Scope or red dot
- Thread starter dmr2400
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Reloadron
Contributing Member
As to a scope? I would just put a 4X on it and be done. Does anyone use a 22 with open sights anymore? 
Ron
Ron
Justin
Moderator Emeritus
If you plan to shoot anything close and fast (Steel Challenge match or similar) go with a dot. If you're looking to shoot small groups on paper or pop the occasional prairie dog, go with a scope.
A scope does everything a dot does better, plus a lot more. A decent 1-4X or 2-7X scope is still small and pretty fast for picking up targets in a hurry. A 1X scope is equally as fast as any dot sight and on higher magnification offers much more accuracy. I tried some dot sights, including some pretty decent units, a 1-4X scope just does everything better.
Dots are easier to see in poor light, but harder to see in bright light. While the dots show up well in poor light, the poor quality glass on most dots make it much harder to see the target. It doesn't help much to see the dot if you can't see the target.
Dots are easier to see in poor light, but harder to see in bright light. While the dots show up well in poor light, the poor quality glass on most dots make it much harder to see the target. It doesn't help much to see the dot if you can't see the target.
sappyg
Member
Well, I never could make up my mind. One is set up with a 4x scope and the other is wearing a red dot. If I really had to choose just one optic I would take the scope.
srtolly
Member
I have to say, I've tried more optics on my model 60s than I want to think about. I have decided on a good 4x scope and it covers my needs well to about 75 yards.
As I get older I find that the fixed power scopes work much better for me than anything adjustable or a dot sight.
As I get older I find that the fixed power scopes work much better for me than anything adjustable or a dot sight.
NWcityguy2
Member
A scope will dominate anything past 50 yards and anything that blends in with its background.
With a .22, most game you would ever actually shoot will be relatively small, so I'd go with a low powered scope. Either a fixed 4x or a 1-4x sounds nice. A scope on 1X can behave about as well as a red dot for quick shooting.
Furncliff
Member
My Marlin 60 had a bunch of scopes on it until I settled on a pawn shop find Leupold M8 in 4x. These are older scopes, but the glass is superb and Leupold covers all their scopes with a no BS guarantee. Also can be found on ebay just about all the time.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Leupold-M8-4-Fixed-Power-Rifle-Scope-USED-VERY-GOOD-/111717508300?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1a02e1e4cc
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Leupold-M8-4-Fixed-Power-Rifle-Scope-USED-VERY-GOOD-/111717508300?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1a02e1e4cc
Plastikosmd
Member
- Joined
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- 828
I am a scope fan and went with an illuminated version. Best of both worlds. I chose a Swarovski z6i 3-18x50. Bit much for a 10-22 but it sure is fun watching the bullets fly all the way out to 100!
Charley C
Member
Red Dot Or Scope?
Attempting to compare a red dot sight with a "scope", (telescopic sight ), is like comparing a Jeep with a Sports Car; (they are both "vehicles", they will both get you from point A to point B,..........but they are also........"different"! ) They were both designed and built for completely "different tasks".
I notice people referring to red dots as "scopes" quite frequently; I suppose it could be said that each IS an "optical device"......inasmuch are red dots DO have a "lens system"; however, that lens system in the red dot is there for a completely different task........a "scope" has a lens system in order to make "the target" appear to be closer to the "shooter"; that isn't what a red dot was designed for; modern day red dot sights are designed to put the "sight" (the red DOT ) and the "target" on "one plane".......while keeping BOTH eyes wide open.......which allows accomplished shooters to "hit" six steel plates, all while running, turning a "flip flop" and possibly "sliding into home plate"! (Which is pretty darned impossible to do with ANY "scope" or iron sights)
Consider.....shooting a gun with iron sights entails "alignment" of THREE different "planes"; ( the front sight aligned perfectly with the rear sight, and then the front sight again with the target.......(which is always "some distance away" ); usually pretty easy "if".....you are shooting at a stationary, well defined and sufficiently "contrasty" target; (that isn't moving)
Most people have a need to close one eye and do all of this with the other eye; (which may work in some cases, but fall completely flat in other cases ) Are you attempting to shoot 6 different plates from 6 different "positions", all while keeping "one eye closed", within X number of seconds? (You'll probably miss most of the plates, and possibly break your neck! ) In any case, if you're in a shooting competition......you probably "won't win"!!!
That's essentially why red dot sights were first invented. they allow you to do "fewer things", much more quickly!
About "scopes"; you want to shoot that poor little squirrel that's 100 feet away, but you want "him" (the squirrel ), to "appear" to only be 25 feet away; a four "power" scope will allow you to do that........but at a price! (and I'm not talking about money here. )
it's a little thing known as...."the laws of optics"; (but these "laws" can NOT be broken! )......no way, no where, no time, no how! (it's just "impossible"! )
The laws of optics says, "the bigger it looks in your scope", (the more you need to "magnify it" ), the LESS you are going to see "around it"; in other words, your "angle of view" gets smaller and smaller as your target get bigger and bigger!
Actually, before anyone can make any kind of an informed decision as to "what sight, what scope, what red dot to buy.........you really need to understand exactly what kind of shooting you need to do, (plus about 4 dozen other "things" )
You have probably looked at a lot of scopes in stores, magazines, all over the place; and you have no doubt noticed that the truest thing that can be said about rifle scopes is that........their prices VARY........"widely"! (even though they all "look" a lot "alike"! Trust me........they are NOT "all alike".......(any more than a Nissan Cube is "like" a Lamborghini! (Even though both of them ARE "cars". )
Can you see how difficult it is for a "stranger" to answer your question? It "all depends"........on a whole bunch of "things";
There's really only one way to give a meaningful answer to your question, and only YOU can do it........you must "study"about, "try out", what ever it is you want, BEFORE you buy it; and to do that, you first need to understand the differences in the things that you're asking about; the more you learn, the more experienced people will be able to help you. IMO, what you'll get mostly in forums is "OPO" (other people's opinions ) some may be "spot on", some may be "a mile off", while the remaining will probably be someplace in between.
Attempting to compare a red dot sight with a "scope", (telescopic sight ), is like comparing a Jeep with a Sports Car; (they are both "vehicles", they will both get you from point A to point B,..........but they are also........"different"! ) They were both designed and built for completely "different tasks".
I notice people referring to red dots as "scopes" quite frequently; I suppose it could be said that each IS an "optical device"......inasmuch are red dots DO have a "lens system"; however, that lens system in the red dot is there for a completely different task........a "scope" has a lens system in order to make "the target" appear to be closer to the "shooter"; that isn't what a red dot was designed for; modern day red dot sights are designed to put the "sight" (the red DOT ) and the "target" on "one plane".......while keeping BOTH eyes wide open.......which allows accomplished shooters to "hit" six steel plates, all while running, turning a "flip flop" and possibly "sliding into home plate"! (Which is pretty darned impossible to do with ANY "scope" or iron sights)
Consider.....shooting a gun with iron sights entails "alignment" of THREE different "planes"; ( the front sight aligned perfectly with the rear sight, and then the front sight again with the target.......(which is always "some distance away" ); usually pretty easy "if".....you are shooting at a stationary, well defined and sufficiently "contrasty" target; (that isn't moving)
Most people have a need to close one eye and do all of this with the other eye; (which may work in some cases, but fall completely flat in other cases ) Are you attempting to shoot 6 different plates from 6 different "positions", all while keeping "one eye closed", within X number of seconds? (You'll probably miss most of the plates, and possibly break your neck! ) In any case, if you're in a shooting competition......you probably "won't win"!!!
That's essentially why red dot sights were first invented. they allow you to do "fewer things", much more quickly!
About "scopes"; you want to shoot that poor little squirrel that's 100 feet away, but you want "him" (the squirrel ), to "appear" to only be 25 feet away; a four "power" scope will allow you to do that........but at a price! (and I'm not talking about money here. )
it's a little thing known as...."the laws of optics"; (but these "laws" can NOT be broken! )......no way, no where, no time, no how! (it's just "impossible"! )
The laws of optics says, "the bigger it looks in your scope", (the more you need to "magnify it" ), the LESS you are going to see "around it"; in other words, your "angle of view" gets smaller and smaller as your target get bigger and bigger!
Actually, before anyone can make any kind of an informed decision as to "what sight, what scope, what red dot to buy.........you really need to understand exactly what kind of shooting you need to do, (plus about 4 dozen other "things" )
You have probably looked at a lot of scopes in stores, magazines, all over the place; and you have no doubt noticed that the truest thing that can be said about rifle scopes is that........their prices VARY........"widely"! (even though they all "look" a lot "alike"! Trust me........they are NOT "all alike".......(any more than a Nissan Cube is "like" a Lamborghini! (Even though both of them ARE "cars". )
Can you see how difficult it is for a "stranger" to answer your question? It "all depends"........on a whole bunch of "things";
There's really only one way to give a meaningful answer to your question, and only YOU can do it........you must "study"about, "try out", what ever it is you want, BEFORE you buy it; and to do that, you first need to understand the differences in the things that you're asking about; the more you learn, the more experienced people will be able to help you. IMO, what you'll get mostly in forums is "OPO" (other people's opinions ) some may be "spot on", some may be "a mile off", while the remaining will probably be someplace in between.
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