Red Dot vs. 1X

[Semisane]

Hey Cayugad, in several posts you've mentioned your guns with 1X scopes and Red Dots.

I'm with you on the 1X - clear, bright, single plane focusing.

But, I had problems with a Red Dot. Tried a 30mm Red Dot with a 5moa doton my New Englander. It was great in good light. Fast to acquire the targetand good hunting accuracy. However, for me it was almost useless in low light.During that critical last 20 minutes before dark I could not see a deer at 60 yardsthrough the dot sight that I could see fairly well with my eyes.

Have you found this to be a problem also?

[cayugad]

While I agree that as the day light fades it becomes harder and harder to see detailthrough a Bushnell Trophy 3 MOA RED DOT, I am able to see short distances of out to 40 yards. That's the furthest that I was watching a doe with it one eveing. The red dot was turned down so the dot did not throw a half moon, and I could have with great ease let her have it, but was not in the mood that evening. This was on my Wolverine LK-II. I later removed that RED DOT and put it on a Ruger Redhawk .44 magnum revolver for a friend of mine to use. Due to a stroke he could no longer shoot a long gun. The Revolver was deadly out to 50 yards for him.

But my personal opinion now after using the RED DOTS and the 1X scopes, I would ... hands down.. recommend the scope over the RED DOT. I feel you are better able to see through them in all kinds of lighting, the aiming device is excellent with the 1X scope, and no batteries required. I have been using the Thompson Center 1X32mm scopes but the next one will be the Nikon 1X20mm. While it is a smaller tube, you really do not loose all that much in your field of view, and the optices of the Nikon impress me.

[Redclub]

I agree with Cayugad on this one, I have several Nikon1x and I have a red dot on my crossbow, In low lght the red dot leaves a lot to be desired, I lose about 5 minutes every day, and thats at bow range.
The Nikon is on sale at Natchess for $99 refurbished. The 1x is not really a 1x tho more like 3/4x.
RC

[falcon]

i have red dot sights on a rifled barrel shotgun, a muzzleloader and my crossbow. In low light they are all next to useless.

[UtahRob]

My son just took his red dot off , he had the bushnell sportsman and the dot was way to big . He put a T. C. 1X on it , we love it . I will put the T/C 1 x on my Encore as soon as i have some extra $$$$$$$$

[cayugad]

While I agree with you all that a 1X is a better choice, I sure do not have a problem with the RED DOT.. Actually it works really good for me.



And as I said, I have used it into the final minutes of season. The only complaints is, while the view through the glass does get dark, I can still see through it at close range. The RED DOT does often grow a half moon tail. And you have to learn to ignore that tail. As it makes the dot look bigger. But accuracy wise, the CVA Staghorn Magnum will really shoot with the RED DOT on it.

[driftrider]

No red-dots for me, thank you. May be fine for plinkers and "fun guns" like an AR-15, but not on a gun I need to rely on. Wouldn't it just suck to have the buck of a lifetime step out into your shooting lane at 100 yards, only to realize that you left the sight on and the batteries are stone cold dead. Fumbleing to find and install a couple button cell or even AAA batterys when it's 10 below zero in January (if you remembered to put them in a convieniently accessable place on your person) while trying not to spook that wary late-season (or early season pre-rut) buck...well, good luck!

I'll stick with my preferred 3-9x or fixed 4x scopes. Chances are, if you did something to render that scope non-functional, you're going to know about it before you shoulder the rifle.

Mike

[cayugad]

driftrider, I could not agree more.

3-9's or even a fixed 4 power would be a much better option if your State allowed you such options. Wisconsin does not allow any magnifucation on muzzleloaders during the season. During our modern season there is no restructions. Scopes are fine. There for the removable quick release rings are a blessing.

I've hunted three years on the same battery in my Staghorn. This season I will change it over. Also unless I am on stand, theRED DOT is turned off. All I have to do for that buck of a life time is twist a knob on the very top of the scope to what ever brightness level I want, put the red dot on the middle back shoulder and squeeze. The rest is kind of easy.

While I would not want to do long range shooting with the RED DOT, I have no problem what so ever shooting 75 yards and under with it. I prefer even closer, and in all honesty most of the shots I take are 50 yards because of thetype of area I hunt,and under where the RED DOT is right at home. The 3 MOA dot will put that bullet into a 3" area at 100 yards. It just gets better and better as you move into the target.

[driftrider]

That would make sense if magnification was restricted. The low-light issue would also be an issue, since I usually see the most deer right around dawn or dusk (which is not to say that the darn things are close enough to shoot at[:@]!), but I have shot a couple right before sunset when light was limited.

I'm lucky in that Iowa's ML regs are fairly liberal (or would it be better to say, conservative?), in that there aren't many restrictions. As long as it's between .44 and .775cal, loads from the front, and only shoots a single projectile, you're good to go. The only other limits are no laser sights (can't project a light onto the animal, red-dots are legal), and no "electronic ignition."

I hunt with my Savage, 3-9x44mm scope, and smokeless powder.

If I lived or hunted in WI, I'd probably choose a 1x scope, and/or an aperature sight.

Mike

[falcon]

Has any one here ever saw one with a green dot? i am told that they do exist and that they are better, especially in low light. Forsure red dot scopes are quick on target. Once killed three hogs out of a sounder with myModel 870 and slugs before they knew what was happening.