Unmagnified Optics: Red Dot Vs Holographic Vs Prismatic Sights
BY PGF
2 years ago
Reflective optics for artillery have been around since before World War One. With the massive rounds of the Great War, it makes sense – who would want to put their eye next to a scope ocular on a rifle with enough recoil to give shooters a black eye?
At first, these ambient light and half-mirror, “powered” reflex sights were confined to artillery and aircraft. They were simply too bulky and too daylight-dependent for small arms use. After World War Two, reflective optics were offered for sporting guns but were not considered suitable for individual military weapons.
Photo, Oleg Volk
The first “red dot” in relatively wide military use was actually an Armson OEG (occluded eye gunsight), a fiber optic presenting a bright dot to the dominant eye but occluding the target from it. The occlusion guaranteed a high-contrast aiming point, while the non-dominant eye would see the target, and the brain would superimpose the two for a sight picture. Although useful for short-range aiming and quick in use, OEG sights did not gain overwhelming popularity.
Around the end of the 20th century, the battery-operated Aimpoint red dot sight went mainstream with the US military as the M68 Close Combat Optic. Unlike a reflector sight that used a flat half-mirror and a lens-collimated optical source outside the line of sight, the M68 uses a curved semi-reflective mirror to direct the reticle toward the shooter’s eye. The use of a single-wavelength LED permits a long battery life and also allows the passing of all other wavelengths of light through the half-mirror.
There’s some history; read the interesting breakdown of advantages and disadvantages at the link. As always, readers’ insights and experience are welcomed.
On October 30, 2022 at 11:03 pm, RHT447 said:
One brand not mentioned is Holosun. I chose the Model 512C because it is completely enclosed.
Light weight.
Large window and field of view.
Very clean, crisp reticle.
The also offer a gold reticle specifically for folks who are color blind–
https://holosun.com/index/product/detail/id/126.html
On October 31, 2022 at 12:54 am, George 1 said:
The Eotech has had and, according to many, still has parallax issues as well as maintaining zero issues. The Trijicon MRO also has known parallax problems. The Chinese seem to be the hot items now. If you check out the Sage Dynamics website Aaron really tests the heck out of them. Many of the Holosun red dots get great reviews.
For red dots on Rifles I had always exclusively used Aimpoints. I bought a Sig Romeo 8T some time ago and it has performed well so far. I have it on my beater rifle and am not gentle with it. It has the shake awake feature and a reticle that closely resembles an Eotech. The reticle does not distort as much for me as Aimpoints do. It is an American made red dot, the only one Sig makes totally in America as I understand it. The battery life is very long. I have not changed the battery yet. The thing is large and as heavy as an Eotech is the only downside so far.
On October 31, 2022 at 10:02 am, Heywood said:
I suggest trying them out to see what works for you. Eotech was all the rage, and I personally know A LOT of people who can shoot lights out with them…so they are obviously a good product. I, however, cannot. They just don’t fit my eye. I have a couple Vortex red dots and love them. Bottom line, ratings and reviews aside, if you have the ability, fins someone who has what you are looking for and try it out.