When it comes to red dot optics, Aimpoint is a go-to brand for most. They are trusted and they have been making quality products for consumers for years now. But they have a bad habit of releasing two or more similarly priced items with small to no changes. That brings us to today’s topic.
The idea is to find the best suited sight for you between Aimpoint Duty RDS Vs T2, two of the very popular sights from Aimpoint. Let’s see why they are so popular and if the T2 optic is better than RDS optic in any way. Let’s start.
Aimpoint Duty RDS/ T2 – Outlooks
Aimpoint Duty RDS/ T2 – Specs
| Specs | Aimpoint Duty RDS | Aimpoint Micro T2 |
|---|---|---|
| Reticle Size | 2MOA | 2MOA |
| Weight | 108 g | 130 g |
| Size | 2.7 x 1.5 x 1.7 in | 3.1 x 1.8 x 1.9 in |
| Mounting System | One-piece design | Micro™ Standard Mount |
| Waterproofing | 25m | 25m |
What Are The Main Differences?
Appearance wise, they are nowhere near the same. I agree, they are typical red dot sight styles. But they are quite different from others. In terms of specs, they are different as well. Take a look.
- Aimpoint T2 is bigger.
- Aimpoint Duty RDS is lighter without the mounting system.
- T2 features a more modern mountain system.
- Duty RDS offers 15mm of adjustment per click while T2 is 13mm. Both at 100m.
- Duty RDS uses a push button while T2 has a rotary knob.
- T2 has more daylight settings.
What Sets Them Apart?
Mounting System
Duty RDS: The Duty RDS is an easy to install optic that is suitable for most rifles and SMGs in the market. It comes with an One-piece Torsion Nut Mount & Spacer mounting solution. Just by following the manual, you can easily install this on your own. Gunsmith isn’t required but if you really don’t know how to, you might want to grab one.
T2: The T2 uses a more commonly found mounting solution. It uses the picatinny/weaver mounting rail support that we long for. It comes with a standard mounting base that supports both of the rails mentioned. If you want to install this on a different rail or flat top, you can find mounting accessories sold by Aimpoint.
If you prefer a weaver style mounting base, then stick with T2. Otherwise, they both share a pretty decent mounting system.
Size and Weight
Duty RDS: The total length of RDS is only 2.7 inches. As you can see, it’s an extremely compact sight for your rifle. The weight of the optic without any mounting system is only 108 grams. Pretty compact and lightweight for a sight if you ask me.
T2: T2 on the other hand is a bit wider and bigger than Duty RDS. The total length of this optic is 3.1 inches and it weighs at 130 grams. Still not too heavy to call it overweight. But it’s not extremely light like Duty RDS either. Weight balance on the unit is good. You won’t feel an imbalance.
- 2 MOA
- Battery life - 30,000 hours (over 3 years) of constant operation with one battery on setting 6 Battery type: CR2032 battery (battery included); 10 brightness settings
- One-piece Torsion Nut Mount - Integral Picatinny-style base allows easy attachment to any picatinny rail
Durability
Duty RDS: Aimpoint used high strength aluminum to construct this sight. Then they used a layer of hard anodized coating on top of it. Anodized coating makes it scratch resistant and works as a shield against drops. The inside is nitrogen purged to make it fog proof as well. Exterior is water sealed and shock proof. Overall, excellent build quality.
T2: Just like most other Aimpoint sights, T2 is made out of high strength aluminum as well. To finish it off in style, they used matte black hard anodized coating. It makes the sight look premium and it feels premium as well.
In terms of build quality and durability, they are on par. Both of them are solid options for years to come.
Lens Clarity
Duty RDS: The lenses on this sight are something else. They are one of the cleanest looking sights you will ever put your eyes on. The unlimited eye relief doesn’t make it perform any worse. In fact, the field of view is awesome at any angle as well. The brightness throughout the sight is really nice to look at. Low-light performance is commendable as well.
T2: It wouldn’t be too big of a stretch to call Aimpoint T2 one of the best red dot sights of all time. Countless others will agree behind that statement. Of course, Aimpoint gave their 110% behind this optic. The lenses are extremely vibrant and there are no glaring issues. Field of view is amazing and focus stays on the target at any given eye relief.
Overall, T2 takes the cake in terms of having a good lens in my book. Of course, Duty RDS is not bad by any means, But T2 performs slightly better.
- Features advanced lens system for better light transmission and unmatched optical clarity
- Features 2 MOA red dot for accurate target engagement at all distances
- Includes front and rear plastic flip cap lens covers, reinforced windage and elevation turrets
Reticle and Battery
Duty RDS: The reticle here is a 2 MOA red dot. The standard among most open eye red dot sights. It’s not too large and not too small either. It won’t take too much of your viewing area and will still show you just the right amount you want. It uses a CR2032 battery to illuminate the red dot. You can adjust the brightness with the push of a button. Yes, it supports night vision as well.
T2: The T2 has 2 MOA red dot reticle aslo. The reticle here is etched directly on the glass and it uses a CR2032 battery to light up. The expected battery life at lowest brightness setting is 50k hours. You can change the brightness setting by using a scroll knob on the sight itself.
They both use the same reticle and battery. The key difference is T2 has more daylight brightness settings compared to RDS.
Aimpoint Duty RDS/ T2 – Videos
Summary
There you have it. While it looked like a fight between mammoths, it turned out they both share a lot of similarities. Of course, they are not the same sight by any means. T2 offers a lot of features that Duty RDS lacks. That doesn’t make RDS a bad sight by any means.
The idea wasn’t to trash talk one sight over the other. Between Aimpoint Duty RDS vs T2, it’s a hard decision to make. But for most, I believe the T2 makes more sense. And that’s all for today. I will be back with more soon, Tune in later for more ciao.