Red dots on rifles.

[11Charlie]

I think this all depends on the intended use of said rifle. If I am in the field then I am grabbing the one with a scope on it. If I am in a urban setting and need quick target acquisition I am taking the red dot with folding magnifier and iron back ups.

 

[11Charlie]

IMHO there is no perfect set up for all applications.

 

[Boboclown]

One can go for compromise (versatility) or for the ideal with specific situations.

 

[Geardo]

I agree with most everyone here. I have tried LPVO, fixed optic with illuminated reticle, and a RDS. RDS is ultra fast at 7-25 yards, but past that I think a LPVO with a nice bright illuminated reticle would be the perfect sighting system. With a bright enough reticle you can keep both eyes open at CQB. It Will be just as fast as an RDS, the only detriment will be shooting in awkward positions (parralax) and less battery life.

 

[jordanka16]

I really like a red dot with a magnifier, very fast at close range, and with a 3x or 4x magnifier I have no trouble hitting steel out to 300 yards.

 

[Southpaw]

When my eyes got older and the irons weren't working for me as well as they used to, I put a RD on my old lever 336 (now it's a cyber cowboy shooter .

For its size and weight and the distances I shoot, I'm happy with it.

 

[jordanka16]

When my eyes got older and the irons weren't working for me as well as they used to, I put a RD on my old lever 336 (now it's a cyber cowboy shooter .

For its size and weight and the distances I shoot, I'm happy with it.

Sounds like a great brush gun, red dots are light as well, the sig romeo on my pc carbine weighs less than 4 oz

 

[Sandaholic]

I prefer an LVPO, but I can shoot 4ish MOA easy with a red dot not even trying that hard. Hitting in an 8" circle at 200 yards is fine with me. Red dots get a bad rep in the distance department. I personally won't be going further than 200 yards with a red dot unless it is TEOTWAWKI, but a red dot could do it. I just really like the whole:

see small
aim small
miss small

 

[Boboclown]

I like fixed low power scopes. Especially when they have a reticle like this:

 

[Mygrainman]

My biggest complaint with speed is less magnification and more field of view.

Field of view is no issue to me.. in fact I don't even need to take the front lense cover off... used with both eyes open I don't even look down the optic... just look past it...and line the dot up with that which I wish to destroy.

 

[Porter]

IMHO there is no perfect set up for all applications.

This is the correct answer. While most of my rifles have Micro/MRO, red dots, a few of them are setup with 3x Primary arms prism scopes. I prefer running red dots as I an pretty proficient and much faster with them , but there are times where magnification really helps.

 

[powermad]

One thing I have found since I started playing the optic game.
Just like sling set ups and holsters. What works great for one person and looks good is the suck for someone else and you end up with a drawer full of gear that didn't work out.

Add in personal preference, aging eyes and other eye problems and it's a dance between compromise and functionality.

Personally I just wish it was 2008 and I could see and hit milk jugs at 200 yds again using iron sights with no problem.
But I can't, so for myself I just have to find what works best for me.

Since I'm not able to have a one optic for all situations it seems that I'll have to do as was suggested and have a rifle set up for each.

After some thought I'll probably do a pistol build with the RD.
If the S ever does HTF I'll probably need a wheel barrow. Who's got tactical models on sale?

 

[Jeedia]

I just got a pistol blemish for 199 at PSA. They have really great deals on uppers.

 

[LSWC]

Depends on application here - I have red dots on all target rifles since they're quick & easy plus accuracy is good out to 100 yards for all I've got. I've found irons perform similarly and I don't need to explain how targeting works with a red dot to family & friends - very intuitive. For match target work and hunting magnified optics would be the best path.

Budget plays a large role - When comparing irons, red dot, and magnified optics they typically fall in that order with cost.
I prefer red dots over irons and they're worth a little extra to me. And moving from 3-4 MOA to 1 MOA shooting steel makes no difference...

I like them all, and would love to have a large budget to test & compare many I've looked at.
Regardless, I have fun when I go out and do like what I have. When needs change I'm sure choices for optics will as well.

 

[powermad]

I like fixed low power scopes. Especially when they have a reticle like this:
View attachment 514638

Like the Primary Arms ACSS reticle?

It's like targeting for dummies.
With a 1x6/8 SFP scope on max power.
At 100 yds a 9" round yellow plate fills the inner circle.
At 200 yds 18" is the OD diameter of the circle. A 9" target at 200 yds would be from the point of the chevron to the outside circle.
18" at 300 yds is the radius of the circle which is also 9" at 100 yds.
Hash marks from 4 -8 are 18"

And if your round steel plate is moving at walking speed at 100 yds hold over to the outside circle.
If you missed and scared the crap out of it and it is now running off, hold over to the dot and put that clanky bastard down.

 

[Boboclown]

Like the Primary Arms ACSS reticle?
View attachment 514860
It's like targeting for dummies.
With a 1x6/8 SFP scope on max power.
At 100 yds a 9" round yellow plate fills the inner circle.
At 200 yds 18" is the OD diameter of the circle. A 9" target at 200 yds would be from the point of the chevron to the outside circle.
18" at 300 yds is the radius of the circle which is also 9" at 100 yds.
Hash marks from 4 -8 are 18"

And if your round steel plate is moving at walking speed at 100 yds hold over to the outside circle.
If you missed and scared the crap out of it and it is now running off, hold over to the dot and put that clanky bastard down.

I like the PO 4x17 reticle, I prefer chevron over horseshoe and dot but crosshair over chevron (and only the 400m mark is a chevron). Alongside wide FOV and low mounting. The reticle has two methods of rangefinding, horizontally or vertically. Downside is the horizontal rangefinder is only 1.5 meters, so guesswork for anything other than elk apparently. Vertically is .5, so roughly 19".

But PA is good for the money. I like the one on my wasr.

 

[CHLChris]

My groupings are embarrassing with a 2MOA RD. Astigmatism doesn't help though.
Even when using the rear BUS to sharpen the dot it's still a shotgun pattern for me.

After getting and using a Primary Arms ACSS 1x8 on my SR-762 I am sold on LPVO
On 1x it is just like the RD, both eyes open and I can clearly see the chevron and horseshoe on or off in most lighting.

I'll be going with a 1x6 on my AR15 and selling the RD and magnifier.

Wow, I'm just not getting your points.

1) The dot is not to be used as a front sight so you just don't use the rear sight at all. In fact, your eyes need to focus only on the target, and NOT the dot. There is only one place where you could be pointing at the target and see the red dot through the rear sight. But then you'd be focusing way too much on the dot.

2) When I used a Vortex 1-6 scope, it was like 2 heavy pounds. My rifle handled WAY different with a scope over my rds. Today, I have 2 rifles: one with a Vortex 1-4 in the safe that would theoretically be used for outside engagements, and one with an Aimpoint for indoor engagements (stored in my master bedroom). These 2 setups are very different and used for different purposes.

 

[powermad]

1) The dot is not to be used as a front sight so you just don't use the rear sight at all.

Unless you have astigmatism
With the RD co-witnessed to the BUIS I can leave the front sight down and flip up the rear sight to focus the RD through the aperture, otherwise it looks like an exploding star to me.
Which for point and shoot is fine as long as I know which dot is which. In my case it's the brightest one.
Looking through the aperture makes it better but still kinda fuzzy.

Obviously trying to get precision groups in my case turned out to be futile.
I can tag a 9" plate at 100 yds but keeping all the shots in the center may be asking a bit much.

 

[CHLChris]

Perhaps a red dot isn't the choice for eyes that don't work for them. That's unfortunate, but the way you describe it tells me that a red dot isn't the right choice for you. A red dot is not a bench rest optic, but a quick-shot optic. I really suggest that using the rear sight is not the way to go.

But to each their own. Vaya con Dios...

 

[Boboclown]

Astigmatism and red dots are a known issue. Its why 1x prism scopes exist.