Red Dot Thoughts

[southdakbearfan]

So here in SD we are restricted to 1x optics for muzzleloader season. I have been shooting a peep (PeepRib) on my CVA optima V2 but I am trying something different this season. I bought a Sig Romeo 5 - 2 MOA red dot 1x - 20mm. Decent quality 1x scopes are nonexistent except for used, which I am always leery of used optics.

Just curious if anyone has had experience with a similar setup and expectations to have. I struggle a little bit in low light conditions even having the twilight aperture in the PeepRib and changing out the front sight to a thinner Marbles even though I am still 20/20 vision wise. I think I asked this before, but I am ready to start putting the fishing gear aside and break out the hunting gear now.

Still shooting pellets, as I have had pretty good luck accuracy and hunting result wise with them and I want to burn them up before I go into loose powder. Shooting 300 grain harvester scorpion PT and crush rib sabots, 2 IMR white hots, Winchester 209 primer. Crude ring isn’t terrible as I can go three shots without swabbing in the field if need be.

 

[ElDiablo]

I have one of those little Romeo 5s on a Ruger 10-22. I like it. I used to run red dots on my muzzleloaders, but haven’t used them in probably 15 or 20 years. The last one I used was a Bushnell Holosight. I quit using it because of a mishap with a huge buck. I was sitting in a very high saddle at about 11k feet, glassing, and had this buck come trotting by suddenly at about 75 yards. Of course I had the sight off trying to save battery power and couldn’t get it turned on quickly enough in the confusion and he got away. Many of the new electronic sights like the Sig have unbelievable battery life with their auto-on/off sensors. I think Aimpoint pioneered the super long battery life sights. I think you’ll like that Sig!

 

[southdakbearfan]

That was one of the reasons I went with the SIG, the auto on/off feature.

It should be a fun weekend, excited to get the smoke pole out and punch a little paper.

 

[Treedancer]

Been using the Sig on various guns over the last couple years
Can't find a down side to them big fan

 

[southdakbearfan]

Got on the paper today for a little bit. Last 2 shots of the day 75 yards. 2 IMR white hots, 300 gr harvester scorpion PT, W209. 4 shots to get close between 25 and 50 yards then back to 75.

Went back to just look at 100 yds through the red dot but it gets pretty tough to see a lot of definition in the target. Going to print out a couple different styles of targets to try out tomorrow or Monday.

So far I am liking the Sig red dot.

 

[southdakbearfan]

So this morning I went back out. I had been reading how the T7 209 decrease the dreaded crude ring and I saw some in running so I bit the bullet and paid $16 for 100 T7 209’s. Ran some white hots and T7 pellets.

I have to say I am pretty impressed, the decrease in fouling is significant and ring very minimal with them. Before I could do 3 shots, then need to swab. 9-12 shots in pull the breech and brush.

Swabbed after 5, still wasn’t too bad and I could seat. It did shoot a little higher on all shots so I adjusted but I guess I am in the muzzleloading specific primer crowd now as the difference was very easy to see on the fouling side.

 

[LHR]

Utah also used to restrict Optics to a 1x or open sights for Muzzleloaders. Most 1x scopes made the target appear smaller than the naked eye to me. I have a Sightron 1x which was the best one I looked thru but the cross hairs were too thick. I then went with an Aimpoint with 2 Moa dot and was much happier with that setup. I could still shoot 1 1/2” groups at 100 yards with the Aimpoint on my LHR.

One thing I found was to use a black dot of about 4 Moa for a target, and you can center your 2 Moa dot inside the black pretty good. I took this bull at 209 yards with that setup.

 

[southdakbearfan]

Nice bull.

I do like the red dot, on paper at least. Posted the in another thread, but last saturday I went out to put some work in, the target is my last 3 shot group at 75 yards. 300 gr harvester pt gold, 2 50 grain imr white hots, T7 Winchester muzzleloading 209 primer. Swabbed between each shot.

That particular style of target I found I could center the dot with ease at 75 yards.

 

[xdmalder]

Try using a 6 o'clock hold with the dot. That way you can see the POI. It's one way to cheat the big dots but not as instinctive as centering the dot and shooting.

 

[mnoland30]

NM is about to eliminate scopes on muzzleloaders. My tired old eyes will try a peep, but I'm not optimistic. In the same presentation, they said the deer herd was increasing, but the muzzleloader success rate was almost as high as the centerfire success rate. I guess they didn't like that.