Miso Beno
01-17-2010, 02:57 PM
Note: In fairness to the vendor of this product, Primary Arms (http://primaryarms.com/), I would like to inform you that the product used in this review is a blemished product. Since running the first battery of tests we have found out that the 2nd Generation Microdot had improperly drilled mounting holes which resulted in a compromised optical tube. This may (will) skew the test results and we will attempt to repeat this with the Primary Arms 4th Generation Microdot when it becomes available.
Please do not attempt these tests at home. I am a trained amateur and I am performing this in at my own risk. Don't sue us if your product catches on fire, electrocutes you, and strangles your cat while you're attempting to duplicate our tests. This is for entertainment and informational purposes only.
http://misostudios.com/site/wp-content/gallery/dumpgallery/primaryarmsMD02-889.jpg
We're all looking to beat the system and save a few bucks. It's a trait that I find many firearms owners share. Of course when something really cool comes out for a phenomenal price most of us are pretty quick to whip out our pocket books and throw money at the vendor without batting an eye. This often results in us spending more money because we buy more products but who cares? We've got some pretty neat toys.
The Primary Arms Microdot (MD-02 BLEMISHED) (http://primaryarms.com/product.sc?productId=303&categoryId=5) is a case of the leaping into a product before looking, but for $59.00 I'm not feeling much buyers remorse. I bought this knowing that it would have some issues but heck, it comes with a one year warranty and according to The Internet the folks at Primary Arms stand behind their products, even when the product has a known factory defect. I cannot speak for this first hand as I'm not done trying to break mine but I suspect that by the end of the test it'll be something I might want to look into.
When I first ordered the optic I thought "Hey! This would be mighty awesome on my Browning Buckmark!" and of course, it would fit the role perfectly. Then the thought came to mind: What about putting this bad boy on my three-gun shotgun? It's gotta be better than my ten-thousand year old TascoAccudot (http://ruserio.us/images/1/bewbew%20%20339.jpg) (which has served me well--but man it's huge and gets in the way). What isn't there to love? It's a $60 red-dot that has a one-year warranty and is supposed to be superior in quality to products more than twice it's price. (I've been told the next best optic in it's size class is the Aimpoint Micro which is ten times the price).
After hearing all these rumors about how awesome the PA MD-0x series optics are I HAD to give it a run around the block. Of course, by "run around the block" I mean to subject it to environments that any commercial optic might run into. It's not a series of unrelated, outlandish tests AT ALL.
http://misostudios.com/site/wp-content/gallery/dumpgallery/primaryarmsMD02-881.jpg
First Opinions
hen the PA-MD02 arrived I was expecting an chintzy optic floating in a sea of packing packing peanuts. Instead I was greeted with a box, packed with packing paper, protecting a modest black cardboard box containing bubblewrap protecting two small plastic bags. One bag contained a set of hex keys, and the other contained an adorable little optic wearing it's bikini.
The optic feels well made for the most part, though the battery bay cover is kind of annoying. Due to the battery compartment's location its a pain to tighten down the battery cover because the optic's intensity dial just wants to spin. Other than that, the low mount is surprisingly solid, the aluminum body feels durable enough, and the front element sure is pretty. The dot at the brightest setting seemed reasonably bright is very crisp but it seems like it could get washed out on a bright summers day with hard sunlight. Unfortunately, this is the wrong season for me to attempt to find out when the dot becomes hard to see.
I will say that it's no Aimpoint CompM2 but it doesn't have to be. What it does have to be is reasonably robust, and easy to use optic that can withstand the average American household.
TEST #1 - Checking the windage adjustments
The first test of any optic is to check the windage and elevation adjustments from extreme to extreme. I mounted the optic on an AR-57 (http://230grain.com/showthread.php?p=81001) rifle that I just happened to have handy, and removed the caps covering the adjustments. I then grabbed Mr. Flat Head Screwdriver and ran the optic from end to end, feeling every "click" of adjustment and seeing if the reticle moved. I noticed some "dead space" near the extremes on the windage but it still adjusted very consistently in the middle of its range. The elevation adjustments were sharp as a button from bottom to top.
From this initial test, I can say the optic seems like an acceptably well-built piece of equipment, but we won't really know how good it is until I'm done having my way with it.
http://misostudios.com/site/wp-content/gallery/dumpgallery/primaryarmsMD02-890.jpg
TEST #2 - Tactical Shower Engagements
The Primary Arms website advertises the optic as "waterproof." As I have come to learn from inexpensive watches, this carries little weight when it is not paired with a proper depth rating. At best it means it can take a quick dunk or a rainy day; at its worst, the slightest misting will cause the entire thing to rupture and then burst into flames.
I had no intentions of taking the Microdot out diving in the nearest large body of water because I understood what "waterproof" meant for unrated electronics. Instead my test was much much simpler and I think a better simulation of conditions the optic might encounter in the average American household. Although only a few Americans sport dive, most will take at least one shower in their lives. So, through elementary logic, I was able to deduce that an optic designed for the American market had better be prepared for the adverse conditions in the average American bathroom. The test was simple: Take the Microdot in the shower next time I found it necessary to wash myself. (This took careful planning and consideration lest I interrupt my delicate monthly shower cycle).
For a grueling 15 minutes, I endured a hot shower with the Microdot sitting in the direct stream of water while in the ON position. It experienced no harsh agitation, no abrasion, and nothing terribly harsh besides the water, the soap, and the view of the grotesquely unpigmented skin of my buttocks. For 14 minutes the optic seemed to withstand the torrent of grey water and I was ready to declare it shower-resistant. But in the final minute, just as I was readying my camera, I noticed that the inside of the Microdot was wet. It was still chugging along but the tube was compromised.
Further investigation revealed that the water entered through the screw holes on the bottom of the tube, which Primary Arms had mentioned on a different website as the justification for the optic's clearance pricing. However, the tube seals weren't the only compromised area. The battery bay also had water in it, despite the fact that I made sure all of the external accesses were factory-tight. I was a little disappointed in this failure of the optic but I will continue with the tests as soon as it finishes drying out in a 20-pound bag of rice.
http://misostudios.com/site/wp-content/gallery/dumpgallery/primaryarmsMD02-892.jpg
http://misostudios.com/site/wp-content/gallery/dumpgallery/primaryarmsMD02-891.jpg
Please do not attempt these tests at home. I am a trained amateur and I am performing this in at my own risk. Don't sue us if your product catches on fire, electrocutes you, and strangles your cat while you're attempting to duplicate our tests. This is for entertainment and informational purposes only.
http://misostudios.com/site/wp-content/gallery/dumpgallery/primaryarmsMD02-889.jpg
We're all looking to beat the system and save a few bucks. It's a trait that I find many firearms owners share. Of course when something really cool comes out for a phenomenal price most of us are pretty quick to whip out our pocket books and throw money at the vendor without batting an eye. This often results in us spending more money because we buy more products but who cares? We've got some pretty neat toys.
The Primary Arms Microdot (MD-02 BLEMISHED) (http://primaryarms.com/product.sc?productId=303&categoryId=5) is a case of the leaping into a product before looking, but for $59.00 I'm not feeling much buyers remorse. I bought this knowing that it would have some issues but heck, it comes with a one year warranty and according to The Internet the folks at Primary Arms stand behind their products, even when the product has a known factory defect. I cannot speak for this first hand as I'm not done trying to break mine but I suspect that by the end of the test it'll be something I might want to look into.
When I first ordered the optic I thought "Hey! This would be mighty awesome on my Browning Buckmark!" and of course, it would fit the role perfectly. Then the thought came to mind: What about putting this bad boy on my three-gun shotgun? It's gotta be better than my ten-thousand year old TascoAccudot (http://ruserio.us/images/1/bewbew%20%20339.jpg) (which has served me well--but man it's huge and gets in the way). What isn't there to love? It's a $60 red-dot that has a one-year warranty and is supposed to be superior in quality to products more than twice it's price. (I've been told the next best optic in it's size class is the Aimpoint Micro which is ten times the price).
After hearing all these rumors about how awesome the PA MD-0x series optics are I HAD to give it a run around the block. Of course, by "run around the block" I mean to subject it to environments that any commercial optic might run into. It's not a series of unrelated, outlandish tests AT ALL.
http://misostudios.com/site/wp-content/gallery/dumpgallery/primaryarmsMD02-881.jpg
First Opinions
hen the PA-MD02 arrived I was expecting an chintzy optic floating in a sea of packing packing peanuts. Instead I was greeted with a box, packed with packing paper, protecting a modest black cardboard box containing bubblewrap protecting two small plastic bags. One bag contained a set of hex keys, and the other contained an adorable little optic wearing it's bikini.
The optic feels well made for the most part, though the battery bay cover is kind of annoying. Due to the battery compartment's location its a pain to tighten down the battery cover because the optic's intensity dial just wants to spin. Other than that, the low mount is surprisingly solid, the aluminum body feels durable enough, and the front element sure is pretty. The dot at the brightest setting seemed reasonably bright is very crisp but it seems like it could get washed out on a bright summers day with hard sunlight. Unfortunately, this is the wrong season for me to attempt to find out when the dot becomes hard to see.
I will say that it's no Aimpoint CompM2 but it doesn't have to be. What it does have to be is reasonably robust, and easy to use optic that can withstand the average American household.
TEST #1 - Checking the windage adjustments
The first test of any optic is to check the windage and elevation adjustments from extreme to extreme. I mounted the optic on an AR-57 (http://230grain.com/showthread.php?p=81001) rifle that I just happened to have handy, and removed the caps covering the adjustments. I then grabbed Mr. Flat Head Screwdriver and ran the optic from end to end, feeling every "click" of adjustment and seeing if the reticle moved. I noticed some "dead space" near the extremes on the windage but it still adjusted very consistently in the middle of its range. The elevation adjustments were sharp as a button from bottom to top.
From this initial test, I can say the optic seems like an acceptably well-built piece of equipment, but we won't really know how good it is until I'm done having my way with it.
http://misostudios.com/site/wp-content/gallery/dumpgallery/primaryarmsMD02-890.jpg
TEST #2 - Tactical Shower Engagements
The Primary Arms website advertises the optic as "waterproof." As I have come to learn from inexpensive watches, this carries little weight when it is not paired with a proper depth rating. At best it means it can take a quick dunk or a rainy day; at its worst, the slightest misting will cause the entire thing to rupture and then burst into flames.
I had no intentions of taking the Microdot out diving in the nearest large body of water because I understood what "waterproof" meant for unrated electronics. Instead my test was much much simpler and I think a better simulation of conditions the optic might encounter in the average American household. Although only a few Americans sport dive, most will take at least one shower in their lives. So, through elementary logic, I was able to deduce that an optic designed for the American market had better be prepared for the adverse conditions in the average American bathroom. The test was simple: Take the Microdot in the shower next time I found it necessary to wash myself. (This took careful planning and consideration lest I interrupt my delicate monthly shower cycle).
For a grueling 15 minutes, I endured a hot shower with the Microdot sitting in the direct stream of water while in the ON position. It experienced no harsh agitation, no abrasion, and nothing terribly harsh besides the water, the soap, and the view of the grotesquely unpigmented skin of my buttocks. For 14 minutes the optic seemed to withstand the torrent of grey water and I was ready to declare it shower-resistant. But in the final minute, just as I was readying my camera, I noticed that the inside of the Microdot was wet. It was still chugging along but the tube was compromised.
Further investigation revealed that the water entered through the screw holes on the bottom of the tube, which Primary Arms had mentioned on a different website as the justification for the optic's clearance pricing. However, the tube seals weren't the only compromised area. The battery bay also had water in it, despite the fact that I made sure all of the external accesses were factory-tight. I was a little disappointed in this failure of the optic but I will continue with the tests as soon as it finishes drying out in a 20-pound bag of rice.
http://misostudios.com/site/wp-content/gallery/dumpgallery/primaryarmsMD02-892.jpg
http://misostudios.com/site/wp-content/gallery/dumpgallery/primaryarmsMD02-891.jpg