Optics Question

[cabezaverde]

Decided I want to use my SBH for deer hunting next year. Average shot less than 50 yards in the spot I am thinking of using it for, probably more like 25 yards most times.

Currently the SBH has a 2x Leupold mounted on it in a Leupold mount, which is limited to 1" rings.

I suspect I am having parallax problems at close range, and frankly, it is a little hard to get a fast sight picture with the scope.

Is anyone using a red dot for deer hunting, and are they as good on solving parallax problems as advertised? I have been looking at the Millett 1" tube red dot, and the reviews seem very positive.

Any input or experience here?

[S.R.Custom]

I had a red-dot on a S&W model 29 once. For about a week. Always dickin' around with batteriies, adjusting the dot. (It's too bright. It's too big. Now I can't see it. Damn, left it on again... You get the idea.) It was nice for pin-shoots, though, or so I thought until I saw that my times had actually gone up.

Sell the scope, and take the money and buy a nice western-style holster, and practice shooting the iron sights. For shots 25-50 yards, that's precisely what they were designed for, you'll get on target quicker, and the gun will be much easier to tote around.

[Three44s]

When my eye balls first took the "big dive" ....... I thought my pizzolver days were OVER!

I got trifocals and could not get everything to line up ........

So I went to a scope ...... did not like it .......... tried a Red Dot ............. too small a tube ......

........ bought (over time) two Bushnell holosights ......... ............ I like them but like Super Mag's experience ..........

When it's on ...... it should have been turned off ....... and when it's supposed to be OFF ..... it's ON .........

.... so yes ...... batteries and having it set is an issue.

My holosights are keepers ........ but bulky ........

I think the only red dot/ hologram sight that makes sense are the clones of the old Tasco Optima ......... the JP Micro sight or the much more expensive Doctor sight.

These units are self controlled to on/off and brightness .......... and they are MUCH more compact.

NC Star is said to have copied this format ...... but you have to watch WHICH model you get .... they have many and all don't have all of these features.

BUT before you plunge into this .......... I would revisit your irons.

Here is what I found after some reading ...... asking and trial and error.

The thing to focus on first and foremost ..... is the front sight ....... discern your target and surroundings ...... and then get on that front sight.

For me ..... it's a matter of getting my head cranked back far enough to bring my lower to middle of the lens in line with the front sight ........

If the front sight is fuzzy ....... you are doomed ...... if the game is a bit fuzzy ...... that's not nearly so bad.

And one iron combo that helps more to me .............. is the Ruger front bead painted black with a laundry pen and the "One Ragged Hole" rear appeture sight .......... I have this on a 9.5" SRH ........... I may place this on some more guns ..... or not ............. as after I discovered really prioritizing the front sight above all else ........... my notch and front blades worked GOOD AGAIN!

HooRay ....... there is life after falling off the hill after all!

So if your reason is eye issues ...... work with it a bit more.

If it's keeping up with the times ........... relax ........ irons are still the most portable and at 50 yds ............ irons outta do a deer hands down!

Regards

Three 44s

[44man]

But, Supermag, us old farts can't see the durned things for beans anymore! Can't even see a deer or crosshairs in the morning or evening through a scope.
I swear by the red dot and the Millet works fine on a .44. Only trouble with them is the diode is not as bright as others. You have to turn it up a lot in daytime. I switched to Ultra Dots on my hard kickers and will never go back to anything else. I have Bushnell's on some low kicking revolvers but have jerked the front glass loose on a few with more recoil.
The Loopy base is a problem with almost any red dot. You must put a front extension ring on them because they are too close together.
Now the whole secret to the red dot is don't turn it on until you see the animal coming. I never leave it on all the time and I still have original batteries in them that are 5 years old.
I will take a picture as soon as I charge the camera battery.

[S.R.Custom]

I will take a picture as soon as I charge the camera battery.

You see? That's what I'm talking about.

But seriously, if vision is the issue, I've known guys who use those aperture discs that mount to your shooting glasses. They look a bit disconcerting, but the guys who I've known who've used 'em swear by 'em...

[44man]

Those things don't work in dim light at all plus it is another thing to hunt for to find the opening in dim light. They just make everything darker! I have never had a bad battery when hunting and my camera has taken more pictures then I can count. I just get lax about plugging it in.
Anyway, here is the picture.

[Dale53]

I am a certified "Old Fart" and have serious vision issues. I have used a scope on my hunting handguns for years. It DID present a learning curve (just like nearly everything else I have tried). I practiced in the home bringing the scope to "presentation" until it became natural and I had NO more problems "finding the hole in the scope". I have even shot running game successfully with a handgun with a scope (don't necessarily recommend it but I did it and did it well).

Now, my vision has deteriorated to the point that I am losing the dot in the black. So, I have gone to Red Dots for range use. I am back on top of my game and the scores reflect it. Yes, the complaints about leaving the "Dot" on and running the batteries down are correct. I just have to exercise more discipline in making sure that the switch is off.

I recently picked up a couple of the "holographic" sights (small ones like the little Doctor but without the BIG price tag). It automatically adjusts the intensity of the dot depending on ambient conditions. Further, you just slide a hood on it to put it to sleep. I'll report back after further testing.

Just remember that it is easy to suggest what someone else should do (return to iron sights) when you have NO idea how bad that idea is for someone with serious vision problems. Yes, I could quit shooting, but that is not in my nature. My Red Dots have me back on top of my game and I AM HAPPY!!

Dale53

[crabo]

I recently picked up a couple of the "holographic" sights (small ones like the little Doctor but without the BIG price tag). It automatically adjusts the intensity of the dot depending on ambient conditions. Further, you just slide a hood on it to put it to sleep. I'll report back after further testing.
Dale53[/QUOTE]

I have one of these for sale right now. It just didn't work on the milled barrel mount on my PC gun. If it had been mounted on the top strap over the cylinder, it would have been perfect.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=23303

Crabo

[Naphtali]

What dot size [range] do you find usable for hunting, not target shooting?

I have been considering http://www.rapidreticle.com/sopscauto.htm for several reasons.

1. It has a three-way power switch: OFF; AUTO adjusts brightness to ambient light; and ON places brightness at maximum.

2. Battery is replaceable without removing sight from its mount.

3. Red dot is 5 MOA, at the lower limit for what dot size I can use, I think.

4. Sight's lens is optical glass rather than less abrasion resistant, less precisely ground Acrylic®.

5. Housing is aluminum rather than plastic.
***
I queried Pride Fowler specifically about whether the sight would be satisfactory to use on Super Redhawk .480 Ruger. I also requested a link or full text of the sight's warranty. I received no reply. And this is not a good sign for a sight that looks, on paper, to be the cat's meow.

[db2]

On my 454 Casull SRH I am using a Leupold/Gilmore LG-1 sight. It is a 1" tube, 2 MOA dot. This is an older sight so you will have to look for it. The LG-35 has a 35mm tube, which does not work with the Ruger style rings. The only thing I had to do is shorten the ring thickness a little. I have taken several deer with this setup. I allways carry a spare battery just in case.

db2

[Newtire]

I recently picked up a couple of the "holographic" sights (small ones like the little Doctor but without the BIG price tag).
Dale53

Hi Dale,

What kind of a holo are you referring to? I like that little red dot that Sportsman's guide had and I only bought one of. Where do I get this one?

[cabezaverde]

Is it true that the red dots don't suffer from parallax?

I agree with 44 man about turning the sight on when you see the deer coming. I will be hunting out of a stand, not much snap shooting here.

[bobthenailer]

get a aftermarket base from weigand or ssk ect, that will give you more scope mounting flexablity, and get at least a 30mm scope for a wider field of view. ive been useing red dots since they first came out and i currently have over 20, and off hand i can out shoot scopes with crosshairs of any power with the red dot, on my big game revolvers i have a redfield esd, a aimpoint comp xd and a pride/ fowler special ops sight {something like a docter sight only a lot better} and a 2x leupold.
bob

[44man]

Yeah when I could see good I could shoot open sights as good as the red dot. Days are gone!
Put any scope on a pistol and even with 2X you will see all the wiggles and it will make you miss more unless you have a rest. Those silly crosshairs running all over the place will make you try to get the gun to go off as they pass the target. It takes a man of steel to keep adding pressure and ignore the crosshair movements. I can do it with a rifle but it gets tough with a revolver.
I DON'T WANT TO SEE THE MOVEMENT!

[Dale53]

Newtire;
I got two of the latest reflex or holographic or what ever the heck you call them (maybe we ought to call them "Bracket Red Dots" as they are shaped kind of like a bracket) from Sportsmen's Guide. They are supposed to handle up to .50 caliber and are marked "AIM". I believe that they cost about $60.00 (I am visiting with my son in Columbus, OH and away from MY computer). Of course, they are made in China.

They look well made and fit the standard Weaver base. They are VERY compact (less than 2" long) and they have no visible parallax.

For those that have a problem with trying to find the "hole" in the scope, you just have to practice. I had my handgun, scope mounted lying next to my TV chair. I would pick it up constantly (there is an endless supply of targets on TV), and try to find the 'hole". It wasn't long before it was hard to pick it up and NOT find the hole. Just a matter of practice.

Dale53

[Dale53]

Yeah when I could see good I could shoot open sights as good as the red dot. Days are gone!
Put any scope on a pistol and even with 2X you will see all the wiggles and it will make you miss more unless you have a rest. Those silly crosshairs running all over the place will make you try to get the gun to go off as they pass the target. It takes a man of steel to keep adding pressure and ignore the crosshair movements. I can do it with a rifle but it gets tough with a revolver.
I DON'T WANT TO SEE THE MOVEMENT!

There is where you and I differ. I WANT to see the movement. The pistol IS moving and I want to see it. After that, it is a matter of learning to live with it. It did take a bit of time to get used to it, but I do quite well with the scoped handgun. My best effort to date, is using the timed fire target at 25 yards and shooting a 10X possible, two handed standing with my .375 JDJ Thompson Center Contender with 12" barrel (SSK Comp). That was a beautiful target! I had a 2X Leupold scope on it. That combination shoots well out to a 100 yards (the limit of our rifle range) also.

However, it must be said that we are all different in our likes and dislikes. If a person prefers irons, more power to them. I wish that I could still see them. For me, it is now scopes and mostly Red Dots.

Dale53

[44man]

Since I don't hold as steady as I used to, not seeing the crosshairs going all over lets me concentrate on trigger control better. There is a tendancy of making the gun shoot when too much motion is seen rather then letting it go off by itself.
I prefer a strong scope from a rest for testing but my heavy revolvers kind of break most of them. I use the Ultra Dot for everything now and actually shoot better groups offhand with it.
Even with my .22 pistol, I hit squirrels easier and farther with open sights then I do with a scope.
Seeing the motion doesn't make me hold tighter because I can't unless I finish a bottle of Jack first. Have to be half dead at the age of 70.
I can't deer hunt with open sights because they only come early and late when I can't see the sights. I really had a rough time with the deer I shot with my Vaquero this season, I had to squint hard. A few more minutes and the sights would have been gone.
All of you younger guys will find out shortly what I am talking about.

[Dale53]

>>>All of you younger guys will find out shortly what I am talking about. <<<

Amen to that! We oldsters are very fortunate to day to have all of the optical options that we have. I know that I am blessed when I can pick up one of my "Red Dotted" revolvers and shoot about as well as ever. The marvels of modern technology...

Dale53