Budget-Friendly Red Dots & Scopes

Forget the days when shooters had to spend a fortune for reliable glass.

We’re living in a golden age of optics, where even newcomers are producing high-quality, feature-packed sights at reasonable prices. One of those rising names is Gideon Optics, the optics division of JSD Supply.

Founded in 2022, this Pennsylvania-based company set out to bridge the gap between affordability and performance.

Interestingly, it was named after one of my Old Testament heroes, Gideon. He was a warrior, a leader, and a prophet, and is found in the book of Judges. 

During the summer of 2023, the company launched its Omega red dot sight. This was well-received, bringing a level of quality to shooters at a modest price point. Gideon has since expanded its product line to include scopes and accessories. 

After testing two of their products, I can confidently say they’re off to an impressive start.

Two Optics

Gideon sent me two optics to look at: a red dot and a scope. We’ll look at them in more detail below.

Gideon sells both open- and closed-emitter red dots. For the closed variety, there are three:

• Mediator, $250
• Mediator II ACRO, $290
• Valor Mini-Micro, $300

The Mediator exhibits these features, according to Gideon’s closed-emitter website:

• ACRO compatible (see description for details)
• 3 MOA dot, 38 MOA circle, or circle dot Reticle. It comes in either green or red
• 1 MOA per click windage and elevation adjustments
• Lightweight and reliable closed emitter

Stepping up, we have the Mediator II ACRO. This is the one we have here. Here are its selling points:

• ACRO-pattern Closed-Emitter Reflex Optic
• Top-Loading Battery for Changes Without Removing the Optic
• Shake-to-Awake Power-Saving Mode for Long Battery Life
• Circle Dot Reticle: User-selectable 3 MOA Dot + 28 MOA Circle. Red dot only

A feature they don’t mention is that it sits taller, with an open base that would allow the use of iron sights if needed.

Here are a few pics of the Mediator II ACRO

At the top of the line, we have the Valor Mini-Micro. Here’s this one’s feature set:

• Micro Reflex Sight Perfect for Concealed Carry
• Shockproof and Waterproof Design
• Parallax-free to 33 Yards with Unlimited Eye-Relief
• Install Easily on Any RMSc Footprint

If you are looking for a closed-emitter sight, any of these three would work. The top two would be especially good on a long gun, while the Valor might be best on a pistol, as it has the smallest footprint of the trio. It is important to note that all three of these come with a mount to attach to a Pic rail. I remember having to spend extra bucks a while back to buy an aftermarket mount for a red dot I needed to put on a Pic rail. Here, you don’t have to do that. 

Now, let’s look at the open-emitter sights…

They sell ten different sights so that I won’t list all of them. Here’s a roundup:

Sights included in this series are the Alpha (one model), Granite (three models), Omega, Rock, and Storm (one model each). Prices range from $180 to $250. 

Here is the common features list for their reflex sights, as shown on the open-emitter website:

• Adjustable brightness levels for any lighting conditions, including two night vision settings.
• Adjustable windage and elevation settings to zero in your optics.
• Precision reticles featuring rapid targeting circles, precise aiming dots, or versatile circle-dot combinations.
• Available to fit the most popular optics mounting footprints, including RMR and MOS patterns.
• A 1913 Picatinny rail mount is included for easy installation on rail-equipped firearms as either a primary or secondary sight.
• Each lithium-ion button cell battery will provide tens of thousands of hours of service, thanks to energy-saving features like our shake-to-awake sleep mode.
• Manufactured with a rugged aircraft-grade aluminum 7075-T6 housing for durability in real-world conditions.
• Engineered to be waterproof and shockproof for rugged handling.
• Every sight we sell is backed by our lifetime warranty, which replaces any failed optic for almost any reason, short of intentional damage or abuse.

I must say that I was impressed by the sight I received. The reticle was clear and bright (adjustable, of course), and the mount was strong. I had one of our sons mount it on a 5.56mm AR to test it out, and it performed flawlessly. I wouldn’t hesitate to use this sight.

Now, for the scopes

They sell two types of scopes. One is a prism sight, and the other is a low-power, variable optic (LPVO).

Here’s the prism sight, the Advocate’s feature set ($250)…

• Machined from aircraft-grade aluminum, the housings are built tough for rugged, real-world conditions.
• Both windage and elevation are adjustable using push-pull locking turrets that keep your prism scope zeroed.
• Features an etched glass reticle for use, powered or unpowered.
• Choose from red or green illumination colors with eleven adjustable brightness levels, including two night-vision compatible settings.
• The prism lenses help correct for astigmatism that may make using reflex sights accurately difficult.
• Shake-to-Awake power-saving mode provides tens of thousands of hours of operation from a single Lithium-Ion button cell battery.
• Shock-proof, fog-proof, water-proof design to handle dynamic real-world operating conditions.
• Mounts easily to a 1913 Picatinny rail.
• Backed by our lifetime warranty that sends you a replacement if your sight fails for almost anything short of intentional damage.

They make the one prism sight, but it looks like it should do the job.

Here is where my ears really prick up. I love LPVOs. They are some of the lightest, most easily-deployed glass going. With illuminated reticles, they have their place in my deer woods.

Gideon makes three of them. They are:

1-10×28 SFP ($400);

1-8×24 FFP ($470);

1-8×24 SFP ($350) – this is the one they sent me.

Here they are, in a little more detail…

1-10×28 SFP

• 1-10X Variable Magnification
• Adjustable windage and elevation to ≥ 140 MOA in ½ MOA increments
• Glass-Etched Reticle
• 11 Red Illumination Settings

1-8×24 FFP

• 1-8X Magnification for Longer Range Shots
• Brightly Illuminated Etched-Glass Reticle on the First Focal Plane
• “Christmas Tree” Reticle to Account for Changing Windage and Elevation
• Reticle Magnifies Along with the Target

1-8×24 SFP

• Glass-etched and Illuminated BDC Reticle
• 1-8X Magnification of Your Target, Not the Reticle
• Eleven Adjustable Brightness Levels
• Add a 30mm Guardian Mount for a Discounted Price

You may wonder what SFP and FFP mean. They stand for the second focal plane and the first focal plane. This is related to the reticle’s position within the scope. SFP scopes have a reticle that remains constant in size regardless of the scope’s zoom magnification; it remains the same size whether you are zoomed in all the way or out.

FFP scopes have their reticle in front of the magnification lens, so the reticle “grows” as you zoom in. Each type of scope has advantages. The FFP scopes tend to be helpful when shooting longer distances, as the stadia (or BDC) hash marks on the reticle enlarge when zoomed in, making them easier to see. Plus, the mark’s subtensions remain constant no matter how much they “grow” during zooming.

SFP scopes have reticles that stay the same size throughout the zoom range, which might work better at closer ranges, such as your deer woods or other mid-range environments. Most less-expensive scopes are SFP, as they are cheaper to build. Not everyone needs FFP, but it is worth its cost if that’s what you need. 

At least here, you have a choice.

As the photos show, we mounted the scope on one of our sons’ ARs. Without going into detail, suffice it to say that it worked fine.

Other Things

Gideon also sells an assortment of scope lens covers, red dot mounting plates, and scope mounts on their Accessories page. I like the mount that came with the LPVO… it is an offset, cantilever design that stays out of the way while allowing the scope to be mounted forward. 

Summing Up

As I mentioned earlier, there are numerous optics companies available. If you’re new to the game, how do you know what to buy? Without some solid experience, you might get confused by all the claims. Here, with Gideon Optics, we have a company that (although relatively new) has earned its share of five-star reviews for its products. They are trying to live up to what they say on their About Us page:

Advanced firearms optics don’t help anyone if they’re not on the gun, and we want every gun owner to be able to shoot better. That’s why we work so hard to keep our prices affordable. We could charge more, but we’d rather see our sights and scopes doing their job for satisfied hobbyists, professionals, and first responders who are proud to have a gun they can count on, round after round. Our firearms accessories aren’t meant to sit on store shelves or be stuck in a safe.

A decent-quality red dot or scope at a good price isn’t easy to find, but at least now you have a starting point. They are innovative… one of their programs allows you $50 if you trade in your old optic. Also, if you’re looking for gift ideas for that shooter, Gideon sells digital gift cards… what a great idea! Check them out when you get the chance… they sell good stuff at a reasonable price.