Aimpoint 9000L; red dot 4 MOA v/s 2 MOA

[Onty]

I am considering Aimpoint 9000L for my hunting rifle, it will be used almost exclusively on wild boars. Now, I am thinking what would be better red dot size, 4 MOA or 2 MOA? One important note, I am hunting in mountainous ares, with lot of canyons, and gorges. Shooting distances are 50 meters under the cliff or steep hill, or on 100-150 meters on another hill or other side of the gorge. BTW, local law limits the distance on 200 meters (correction: 150 meters was old limit, I was warned by fellow hunter that rules changed recently), but if boar is wounded, the most of hunters shoot further than the limit, some time as far as 250-300 meters

Since I didn't have a chance to go hunting with red dot sight, I was scratching my head which sight I should get; 4 MOA or 2 MOA?

Also, I found that Aimpoint use to manufacture 9000L-2X-2MOA, and seems to me that this particular sight would be better choice than straight (1X) current sight. Unfortunately, 9000L-2X-2MOA is out of production since 2009. I contacted Aimpoint, hoping that they might have somewhere one on the bottom shelf, but no luck. Search for used one didn't get any result. Looks like that those who have that sight, stick to it.

Well, I searched further about current sight Aimpoint 9000L... regarding dot size, and lo and behold, I just found on Aimpoint website this drawing:

Now, I am confident that for my hunting 2MOA is better than 4MOA. Even on 200 meters 2MOA is sufficient. However, if distance is 300 meters, well, sight becomes bit too large.

And I've got idea; how about 9000L-1,5X-2MOA? IMO magnification 1,5X, even on distances around 50 meters, isn't too much, and on 300 meters dot will look like on straight, no magnification, 2 MOA. The beauty of this setup variable optic isn't required and sight is more robust and cheaper to manufacture. I asked a friend, who is big time in hunting, and he agrees that 9000L-1,5X-2MOA looks like optimum in 99% on wild boars.

Any opinion or comment?

 

[Chuck R.]

You could try what we do with an RDS and zero it for the top edge of the dot.. With a standard RDS I've made hits out to 300meters and beyond.

Both of my woods guns wear LPVOs in the 1.25-5X range. I don't feel handicapped with a 1.5X on the low end, but I shoot "close" with both eyes open. My latest scope is a Leupold FireDot Twilight Hunter which is about a 2.5MOA crosshair at 1.5X. Illuminated its very fast to use up close an awful lot like an RDS.

 

[chicharrones]

I can only give my limited experience that has nothing to do with Aimpoint products.

After some experience with 2, 4, and 6 moa dots, I prefer 2 moa. One reason is that I can bump up the brightness of the 2 moa to replicate a larger dot, if necessary. But, I can't bump down the diameter of a larger dot. Of course, that doesn't work in extremely bright light, but in other lighting conditions it can.

And like @Chuck R. mentions, I will sight in rifle red dots for a 6 o'clock hold so the dot doesn't block my view of my point of aim on far targets.

 

[Micro]

I've got someAimpoints on bolt action rifles and slug shotguns and always go with the 2 MOA. Not that I have a choice, the sights I've selected only come in 2 MOA. But that's what I'd choose if I had a choice. The 2 MOA just feels more precise. I can get minute-of-vitals hits well past 100 yards. And as a chicharrones said above, you can increase the brightness a tad to give the illusion of a larger dot. I've had red dots up to 9 MOA (a Trijicon RMR green dot) on hunting guns and except on on turkey guns, I don't care for a larger dot.