Red Dot or Scope
 

I have a Horton Hunter Supreme SL and at the range the other day having major problems. My fault of course. I thought maybe my scope rail was a little loose, so I snugged up the bolts holding the rail. Big mistake. All of a sudden I couldn’t move the dial-a-range. Lost 2 arrows as they went a good 20” low! I figured out the problem and backed the screws out a little. Now the dial-a-range turns freely.

What’s this got to do with red-dot vs scope???

Well, two things. My current red-dot is an 8 year old scope that was really designed for paint ball guns (just found that out). When you adjust the elevation, the windage changes L, and when you change the windage, the elevation changes L. Then I noticed a rattle that is coming from the scope. Sounds like a loose screw somewhere in the scope. I’m not completely down on the scope, but I think it’s time for a change.

I absolutely love this red dot for hunting, but now there are so many choices.

Does magnification useful in a hunting situation. I shoot 3D with my compound and I just added magnification and really like it, but this is totally different in a hunting situation.

What about multi range scopes or the red dots with 3 dots?

RE: Red Dot or Scope
 

Just received my new CB and have not got it put together yet.It came
with a scope but am considering a Red Dot instead of the scope,have
used a Dot on my shotgun for turkeys and really like it quite well.Good
luck in your search hope you find the solution!:)

RE: Red Dot or Scope
 

i have a tasco red dot on my exocet and i love it. 2x might be nice...but i would'nt want any more magnefication than that.

RE: Red Dot or Scope
 

Well like you said there is alot of choices out there now. I used to have a pin and peep on my old supermag and from there I got my first red dot. It was a simmons from cabelas, cheapest they had. Cost me thirty bucks if I remember right. That scope was fine and had no magnification. But with that one I only had one dot, and the old bow did not have dial-a-range on it. So I had it set to twenty yards and never shot at anything over that. I think my farthest kill to date is fifteen yards. Some guys say the red dots work great with dial-a-range and love it, read sproulmans post on it. Now they have the three dot reds out and the multiretical scopes to chose from. I have one friend at work say his three dots are right on and another say his are off a little, I think his hit just a little to high at twenty and thirty. When I got my new cb last year it came with a multiretical and I love the magnification, to me it gets back to aim small, miss small. But with that scope and the three dot red dots they are preset for the middle of the line bow and can be off depending on your bows speed. My thirty was four inches high and the fourty was not even worth trying to do. Also the red dots have one draw back that is shooter related. It really sucks when you forget to turn it off and then go out the next day and realize it in stand! Totaly sucks!!

Now after being on this forum and talking with the excal guys I was exposed to the best CB scope ever! Excal makes a scope called the varizone. It is a scope that has a twenty yard main hair, thirty, fourty and fifty yard markers. You set you main hair at twenty and then the scope has a speed ring on it that you adjust to your bows speed. Then your thirty, fourty, and fifty are right on! This scope has to be the best ever for multiretical scopes. Some say it does have not have as much light qualities but it seems to do good for me in the back yard at sunset. You can get the best deal on this scope at Bowhunterssuperstore.com It will cost you eighty bucks. But the scope is really a good one. Do a search on me as the author and look up varizone in the topic. Use the oldest one since that is when I first started asking about it and you can get alot of info about it from the search.

The red dots may work for ya, some guys say right on some say not. But alot of guys also do just fine with the single red dot and the dial-a-range. I like the magnification for me and the varizone gives me that and puts me right on at fifty yards. But I would never shoot that far but its nice in the back yard, and the coons are going to hate it!

RE: Red Dot or Scope
 

I sold my Horton because of the "Dail-A-Range" .

RE: Red Dot or Scope
 

dogslayer, i am curious what did u get to replace that Horton?

RE: Red Dot or Scope
 

Oh how I hate making decisions!

I’m only using this for hunting deer. I have a self imposed limit of 30 yards. So, I’m not real sure why I am making such a fuss. Currently my bow has about a 8’-9” drop from 20 to 30 yards, but if I set it about 2” high at 20 it is only about 4” low at 30. This way I can hunt one pin. If the deer is real close, I aim a little low. If he is out there between 27-30 yards I aim a little high. I’m trying to keep it as simple as possible.

The one problem with the veri-zone is I really don’t want the gap of 20 and 30 yards and having to decide which mark to use. If the deer is 25 yards, do you aim high with 20 pin or low with 30 pin?

I think I’m answering my own question. Now do I scrap my old red dot and get a new one or not? I could still go to the scope and set it up the same way (setting the crosshairs at 2” high at 20)

RE: Red Dot or Scope
 

Well I have not thought of it much, but if the deer is at 25 I will have to hold over a little or under on thirty. Not exactly sure since I have not drew blood yet with the V-zone. But in my situation all my shots are usually close and like I said I think my closest shot was fifteen or twenty yards with the exception of my first buck and he was about thirty yards, my first and only string jumping experience. I never like far shots so I always let them come in close. But I like being right on out to fifty yards. Alot of guys like the red dots and have good luck. I also have heard awsucks say ten point makes a great red dot with different colors and such. But no matter what you do you should get something new since you said you were having problems with your old paint ball one. It would suck to miss or injure a deer because of it.

Also, did you get them new carbons yet? If so how are they doing?

RE: Red Dot or Scope
 

25 or 35 or 45 w/ V-zone just center desired point of impact between the close and far aim points. You'll be amazed!!

RE: Red Dot or Scope
 

Well the vari zone is a great scope if u want the 10 to 50 yd.setup. If u use it on big game other than deer its wonderful. That is if u are real good at est. yardage. Those triangles r good to throw on game quickly and let yer arrow fly. My choice is a fine xhair sighted in at 25 yds. Thats give a very clear view.

RE: Red Dot or Scope
 

Well, the jury is still out. I stopped by Gander Mountain on my way home tonight, but they didn’t have crap… Oh why do I even go there.

I’m really thinking of trying a scope and I’m thinking I will go for the vari-zone.

What is the eye relief of the Vari-Zone?

I did get a 6 pack of Horton Carbon arrows. Lost 2 of them already with the issues I had the other day.

RE: Red Dot or Scope
 

Well that is something I am glad you asked cause I have been wanting to ask Dan about it for a while now. When I put my vzone on I had to put it as far forward as I could and sometime I still feel like I am moving back a little. I mean its not bad cause that means I will never have the ring around the eye that some people get from getting to close, but am surprised that the vzone has a long eye relief. Is it just me or all they all like that?

And how did the new arrows shoot?

RE: Red Dot or Scope
 

Smokepole - I bought a Barnett . I don't like the trigger or the size as much as I liked the Horton but the materials that it's made out of are an improvment (aluminum stock , at least where it matters ). And the Dial-A-Range was sloppy . Sloppy to the point that it would be easier to "hold over" . For what it's worth , my cross-bow doesn't join me on a whole lot of outings . But I do try and shoot it once a week .

RE: Red Dot or Scope
 

:eek::eek:

RE: Red Dot or Scope
 

Oh, I took the plunge! I ordered the Vari-zone from Bowhunterssuperstore.com. I hope I like it, because their return policy is limited, but they are $40 cheaper than Cabelas or the local pro shop. I ordered a new rail and rings and even with shipping it was only $125.

The arrows were shooting good. Actually even the Easton carbons were shooting well. Good enough that I smacked them together. I guy at the range asked if I just put on a new string. I had, he said that his crossbow always shot inconsistent until the new string stretched a little. I now have some 50-75 shots (maybe more) out of it.

RE: Red Dot or Scope
 

Good Move, I think you will be real happy w/ it, I got three and if you have any problems w/ it, pm me and I'll help if I can. It's really important to get the horz xhair level w/ limbs level, hard to sight in otherwise. I hang a plumb bob at 20 yds and use a level on the rail on sand bags. Then align vert hair to string while eye-balling the level. Btw: The eye relief is normal on mine, any problems w/ same may be due to mount design.

RE: Red Dot or Scope
 

Thanks Awshucks and everyone who has helped out! I'm very excited to try this out. When it comes in.

Just for fun I put a leupold VX111 on it and it was too close to my eye. The stock on the CB is really short. I don't know how they compare to the excaliburs?

Of course with all the excalibur touting going on here, you guys are like to get me thinking of a new bow soon. Not this year!

RE: Red Dot or Scope
 

After checking on the Red dot and the scope am staying with the scope for now!:)

RE: Red Dot or Scope
 

Well the scope finally came in today. They had a little issue with filling the order. They said they would give me credit for shipping, but so far no credit on my account. They were very nice though and I will order from them again.

Anyway, I got it installed and sited in at 10 yards. Farthest I can shoot in my basement. I will get to the range tomorrow or Saturday. I can’t wait to see how it shoots at longer ranges!

The eye relief is a little too long for my bow. I have it as far as possible, but still need to hold my head back. I wonder if I can get a gun stock butt pad or extender. Any suggestions?? Having all the layers on when hunting will help. It’s workable and with zero kick I can move my head around and not worry about getting hit with the scope.

Fun, I have the dial-a-range setting at 2 and shot aiming with the crosshairs. I sited it in a few inches high. Then when I moved the dial-a-range to 1 it hits the same as leaving the dial a range on two and aiming with the top notch.

RE: Red Dot or Scope
 

Well the scope is broken. Not sure if it was due to bad packaging when it was shipped to me or what... There is a piece of something in there and twice while shooting tonight it was blocking my view. Then when I pointed the scope toward the ground and back up it disapeared.

Not sure what to do. Hopefully they will be helpful whenI call them tomorrow.

RE: Red Dot or Scope
 

Don't know where you bought it, but it's going to end up w/ Danny Miller the USA warranty rep. Call him in the am at [740] 483-2312, he'll have you fixed up in no time. You can skip the middleman.:D

RE: Red Dot or Scope
 

I bought it from Bowhunters Superstore. Talked to Mark from there this morning. He said ship it back and he'll get me a new one out right away. So, if I can get that done today I will. I'll call Dan Miller as well. He is about an 1.5 hours north of me. I don't know if it is worth the drive, but...

Bowhunters Supper Store has been very good to work with.

RE: Red Dot or Scope
 

If anyone is wondering...

I called Dan Miller. He was great to talk to. He was right on the fact that the rut is coming soon. The bow is all sighted in. He suggested I hunt with it and then send it directly to him and he would replace it with a new one. I can still do this right now, but if I want to wait, I can. That’s great service that I fro one appreciate!

What I fear is getting that nice Ohio big buck in front of me and when I look through the scope not being able to see it. That would really suck. The floater that is occasionally showing up seemed to happen when I had the scope pointed straight down and cocked the bow. I think I’ll be ok as long as I check it after cocking and not to set the bow down.

RE: Red Dot or Scope
 

That's great! Danny is a real treat, he's sent replacement stuff out before getting the returns, just on guys word, so they didn't lose any more time than needed. I think Planter got his new limbs after a dryfire before the old ones got to Danny, but might be wrong. I've heard good things about where you bought it also, just thought Danny might be quicker.