Whether you’re searching to buy your first optics or scope for your gun or you’re interested in upgrading the one you already have, there is an undeniable increase in popularity for red dot sights. The term refers to any type of weapon optic that shows you precisely that as an aiming point, which sometimes can even vary in color or figure. If you step into any shooting range, you may see more than one shooter aiming at their target with this useful optic placed in their weapon once you’ve trained your eye to spot these scopes. Thermal Monocular elements are sometimes employed, in order to make the rifle even more precise. However, to truly understand what differentiates one red dot optics from another, we need to find out what these accessories are and how useful they are to improve your aim.
Red Dot Sights Main Features and Types
To start, we’ve already briefly mentioned that the term covers several types of sights that feature the signature red dot that allows you to determine where your gun is pointing towards. Gun enthusiasts mostly refer to reflex, prism, and holographic sights, all offering a great field of vision of your target and allow you to shoot with both eyes open. You can mount the optic in your gun to have a better perception of the surroundings and improve your shooting accuracy.
You will likely find reflex and prism sights available in most gun shops for average shooters. Reflex sights include a lens in their interior that reflects the light and features a transparent window, but cheaper models risk showing a small difference of the object’s apparent position from your bare line of sight and through the optics (also known as parallax). Prism sights, as the name suggests, feature a prism in their interior which allows them to include a small magnification to the optic. However, this comes at the cost of needing to approach your eye closer to obtain the best vision.
How to Choose the Right Red Dot Sight for My Skill Level
If you’re a newcomer to hunting or recreational shooting, a reflex sight would be the ideal choice to step up your accuracy without requiring additional training. Note that we mentioned holographic sights, which are only manufactured by EOTech and their price tag is not for the faint of heart, but competitive shooters rejoice with the incredible precision and accuracy the technology provides at the first shot. However, if you want to compare the best red dot sights for modern handguns and long guns it’s important to prioritize a parallax-free sight to help you keep your aim in the target even if you move your head around.
You have to also consider what distance you will be shooting to select the best option for your weapon. On one side, prism optics are excellent for distance shots since you increase accuracy, thanks to their magnification properties. On the other hand, reflex sights offer models that may not require batteries to function, are often cheaper than other weapon optics, and their eye relief adapts to any type of gun. Other features to consider depending on your preferences are the reticle type and style, whether the model you choose is compatible with magnifiers or requires batteries to function, and where would you like to position the sight throughout the barrel.
What Benefits Do You Get from Using a Red Dot Sight
You may be wondering whether at some point you won’t need to rely upon a red dot sight once your shooting skills improve. The reality is that both beginners and experts can take full advantage of this weapon optic. Newcomers can step ahead even if they haven’t fully developed enough dexterity to hit the target in a single shot, and more experienced shooters can boost and polish their accuracy and precision even further by using a red dot sight. Their superiority over iron sights makes them a popular choice among competitive shooters, military forces and hunters, by allowing faster target acquisition in fast-paced environments.
You can also rely on a red dot sight when using almost any type of long gun since you can place them at any point of the barrel depending on what you need. However, keep in mind that its weight will affect the weapon’s overall balance, so you may need to get accustomed to the new setup before starting to see any difference in your shot accuracy.
Regardless of your experience, purchasing any red dot sight will be an excellent investment to improve your shot accuracy. Whether you decide to go to a shooting range or into the wilds to hunt an animal, you won’t be disappointed with the results of an amazing red dot optic mounted over the barrel.