I bought a Trijicon Credo for my Mini-14 5.56.
It is a fantastic scope.
But for the quick target acquisition which the 5.56 is designed for, I wonder if a red dot (or ACOG) would be quicker/better?
If so, what is the Best Red Dot for a Mini-14 5.56?
Not sure I understand this, but for the money the Sig red dots are hard to beat. Romeo 5 has auto off and shake awake and you can get into one for <$150
A red dot has no magnification, so if you plan on shooting regularly beyond 100 yards it may not be the bet option. You can always add a magnifier, although if going that way an LPVO might be better, but few have illumination as bright as a red dot. Primary Arms has one that has a nuclear bright center dot, the NOVA, best of both worlds.
Also, if you have astigmatism a red dot will not look like a dot. So, if you haven't looked through one you may want to before you buy one. Prism scopes, 1x, are a good lightweight alternative for those of us with astigmatism.