You get a bit more than what you pay for - Leapers UTG 3.9in ITA Red/Green CQB Dot Sight w/ Integral QD Mount

Let's be honest here. Everyone is interested in cheap optics because... well... they're cheap. Reviews are always a hit or miss with these things, and the inclination seems to be to just buy something beyond your means and be done with it (if only most people were afforded that luxury). But who doesn't want an affordable optic that approaches the performance of higher priced alternatives but at a fraction of the cost?

Like many of you I'm sure, I was initially drawn to this optic due to it's price and it's unique appearance. But the real question is can it be relied upon to perform without any issues? My initial impression pulling it out of the box was that it appeared to be a very well constructed optic. The on/off and brightness/color adjustment turret turns with a very solid, very positive click. You have the option to select between red and green dots depending on your personal preference, with varying brightness settings. The flip-up caps included are decent enough. The only real issue is that the the front end of the scope does not have enough real-estate for the front cap to sit securely. I remedied this by placing a thin strip of gorilla tape around the circumference of the front tube. This allowed for a nice snug fit and now I don't have to worry about losing the front cap if I have to flip it up in a hurry. The two QD mounts work great, and with proper adjustments, it will remain firmly secured to the rails until you need to release them. No issues. The glass is very clear and the dots appear well defined. Looks as good as any red dot sight I've ever peered through. Once zeroed, I was consistently hitting dead center with tight groups at a 25 meter zero target using green tip 5.56. A note about zeroing: I've read several reviews out there claiming that the "UP" arrow for the vertical sight adjustment is mislabeled. Wrong. To set the record straight the sight adjustments are properly labeled. The problem is that some people think "UP" means they should be seeing the dot move upward as the adjustments are being made. My question to those guys would be when was the last time you took a look at an A2 front sight post? When you adjust the sight toward the "UP" direction it's actually moving the front sight post DOWN, hence bringing the strike of the round UP. The same holds true for this particular dot sight. "UP" simply means you're bringing the strike of the round up by rotating the dot itself downward.

Although I haven't been keeping count, I've used this sight while burning through a bunch of 30 round magazines. I was performing reflective fire drills, rapid successive firing, double taps, etc... No loss of zero. I even had it mounted on a 7.5" upper that had one hell of a concussion coming out of the business end, and in the end it was still holding true. Overall, this is an impressive inexpensive red dot sight. Would I trust my life with it? Not in a continuous combat operating environment I wouldn't. I'm quite sure it was not built to strict military specifications. However, I think it's reliable enough to mount on a home defense rig. It'll more than suffice for the weekend plinker, airsoft warrior or any given small caliber rig. Not sure how long the battery will last, but I accidentally left it running for about 2 days before I realized it was still on. Right now it's still going strong on the same battery. Nevertheless, I would make it a habit to check the battery life on a regular basis.

This optic has great options and features for the money. I would not hesitate to recommend this to anyone looking for a cost effective solution to hold you over until you can save up enough for that Aimpoint or Trijicon you keep dreaming about. Even then, I would keep this around as a good reliable back-up unit. Personally, I would recommend investing your hard earned money into a nice quality set of iron sights initially. Train with them until you are comfortable, proficient and confident in your ability to reliably and consistently put rounds on target. Choose your optics based on a desire to fill any perceived capability gaps in your rig. Keep in mind that even the best glass can go down, but a quality set of irons will always be there when you need it. With that said, I'm quite comfortable with this sight mounted on my carbine.
Pros: solid, sturdy, holds zero, clear, accessories, price
Cons: front flip-up cap

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