Red dot or reflex?

[MrTom]

I have a 2X7 pistol scope on my Optima v2 .50 cal pistol and have been happy with it for several years. This last season I found myself with target acquisition issues. It wasn't anything super serious, but it took a little longer than I'd have liked to acquire the buck standing there. I have a TRUGLO 2X42 Red Dot tube that's brand new that I can put on, but thought I'd ask if there was a preference between a reflex sight over a red dot or if they accomplish about the same. Thoughts?

 

[ENCORE50A]

I've not shot a true Red Dot scope.

I use a reflex on one of my pistols and am happy with it. https://www.browning.com/products/shooting-accessories/sights/buck-mark-reflex-sight.html#Black

 

[phalanx]

Hopefully you don't have astigmatism issues. I would like to use a red dot on my pistols also but they look like grapes or one large blob/star thingy. I tried using it like that but accuracy was not there.

Target acquisition is much faster with the dot as you know but I think you will lose some accuracy and possibly some early morning/near end of day issues. As you know, the best way to determine if it'll work is to put it on and shoot. Some people also say to make sure the dot is bright enough during mid-day.

Reflexes don't have a parallax issue as some red dots do but astigmatism will still get you. Oh yeah, the reflexes also often have multiple "cross hairs" you can use which might help under different conditions.

John

 

[brownisdown]

I have been thinking about a re dot or reflex sight for one of my muzzleloaders.Mainly for inside the woods at 40 yards or less.

 

[MrTom]

Hopefully you don't have astigmatism issues. I would like to use a red dot on my pistols also but they look like grapes or one large blob/star thingy. I tried using it like that but accuracy was not there.

Target acquisition is much faster with the dot as you know but I think you will lose some accuracy and possibly some early morning/near end of day issues. As you know, the best way to determine if it'll work is to put it on and shoot. Some people also say to make sure the dot is bright enough during mid-day.

Reflexes don't have a parallax issue as some red dots do but astigmatism will still get you. Oh yeah, the reflexes also often have multiple "cross hairs" you can use which might help under different conditions.

John

Thanks for the reply. I'm far sighted, but with the sight being at arm's length away the dot is not an issue and I do not have any other eye issues. The Red Dot scope I have has a pre-set parallax for 50 yards, which is what I sight the gun at. Additionally, the scope has a calibrated gain for dot strength based on current light. On the stand and in the woods, I doubt I'd need to set the power level much higher than 3 or 4 out of the possible level ten. I'm always in the shade when in the stand.

I'm going to pop the scope off and put the Red Dot and go shoot. I may or may not like it but I need to find out. I won't be hitting the range until late next week as we have a MAJOR league pile of white forecast to start tonight thru tomorrow, then rain on Monday. Rain on the 10 to 14 inches predicted will not be fun, so I'll probably be out blowing during the night Sunday. I'm hoping the whole thing goes north where they're said to expect up to 25". We're brown here and no frost all winter so rain can soak us and I will not complain. Snow? It's getting the middle finger salute from me right now.

Again. Thanks for the feed back....all of you.

 

[phalanx]

Please let us know how you like using it after you dig yourself out! We are having 30 to 45mph winds here in VA and terrible fire in the western part of the state in the Shenandoah area. Hopefully Toytruck (Steve) is not being inpacted.

I have an eye appt on the 27th and am hoping I can get a decent set of glasses that will correct my astigmatism. So far, not had any luck though, they work in the chair but not out in the world. I have like 5 or 6 different red dots one with an 8 moa dot and its still just a starry blob. Never had this problem when I was younger!

 

[Jitterbug]

MrTom-

I used an UltraDot tube-style red dot quite a bit, in a “previous life.”

I’ve used a Burris FastFire a little bit, in more recent years.

I find the UltraDot to be a little more “intuitive.” You look down the tube, and the red dot is (more or less) in the middle of it. It is very similar to looking through an optical scope tube.

I find it harder to “find” the dot on the FastFire. My eye is not guided to the dot as naturally, without looking down a tube.

For ME, when I can’t find the FastFire dot, tipping the muzzle down almost always makes it magically appear!

I’m sure that more use would give me more comfort/familiarity with the FastFire.

 

[retrieverman]

I’ve tried scopes, red dots, and reflex sights on my hunting handguns, and I’ve found reflex sights to be the fastest for target acquisition and most forgiving on eye placement.

 

[MrTom]

I have an eye appt on the 27th and am hoping I can get a decent set of glasses that will correct my astigmatism.

I wish you well on that appointment. I wear prescription readers most of the time when I need to see close up. For my last couple exams and subsequent glasses I have gotten bifocals with just a hint of correction on the distance vision, and I can actually see the sights and target clearly when wearing them. The last pair I got safety glass lenses so I can wear them at the range but haven't taken them on the range sessions since I got them. That'll change this next week hopefully. I'll take the Red Dot and the tools to the club with me and if I don't have any issues with target acquisition with the 2X7 scope wearing the new glasses, the scope will remain on the gun. If there's an issue, I'll swap things out and go from there.

 

[smokepolehall]

I have used & shot both red dot & reflex. They both work but the tubed red dot is easier & faster to find your dot in. Most of the cheaper dots look like a star burst to me distorted . It's a thing of high priced quality glass vs. cheap glass or plastic lens they use. I love them in application, for a good one the cost is the same as a decent scope. $300 +

 

[DavidAR10T]

Holographic [EOTech] will make someone with astigmatism step in front of a slow bus for relief.
RedDot/Reflex should not "starburst" if the intensity is set properly for the ambient light.

I had brutal astigmatism till I had to have surgery due to a chemical splash at work. I developed
cataracts from the trauma and went with toric lenses.

My astigmatism was brutal BUTT!!! stable from '89 till the accident in 2020.
Here are some pics from sighting in my ARMALITE AR-10A4 with an AIMPOINT 5000 [1.5 MOA Red Dot]
back in 2000 on the farm at sunset. After hitting a softball rock at @ 50 yards, I set the Shoot-N-C target up. I started with one shot @ 50yds, two @ 75yrds and one at 100yds, and then a five round group in @ 3 seconds with 3 clicks LEFT. I was guessing at elevation corrections at each yardage. The right hand pic was five shots fired @ 10sec. Then it was too dark, about 25min past sunset. I moved the windage to the right by 3 clicks and nuked my first buck of the season the next morning. If'n I remember correctly, each click of windage or elevation was 1/3MOA.
The S&C target was laid over the center target of a 5 target layout that has 1 inch divisions. I turned off the lights in the room on the 2nd and 3rd pic. The 3rd pic I turned over on the computer monitor. The ammo was Hornady .308WIN SST.

Holographic is the debil for the eyesight impaired. The debil, I say.

 

[MrTom]

Something I have totally forgotten, the scope is a Leapers 2X7 long eye relief that has reticle that can be illuminated in either red or green in addition to the customary black wires. I need to pick up a battery to try this but why I never thought of this I have no idea. I think I used the lighted wires one time the year I put the scope on the pistol but never used it again. I pulled the battery after that one evening hunt and never messed with the lighted aspect again.

 

[smokepolehall]

Something I have totally forgotten, the scope is a Leapers 2X7 long eye relief that has reticle that can be illuminated in either red or green in addition to the customary black wires. I need to pick up a battery to try this but why I never thought of this I have no idea. I think I used the lighted wires one time the year I put the scope on the pistol but never used it again. I pulled the battery after that one evening hunt and never messed with the lighted aspect again.

Well put it on & try it out. Then post how it worked for you or not. Is it a 1" tube or a 30 mm

 

[MrTom]

The tube is well over an inch. Actually, the whole tube body and mount are cnc machined in one piece. Just a quick guess at the length being just over 7".

 

[LHR]

I've used both and feel for your shooting distance mentioned either will work great. For close in shots, moving shots in thick veg it's really the best for me.
Tube style red dots are best when you don't have the best fit for cheek weld ... scope to eye alignment, they are easier to find your dot.
Recently I put a reflex on my Patriot due to my state regs taking magnifying scopes away from muzzleloader hunters.
That little reflex fits perfectly for my cheek weld, it's just like using the irons for this rifle only much faster with target acquisition.
No red dot or reflex is true parallax free, despite what's advertised! Like you say, they have a set distance that is the best they can get parallax free. Deviate from that distance and you will see it.
For this reason I recommend you pay close attention to parallax on whichever brand or type of dot you try. I have used an Aimpoint 9000sc for many years, first on my LHR Redemption, it's now on my predator shotgun for those close fast action situations. I've taken elk at over 200 yards and deer at nearly 200 with my LHR and that Aimpoint. Groups certainly open up a lot at distance not having any magnifying aid in aiming. Orange bull was at 50 yards and the other at 100 shooting the same loads. The 100 yard group was just shy of 2" for reference.

 

[DavidAR10T]

I've used both and feel for your shooting distance mentioned either will work great. For close in shots, moving shots in thick veg it's really the best for me.
Tube style red dots are best when you don't have the best fit for cheek weld ... scope to eye alignment, they are easier to find your dot.
Recently I put a reflex on my Patriot due to my state regs taking magnifying scopes away from muzzleloader hunters.
That little reflex fits perfectly for my cheek weld, it's just like using the irons for this rifle only much faster with target acquisition.
No red dot or reflex is true parallax free, despite what's advertised! Like you say, they have a set distance that is the best they can get parallax free. Deviate from that distance and you will see it.
For this reason I recommend you pay close attention to parallax on whichever brand or type of dot you try. I have used an Aimpoint 9000sc for many years, first on my LHR Redemption, it's now on my predator shotgun for those close fast action situations. I've taken elk at over 200 yards and deer at nearly 200 with my LHR and that Aimpoint. Groups certainly open up a lot at distance not having any magnifying aid in aiming. Orange bull was at 50 yards and the other at 100 shooting the same loads. The 100 yard group was just shy of 2" for reference.

View attachment 42874View attachment 42875

Everything about those two pics...

looks like art, sir. Love that wood and bottom grouping.

 

[deermanok]

Excellent shooting.