Red Dot zero - center of dot or top of the dot ?

[gorky]

So many red dot optics feature 2MOA or 4MOA red dots. This is fine for close quarters shooting, but what about when you want to reach out for a 2-300yd shot (say, when shooting coyotes or the like). The red dot can pretty much obscure or completely hide your target. In such a case, would it not be better to zero your POA/POI to the top of the top, so as to still have some part of the target visible while shooting ?

Yes, I know, you can just get a variable (can everyone with a NF, please stand up). But as an option, could the above sight-in method be a viable alternative ?

 

[Can-down]

If you are shooting 6 inch targets with a 2moa dot at 300 meters with a gun that shoots 2moa or better then your dot represents the rough group size if you hold steady.

What you are saying makes some sense and lot's like to hold at a 6:00 position so they can see the target but personally I like to just put the dot on the spot I want to hit...

I don't shoot small targets ( tin cans etc) past 100 meters with my red dot's because I can barely see them without magnification.

With a bigger target I can center the dot where I want at greater range but it's a lot like using iron sights where you will lose the target behind the front sight bead or red dot at longer ranges.

 

[GSXRMyers]

What kind of gun you shooting that is zero @ 300yds?

 

[Greg_VP]

I used an Eotech extensively on my C7 for a time, before I smartened up that is. I zero'd point of aim, point of impact, at 200m. I zero'd using the center of the dot.

For 300m shooting, all I had to do was "hold over" one dot, and was good to go. Under stress you're going to put that dot dead center on what you want to hit, your eye won't instinctively go to the top edge to carefully line up a shot.

In my opinion, red dots are for up close and personal work, where their strength is speed of acquisition and engagement. Zeroing them for the edge or corner or whatever of the reticle and trying to make it a precision optic kind of defeats the purpose in my books.

 

[Satain]

Center of the dot. Exspecialy if it's a 4moa reticale or bigger.