Should I co-witness my red dot?

The irons, when coupled with a red dot mounted at a height that allows them to co-witness through the optic's field of view, are to be used as backup sighting devices should the red dot's battery die, leaving you with no other point of aim.
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What does it mean for a red dot to co-witness?

Co-witnessing refers to the relationship between an optical sight and the iron sights of your firearm. When the optical sight's red dot aligns with the iron sights, the two work together as co-witness sights.
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Should my pistol red dot line up with iron sights?

Jedlinski agrees: “I recommend having iron sights of some kind on any pistol with a red dot. Red dots can fail. Batteries can run out.
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Do you need to zero a red dot?

To “zero” means to adjust your red dot sight so you can hit your target at the exact spot that you aim. Any errors you make when zeroing in your gun will add to every shot you make afterward. So, it's a critical skill to master as a foundation for accurate shooting.
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What is the best distance to zero a red dot sight?

For handgun users with red dot sights the 15 yard and 25 yard zeroes are most popular because the chances of people engaging targets at distances much further than this doesn't happen very often, if ever.
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Should You Co-witness Your Handgun RDS to Iron Sights?



How far should you sight in a red dot?

Typically, if you use a red dot sight without any magnification, you can easily aim at a target as far as 100 yards away, if not more.
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How far forward should I mount red dot on AR?

As a general rule of thumb, you want to mount your 1x red dot optic as far forward as you can. Mounting your red dot as far forward as possible on the receiver will maximize your peripheral view and situational awareness.
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Are red dot sights more accurate than iron sights?

Greater accuracy with red dot sights

Because it is unnecessary to keep changing focal planes as with iron sights, and the dot is always on the same plane as the target, using a red dot sight can improve the accuracy of your shots.
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Does the military use iron sights?

Army recruits used only iron sights during basic training until 2015, when Army switched to the close combat optic, which allows soldiers to to aim with the benefit of a built-in red dot centered on a target when they look through the scope, officials told Task & Purpose.
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Do you leave your red dot on?

The LEDs and lasers in red dot sights are very efficient, so you can expect tens of thousands of hours out of your batteries. Turning your optic off when not in use or allowing it to enter sleep mode is one way to save energy, but many users leave their optic on at all times so it's always ready.
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What does MOA mean on a red dot?

Reticle sizes are measured in milliradians (mrad or mil) or minutes of angle (moa). Both are angular measurements used in ballistics. Red dots use MOA, so we're going to focus on that today. Minute of Angle is an angular measurement that expresses approximately a one-inch diameter circle at 100 yards.
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Is green Dot better than red dot?

A red dot sight is harder to see from an enemy standpoint and works better with NVGs than a green dot sight. Since the view in NVGs is green, having a green dot can be difficult to see if the brightness settings aren't set properly.
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Should I learn iron sights before red dot?

Tradition advocates learning to shoot with basic iron sights first. However, it's more difficult to use iron sights because there are three focal points: both sides of the rear sight and the front sight. All three points need to align with the target before the trigger is pulled.
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Can you magnify a red dot?

The only real requirement is that you have enough rail space behind your red dot to mount the magnifier. If you have your red dot mounted further to the rear, moving it forward a bit can usually be done without loss of zero. You can mount or remove the magnifier as you prefer, even put it on different rifles.
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How far should the scope be from your eye?

Eye relief is the distance from the rear lens your eye requires to see a full picture. The industry average for a fixed-power scope is about 3 1/2 inches. For most variables, you'll start out about there at the lower power, and about 2 1/2 inches when you crank up to to max magnifcation.
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Do red dot sights work at night?

A: Red dot sights work very well at night. One of their primary advantages is the fact that they are illuminated, so you aren't stuck with black iron sights or a black optic reticle on a dark background.
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How accurate is a red dot sight?

More accurate

Most shooters find they can shoot more accurately with a red dot than with iron sights, particularly at distance and when speed is an issue. With the dot, you can easily “holdover” for longer shots, while still seeing the entire target in the window.
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How far to sight in a red dot for pistol?

You should not sight-in your pistol at 100 yards. The average target distance for USPSA and SCSA is less than thirty-five yards. It is recommended that you start at ten yards so you can see the target, keep the math simple, and then confirm and adjust your settings at further distances.
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How far should I zero my pistol?

We suggest zeroing at 10 yards. That will give you eye socket accuracy inside 10 yards where many gunfights take place, center of mass out to about 75 yards and, using a high chest hold, allow you to hit a man out to about 150 yards.
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Which is better red dot or holographic sight?

That's how a couple of red dots have battery power of up to 50,000 hours. Basically, that means you could leave it on for 5+ years. Compared with holographic sights that usually offer 500 to 1,000 hours of battery life, red dots are the clear winners.
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Is red or green dot better for astigmatism?

Many shooters with astigmatism feel that green illumination tends to distort less than red. Choose green illumination over red if this proves helpful. Of course, it may also help to be brand-specific or quality-specific when choosing a red dot sight to overcome vision issues.
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What is a reflex sight vs red dot?

One of the biggest differences between a reflex/open sight and a red dot is the field of view. Reflex sights, due to their heads-up display (HUD) design allow for a wider field of view. The field of view is how much of the image you can see in the window or objective lens.
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