300Spartans
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Canada of course
Trijicon Accupoint.
Is a red dot ever better than a scope?
- Thread starter wasa
- Start date
Depends on what you want to do. The Large ones like 6MOA are for fast shooting, the 2MOA are more precise. I have several Vortex Sparc AR 2MOA and most seem to have no trouble hitting well and fast to 100 yards. Probably depends on your eyes, too.
I prefer the 2MOA over the larger ones, but if I was doing 3 gun matches the 6MOA seems like a good choice.
Just trying out a RED DOT on my Ruger Scout rifle now - So far throwing it up and pointing it is going Very fast ! RJ
- Location
- Saskatchewan
Double rifles. If they are regulated to shoot both barrels to the same POI with iron sights that you can't see well any more, adding a red dot reflex sight won't change the regulation of the barrels. Adding a scope on top might mess with the convergence.
elimsprint
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Kelowna, BC
I have a 3 MOA FFIII on the Ranch Hand, the 12 MOA is just for Steel Challenge shooting, 10-12" round plates at 35yds or less.
I have some of the same age=related issues with my eyesight - well, not really age-related, it;s those galdanged Freemasons that keep putting fuzzyyfog in the air, making the floors lower, putting bricks in my backpacks and making hills steeper. I have scopes on my "real" guns, but did not want to put them on my levers. I knew that doing so would get John Wayne spinning in his grave and get people to question my ###ual preferences. I did 2 things - got glasses without progressives for hunting, which made a huge difference (just make sure to keep your geezer glasses nearby in case you have to do something that requires close-up vision). Also, I put Firesights on the guns, and have no issues.
Appreciate all the comments. Looks like many of us are on the same page.
Side topic - scout (long eye relief) scopes vs red dots. Don't hate me, but I put a scout scope on my Mosin Nagant so I could keep shooting it (no bubba - just removed the rear sight leaf and installed a rail and scout scope). Works great (for me) but definitely not a firearm I could get on target fast like on a running deer. I also have a Husqvarna that has a rail forward of the action (bought it this way - no rear sight). Currently has a red dot on it but was thinking about a scout scope.
Always something fun to try at the range!
Side topic - scout (long eye relief) scopes vs red dots. Don't hate me, but I put a scout scope on my Mosin Nagant so I could keep shooting it (no bubba - just removed the rear sight leaf and installed a rail and scout scope). Works great (for me) but definitely not a firearm I could get on target fast like on a running deer. I also have a Husqvarna that has a rail forward of the action (bought it this way - no rear sight). Currently has a red dot on it but was thinking about a scout scope.
Always something fun to try at the range!
- Location
- Blaster land, Okanagan BC
Red dot is just a fancy iron sight basically, I would not hesitate to use a red dot to hunt or target shoot out to the same distance I can comfortably shoot irons with. I shoot comfortably out to 100-200y with irons so a rds would be no different, you just get an illuminated poi without having to line up front and rear sights. If you really like them you could get variable power scopes with an illuminated dot or full reticle, makes a difference in lower light settings while hunting during the last hour of legal light.
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I am late here and I hunt small game in the boreal forest.
Yesterday was unusual because I used the 12 gauge. However most times out I use a Burris Fastfire on a Springfield CZ 22/410. Both barrels zeroed at 25 yards and rabbits easily up to 50 with the rifle. The 410 barrel is choked full and with Challenger 2 1/2 inch shell I have cleanly harvested bunnies out to 30 yards in the bush with 7 1/2 lead birdshot. These older eyes very much appreciate the red dot in these too often dark and shaded hunting grounds.
Happy Thanksgiving folks!
Edit: The 22 barrel was range confirmed at out too 50 yards. But really my average shooting distance is often right around 10 yards. The rifle for a clear shot and the shotgun for use through intervening foliage.
Yesterday was unusual because I used the 12 gauge. However most times out I use a Burris Fastfire on a Springfield CZ 22/410. Both barrels zeroed at 25 yards and rabbits easily up to 50 with the rifle. The 410 barrel is choked full and with Challenger 2 1/2 inch shell I have cleanly harvested bunnies out to 30 yards in the bush with 7 1/2 lead birdshot. These older eyes very much appreciate the red dot in these too often dark and shaded hunting grounds.
Happy Thanksgiving folks!
Edit: The 22 barrel was range confirmed at out too 50 yards. But really my average shooting distance is often right around 10 yards. The rifle for a clear shot and the shotgun for use through intervening foliage.
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I've used red dots to make good hits at 500m before on anthro targets. Of course what you are using it for is important.
-S.
Are there any situations where you would choose a red dot over a scope?
Here is my humble opinion (I have used both, for many years)
Yes there re cases where each has its advantages, also you need to pay attention to the dot size in MOA and scope power.
The dot is really good if you want to make fast shots. Not as fast as irons but the fast shot with dot is more precise. The dot gives you a larger sight picture than a scope but depending on the size and distance to the target, the dot may cover the entire target, especially if the intensity is turned up. Be careful because most places stock 3 to 5 MOA dots. At higher intensities (ie. sunny days ) the dot size is considerably larger so you might want to look for a 1 MOA. For a large target like a large or medium size animal at a close distance (50-100 yards), the dot would be fine, but for smaller targets(like paper bulls eye) you might have a problem even with 1 MOA.
For a stationary or slow moving target, go with the scope. They are expensive but if you get a good bright zoom scope with a low end setting for magnification, you are getting some of the advantages of a dot and all of the advantages of a scope but given the smaller outline of the dot, the dot will be still faster.
Some variable magnification scopes come with a dot mounted on them - for the speed.
Also if you are expecting to be in the rain - forget the dot. When it gets wet, all you will see are dots everywhere- worst than iron with failing vision.
Don't forget the battery factor. The dots need a battery to run unless you get a trijicon or Meprolight that is tritium and sunlight lit- These cost quite a bit and are roughly the size of a small scope.
Suggestion,
Get a cheap dot if you can mount it on the gun. They go for as low as $40. Try it and see if you like it. It likely wont last very long before something breaks but at least you can see what it is like.
A lot of this is personal preference - they both take getting used to if you have only used irons. Once you get used to it, its is hard to go back.. For me I use both, depending on what I am using it for.
One last option not mentioned yet is a high visibility sight - I use thesetoo for some things where rules do not allow optics. The best one I have found is made by advantage tactical out of arizona. I tried many different sight types (at least 5) ranging from ghost ring style to ones that magnify the irons but not the sight picture. The advantage tactical were the best. h ttps://advantagetactical.com i have them on 4 of my guns. They ship to canada also.
For what it's worth.
Here is my humble opinion (I have used both, for many years)
Yes there re cases where each has its advantages, also you need to pay attention to the dot size in MOA and scope power.
The dot is really good if you want to make fast shots. Not as fast as irons but the fast shot with dot is more precise. The dot gives you a larger sight picture than a scope but depending on the size and distance to the target, the dot may cover the entire target, especially if the intensity is turned up. Be careful because most places stock 3 to 5 MOA dots. At higher intensities (ie. sunny days ) the dot size is considerably larger so you might want to look for a 1 MOA. For a large target like a large or medium size animal at a close distance (50-100 yards), the dot would be fine, but for smaller targets(like paper bulls eye) you might have a problem even with 1 MOA.
For a stationary or slow moving target, go with the scope. They are expensive but if you get a good bright zoom scope with a low end setting for magnification, you are getting some of the advantages of a dot and all of the advantages of a scope but given the smaller outline of the dot, the dot will be still faster.
Some variable magnification scopes come with a dot mounted on them - for the speed.
Also if you are expecting to be in the rain - forget the dot. When it gets wet, all you will see are dots everywhere- worst than iron with failing vision.
Don't forget the battery factor. The dots need a battery to run unless you get a trijicon or Meprolight that is tritium and sunlight lit- These cost quite a bit and are roughly the size of a small scope.
Suggestion,
Get a cheap dot if you can mount it on the gun. They go for as low as $40. Try it and see if you like it. It likely wont last very long before something breaks but at least you can see what it is like.
A lot of this is personal preference - they both take getting used to if you have only used irons. Once you get used to it, its is hard to go back.. For me I use both, depending on what I am using it for.
One last option not mentioned yet is a high visibility sight - I use thesetoo for some things where rules do not allow optics. The best one I have found is made by advantage tactical out of arizona. I tried many different sight types (at least 5) ranging from ghost ring style to ones that magnify the irons but not the sight picture. The advantage tactical were the best. h ttps://advantagetactical.com i have them on 4 of my guns. They ship to canada also.
For what it's worth.
Depending on that type of eye correction I'm using, a red dot can get pretty blurry and even split into two dots. But for use in dim light or for fast target acquisition, they are unsurpassed. It is in fact what they were originally made for.
canadian hunter312
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Brant County
If you're shooting moving targets, the red dot is great for shooting with both eyes open so you can better see what's going on. Great for deer drives.
