Walk,
I live in NE also. Just about any red-dot will hold up to a ML. I reccommend an Aimpoint, but thier very expensive. I have tried red dots and 1X scopes, but prefer open fiber optic sights myself.
The main reason I like the Aimpoint is that it is totally parallax free, so you don't have to worry about centering the dot to be on target. Also I can see better thru it. My wife has one on her ML. Millet is the only other company I know that makes a parrallax free red-dot that doesn't need to be centered.