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Red Dot experience

Lundy

Lundy

Member
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OK, I have limited actual experience with a Red Dot. My experience is from many years ago with a Tasco Red Dot, made in Japan, one of the better ones from what I have read. I still have it from when I mounted it for my father to use in his later years.

The one I have is red only and has a 5MOA dot, 11 brightness settings and 4 dot size settings, seems OK. Except when you are color blind like me and can not see the red dot during mid day light at all:)

My real question revolves around the newer red dots with red and green and the dot MOA size.

My DIL is hunting with me during the gun season again this year. I purchased a used a H&R Slugster, heavy barrel, in 20 ga that has a cheapy Bushnell 3x9 on it for her to use. She is a tiny little lady and has trouble shouldering the gun and getting her head positioned for the proper eye relief. This gun has a synthetic stock so I can't shorten it for her.

I thought about putting a red dot on this gun to eliminate any concerns about eye relief. I don't want any bad shots, for her and the deer.

How well can you group with a 3-5 MOA dot at 100 yds? (most of my shot setups (blinds) are at at least 100 yds where I hunt)
Anyone have any experience with the green dot versus the red?
Vortex states parallax free after 50 yds, anyone tried this? Can you really not have the dot centered and not change impact point?

I am a scope guy, but for her I think the red dot makes sense.

Thanks
 
Never had the same problem you are asking a answer for. I've used a Weaver red dot on my 44 mag. pistols since 2000 and changed all my hunting and target shooting pistols over to red dots. So yes I like them.
From past experience I would say a good gun will put the shot within the diameter of the red dot at 100 yds.
I installed a green dot sight on my bow this year and loved it until I realized I'm developing cataracts and I was seeing 2-3 green dots at the same time and the dots were always in different locations so I didn't know which dot was correct. That wouldn't work on a bow. So I switched it to a red pin sight. I now see 2 red pin dots side by sight that almost touch so it works OK. Enough of that.

Getting back to the dot location within the sight picture I don't believe it makes a difference. Fire off a question to Customer Service at the red dot Mfg. and ask them.

When I setup a shotgun for my granddaughter it will have a red dot on it.

Good luck and report back your findings.
 
If you use a 5 MOA dot this means the dot will cover 5" at 100 yards. Very hard to get a precise point of aim like one does with crosshairs in a scope. She may shoot fairly well with the red dot, but you won't see the full potential the Slugster could offer. But, if eye relief is an issue a red dot is the easiest answer for that. Red dots were made for quick target aqucisition, not so much for accuracy. And most do claim the dot need not be centered.
 
A red dot can be just about as accurate a scope no matter the dot size (within reason). The dot has a fixed position so all you have to do is be repeatable. One way to help is to set it up for a 6 o'clock hold. My brother had a hard time being consistent with a red dot as he was covering his target with it. I set it up like the pic below. He is much more consistent now. The Vortex SPARC has a 2moa dot and is one of the best especially for the money. A good entry level dot is the Bushnell TRS-25. I purchased mine for $69 delivered.

sixoclock_zpse0ada02c.jpg
 
Thanks for the replies.

I can appreciate that to shoot the tightest groups the gun is capable of a scope with a cross hair would work the best. I do not normally scrimp on optics when I set up a gun. My favorite scope on one of my MZ's is a Zeiss 3.5 x 10 x44 with a heavy duplex.

In this case I just need her to be able to shoot, not worry about eye relief and kill a deer out to around 100 yds. She killed her first deer, pretty nice 9 point, 2 years ago shooting my 12 ga Ultra Slugster at 115 yds with one well placed shot. However I was in the box with her, she had a good rest and I talked her through each step of the shot. She will be alone in a box this time and I need to eliminate as many potential problems as I can. I don't want a wounded deer!!

I am not going for little bitty groups here, just consistently inside 4-6", preferably 4":) at 100 will kill any deer we have to shoot at

I am going to install a Bushnell TRS-25 in the morning and give it a test run. If I don't like it I can always put the scope back on and use that on something else.

Thanks again for the input.
 
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At 100 yds, I think a red dot will do the trick, Lundy. I've got a cheap tasco mounted on a ruger charger and I've killed a pile of squirrels with it at that distance. She'll be fine, imo.
 
Beentown,

Is the dot in your TRS-25 round?

I just picked one up tonight at Cabelas and the dot looks kinda starburst like. I'm guessing it is not right
 
On the TRS-25 it is round. All the "cheaper" ones tend too flare at their highest settings in lower light. Turn it down and then take a look. It shouldn't be very noticeable. I will take a pic of mine tonight after hunting so you can compare.
 
I took my DIL gun, H&R 20 ga heavy barrel ultra Slugster, to the range this morning in the rain to try out this new Bushnell TRS-25 red dot.

I did determine that the less than round dot in this was my eyes, not the unit. I didn't even notice it today at the range

I had purchased 8 boxes of the Hornady 20 ga, 2-3/4, SST slugs on sales this week and thought I would try them with the existing Bushnell 3x9 trophy scope that was on the gun when I purchased it.

I set a target at the 50 yd range to get started with the new mounting if I needed to and to see how these slugs grouped from this gun.

I fired 3 SST's and it shot around 5-6", sucked pretty badly. I checked all of the mounting screws and rings and fired two more, no better results.

I removed the scope and put on the Bushnell red dot and fired 3 shots into around 3", better but certainly not what I expect from this gun. I have one in 12 ga that shots very well so I expected at least similar results for this 20 ga. I fired 3 more and again got around a 3" group.

I had a couple of boxes of the Federal premium Vital Shok Trophy copper in both 2-3/4" and 3" so I ran a few of them through also.

Shots 3 shots with the 3" that clover leafed at under 1" and the 2-3/4 was just over 1-1/2". I fired 2 more 3" and they went right into the first group with one just outside opening up the 5 shot group to an 1-1/4" This was with a red dot with zero magnification, pretty impressed. I'm sure 100 yds will open up some but it should work great for my DIL.

Shot 3 more SST's into a 3-4" group, not happy with those slugs from this gun at all.

This red dot is tiny, very bright even on the lower settings, I was using the #3 setting out of 11, and really easy to get on the target. I know it is not the best red dot out there, I almost purchased the Vortex, but for what I wanted, it's small size and medium price tag it is really nice.

2_zps34ca0b1b.jpg


Picture of the scope I removed, huge in comparison
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get-attachment_zps63a2d98a.jpg
 
Looks good, Lundy! From personal experience, the lighter the scope setting, the better. To me, its best to set the thing just bright enough to see. The dot is smaller, takes up less of the target. I don't think I've ever set mine even on the brightest days above 8. I'm sure you know that, but thought it worth mentioning anyway.
 
Most of the change from round to other shapes in a red dot are from either having the door typo brought for the conditions or eye problems such as astigmatism or other conditions. I know I am most accurate with mine if I keep it dim enough I almost have to search for it.
 
Took DIL to the range early yesterday morning, It was COLD and WINDY!!

I had her shoot 3 shots at 100 and then I did a sight adjustment and had her shot 3 more.

Around 3" groups at 100 with the new red dot. The target is 5.5 ", she jerked the last(high shot) a little.

I am very happy with how this turned out and she really like the sight, ease of use, brightness, and no worry about eye relief. She thought she would not like it because of lack of magnification but she quickly changed her mind on that.

Hopefully she gets an opportunity next Monday

25_zps09b05d7d.jpg
 
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