Ullie I have to agree with everything you said, optics are certainly more than just the glass you see through, but it is the easiest way to readily begin assessment.
If I were in a situation such as the Middle East, you can bet that money would be no consideration in my choice. But I am not there and money is a factor. I love my Sig, but truthfully it is only consistently at best a minute of angle firearm, at least in my hands so I have to balance its capabilities with mine and the optic, as you pointed out.
I have often been told that your optic should cost as much as your rifle, and while I understand that thought process, I think to some extent that statement is no longer as accurate as it once was. Take for example the Winchester Model 70. It is 74 years old and still probably as accurate a production rifle you can buy out of the box, with a price to reflect that quality, but it has not fundamentally changed in the past seven decades. Optic technology on the other hand has advanced dramatically and I think that the quality of the mid priced optics has dramatically closed the gap to the high end stuff. Please don't think that I am trying to compare the gun show stuff to something like Leupold, I would never try to say that, but companies such as Burris, and I only use them as an example since it is the only one I am readily familiar, I am sure there are others I am not aware of, make a very good optic, that is probably more capable than a lot of the shooters that purchase them. I know from personal experience that my Encore/Burris combination is more capable than I am when I watched a gentleman coax it to do things I was not capable of, but I am still working at getting better.
I was very close to dropping the coin on the Eotech XPS, but man it looks like someone put a shoe box on top of my rifle and I just don't like it, conversely the Fastfire is a little to small and I am not sure I can acquire sight picture quickly enough with it, I am wondering if the Sparc will be the same way.
I would love the option of a magnified optic but also like reflex sights. I am so confused as to be paralyzed into activity :roll: I am getting some good iron sights and I will continue the search for my perfect or nearly so, optic. I know whatever I choose will be something of a compromise but how much is the question. If I could find the 'perfect' optic I would gladly spend a lot of money for it, but I don't know what that is yet so it is sort of a moot point I guess.
Clyde I have to agree about the Nikon binoculars but I have always used Fujinon instead of Leupold, they tend to be very rugged and easily repaired. If they still made rifle scopes I would probably own one but from what I can tell they stopped production at some point in the past.
