Red dots turning into red worms!

[blackscot]

......So most 1-4 scopes have adjustable diopters?

Yup, but also generally heavy and bulky. You're looking at 1 to 1&1/2 pounds with the mount included, versus 3-5 ounces for an Aimpoint Micro (depending on the mount used). Choice depends what's more important to you.

[halmbarte]

If you go to your eye doc, take a red dot in with you (probably better to remove it from the gun) and explain what you're trying to do.

Most people don't need the level of astigmatism correction that shooters with a RDS do. RDS's show off any astigmatism that you have because of how they work.

The dot will look better on a bright day because your pupil is acting as a aperture and reducing the cone of light that falls on your retina. You get the same effect from looking at the dot thru the rear sight.

H

[wingspar]

I think it's going to depend on what you use it for. I read up on it and what bothered me was fifteen hours of battery life compared to 30,000 on an Aimpoint Pro. Now, I understand that fifteen is on full brightness, but really, fifteen? That's not even left on for one full day. I get when you have astigmatism, there is no perfect answer, but with fifteen hours of battery life, I think I would rather live with a 2MOA comma recticle from an aimpoint or a dot and ring of fire reticle from an Eotech. It's obviously an individual decision, but changing batteries that often, at least to me, is asking to have your optic go down at the wrong time. Now, if you're not going to use it for defense or duty, I guess it doesn't really matter as much; but it would still be annoying to me.

Use will probably mostly be casual range use. I do have a tendency to forget to turn things off. Short battery life would be a problem. Good battery life in scopes, cameras and other things is important to me.

Yup, but also generally heavy and bulky. You're looking at 1 to 1&1/2 pounds with the mount included, versus 3-5 ounces for an Aimpoint Micro (depending on the mount used). Choice depends what's more important to you.

I’m thinking magnification would be more important, but I guess I’ll probably never know till I actually get to use one or the other. Weight is also something I should take into consideration. 1 to 1 ½ pounds of added weight to the riffle would probably be enough for me to want to shoot mostly with irons, but I do plan on switching from scope to irons a lot. I’ve learned a lot in my research and know so much more about red dots and scopes than I did a couple of weeks ago, but there is only so much I can get from research. Unfortunately, it’s an overnight trip just to be able to look at this stuff, but I’d like to have a list of certain scopes to look at and armed with enough info to look for the right things and ask the right questions when I do get to handle some, so I’ll probably continue to ask questions.

[Striker]

Use will probably mostly be casual range use. I do have a tendency to forget to turn things off. Short battery life would be a problem. Good battery life in scopes, cameras and other things is important to me.

Also, if you haven't done it yet, may I suggest, that you go to your local store that carries Aimpoint and Eotech and look through them to see what the reticle looks like to you. You might find that your astigmatism doesn't really affect you that much. If you're like me, the comma of the Aimpoint and the dot and ring of fire of an Eotech, while not ideal, is still fine. It affects different people different ways, so all I'm really suggesting is that you see for yourself.

[wingspar]

Also, if you haven't done it yet, may I suggest, that you go to your local store that carries Aimpoint and Eotech and look through them to see what the reticle looks like to you. You might find that your astigmatism doesn't really affect you that much. If you're like me, the comma of the Aimpoint and the dot and ring of fire of an Eotech, while not ideal, is still fine. It affects different people different ways, so all I'm really suggesting is that you see for yourself.

That’s pretty much what I said I would be doing in my last post. Nothing local around here at all. Anyplace that carries Aimpoint, Trijicon, Burris and so on is going to be a planned over night trip. No way around that for me. The benefits of living remotely outweigh the benefits of living in a metropolitan area where all this stuff is readily available. In just a few minutes, I can be at my range which no one else uses, and shoot all day long and never see another human. From the range, a short hike down into a canyon to a creek is a pleasant way to wind down. Trade it for the ability to make a quick drive to the nearest Cabelas? Nope. So I need to do a ton of research so I’m well armed with all the info I need to know what to look for and what questions to ask when I do make that trip.

[bp7178]

Even better would be to shoot a rifle with one mounted.

I find that while my 2moa T-1's dot isn't perfect when I wear my contacts, it doesn't effect my shooting.

My dot looks much better when I wear my glasses, and the targets show no difference.

[bsmith_shoot]

Hey wingspar, if you will look back a couple pages in this thread, you will see I went through pretty much the same thing as you are right now. I came from a background of using variable power optics for hunting and target, and had a hard time transitioning to the RDS. With some time behind the optic, and some instruction, I learned to love them greatly. I ran Eotech 552, and Aimpoint M2 for a long time.
I got to a point that I needed to upgrade my optics, and the availability of quality 1-4x optics was just too much for me to resist. I had grown up with a variable, and it was super easy for me to transition back.
Fast forward to the last 6 months, and I had a need for a RDS on my daily carried SBR. I done my research, having been away from a dot for a good while, and chose the T1 2moa.
Once it was mounted, I was badly disappointed. The dot looked like a splatter. I couldn't zero it or nothing. Thanks to this very thread, and the knowledgeable folks here, I found that my eyes had developed a slight astigmatism, and my sight had gotten lacking. I was instructed here to try different things, and wow, with my optic farther away, and my BUIS in the up position, I could see a decent dot.
My biggest recommendation to you, is to try out optics, then find methods that help you see the reticle/dot as good as possible. If you need any help, don't hesitate.
Good luck and God bless,
Brandon

[wingspar]

Hey wingspar, if you will look back a couple pages in this thread, you will see I went through pretty much the same thing as you are right now.

I did read your posts when I went thru all the posts in this thread. I’m pretty sure I want a 1-4 scope over a RDS, but as you know, one can only do so much research on the internet. I’ll look at both when I get the opportunity. I do have a slight astigmatism, and until I read thru this entire thread, I never would have associated it with any problems I might have had looking at scopes. My far vision is pretty good. Just got an eye exam this month, and my far vision has improved so much, I can drive just fine without glasses, but my reading vision has decreased. Just how this is going to affect my use of scopes if at all, I don’t know. I never have worn glasses when shooting, and won’t be any time soon. (Eye protection, absolutely). One good thing about the 1-4 scopes is that they have an adjustable diopter which allows one to adjust the reticle till it is clear. RDS’s don’t have that. But, as it sounds like you have discovered, the distance from your eye to the RDS helps take the “grapes” out of the dot.

[bsmith_shoot]

I did read your posts when I went thru all the posts in this thread. I’m pretty sure I want a 1-4 scope over a RDS, but as you know, one can only do so much research on the internet. I’ll look at both when I get the opportunity. I do have a slight astigmatism, and until I read thru this entire thread, I never would have associated it with any problems I might have had looking at scopes. My far vision is pretty good. Just got an eye exam this month, and my far vision has improved so much, I can drive just fine without glasses, but my reading vision has decreased. Just how this is going to affect my use of scopes if at all, I don’t know. I never have worn glasses when shooting, and won’t be any time soon. (Eye protection, absolutely). One good thing about the 1-4 scopes is that they have an adjustable diopter which allows one to adjust the reticle till it is clear. RDS’s don’t have that. But, as it sounds like you have discovered, the distance from your eye to the RDS helps take the “grapes” out of the dot.

It did help, along with the rear sight. I would be willing to send you a T1 2moa on a LaRue 1/3rd mount to try out for reference. I just ask you put insurance on it when you return it. If it will help, let me know.
Brandon

[wingspar]

It did help, along with the rear sight. I would be willing to send you a T1 2moa on a LaRue 1/3rd mount to try out for reference. I just ask you put insurance on it when you return it. If it will help, let me know.
Brandon

That’s an awesome offer. I’ll send you a PM.