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Posted: 1/20/2009 3:07:18 AM EDT
| If the CompM4 is the latest and greatest from Aimpoint then why are people still buying the CompM3? |
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Personal preference. If you aren't knee-deep in the sand box you probably don't need the M4. Price makes a difference.
Really, I'd prefer a new T-1, but those don't look near as sturdy as the M4s. Just depends on what you plan on using it for. M3 is a fine, fine optic. I have the ML3 because I don't have NVG's to use with them in the first place and if I did, I'd just turn the ML3 down to it's lowest setting and use it with the NVG's. |
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Money is the answer to why I bought the M3.
The AA battery in the M4 is nice, easier to find, but nothing else on my AR takes a AA battery. So no matter what I needed an oddball battery. I chose an M3 with LaRue mount, the mount has a compartment for a spare battery. At 50,000 hours with an M3 vs 80,000 or 100,000 hours with an M$ I probably do not need a spare battery but I have one. |
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Quoted:
I think you may have missed the price difference. 
Some may also just prefer the M3 because of past experiences with it. As far as I can tell, it is still a great optic. Nope, pretty sure I haven't missed the price difference. For $595 shipped to your house for the M4, why not?
So is price the only reason people still choose the M3 over the M4? |
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Quoted:
Nope, pretty sure I haven't missed the price difference. For $595 shipped to your house for the M4, why not?
So is price the only reason people still choose the M3 over the M4? The price difference may not matter to YOU, but you asked why OTHERS are still buying M3s over M4s. You can get an M3 for less than an M4.
No, this isn't the only reason why. I think the other guys had some valid reasons that they listed. |
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The CompM4 uses AA batteries while the M3 uses DL1/3N or
2L76 batteries . A lot of people have had bad experiences with AA batteries in electronics . I've had several break open and leak . At least one in under a day . For some reason AAs tend to have lot more variance from battery to battery in discharge and actual size as well . Even the high price Lithium AA batteries are not immune to rupture . 2L76s aren't either ,but the chances of them rupturing is signifigantly less then AAs . I would have bought a T-1 instead if they were available in a 2 MOA version . |
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Quoted:
I thought so..I was in the same boat you are, M4, or M3, and price was the final decider. The functionality of either is almost identical except for battery life, and IMO, not enough of an advantage for the M4 to warrant the added cost.
Quoted:
I just scored an M3, NIB, 375.00 w/ the QRP mount.  ––-Good score!!!!!!!!Then I found this deal and didn't have to give it another thought. This is for my SHTF arsenal. It'll be fine.
My advice...be patient...shop for the deals, because they're out there. You just have to be in the right place at the right time. |
| I still don't understand the REALITY of the battery life in an M4 w/ a AA battery. Maybe based on voltage draw, it theoretically has a battery life of 80-100,000 hours. But in my experience there has never been a AA battery that has lasted that long sitting on the shelf. think about it, we're taking a 10 year+ AA battery. I don't think so. |
| Personally I went with the C3. The only difference I could find from retailers and Aimpoint was that the C3 could only go 17' under water and the M3 could go 150'. I'm not gonna ever have to do either, so I saved the $120 difference and went with the C3. I'm not in the Sandbox. I use my rifle for fun, matches and home defense and an M4 seems like a silly waste of money for me. |
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Quoted:
Personally I went with the C3. The only difference I could find from retailers and Aimpoint was that the C3 could only go 17' under water and the M3 could go 150'. I'm not gonna ever have to do either, so I saved the $120 difference and went with the C3. I'm not in the Sandbox. I use my rifle for fun, matches and home defense and an M4 seems like a silly waste of money for me. For those without NV and who don't dive, you cannot beat the value of a 2MOA C3 on a LaRue mount. I bought one with a cantilever mount off EE for $345.00. |
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Quoted:
I still don't understand the REALITY of the battery life in an M4 w/ a AA battery. Maybe based on voltage draw, it theoretically has a battery life of 80-100,000 hours. But in my experience there has never been a AA battery that has lasted that long sitting on the shelf. think about it, we're taking a 10 year+ AA battery. I don't think so. The pack of Energizer AA Ultimate Lithiums I bought a few months ago shows a shelf life of 2023. Nothing wrong with AAs when you buy good quality ones and nothing else even comes close to the availability of the AA battery. They are simply everywhere. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
I thought so..I was in the same boat you are, M4, or M3, and price was the final decider. The functionality of either is almost identical except for battery life, and IMO, not enough of an advantage for the M4 to warrant the added cost.
Quoted:
I just scored an M3, NIB, 375.00 w/ the QRP mount. ––-Good score!!!!!!!!Then I found this deal and didn't have to give it another thought. This is for my SHTF arsenal. It'll be fine.
My advice...be patient...shop for the deals, because they're out there. You just have to be in the right place at the right time. This is good advice. Just a few months ago, I scored an M3 off the EE for $350 shipped, and found a Wilcox M68 mount in a local shop for $10. |
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The big advantage of the CompM4/M4s sights is the mount bolts to the body of the optic vice sitting in 30mm rings like the CompM2/M3 etc. This allows for the sight to with stand more abuse.
FYI. AA Alkaline Batteries have a seven year shelf life and AA Lithium batteries have a ten year shelf life. The ACET LEDs in the CompM4/M4s sights use less energy when on setting 12 (of 16) than if the battery was setting unused on a shelf, thus the long battery life. Granted the life of a battery may not be as long as advertised or marked, but even if it lasts four or five years vice seven or ten when it is left constantly on they will still last years vice weeks. Thus being most ready when you maybe least ready. S/F |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
Personally I went with the C3. The only difference I could find from retailers and Aimpoint was that the C3 could only go 17' under water and the M3 could go 150'. I'm not gonna ever have to do either, so I saved the $120 difference and went with the C3. I'm not in the Sandbox. I use my rifle for fun, matches and home defense and an M4 seems like a silly waste of money for me. For those without NV and who don't dive, you cannot beat the value of a 2MOA C3 on a LaRue mount. I bought one with a cantilever mount off EE for $345.00. Exactly! Hell, I don't even have a pool! |
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