Burris fastfire iii - Burris FastFire AR-F3 Flattop Sight

After debating for a while between an aimpoint and an eotech for my ar, I lowered my price range and was stuck between this sight and a vortex red dot. Unfortunately, this sight does not include a lifetime warranty (I would expect a mid-range quality optic to). Starting off with construction, this mount is very sturdy and offers great protection for the mini red dot. Additionally, the mount will provide an absolute co-witness with most ar-style sights (confirmed with YHM folding bus). My first gripe with the ARF3 mount is that it does not cover the top of the red dot. Should you drop your firearm in such a way that it lands upside down, you still run the risk of damaging your optic. Additionally, the mount comes with an torx wrench/screwdriver, as well as a wrench/screwdriver. In securing the optic to the rail of my rifle (as well as a storage compartment for a spare battery which you must remove the rds to access), I opted to use the included wrench. In doing so, I noticed the horrible fitment of the included wrench to the bolt which secures the red dot. Although burris only recommends 20 in-lbs to secure the mount, be aware of stripping crews. On to the optic itself. I really like the automatic brightness option and think it is an extremely useful feature, I also Like the fact that it can be overridden should the need arise. On max brightness, I have never had issues with the dot being washed out, and they do include a sunshade which works with the flattop mount. The only gripe I have with the optic itself is how difficult it is to depress the brightness/power control button. I fear I am going to twist the sight off of my rail from the required (not really, but it is a lot of cross-directional force that you are applying to the upper receiver). I now activate my sight while holding both sides, so I am squeezing my fingers towards each other vs. pushing against the upper receiver. My verdict? For the money, this is a great little red dot. The metal mount adds a lot of durability and makes it more flexible for use on an ar-style rifle.
Pros: automatic brightness, ease of battery change, apparent durability, affordability
Cons: button is hard to depress, included tools are "sub-par"

This review was written in the old system and had content requirements that are different than reviews written today.