Reflex sight....need help.

[SnakeEater]

Hi folks, I've just recently acquired a pre-ban AR-15 carbine flattop. I don't have much knowledge about these newer red dot's and such but I figured I'd try to learn. I bought a NC Star reflex sight at the gun show and after playing around with it I'd like to know what the proper sight picture should be. After getting a good cheek weld the red dot seems to float just ever so slightly above the front sight post, sorta like dotting an "i". I'm assuming this is the correct shooting picture and all that's needed for follow-up shots is to re-dot the "i". Any advice is much appreciated.

BTW, I harbor no illusions that this sight is in the league with the ACOG and Aimpoint and such, but it seems like a quality optic especially for the $79 it cost.

 

[PO2Hammer]

Once sighted in, you can ignore the front sight. The front sight and the red dot are completly separate sighting systems.
It's set up so that if your red dot fails, you can still use your iron sights through the window of the red dot sight.
Just put the red dot on the target and fire.
Do you have a rear sight?
Flip up rear sights are available for flat tops.

 

[SnakeEater]

Funny you should ask, 10 minutes ago I ordered an A.R.M.S #40L. Thanks for the help.

 

[Lane Mullins]

Alot of red dots suffer from dot shift(i can't remember how to spell parrelax .) The POA and POI will be different when the dot is viewed through different parts of the sight window. I had a pro point that did it. It lined up perfectly with the sights, but if you looked through the tube at a higher point the dot wasn't hitting POA. Yours might or might not. If it does, sight it in to hit right on when the dot is centered in the window and center it for your shots.

 

[SnakeEater]

Lane you've described exactly what my red dot does. So I assume that the EOtech and Aimpoint don't suffer from this "dot shift". I haven't had a chance to shoot with it yet but I can't see how it would be any faster on target than irons considering that I'll have to take the time to line up the dot every time.

Thanks

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

All red-dots experience parallax to some degree. The difference is with Eotechs and Aimpoints, the parallax is very, very small and only evident at ranges of less than 50yds. Even viewing it from the far edge of the screen/tube, it is less than an inch at 7yds and zero by 50yds.

With the cheaper red dots, every time you look at the sight from a different angle or different cheek weld, the point of impact will shift from the point of aim. At the extreme edges of the screen/tube, the parallax will be very pronounced with less as you move towards the center. The cheaper sights will also display parallax errors at all ranges.

Also, if you decide to cowitness your sights (so you can use irons through the red dot), you should rezero them with the red dot in place as the glass of the red dot (particularly on the cheaper models) can distort the location of the front sight and cause a shift in zero from just plain irons.

 

[Lane Mullins]

Exactly. Look through an el-cheapo sight that's immobile(either sitting on a bench or mounted to a gun in a vice and look through it and move your head around. The dot will shift alot. Bartholomew is right about the Eotechs, they have a very small margin of error. Don't know about ainpoints, I'm poor.

 

[SnakeEater]

Thank you so much for the replies. I've learned quite a bit from this thread. It is now clear that I have an "el cheapo" sight, I will have to correct this.

<--SnakeEater is seen walking down the lonely optics road amid shouts of which optic is the best. Camera fades to black to the music from "Saving Private Ryan" as SnakeEater methodically pulls out his wallet.

 

[MaceWindu]

Red Dots...

SnakeEater:

I have experience with Red Dot sights...Finding: You get what you pay for.

I have an EoTech Halo Sight and a Trijicon Relfex II.

EoTech: Superb...for both short and LONG distance. I have experienced superior parallax free aiming VERY little/ neglible variation from POA to POI....this truly is a fantastic sight...also it uses AA readily available batteries that last a LONG TIME. 500 hrs.

Trijicon RF II: Also, superb (I have 2!). Low Profile, parallax free. VERY ACCURATE. Rugged. Upside: No batteries required. Good from short (CQB to about 300 yrds.

It's a toss up between the 2. Thats why I have BOTH!!


MaceWindu

 

[NEtracker]

All of my research pointed to the Eotech AA bat model. That was last year. I still have not set aside the cash to get one, but will some day.
For now, it's carry handle irons on my flat top (and maybe I'll throw on my cheap Tasco red dot from one of my pistols).

 

[chevrofreak]

I have a Target Sports DTB130 30mm red dot and it has almost no parallax problems at all.