It goes without saying, that I’m no Larry Vickers. Now that I got that out of the way, if you came here to see me shoot out to infinity and beyond with a 2moa , non magnified red dot sight then you better look elsewhere. Because that just ain’t going to happen. I did however test this optic in the way that I know it’s meant to excel at but more on that later.
When in the market for a red dot sight, its hard to beat an Aimpoint T-1. The way I look at it, The T-1 is like a Porsche 911. In that sure its beyond some peoples budget but in the quest for the best overall package of styling, performance, and build quality- you cant beat it. So how do you top such an icon in the red dot world? I’ll make it clear right now, the T-2 is by no means “reinventing the wheel”. Instead what you get are subtle improvements.
The differences between the T-1 and T-2:
-For starters the exterior has several. The windage adjustment knob on the T-2 now has a noticeable almost aerodynamic ramp protecting it.
-The exterior of the T-2 is 6mm or .3 of an inch longer. This is mostly due to the extended lip on the objective and ocular lens for the included lens caps.
-The T-2 come with some of the best see through lens caps I’ve ever seen.
-You’re only offered a 2MOA dot on the T-2 whereas the T-1 you could go with a 4moa or 2moa.
-The dot itself on the T-2 is one of the crispest you’ll find on a non-glass etched red dot and is improved over the T-1.
-Nice glass. You get next to no weird color hue’s of green in the glass like you find in practically every red dot.
-Weight. The sight itself on the T-2 is .4 oz heavier. When mounted to the included base, the T-2 is 1.2 oz heavier than the T-1 in the same configuration.
-The T-1 is a matte finish whereas the T-2 is a semi-matte. In my opinion the T-2’s finish matches identical to the anodizing on my AR.
What I Like About The T-2
-The nearly infinite battery life. Since receiving the T-2 a week before Halloween, It’s been constantly on the 8th power setting. For a red dot that boasts a 5 year battery life, I see no need to turn the dang thing off.
-If there’s one thing I cant stand, its an illuminated reticle/dot that isn’t crisp. While this may not be so important on close range shots, its paramount when you dabble with some long range action. The dot on the T-2 is as crisp as freshly printed two dollar bill-extra crispy.
-Although I’m not a fan of lens caps and immediately took them off, I truly appreciate that Aimpoint decided to throw in a really nice pair.
-The quality. Majority of you reading this aren’t going to buy this red dot because its expensive. While I can definitely relate, those that decide to take the plunge will quickly notice that this is one BAMF red dot.
Ehhh Not So Great
-The obvious criticism is the price. In the mid $700 ball park its going to take some strong negotiating skills to slip this purchase past your wife.
-The windage adjustment cap. This is easily my biggest gripe with the red dot. On the T-1 both of the caps have two dimples on the outside to make your adjustments. On the T-2, the elevation cap has the two dimples but the windage is a screwdriver slot. What this means is in order to adjust the windage you need to not only remove that cap but also take off the elevation cap to adjust it. If I was a betting man, I’d put my money on a lot of calls to Aimpoint about replacement windage and elevation caps.
-The brightness settings. This criticism carries over from the T-1 and while I fully understand the need to have night vision settings, theres only about 4 settings out of 12 that you’ll actually use.
Buy or Beware?
If I wasn’t in the market for a bombproof variable power scope, I’d pick one of these up all day, everyday and twice on Sunday. We all know that rarely in this world, especially with gun gear do you get more than you pay for. If you want the best you’ve got to pay the piper, which in this case is only a little more cash money than comparable red dots. To sum it up, looking for a red dot? Suck it up and buy the T-2!
Let me know why the Aimpoint T-2 is on your Xmas list in the comments below. As always guys, shoot-em straight and be safe!
If it goes bang or has to deal with the outdoors then I am most likely passionate about it. If I'm not at the gun range then I'm either hiking, mountain biking or kayaking. Follow along as I dive into outdoor gear related products and topics.
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7 Responses to Aimpoint Micro T-2 :The Evolution of Greatness
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To be honest I would buy a good scope,if I was spending that kind of money.
Just saying
I have a T-1 which I installed a QD riser mount. I don’t think that the T-2 has that many more features on it that I would feel compelled to “upgrade” to the latest model. And the T-1 is paid off!
I don’t think Aimpoint meant the T-2 to be marketed to guys who already own the T-1 because of that. However I think they targeted it at newcomers to their Micro series of red dots.
Rarely will you ever hear distinguished marksman level rifleman (Camp Perry types like Master Sergeant Jim Owens) agree on anything from sight picture to cleaning procedures but they do all agree on one thing and that is to have your sights, whether they be iron, scoped, or halographic, as close to the rifle’s bore line as possible. The “T-2” pictured above just doesn’t come close to accepted alignment protocols Sir. Perhaps you can enlighten this old shooter with the justification for such a high positioning for this sight.
Hey Arthur,
The reason for the high mount on the T-2 is because of the overall design of the AR-15 style. Since the rifle has everything in line: barrel, gas sysyem, stock etc, you need the center of optic to be about 1.5″ higher than the flat top picatinny rail. This is why you see the original AR-15/AR-10’s with the carry handle sight on the top. By the time you get a cheek weld on the stock your eye is about that high off the gun.
Regarding your biggest gripe with the T-2 not having two dimples on the outside of both windage and elevation caps to make adjustments easier. Aimpoint probably wants the elevation cap on the top not to have dimples and to be flush with the turret protection in order to avoid any eye distractions. Considering that’s your biggest gripe, you sold me of the T-2.
Thank you for your review.
Jim,
It may be too that I have one of the first “test models” and they just forgot to switch out the top cap. Either way its a small price to pay for such a sweet red dot sight.