Another FTP Alpha 3 Customer Review vs the competition!

[FTP_Shooting_Sports]

Review for FTP Optics Alpha 3, V3 short body red dot in 10MOA

TLDR: This thing is great, wonderful dot, great sized window and enjoyable for competition use.

The “Long Story” … I’m a B classed USPSA shooter that has an astigmatism. I’ve been working my way through all the red dots so that I can find one that I really enjoy and works well for my eyes. I’ve tried SROs, RMRs, 507Comp, Romeos & even the Acro P2. All of them with the larger dot variation and all of them still starburst badly. I like many others have found that the larger dots on a lower brightness seem to work better. So, I was excited when I started researching FTP optics that they had more than the normal 5 or 6 MOA dot. I reached out to FTP and they were very quick to get back to me recommending that I try the 10 MOA so I could reduce the brightness and might reduce the star bursting. Their customer service was extremely helpful and quick on all of our interactions. In the end I ended up placing an order the end of March on a Sunday and I had one in hand Wednesday…. SADLY the optic plate I also ordered took longer to get in but finally received it and mounted it up.

Upon first receiving my 10 MOA FTP Alpha 3v3 I compared it directly to my SRO currently mounted on my Limited Optics gun as well as the 507 Comp. The build quality between all three of these premium optics seemed very similar and I didn’t find the new FTP Alpha 3 lacking or lesser in any regards. Next up I popped in a battery and turned it on comparing it to my other optics. I fell immediately in love with the large 10 MOA dot and customer service was right reducing the brightness still allowed me to see the dot by also drastically reducing the star burst effect to almost nothing.

Once I received my mounting plate I found that I really enjoyed the profile of the FTP Alpha 3 short body mounted on my 2011 over the SRO which always hung over the ejection port and got dirty with unburnt powder and I hoped that I wouldn’t have as much of an issue with the new Alpha 3 (I did end up having less build up). The other than that I noticed would be much easier would be battery changes… I HATE swapping the SRO batteries … its better than the RMR … BUT that’s not saying much. This has the little tray which is becoming much more industry standard and while swapping batteries isn’t something you do all the time it is nice for when its needed.
Next up was testing. I didn’t have a match the weekend I received the Alpha 3 so that allowed me to go put in some range time getting to know the new guy in the safe. It was honestly refreshing it too a little time to get used to the larger dot but within a magazine or two I was adjusted and hooked. I brought my back up gun and did a few drills with both optics (SRO and Alpha 3) I found in all cases I both preferred and performed better with the Alpha 3. The larger dot allowed me to acquire targets just a hair faster as well as track the dot better for follow up shots and transitions. The housing itself allowed me to gather more information having slightly larger horizonal box, which I find useful for field of view. The housing is similar to the 507Comp in shape. I have tried to like the 507Comp a few times, but the dots just don’t work well for my eyes/brain. The MRS with its multiple dots cause me to lose focus and slow me down when trying to acquire the target and transition even after 500 rounds of forcing myself to use it I just couldn’t. This required me to do just the 8 MOA circle or the small tiny center dot … neither of which I really enjoyed.

So fast forward to today almost exactly two months later. I’m still enjoying the Alpha 3 much more than my other optics and will likely be replacing the SRO on my backup gun in the future. I have shot 6 matches (including Area 1 Championship) since receiving the optic, I have likely close to 4000-5000 rounds through it and I haven’t had a single issue. The optic still preforming just as it did on that first day of training and I still love the dot and what it allows for me to do. I can’t tell you much about long term battery use as 2 months isn’t enough time but I’ve gotten into the practice of just turning the dot off after the match and turning it on when I gun up at the safe table and do my first practice draws before a match and I’m still on the first battery I put in.
It’s nice to have something designed for competition shooters instead of something adapted over for competition shooters. I have an open gun in the works and it will for sure get an FTP Optic when it’s done. If you’re gun is for competition or a range toy I can whole heartedly say please don’t spend SRO money, saving yourself some coin for ammo and buy a BETTER and cheaper optic with the FTP Alpha 3.

- Phillip Barlow