Is a red dot ever better than a scope?

wasa

wasa

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As my eyes are going, I find I can no longer use iron sights on my firearms. Hence, I am transitioning to scopes and/or red dots. While for most of my hunting (ducks, geese, rabbits, squirrels, doves) I use a shotgun with no sights, I do go bear hunting (rifle with scope), coyote hunting (rifle with scope), and deer hunting (muzzleloader with scope and/or 12 gauge smoothbore with slugs & red dot).

Been debating with people at my gun club about when to use a red dot vs a scope. My thoughts are a red dot (with no magnification) is good for up to (say) 50 yards, while a scope is good for up to far far away (I assume my 30.06 or 7mm Weatherby Magnum can shoot to 400 yards, but I personally can't!).

So to me, red dots are good for: (i) sitting in a tree or ground blind over bait, (ii) walking in bush where the maximum shot is 50 yards.

Scopes are good for: (i) any distance greater than 20 yards (ex 3-9x40), (ii) advantage of magnification (2x to 50x? most of my scopes are 3-9x or 2-7x)

Are there any situations where you would choose a red dot over a scope?

Thanks for your input.
 
Don't forget about low power variable scopes. These can somewhat replace a red-dot (at the cost of more weight and a little slower target acquisition) and still serve as a traditional scope. There are many options that offer from 1-8x magnification
 
High end red dots are “way” cheaper than Featherlight high end scopes....

If money was no concern than yes there is very little downside when looking at 3K+ low power variable optics. However for under 1K you can get a very high end red dot and for under 1500 you can get a red dot + magnifier combo. The weights in this scenario are similar to at most 2x the weight for variable to red dot with magnifier.

If I’m using an AR or smaller red dot or red dot+magnifier is the way I go because I’m not in the high end range so I can get a red dot for 300-500$ and magnifier for 200-450$ and have a light weight decent setup. Where the difference comes into play is weight shaving in variable optics is “expensive” for a similar quality variable setup to this red dot setup is anywhere from 3x to 8x the weight. That is a lot of added weight to light weight guns.

If I’m using a AR10 or similar, I’d go with my 1-6 or 1-8 mid range variable optics because the extra 15-30oz is not as large of a percentage of weight.


I am sure there are many other opinions on this matter but in my experience weight to cost difference is the main trade off of red dot vs variable scope.
 
I hunt big game in Ontario almost exclusively with Red dots or aperture sights. I have no problem out to 150 yards with these....but would rarely have an opportunity to shoot that far where I hunt.

I have a scope on my Coyote gun, also my muzzle loader but only because the package came that way.
 
Granted my experience is limited compared to a lot of folk on here, I'd say red dots can be effective out to 100 yards. They allow for faster target acquisition, are generally cheaper, and they look pretty cool to boot. For me, <100 yards I'd use a red dot, anything more a scope.
 
Seems to me the best role for a red dot is on a pistol, or for any firearm where the intended purpose is relatively close range and probably fast-action sorts of shooting, whatever that may describe. So for police/military use in clearing buildings or street-to-street battles, competition 3-gun or similar shooting at close to medium range targets, or game such as waterfowl where you're aiming a relatively large spray of pellets rather than looking for a specific point of impact measuring less than 1".

I've used a couple of dot sights - a VISM thing with a laser built in as well (couldn't hold zero) and a Burris FastFire III which is great. I've managed a squirrel at 35 metres with the Burris, but wouldn't try it again, as it felt like as much luck as good shooting. And with my eyes now going 'squirrely' in their own right the 3MOA dot is starting to spread out pretty badly unless wearing reading glasses, which makes the thing impractical. I have it on a carbine spring-piston air rifle which seems a good fit, as neither is going to put me inside a Loonie at 20 metres now anyway, even if I put a scope on the springer. Again, I really like the Burris, it's a great little sight and very reliable and small with decent battery life, but forget about using it at any significant range. The 3MOA dot about halfway covered that squirrel at 35 metres. At 50 I'd have been shooting at a completely hidden squirrel, even though back then my eyes were seeing a crisp little red dot.

Seems to me that by the time you're needing 2+ diopter reading glasses you're done with red dots. And scopes of any decent quality deliver such a superior view, so much better precision placement for the projectile, that there's really not much of an argument for hunting where accuracy is wanted. Of course for a 'Canuck Defender' type short 12g used to ward off charging bears you don't need a scope, nor even a dot sight, just something slick to pull out of a pack and put into action. But for proper hunting a low to medium power scope is essential for older eyes. I'm liking 2-7x, have a Burris Droptine and a Leupold VX-1, and they're both decent, though the focus on the Leupold is slow to change so I have to give points to Burris there. The reticle on the Burris is also a bit more useful - the Rimfire model, which happens to work out perfectly for use with my 9mm carbine as the ballistics are pretty similar to .22lr. If I move into something more powerful I'll probably get a bit bigger zoom range, probably 3-9x. Have a 5-30x on my main air rifle but that's just for fussy longer range shooting, for general yard maintenance and plinking it stays on 5x.
 
There is a tint in the glass of my red dot. I find it hard to see through it in low light situations. I can see the dot but not the target. I compensate by keeping both eyes open. I certainly would not like to miss out on a buck because of it.
my $0.02
GJG
 
Ever watch Wild Boar Fever on youtube? These guys run Aimpoint red dots on bolt action rifles for wild boar. Very impressive shooting, If I did any style of hunting like that, I'd have a red dot.
 
I've seen that sort of shooting. A lot of trees, boars moving fast, no time for precision shot placement, just track the boar with the dot sight and try to lead a little as you squeeze off a shot. Like I said, fast action type of shooting at relatively closer range. The Aimpoint system seems to stretch out the usable range considerably, but probably still not very useful for older eyes.
 
I dunno….. I've tried a few higher end red dot sights hunting and 'for me' I prefer a crosshair over a red dot.
So that said, I look for red dot style optics with etched reticles that remain useable when the red dot is turned off.
I prefer these for treestand or ambush hunting , all well under 100 yrds and usually under 35yards where I hunt.
Currently I use a leupold 1X Tactical Prismatic for either my custom enfield and will be used on the Stag-10 338F
I also like a 1-6 or 2-7 ect but find these hard to find.
I've tried every Leupold "scope" I could afford and I dunno what the heck is going on but my eyes and Leupold scopes do not function together.... with the exception of that 1x prismatic.

at the end of the day, for me anyways, I like the idea of the red dot sights compact nature and lighter weight, but it simply must come with a stand alone reticle or I won't put it on a hunting rifle.
 
I prefer scopes

but there are applications for red dots, mostly shorter ranges >100m and carbines

Now I have played with pistols with red dots / micro red dots and honestly it is way easier and quicker to use the iron sights.
 
With my aging eyes, I prefer a scope... But you know what, a red dot is super fast & it's the reason it is on my Derya MK12...

YMMV...

Cheers
Jay
 
I easily hit a running coyote @ 60yds using a FF III on my full stocked Ranch Hand, I love them for short range guns. I have a C-More Railway with 12MOA dot on my Steel Challenge rimfire race rifle also.
 
I've been using red dots extensively over the last 5-6 years and there is no question in my mind that a red dot is faster and more accurate than iron sights, and often a better option than a scope out to about 100 yards. This is assuming your target is around 8+" in diameter, like most big game vitals.

The only reason I don't use a red dot exclusively on say a blacktail deer rifle- usually shot at very close quarters in thick timber- is that every now and then you are presented with a shot at 300 or 400 yards.
 
elimsprint said:
I easily hit a running coyote @ 60yds using a FF III on my full stocked Ranch Hand, I love them for short range guns. I have a C-More Railway with 12MOA dot on my Steel Challenge rimfire race rifle also.
Click to expand...

Have you compared to others with smaller dots ? Most seem to have 3 -4 moa
Wondering if the larger is more usable
 
I prefer a low power variable scope in the 1-4x to 1-6x range WITH an illuminated center dot. IMHO it gives you the best of both worlds.

Just my .02
 
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