Hunting with a red dot?

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regulate34

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All my hunting rifles are scoped. Always worked for me.
I recently built a Dlask/Kidd 10-22. I put a pistol style red dot on it.
Mainly to plink with at my home range on steel.

I took the gun on a few hunts this season as a grouse gun. To be honest I didn’t care for it.
I head shoot grouse and found anything over 10yrds was difficult, resulting in more misses then connects.

So for my week deer hunt. I took the trusty 452 with a leupold on it and brought home my limit.
So now I’m trying to find a use for this red dot.

My home range is steel plates @ 8” 65yd 12” 100yrd and 16” 140 yards. And the red dot on the 22 was a blast and really fast for clanging steel.

So I have put it on my H&R 30-30 singe shot. And I really like how small it makes the whole set up compared to a scope. I figured the precision it lacks for head shots on grouse won’t make much difference for bear and deer being a larger target. Also think the dot will stand out on bear where I find black crosshairs to blend in.

Anyone have experience with hunting with red dots?
One of my conserns is that water droplets on the glass cause the red light to reflect a bit.

Any input or stories would be great.
 
I ran a tr25 on my marlin dark 45-70 this season whacked a cow moose through both shoulders for a quick kill at 60 ish yards. Have used the good old bushnell on a few guns over the years. For brush hunting its quicker than irons and plenty enough precision to whack moose, elk, bear, or deer where they live.
 
i used one bushnell holographic and one docter for hunting but it was only for driven hunting in france: rain was never a problem cant say the same for sb scope ...

it was for wild boar, roed deer and red deer. most of the hunters in the association were we belonged were using as well a lot red dot and mostly bushnell. the cheapest certainly but always worked.
the late don heath used one for back up mostly for lions and buffaloes on his 9.3x62 and he loved it.

i prefer nowadays a scope with a red dot inside just my experience.
 
Something to also consider is the size of the dot reticle — sometimes the manufacturer will print it on the unit, sometimes you have to find it in the literature.

For example I have a 2 MOA red dot that is accurate out to 100 yards because it’s so fine. I also have a 6 MOA red dot on a pistol that is fast to acquire and fast on close range/ dynamic targets, but it’s covering a 6” circle at 100 yards, so not very accurate at that distance.
 
I've been thinking about putting my 2 MOA Primary Arms red dot on one of my Handi-Rifles for a close range bush rifle but I haven't pulled it off my .22 just yet.......
For big-game at reasonably close-range I think it would work just fine.
 
barrett50cal said:
Something to also consider is the size of the dot reticle — sometimes the manufacturer will print it on the unit, sometimes you have to find it in the literature.

For example I have a 2 MOA red dot that is accurate out to 100 yards because it’s so fine. I also have a 6 MOA red dot on a pistol that is fast to acquire and fast on close range/ dynamic targets, but it’s covering a 6” circle at 100 yards, so not very accurate at that distance.
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Mine has a 4moa dot. I think that should be fine out to 150 for large game ?
 
I have 2 of the TR25 red dots and they are excellent for close range quick shots on small game and deer as the target acquisition is super fast shooting with both eyes open. Great for deer out to 100 yards. Maybe 50-75 for small game, depending on your eyesight.

Rain can be an issue, but a good water repelling coating will help you there.
 
The first Burris Fastfire sits upon a CZ Springfield M6 in 22 LR/410. Three MOA dot is zeroed for twenty yards with CCI Minimag and co-witnessed 410 #7.5 shot.
Cleanly harvested many rabbits boreal forest. Longest shot about 30 yards.
No real complaints, but to change battery need to dismount and rezero.
So this is a late summer ritual as I must shoot it at the gun range confirm it's actually sighted properly.

You didn't mention the brand name your red dot optic?
 
Great for slug guns and other short range thumpers. Was always my go to when “dogging” on a deer drive. Gave me a chance to get a quick shot.

For everything else, I prefer a scope though.
 
My whitetail shots tend to be short range with a slug, so I just use the irons but if I was to out an optic on it, it would likely be a scope. I have a red dot (tasco) on my 10/22 for squirrels and rabbits and I'm happy with it. I find even at max brightness, the dot is small enough for head shots but again, at closish range. I carry a spare battery behind the butt plate so I can change mid hunt if needed. My concern with a red dot on my deer gun would be a battery problem right at go time. I'm assuming stand hunters leave their dot off until needed? That's just one more thing for me to fart with and likely screw up.
 
jlovie said:
My whitetail shots tend to be short range with a slug, so I just use the irons but if I was to out an optic on it, it would likely be a scope. I have a red dot (tasco) on my 10/22 for squirrels and rabbits and I'm happy with it. I find even at max brightness, the dot is small enough for head shots but again, at closish range. I carry a spare battery behind the butt plate so I can change mid hunt if needed. My concern with a red dot on my deer gun would be a battery problem right at go time. I'm assuming stand hunters leave their dot off until needed? That's just one more thing for me to fart with and likely screw up.
Click to expand...

Modern red dots you can leave it on for months and still have battery life. Put a new battery in at the start of hunting season and don't worry about it. :)
 
regulate34 said:
Mine has a 4moa dot. I think that should be fine out to 150 for large game ?
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~ I would say so. If we consider the boiler room of a deer to be around 10-12” heart/ lungs, and at 150 yds your 4moa dot is covering a 6” circle, then with good shot placement you should be ok — although some might say ideally it’d be good to get in a little closer.
 
Depends on distance and purpose. However, I like to hunt with a 2 MOA red dot or low power prism, works good for medium and big game(or fun). When I want precision or distance (greater than 150/200) then I want an appropriate scope for the purpose.
 
I would use a red dot anywhere that iron sights or a low power scope may be applicable.

Even better for hunting rifles is a LPVO with a red dot reticle. At 1x (no magnification) you use it as a red dot and if you want to shoot further just crank the scope up. They are almost as fast as a red dot to use but much more versatile. And no question the good ones are more expensive. :)
 
jlovie said:
My whitetail shots tend to be short range with a slug, so I just use the irons but if I was to out an optic on it, it would likely be a scope. I have a red dot (tasco) on my 10/22 for squirrels and rabbits and I'm happy with it. I find even at max brightness, the dot is small enough for head shots but again, at closish range. I carry a spare battery behind the butt plate so I can change mid hunt if needed. My concern with a red dot on my deer gun would be a battery problem right at go time. I'm assuming stand hunters leave their dot off until needed? That's just one more thing for me to fart with and likely screw up.
Click to expand...

Gatehouse said:
Modern red dots you can leave it on for months and still have battery life. Put a new battery in at the start of hunting season and don't worry about it. :)
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x2
I think my Primary Arms red dot has something like a 50,000hr battery life. Apparently some folks just turn them on and don't bother to turn them off which I think is just dumb but anyhow the batteries do apparently last a rather long time! I still have the same battery in mine after a few seasons although I do turn mine off at the end of a day of hunting......
 
jlovie said:
My whitetail shots tend to be short range with a slug, so I just use the irons but if I was to out an optic on it, it would likely be a scope. I have a red dot (tasco) on my 10/22 for squirrels and rabbits and I'm happy with it. I find even at max brightness, the dot is small enough for head shots but again, at closish range. I carry a spare battery behind the butt plate so I can change mid hunt if needed. My concern with a red dot on my deer gun would be a battery problem right at go time. I'm assuming stand hunters leave their dot off until needed? That's just one more thing for me to fart with and likely screw up.
Click to expand...

The CR2032 battery in your tasco will last about 2 weeks if you turn it on before you go out in the morning, and off when you get back at night. Dollarama sells three-packs of lithium CR2032s FYI.
 
kodiakjack said:
The CR2032 battery in your tasco will last about 2 weeks if you turn it on before you go out in the morning, and off when you get back at night. Dollarama sells three-packs of lithium CR2032s FYI.
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2 weeks is really poor. The better quality red dots would last at least 6 months of the same procedure of turning it on and off daily.
 
medvedqc said:
a very good tip given.
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Indeed. I kept the first battery in my Burris Fastfire for about fifteen months before changing it.
And it wasn't because it died, was just pre hunting season preparation habit I adopted just as Dan said here.

Edit: Mostly I like Burris red dots. That being said beware of the Burris Speedbead optic.
Go to optics planet for reviews. And I notice myself there are currently two Speedbeads like new, (one season!) for sale on our EE.
Don't permanently alter your butt stock for junk optics.
 
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