UltraDot for my wheelgun

[Roundnoser]

I will be hunting with my S&W 57 this year for whitetail. I've had my local gunsmith drill and tap the top strap and mount a Leupold base.

I like what I have read about the Ultradots. Compact and light. -- I noticed there is a model with a fixed 4 MOA dot, and another that is variable from 4 - 12 MOA.

Any owners out there who can make a pitch for the variable dot? Is it easy or difficult to get a sight picture through the 1 inch tube? FYI... I plan to use the pistol almost exclusively for hunting...maybe an occassional target practice session, etc.

Thanks.

[5shotbfr]

i'd go for the fixed dot .. like a lot of other guys ive had issues with point of impact changeing when going to a differant size dot

[Whiterabbit]

I have the variable dot model. I don't use it. Just like an illuminated reticle on a riflescope, I think it's kind of a gimmick.

[44man]

Fixed dot is all I use. I see POI changes with changing dot sizes.
A 4 minute dot can be very accurate, just find the right target.

[bobthenailer]

Definatly a 30 mm fixed dot !! also try useing another base that accepts weaver style rings with multipul cross slots for more versatilty in scope positioning , such as Weigand , B SQ , EGW and use the ultra dots scope rings for a sweet hunting / shooting combo.
I currently have about 7 variable dot size red dot sights and i would not put them on a hard recoling gun expesually for precsion shooting as the tracking of the dot sizes is not as presice as you would want it . ok for 25 yards but beyond its critical and some are better than others and its something else to go wrong at the worst time. been useing red dot sights almost since they came out my first was a aimpoint 3000. Now as im older most of my handguns have them as well as a few rifles .

[Whiterabbit]

When I first started using the ultradot, Their rings would never stay tight. scope would always slip. Now that I use warne rings the ultradot never slips on the rings. The scope base has loosed a couple times but never the rings.

[sixshot]

I have a 1" fixed dot Ultra Dot that I'm taking off of my 44 maggies, PM me if interested.

Dick

[Larry in MT]

I've got the 30MM UltraDot MatchDot with 2,4,6 & 8 MOA dots. I like it, especially the 2 & 4 Minute dots. I'll use different size dots and different illumination levels according to the ambient light conditions. POI has never moved with different size dots --- or for any other reason.

[Roundnoser]

Thanks for the information so far.

What is the advantage / disadvantage to the 30 mm diameter tube?

[RobsTV]

Thanks for the information so far.

What is the advantage / disadvantage to the 30 mm diameter tube?

Probably a few either way.

Advantage
Easier to aquire image.

Disadvantage compared to 25mm (1").
Larger overall size and weight, which on a nice looking already heavy revolver, might be important.
More expensive.
Higher profile. With 1" and QD rings, I can share red dot with a few other guns, and due to its low profile, co-witness with iron sights. A 30mm would be too tall for what I have.

[44man]

Thanks for the information so far.

What is the advantage / disadvantage to the 30 mm diameter tube?

I don't know, have shot both. I just started with 30mm but had no problems with the 25mm either. The 30mm might be brighter in low light.

[odoh]

Apparently mount makers envision large objective riflescopes instead of RDs ~ Warnes does make low 30mm but requires something like Weigand weaver style base which negates its full advantage

[Whiterabbit]

....requires?

[gray wolf]

My Nikon variable dot, 1moa 3moa 6 and 10 moa has never drifted the POI when changing dot size. 30 mm tube. I have used it on 12 gauge slug gun
and it sits on mini 14 as I type. the 1 MOA dot is very accurate for target shooting.
6 and 10 for very fast target pick up. 3 moa is great for general use and hunting.
Granted variable dots may have a problem with returning to same POA
even with a high $$ optics, but I have found it's mostly with less expensive units.
Ultra dots are said to be a very good units, the get great revues.

Here is a little info on red dots, reflex and heads up Holographic.

Reflex Sights
Most "red dot" type sights fall into this category. The term "reflex" refers to the fact that the aiming reticle (the dot, triangle, chevron, circle, etc.) is projected forward, from a point behind the objective lens, and is then reflected off the back of the objective lens assembly toward the shooter's eye. The objective lens is therefore a partial mirror, which also means that it will not allow as much light to pass through it as would a regular lens, such as you would find in a regular telescope. In a quality reflex sight this is hardly noticeable, because the reflective lens coating will have been carefully tuned to reflect only the wavelength of light emitted by the reticle illumination system (usually a light emitting diode). LEDs have a very narrow band output, and are ideal for this application. Some reflex sights use ambient light gathered by a fiber-optic system, and others are supplemented by a tritium beta lamp unit for reticle illumination in low light conditions. These latter two rely upon a wider band of light wavelengths and the lens coating will be adjusted to reflect this greater bandwidth, so they will tend to alter the color of the light passing through the sight a little more than the diode type sights. All other visible wavelengths will pass through normally, and since the wavelength (color) that is being reflected is such a narrow slice of the visible spectrum, you scarcely notice it's missing when you look through the sight. Since the lens coating reflects exactly the color of the reticle, the reticle is very efficiently reflected back to your eye and is clearly visible against the target field. A reflex sight contains no laser, and no significant amount of light is emitted forward (toward the target) with this technology.

Reflex sights can be found in two general configurations; the so-called "head-up" type (where else the shooter's head would be is not clear. The name apparently comes from their vague resemblance of a fighter jet's head-up display). These have just one lens assembly, and the reticle source point will be below and behind the lens ("behind" meaning closer to the shooter and farther from the muzzle). They don't look anything like a "scope". These would include the C-more, Trijicon Reflex, etc.. The other configuration looks more like a "scope" in that it has a tubular body with a lens element at each end. Tube reflex sights can be mounted lower on the firearm, since the reticle projection point, and its power source, are typically mounted off to one side rather than below the optical axis of the sight. On a flat-top M-16 type rifle, where you need plenty of sight height anyway, this is no benefit, but on most anything else, the lower mounting option provided by the tube bodied sight can be a real benefit. Tube type reflex sights include Aimpoint, Trijicon Tripower, Leupold, Tasco, Bushnell, and countless others.



Holographic Sights
Whether it's called a "Holographic Weapon Sight" a "Holographic Diffraction Sight" or a "Holosight" it's basically the same technology. A sighting reticle is superimposed on your view of the target field by way of a laser transmission hologram. Without getting too much into the process, it means that a photograph of the reticle is taken using a very careful application of laser light. Google for "holography" and you'll find detailed information on the subject. The hologram, sandwiched in glass, forms a window through which you view your target. Since there is no reflective coating, a holographic sight will not alter the normal light going through it's sighting window any more than a regular piece of glass, or so it seems to my eyes. There is indeed a laser in a holographic sight. The laser beam is spread out by a lens and shone backward, toward the shooter, from a position in front of the hologram window, creating a reticle image that, according to some literature, appears at a virtual 50 yards in front of you. If so, it would mean that a holographic sight would work much like an aperture sight with a sight radius of 50 yards and an aperture of about an inch and a half. The reticles, being holograms, could in theory be any shape or configuration, including three dimensional shapes. All the holographic sights we've seen are of the "head up" type, so they cannot mount as low on the weapon as a tube sight. There may be a good reason why a holosight cannot have its laser module mounted on top or to one side, allowing the sight to mount lower on the weapon, but if so, I have not heard a case for it. Since the hologram window consists of a flat glass panel, the problem of glint being noticeable to one's prey will be less of an issue, compared to a conventional optic having a convex objective lens. This would make the holographic sight slightly more stealthy in that regard. We know of one manufacturer of holographic weapon sights-- Electro-Optic Technologies. The sights are found under the names EOTech and Bushnell. They have (or had) a selection of different reticles, but their standard 1 minute dot with 65 minute circle is excellent, most especially when engaging a moving target.

The laser light coming through the hologram is polarized. While most shooters may never need to know this, it can be an issue when using polarized shooting glasses. I have an old version of the Bushnell Holosight, and the polarity of its hologram is such that it is greatly attenuated when viewed through polarizing glasses. I suspected that all polarizing glasses, intended for cutting glare when worn outside, under the sun, would be built with the same polar orientation. I made some calls to an optometrist, who did some checking for me and was able to confirm this. There is a more or less ideal compromise orientation to the polarizing filters that make up the lenses in your polaroid glasses, so all manufacturers use approximately the same orientation. I called the good folks at EOTech, and they were aware of this. All Holosights and military Holographic Weapon Sights (HWS) made today have the hologram's polarity at an angle that makes for uninhibited viewing of the reticle when wearing polarizing glasses. This is good news. You can now enjoy the benefits of wearing polarizing glasses in the field, and still use your holosight to full effect.

In the field, a reflex sight and a holographic sight are used exactly the same way and for the same reasons. They are completely different technologies used for solving the same problems. Neither one of them is a "laser sight".

I will add from personal experience with both that Aimpoints have tremendous battery life and reliability owing to the efficiency of the LED over the laser of an EOTech. EOTech's did have some reliability issues early on, are physically larger and heavier (current versions are getting smaller) but many like the thinner, square viewing window and reticle.

One item of note regarding these two types of sights. Those who suffer from astigmatism will NOT see a crisp, round dot. It will be fuzzy and, in extreme cases, may even appear to have a "comet tail". You will not be able to adjust for this as you would a telescopic sight or prism sight that has an adjustable ocular eyepiece such as a conventional riflescope.

[Muskyjerk]

My experience has been with an eotech for the last 10 years, I wanted to try hand gun hunting this year, so i first purchased a scope in 2x which i returned. I then latter descided on the match dot, I thought I needed a 2 Moa dot, after doing some shooting I have now realized that a fixed 4moa dot would not be a handycap.

30mm vs 1"(25.4mm) a bigger tube is easier to see the dot and should pass more light ( in a magnified tube)



Then a 4x just fell in my lap last week. Too much power in the Wisconsin woods for me. So it will be a range scope

[earplug]

I use standard old fashion Weaver rings with my three Ultra Dots. Much easier to take off and remount then the factory split rings. They almost go back to Zero and never a problem with them. The low rings sit lower then the factory rings.