I tend to think of red dot sights as being pretty specialized - -
- - bits of gear. Great for up-close-and-personal combat stuff. When antipersonnel matters get very far out, an accomplished rifle shot can usually do better with a more conventional scope sight. The red dot is more for those who are too preoccupied with tactics and movement than with precision shooting. And this is exactly what is called for in combat, barring a sniper/designated sharpshooter role.
Red dot stuff is also very handy in short range hunting situations - - close brush, dark woods, swamps and such where a shot longer than 50 yards is just not an option. Really superb indoors and in dim alleyways.
For all around use, though, from fairly close out to the limits of the shooter's ability, I believe the non-battery-reliant scope is far better. The real utility of an optical sight, IMO, is that it places everything in one optical plane - - No need to line up front sight, rear sight, and target. With the now-standard duplex crosshair reticle, the heavy posts at the outside bring the focus to the center of the field, and the fine center hairs allow for precision aiming, be the scope two power or nine. I very happily hunted for many seasons with a fixed 4X scope on an '06. Seldom too much power, never too little . . . .
The lower power scopes allow a far wider field of view, and this is usually a good thing in the hunting field.
Art's clean kill at 330 yards with a 3X scope is a tribute to his steadiness and trigger manipulation. He had all the magnification he needed to place the crosshair on the shoulder - Or, more probably, neck, of the animal. I'd wager good money the deer would have been just as well hit had he used a scope set on one or 1.5 power. At that range, it matters little the
EXACT point of the bullet's strike - - Anywhere within a six-inch circle is true precision.
With all respect,
444, I have to smile at the image of
Art with a red dot sight mounted on that L-O-O-N-G barrelled .30-06, scouring the high desert for Bambi's bubba . . . . Gotta agree wholeheartedly with your comment about shooter/equipment/skill.
(That Ol' Fart can outshoot - - and outWALK - - lotsa men half his age . . .) And there's a probably good
REASON he went to the trouble of setting up his own 500 yard range, just outside his back door. Lotta strikes on those plates, too, before I began shooting at 'em
.
(And only a few more when I finished.)
Best,
Johnny
