My son is just starting to get into handgun hunting. He has ordered a Ruger Mark IC Hunter and wants a red dot that will work for squirrel hunting and plinking for u bbn der $175. Can someone help with some suggestions? Thanks

I like my 25mm Bushnell Trophy dots.
$70 on Amazon
I have 4
They have held up great
About to try one on a 44 mag we will see what happens
But for the 22 and 9mm they rock

Primary Arms makes one as well that is a good optic. $100 or so.
Check out Sig's Romeo line up as well. I've had several of them and they are hard to beat.

For a budget, it's hard to beat the Bushnell TRS-25. They have a 3 MOA dot to help with precision. I have had them on 22's, 12 gauge slug guns, 44's and a 45/70, and never had one go bad.

The Ruger .22s are so accurate and versatile that it's a shame to limit them with dots. My Bushnell Trophy 2-6X has allowed me to take squirrels out to 78 yds and groundhogs out to 100 yds. with subsonic ammo and a can.

I'll second the Bushnell Trophy dot. I have one on a Ruger 22/45. Works great and a very accurate combination out to 25 yards or so.