By Brian P.
There is a natural progression to black rifle disease. It starts, naturally enough, with the rifle, and ends – if it ever really ends at all – with many more rifles and accessories than the infected individual thought (s)he needed. When a new shooter obtains their first AR, if they’re unfamiliar with the malady, they may begin to accumulate accessories of dubious quality. As a shooting community, the most important thing we can do is to push new AR owners towards quality options and upgrades. It’s only too easy to yell at the new guy on the forums, telling him to go buy an Aimpoint or Trijicon. After all, what’s a little more credit card debt? You don’t want to run junk accessories do you? . . .
The problem with that approach is not everyone is at the same level in their shooting career. To cultivate passion in a sport, one must first enjoy it. I want to find and recommend products that let new shooters enjoy the upgrade process and at the same time get an optic that falls between the cheap junk and the eye watering $750 -$1000 dollar sighting systems.
Filling the Gap
The LUCID M7 red dot is just such a sight. The M7 is at a price point that’s both reasonable and affordable for a mid-range red dot sight. I found M7’s running online between $160 and about $189. Compared to similarly priced products, the M7 has some unique features and offers a lifetime warranty.
Fit, Finish and Features
The unit has a cast aluminum housing and features a 25 MOA circle with a 2 MOA center dot reticule. The housing and battery compartment are all one piece; overall the main-body of the optic is stout and thick. The battery, windage, and elevation caps are all tethered together with wire so they won’t get lost. The exterior is nicely machined with a flat and smooth finish. The M7 is stout and nothing rattles around, inside or out – always a good sign. It uses a common-as-dirt AAA battery and runs for two hours before auto-shut off.
Located on top of the optic is an “eye” that detects ambient light levels. When turned on, the sight jumps into one of two modes – auto-brightness adjustment and manual. To switch between the two, simply push the power button to toggle between the modes. The M7 always comes up in the same mode you left in in when you powered it down last.
The M7’s maximum brightness is nothing to scoff at. The reticule was as bright as my Aimpoint CompM4 on its highest setting. Two arrows toggle the brightness up or down on manual mode. Holding the power down for 5 seconds turns the unit off. The unit will power back on with the last mode/setting it was in before turning off.
Lucid included their AR riser mount with the review sample. It’s mounted to the rifle with a screw mount and isn’t quick detach. It advertises a lower third co-witness but I found it to be more of a lower fourth; my iron sights are visible at the bottom edge of the optic.
While the mount is functional, I see it like a place-holder. The factory mount is an item just to get the M7 on your AR so you can start shooting. Not everyone is going to be mounting the M7 on an AR so this may not apply to you. I wanted to find a quality quick release mount for the M7, so I searched around and found Alamo Four Star and their DLOC TRS25. It gives you lower third co-witness on a spring-loaded mount that won’t come off the gun unless the mounting nut is depressed to release it from the rail. Pretty ingenious.
On The Range
The first thing to point out about the M7 is that the auto-brightness feature works well. Going from shadow to open sun caused the M7 to instantly adapt. Shooting from a shadowed area into a bright area caused no problems either. As long as some ambient light was spilling into the room, the M7 was bright enough to pick it up and adjust.
If you’re shooting from a location that’s pitch black and the area being target is a bright lit sunny day you’ll experience some washout. Solution? Hit the power button again to activate manual brightness. The M7 remembers the last brightness level it was set to, so if you leave it at maximum there is a handy solution to the washout.
I zeroed the M7 on a cold, wet range day. No fogging and no issues with weather sensitivity noted. I dunked it in water and mud and found it to be as waterproof as advertised. I then rolled it, bowling ball-style, through the gravel and mud and e-mounted it. Still zeroed. No POI shift. No issues noted so far.
I adjusted the M7 five MOA up and five MOA to the left. I then adjusted back to the initial zero point and engaged steel silhouettes at 200-300-400 yards. The internal tracking brought me right back on target. The clicks positive and audible. The M7 adjusts at ½ MOA per click.
The 25 MOA circle dot was fast to pick up on close targets and I used the 2 MOA center dot to hold on precision targets. The range has 200 yard “headshot” sized steel swingers and the center dot was precise enough to make them swing with little effort. I would recommend using some blue Loctite on the M7’s clamp mechanism to make sure the hex-screw doesn’t loosen from vibration. The M7 and the TRS-25 mount are a handsome combo and function well. My initial range test yielded a round count of 500 rounds.
Complaints
There are very few quality quick release risers available for picatinny-equipped micro dots. The Alamo Four Star DLOC is one of a handful of such units. Comparatively, there are hundreds of manufacturers making mounts compatible for the Aimpoint T1 style system. I would like to see future iterations of the M7 integrate the Aimpoint micro style base to open user options.
Battery life is not directly advertised.
The factory mount is very high. This is due to keep the M7 compatible with Lucid’s other products, namely the 2-5x variable magnifier. This doesn’t affect performance, but back-up iron sights are at the very bottom of this setup. It does not quick detach.
If I had my druthers, I’d like a method to disable the auto-off function.
Conclusions
The Lucid M7 is a great option for someone looking to outfit their first modern sporting rifle on a budget. You can’t do much better at this price point, and you can certainly do worse. Much worse. I’ll continue to test the optic over the long term to see how it holds up. I want novice shooters to get equipment that will keep their interest in their rifle, and will keep up with them as they grow in skill. I also want to find products that can give shooters confidence if they need to use it in a self defense setting. The M7 is a very viable choice for people who need performance but can’t justify spending $650 on a optic…yet.
I hope Lucid continues to update this model; I would like to see a new mounting system for it first and foremost. As it is, it is an excellent value. I will continue to run this optic on my primary rifle that I use for my personal blog at www.thenewrifleman.com. I will follow-up with the optic here at TTAG.
Special thanks to http://www.alamofourstar.com/ who sent me their TRS-25 mount to review at the drop of a hat. It is a quality piece of gear and compliments the LUCID M7 very well.
Specifications:
Weight: 4.6 oz.
Power: 1 AAA battery
Size: 21mm objective and ocular lenses
Field of View: 48 ft.at 100 yds.
Reticle: 2MOA dot, 25MOA circle
MSRP: $229
Ratings (out of five stars):
Design: * * * *
Excellent electronic features. Intuitive and easy to use. AAA battery means replacements will never be a problem. Integrated mount limits mounting options for AR style rifles to a handful of products.
Reliability: * * * * *
No issues with the reliability of the optic after 500 rounds.
Fit and Finish: * * * *
Overall very good and cleanly made. Some “muck” on the interior walls of the tube but no effect on performance. Positive and audible turret clicks.
Value: * * * * *
A strong package of features for the money with a lifetime warranty.
Overall: * * * *
For those on a budget, check out the M7. If it holds up over the long term, it will prove to be a excellent piece of equipment.
Brian P. writes at www.thenewrifleman.com.
Credit card debt for toys? That really is the sign of a disease.
Grat job Nick and All others at TTAG. Having been a serious readers of the blogosphere starting mostly with Instapundit in Feb 2001 and seen the speed and breadth of outstanding analysis and organic spread of centrist and conservative thinking that talk radio proved was clamoring for an audience my gut tells me TTAG is on a similar roll. Thanks for being a source of truth. Its much needed.
You guys keep doing your thing. It’s you I stay for more than the content (though the content is AWEsome, haha).
So yeah. Keep letting them have it.
Haven’t tried the Lucid personally, so can’t directly compare… But I just got a Primary Arms MD-06 MicroDot on a ADM QD mount at the same price point and it pretty much kicks ass.
Not quite an Aimpoint micro, but pretty close – and at that price point, it is pretty sweet. Dot is SHARP and the thing is made Very well. The ADM mount is awesome.
I think the FOV is a hair smaller on the PA MicroDot than the Aimpoint Micro and the soldering on the inside is a little bigger (which all but ‘disappears’ really when running it in Lower 1/3 with both eyes open and your front site up)
It’s good to see Lucid get in this game too, as I agree – there is a market for sub $500 MRD’s – for us chumps… UNTIL we save enough up for the Aimpoint of course! 🙂
Notably missing from this review is country of origin. I’m just gonna assume China. Thanks but, no thanks.
Primary Arm’s MicroDot is from China and it’s pretty sweet, have to say. Although, in reality, it’s just a fill in until cash becomes available for an Aimpoint…
Ah yes, the proverbial “It’s made in China” post. Gotta love em.
This kind of situation is a no-win for the assault victims and for gun rights. If one of the victims had shot the attackers, the media might have portrayed the incident as a fight that ended in a shooting–with the “shooting victims” unarmed. And then the attackers would have been rolled into the “gun violence” statistics.
Let’s not forget that people who are opposed to the civil right of gun ownership truly believe that a shooting is never justified. A case in point is the “You’ll heal” nugget from Paul Quander two years ago.
How did I miss the mosin blog?!
Guns for killing ducks, squirrels, and soda cans….it’s the American Way!!
I might get one of the shotguns if they were to inscribe 1 Timothy 5:8 instead of “Faith, Family, Ducks.” No fan of cammo, though, but better than black.
I hope they are moving to the DFW area and are looking for lawyers. I’d love to represent them. I’d even be glad to pick up other duties on the production line possible.
It has been three years since I was stopped in Grand Rapids for Open Carrying at the New Year’s Eve Ball drop at Rosa Parks Circle. I was observed by a reserve deputy as I crossed over a street. When I saw him glare at me and bring his radio up to talk, I knew I would have some interaction with an officer very shortly. I was stopped in front of the Amway Grand Plaza, near the car drop-off by two GRPD officers. The younger officer of the two decided to “sneak up” behind me and pull my pistol out of the holster. Needless to say, I swung around at the first tug, and the other officer started screaming at the officer pulling on my pistol to get his hands “the f# away from the gun”. He then starts asking me a bunch of questions, which I refused to answer. After about ten minutes of this and me refusing his demand that we move off the sidewalk because people started chanting “Let him go”, he decided to let me go on my way…and drove slowly behind me and my significant other all the way to my car. I notified the department and complained that trying to disarm someone could lead to the untimely death of one of their officers and also sent them a copy of the law and various interpretations by the AG regarding Open Carry So, they have been aware of this for quite some time and still act like they’ve never dealt with it before. How surprising! (not).
I’m hoping for some pistol cals or maybe muzzy barrel
Never bought Mossberg before, the duck guys who I have no idea who they are nor do I care to know as I don’t watch tv let alone reality tv, won’t get me to buy a Mossberg now.
You are part of the problem if you watch this show or any other reality tv show. You are no different than some liberal goof who watches Survivor or Dancing with the Stars. Go buy your stupid duck a&e brand shotgun and pay a premium price for a name. Our country is becoming a joke.
I think a suspension is appropriate when combined with repair costs and additional training. I don’t see termination over a first offense with non-injury, even though negligence was clearly involved. As to the amount of ND’s over the past few years, it looks like the APD needs more firearms training. The same could be said of most PD’s. The double standard is readily apparent. If cops get a slap in the wrist, so also should everyone else. It is simple negligence either way, and criminal negligence if someone gets hurt or killed.
register a couple of MSRs and 4-6 mags for each, so that you have something for competition/plinking/SD. Hide the rest.
My mom talks to gun guys and gals at gun shows all the time and the response has been great, never nasty or confrontational. Best of all its resulted in her FFL shop making record sales of handguns and long guns. Maybe H’po is on to something.
The Blackhawk Covert Messenger Bag is great. http://www.amazon.com/BLACKHAWK-Covert-Carry-Messenger-Bag/dp/B002FKO6UI
They already ARE in the boxcar line! No, OF COURSE I would NOT register any of mine.
Nobody, including these hot air internet commandos are going to risk a felony conviction over an assualt rifle when they can legally own handguns, shotguns and rifles of all make and discription. You can still own your assualt rifle by simply registering it.
This panty wetting hyperbole about cattle cars and Molon Labe looks kind of silly when you can still own the offending article.
The minutemen faced an army that was on the march to take their guns.
get back to me when that day comes. In the mean time, nut up and keep the fight going. Give money to gun rights orgs. e mail pols and yuck it up with all those that will listen.
I have a range date with a newb coming up(Feb fits both our schedules). He’s never fired a handgun and wants to get started. That’s how we win this fight.
Has any one alerted JPFO?
I have Lucid’s larger sight–the HD7 if I recall the model number correctly. It’s a steal for the price. Reliable, good looking, well built and, with a 1/3 co-witness, perfect on my SR-556C. Lucid makes quality sights.
Here, here!
I could not, in good conscience, register my weapon. I wouldn’t be comfortable judging anyone that, although they disagreed with registration, felt that they had little viable choice. Now, those who agree with registration and would encourage others to register with glee; I would have no problem considering traitorous scum.
In my lay opinion, ‘Stand Your Ground’ should not have been relevant in this case, either. there was no opportunity to retreat, unless you have a legal obligation to turn your back on an attacker. Strictly on the facts of the case, whomever thought this did not involve an imminent threat is a cpmplete moron.
5. Be in a helicopter.
so if I’m depressed over getting passed over for a promotion, and mention to my Dr. I’m having trouble sleeping, and my Dr. who is really efficient and effective thinks we should investigate depression issues and schedules me for a therapist visit, that visit will be something the “reasonable, keep the guns away from mentally ill” people can and will use against me without the benefit of confronting my accuser or protection under law?
I think some of the $90-$100 difference is the warranty. The PA comes with what… A 1 year warranty. The Lucid comes with lifetime warranty. Is that worth $100 to you?
I prefer a ring and a dot over a plain dot. A dot is easy to lose when you’re moving fast, the bigger ring gives me something easier to find on close targets and can be ignored when I have time to take more precise shots. Plus the ring can be used much like a bdc or ranging reticle once you get it figured out.