For tactical shooting, red dot sight and reflex sights are the go-to choices among new and veteran shooters. Depending on what kind of shooting practice you follow, 1x magnification might not be enough for you.
To fix that issue, companies also make magnifiers that you can pair with their red dot sights. Increasing your magnification but still keeping the great eye relief and ease of use.
What if you don’t want to go through the hassle of using a magnifier but want to use a scope that comes with unlimited eye relief? This is where LPVO comes in. What’s the difference between LPVO vs Red dot you might ask? We will talk about that and help you decide between Eotech with magnifier VS LPVO. Let’s start.
What’s the Difference Between LPVO and Red Dot?
Why can’t I just use an optic magnifier and use my red dot sight as the scope? Who said you can’t? You definitely can. But that’s not convenient for many folks out there. For those, LPVO makes more sense.
- LPVO is an all-in-one system.
- Often it will come with a red dot reticle.
- It offers unlimited eye relief like a red dot sight.
- You don’t need a separate magnifier for it.
- Can weigh less than an Eotech sight with a magnifier.
Which One Do You Need Then?
The question remains, what’s the best between a red dot magnifier vs LPVO? Well, to determine that, let me ask you some questions.
Does Size Bother You?
What do I mean by that? An LPVO will be as long as a riflescope. While an Eotech holographic sight with a magnifier won’t be nearly as long as an LPVO. Does that matter to you or you don’t care? If that matters to you, then you will need to think twice before investing in one.
What do I mean by that? An LPVO will be as long as a riflescope. While an Eotech holographic sight with a magnifier won’t be nearly as long as an LPVO. Does that matter to you or you don’t care? If that matters to you, then you will need to think twice before investing in one.
Mounting
LPVO most of the time won’t come with its mounting system. On the other hand, EOTech magnifiers and their red dot sights come with their mounting systems. Some of those are easily moveable and you can use the red dot only when you want to. While with an LPVO, you can use it at the lowest magnification, it’s still not the best when it comes to the field of view at close range.
Weight
With added mounting accessories and a base/riser, a combo of magnifier and red dot might outweigh a riflescope. Do keep in mind while choosing the magnifier and red dot for your AR. Often, the LPVO will make more sense to most out there.
Magnification
One of the key reasons why you buy a red dot magnifier. This is to make sure it magnifies to the distance where you need it. It can be 3x, it can be 4x, or it can be 2x even. While an LPVO can be anywhere from 1x to 6x. If long-distance is a must, then LPVO is the clear winner.
Durability
Depending on the gun you are pairing up the setup with, it will matter the most. A setup of a magnifier with a red dot or holographic sight has two components in it. So, the recoil will hit both of them at the same time. If they are not durable, they will easily break. While the LPVO is a single thing. It can break easily as well if it’s not made out of good-quality aluminum.
The Question Still Remains, Which One is Best?
- What’s the main thing that one should decide based on?
The simple answer is operating distance. Yes, it boils down to your task and the distance you are operating that task on. If your task will benefit from a 4x red dot magnifier, by all means, go for that. But if your task requires more and a wide field of view will benefit you, then please consider an LPVO.
Besides these, you should also keep a couple of more things while buying a red dot or LPVO.
- Durability.
- Size.
- Weight.
- Lens quality.
- Magnification.
- Reticle.
- Battery health.
- Mounting compatibility.
- Field of view.
- Clarity.
- Anti-glare.
- Etc.
Conclusion
This was a bit different than how I usually tackle this kind of talk. But I felt like it needed some clearing up. Often I find people confused about choosing between an Eotech with a magnifier vs LPVO. I can understand as I can see myself in their shoes.
Hopefully, this managed to tackle that argument and now you know which variant of the setup is best for you. That’s all for now, I will be back with more. Make sure to tune in later for that.
Hi, I’m Brent Hansford. A writer turned hunter & now sharing my love for the sport through writing. As I practically breathe weapons, I firmly believe I’m capable of providing you with new knowledge about firearms and hunting. My mission is to help more people get better at hunting & master the weapons. Let me help with unleashing the beast within you!
