red dot vs. scope vs. open sights
11-01-2005, 04:14 PM
#12
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: USA
Posts: 494
RE: red dot vs. scope vs. open sights
Just to report I ended up with a Weaver V3 (1-3 X 20) scope. I like it because of the FOV at 1X, it's small size (about the smallest scope in lengthI could find and I liked the 20 mm objective size - for the size and I do feel the 20 mm objective will be more than adequate for my eyes, this magnification and the hunting hours I hunt in), it was excellent optically to my eyes - and I compared side by sidetoa couple Leupold fixed and variable examples in dawn and dusk conditions outdoors. Plus it was in my <$200 price range. At the range, I'm very happy with it and hopefully it will work deer hunting. Thanks for all the comments and advice
11-01-2005, 10:03 PM
#15
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: NY METRO AREA
Posts: 294
RE: red dot vs. scope vs. open sights
Red dots have a few problems as mentioned and here is my take on it. The only time I really had a hard time seeing the dot was plinking during the summer during midday(July in Catskills). At this time of year here in the NE I have never had a problem as the sun is at a much lower angle in the sky. I have neverbeen unable to see the red dot during hunting season.
Some of the cheap dots have 4-6moa dot or larger for short range sighting. A few of the more expensive ones will have smaller dots availablethat are much more accurate. Nikon VSd has a 1MOA dot on theirs that is very accurate and aimpoint has a 2moa dot and 2x magnification. great sights and nothing is faster. When you go still hunting in heavy brush, nothing is better. As far as reliability,this is deer hunting. The batteries last for hundreds of hours, some like the aimpoint claim to last foryears. How hard is it to buy a new battery every year for 5 bucks? If red dots are good enough for the military I'm sure they are reliable enough for deerhunting. I have left them on for the whole deer season here(NY, 3-4 weeks, 20 days+-)and they were still working.
And I only use them for still hunting during the day. At dawn and dusk i'm usually staying in one place waiting with a scoped rifle. In low light dusk/dawn situations scopes are 100% better and gather much more light, they give you at least a half hour extra shooting time at each end of the day.Also I may bea little biased because the red dots are the only sights I can aim real quicklybecause my eyes are cross dominant and don't give me a problem when I aim fast usingone eye since they have almost no magnification. Hope this gives you some info. take care.
Some of the cheap dots have 4-6moa dot or larger for short range sighting. A few of the more expensive ones will have smaller dots availablethat are much more accurate. Nikon VSd has a 1MOA dot on theirs that is very accurate and aimpoint has a 2moa dot and 2x magnification. great sights and nothing is faster. When you go still hunting in heavy brush, nothing is better. As far as reliability,this is deer hunting. The batteries last for hundreds of hours, some like the aimpoint claim to last foryears. How hard is it to buy a new battery every year for 5 bucks? If red dots are good enough for the military I'm sure they are reliable enough for deerhunting. I have left them on for the whole deer season here(NY, 3-4 weeks, 20 days+-)and they were still working.
And I only use them for still hunting during the day. At dawn and dusk i'm usually staying in one place waiting with a scoped rifle. In low light dusk/dawn situations scopes are 100% better and gather much more light, they give you at least a half hour extra shooting time at each end of the day.Also I may bea little biased because the red dots are the only sights I can aim real quicklybecause my eyes are cross dominant and don't give me a problem when I aim fast usingone eye since they have almost no magnification. Hope this gives you some info. take care.
11-14-2005, 11:31 AM
#16
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: USA
Posts: 494
RE: red dot vs. scope vs. open sights
Just as a quick follow up to those of you who gave me excellent advice in this and another thread I started about my new, used, Marlin 336...
Opening day, mid morning - nice 8 point buck, one shot, good clean kill (although this particular deer ran further than I've ever had a double lung shot deer run!).
Both the gun and my Weaver 1-3X20 V3 scope performed just as I'd hoped. I want to reiterate the importance of practicing at the range in exactly (or as close as possible) the same conditions, positions, etc. as hunting: wear your heavy clothes including jacket, gloves, hat etc. This stuff can alter the way your gun fits and make you clumsy. Practice a variety of shooting positions including turning in awkward ways and using various odd rests - as if yoi're in a tree stand or on the ground and have to minimize movement while still getting gun on target. Practice getting safety off (or with my 336, pulling hammer back). Practice flipping scope covers quietly. Practice re-chambering automatically after shot. Practice to acquire target quickly and get the shot off quickly and accurately (in other words, practice quick yet accurate "killing" shots - as opposed to slow, careful "MOA" shots - but you practice this slowly and build up speed according to how accurate your quick shots are). Practice putting your scope at the appropriate magnification right away when your hunting situation changes. Etc. Etc. Any excuse to shoot more!
Like usual, I had to do all of these things to make the shot in the field. I had to turn on my tree stand, cock the gun, flip the scope covers quietly (it had been raining so I closed them), get on target and shoot quickly when he paused and presented the target after coming out from some brush (frankly, I think it was the faint click when I pulled the hammer back that paused him!). I had on a heavy coat and gloves which made all this stuff a little more difficult. Because I did all my fumbling while practicing at the range, I did all of this stuff without thinking and without screwing up.
I was very happy with the scope on 1 -2 power which is all that is needed in the spot I was hunting. It has a very wide, clear field of view which makes getting on target almost as quick as open sights I think. I felt very comfortable and confident with the little scope even though it wasn't really magnifying because it was so similar to the larger scope I'd been using for years on my 30-06.
Anyway, although I only saw one deer and only got to shoot it once, I'm happy, and I enjoyed hunting with the 336.
Thanks again.
Opening day, mid morning - nice 8 point buck, one shot, good clean kill (although this particular deer ran further than I've ever had a double lung shot deer run!).
Both the gun and my Weaver 1-3X20 V3 scope performed just as I'd hoped. I want to reiterate the importance of practicing at the range in exactly (or as close as possible) the same conditions, positions, etc. as hunting: wear your heavy clothes including jacket, gloves, hat etc. This stuff can alter the way your gun fits and make you clumsy. Practice a variety of shooting positions including turning in awkward ways and using various odd rests - as if yoi're in a tree stand or on the ground and have to minimize movement while still getting gun on target. Practice getting safety off (or with my 336, pulling hammer back). Practice flipping scope covers quietly. Practice re-chambering automatically after shot. Practice to acquire target quickly and get the shot off quickly and accurately (in other words, practice quick yet accurate "killing" shots - as opposed to slow, careful "MOA" shots - but you practice this slowly and build up speed according to how accurate your quick shots are). Practice putting your scope at the appropriate magnification right away when your hunting situation changes. Etc. Etc. Any excuse to shoot more!
Like usual, I had to do all of these things to make the shot in the field. I had to turn on my tree stand, cock the gun, flip the scope covers quietly (it had been raining so I closed them), get on target and shoot quickly when he paused and presented the target after coming out from some brush (frankly, I think it was the faint click when I pulled the hammer back that paused him!). I had on a heavy coat and gloves which made all this stuff a little more difficult. Because I did all my fumbling while practicing at the range, I did all of this stuff without thinking and without screwing up.
I was very happy with the scope on 1 -2 power which is all that is needed in the spot I was hunting. It has a very wide, clear field of view which makes getting on target almost as quick as open sights I think. I felt very comfortable and confident with the little scope even though it wasn't really magnifying because it was so similar to the larger scope I'd been using for years on my 30-06.
Anyway, although I only saw one deer and only got to shoot it once, I'm happy, and I enjoyed hunting with the 336.
Thanks again.
