Red alert
Aimpoint Micro a feral’s nightmare, says Chris Redlich
Among a few recent review items from Beretta Australia was a red dot sight, my second such item in a matter of months. Prior to reviewing my first one last year I was asking myself why I hadn’t been interested in them sooner as, after using it, I was converted. The Aimpoint Micro H-2 is new to me but certainly not to most of the general shooting public, as the Scandinavian firm is by reputation one of the market leaders in compact red dot sights.
Tech stuff
On opening the box the first thing you read is: ‘Congratulations on your purchase of an Aimpoint Micro Series sight! You hold in your hand the most advanced compact sighting system available today’. Bold advertising indeed, though it’s obvious Aimpoint is proud of its product and confident the user won’t be disappointed. Built solidly from machined high-strength aluminium and coated in a non-reflective matte black finish, the supplied Micro H-2 fits the ‘compact’ niche nicely.
By all appearances it looks slick, measures just 75mm and feels light at a mere 120g but most importantly the device is ready for mounting straight out the box to your favourite, quick-handling hunting rifle, the integral dovetail clamp ensuring a solid mount to a Weaver-style or Picatinny rail. The single steel side screw tightens using the supplied Torx-head driver, though a simple thumb tighten is all that’s required to ensure a secure fit, even on a hard-kicking pig gun such as a .45-70 Govt lever action rifle.
Purposed for ‘reactive’ shooting, red dot sights are designed to be used easily and accurately with both eyes open and unlimited eye relief can be achieved, mounting the Aimpoint just about anywhere on the receiver of a bolt or lever-action rifle, shotgun or pistol. I chose to mount it forward of the ejection port on the Beretta-supplied Tikka Wild Boar rifle for no other reason than just because I could. In this position I was able to obtain a perfect sight picture and crystal clear red dot resolution.
The H-2 illuminated red dot has a size value of 2MOA and, paired with the 18mm aperture of both lenses (ocular and objective), provides a large field of view at 50m, enabling fast target acquisition of larger game such as running wild pigs. The objective lens has an anti-reflective coating and both lenses have flip-up covers for protection. The windage and elevation turrets are sheltered from snagging and tucked snugly within the confines of the aluminium body.
On removing those caps the adjustment dials require the two pins atop one turret cap to rotate the dials, a simple but ingenious arrangement should you need corrections while hunting. Alternatively, the pins on the back of the Torx tool can also be used for adjusting the dials. Both windage and elevation turrets allow for plus or minus 1m at 100m (or 1yd at 100yds) of adjustment and each click value is worth 13mm at 100m (half an inch at 100yds).
A red dot sight won’t shine without power and on the right-hand side is the waterproof compartment for a single CR2032 3V battery whose life is ridiculously long, with the little button battery providing the shooter with more than five years of use when set at brightness level ‘8’. The sights turn on and off by simple rotation of the battery compartment dial and brightness intensity settings ranging from 1-12, allowing enough reticle flexibility to suit any environment, dark or bright.
Sight and field test
It doesn’t usually take long to sight-in a scope to a firearm with a Picatinny rail at 50m and following a quick bore sight session of the T3X Wild Boar, I had the Micro H-2 perfectly tuned to the rifle. Even with a 2MOA reticle, I’m genuinely surprised at just how accurate these red dot sights are and after landing consistent three-shot groups under 0.75” at 50m with the supplied .308 Win, 150-grain Sako ammunition, I was more than confident of achieving ‘MOPH’(minute of pig heart) in field testing.
Not from lack of trying, let me assure you, I’d been foiled on several occasions by hairy little ferals which had been digging up my farmer friend’s property. I did, however, chalk up many field hours testing the sight and playing with different brightness levels, including sunny daytime scenarios, night time and even bushfire smoke. There was a brightness level to suit all occasions, with the Micro H-2 providing a clear red dot and sight picture even through the smoky haze while hunting pigs late one afternoon.
Then fortunes changed almost by accident and the little porkers which had been dodging me for so long elected to take their chances late one evening while my wife and I were spending quality couple time together ‑ spotlighting! Throwing in the Beretta-supplied .308 T3X fitted with the Micro H-2 red dot as a last-minute inclusion to our selection of varmint rifles proved a stroke of genius.
“Pigs,” said Sue-Ann as a huffing and puffing mob on the move stepped into the spotlight to take centre stage. Down came my bolt-action 22PPC and up to the shoulder went the T3X Wild Boar rifle I had at the ready. I took a sight picture offhand, aimed and fired at the biggest of the mob, a young boar, and down he went with a resounding thud.
Although Sue-Ann found it tough to follow which pig I’d target next, she did well with the aid of the spotlight. As it happened there was enough side glare to make clear target acquisition of another two pigs, highlighting the versatility and rapid ‘point-ability’ of the Aimpoint in lowlight situations. Granted, I wouldn’t normally use a red dot sight for this but had no other choice as the clear optics of the Micro H-2 lenses enabled the despatch of three feral pigs, a great result which speaks volumes in underlining the Aimpoint’s lowlight credentials.
Conclusion
After testing I’m confident Aimpoint will live up to the claims I read on opening the box. Proudly made in Sweden, the Micro H-2 red dot sight is rugged enough to handle anything an Australian bush hunter can throw at it. The integral mount enables swift and secure fitment to any repeating rifle (bolt or lever-action) with a Picatinny rail or weaver-style base. And the ability to adjust the red dot brightness for any situation, together with rapid target acquisition, make it ideal for close-quarter deer (such as forested sambar) and pig shooting as outlined above.
Finally I must add that testing the H-2, my second red dot sight review in quick succession, has reinforced new enthusiasm for them and their relevance in today’s market. Priced at $1409 (at time of writing) isn’t surprising considering the Micro H-2 is a top-quality European-made optic, covered by a 10-year warranty for added peace of mind. More at berettaaustralia.com.au