Having successfully used a Leupold 6x42 Heavy Duplex for a number of years on my .30-06, I found myself having to back up a client last winter in really poor light. I had already told the hunter that I had lost the sight of my Heavy Duplex reticle and yet the hunter fired at a large hog anyway.

Had I been using my AR-15 with the Firedot-4 reticle, I could have easily put one or more rounds into that hog before it dove into the brush. I have since replaced the 6x42 Heavy Duplex with a VX-R 3-9x40 Firedot Duplex on my .30-06 as my primary backup rifle.

To me, the Firedot-4 is the best of both worlds, fast and certain in very low light. I can dial the light intensity way down so there is no "bloom" or even turn it off. There is no "on" switch, but a built-in accelerometer turns it on at the slightest movement and will automatically turn it off after several minutes of no motion. Leupold claims 40 hours of battery life (one CR-2032) but mine lasts for weeks of hunting as I tend to keep the brightness way down.

That's my $0.02.

Ed

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