry. And there is another good brand that I am digging for. When I get the poop ..... I will add it.
Three 44s
1 - 12 of 12 Posts
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