# Red Dot Sight Question



## wildcat6 (Apr 5, 2011)

Admittingly, I am a newbie with red dot sights. Recently, I purchased an AR-15 with a TruGlo 30 MM Red Dot Sight. When I went outside to zero the weapon I couldn't see the Red Dots until it was nearly dark outside. Correct me if I am wrong but I believe the term may be called washout. Would anyone know of anything I can do to eliminate or at least reduce this? It was very cloudy out and not very bright that day. If I can't use it in the daytime it would probably be pretty useless for me. Any help would be most aprreciated. Thanks...


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## Cornhusker (Mar 20, 2003)

I'm not sure about yours, but the ones I own have different brightness settings.
I turn it up in the light and down in the dark.


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## wildcat6 (Apr 5, 2011)

Cornhusker said:


> I'm not sure about yours, but the ones I own have different brightness settings.
> I turn it up in the light and down in the dark.


Unfortunately, I put it up on its highest setting.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

If it wasn't bright enough, it may need new batteries

Most are visible in daylight at the highest setting.
Also, some have dark filters you can put on for use in daylight, so you may be missing a part.

If the front is threaded, you should be able to get one from the company.

If it has see-thru lens caps, try leaving the front one closed

http://www.truglo.com/faq.aspx


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## wildcat6 (Apr 5, 2011)

Bearfootfarm said:


> If it wasn't bright enough, it may need new batteries
> 
> Most are visible in daylight at the highest setting.
> Also, some have dark filters you can put on for use in daylight, so you may be missing a part.
> ...


I do have som enew batteries I could try. I just assumed they would be good since it was brand new but you never know. I did flip the front lense cap down but to no avail. I am not sure if it has threads on the front or not. I am going to try and look for one of those dark filters. Hopefully, not to costly the budget is running thin now, lol... Hopefully it is just the batteries.


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## JonnyRevel (Oct 16, 2009)

The piece in the front ought to have honeycomb type cutouts in it. Another possible cause to your problem could be eye relief. Most red dot type sights are meant to be for instinctive, quick shooting. Give yourself more room between your eye and the sight. 
Let us know if this works out.


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## wildcat6 (Apr 5, 2011)

Bearfootfarm said:


> If it wasn't bright enough, it may need new batteries
> 
> Most are visible in daylight at the highest setting.
> Also, some have dark filters you can put on for use in daylight, so you may be missing a part.
> ...


I checked for threads and there aren't any:sob: The lens cap just slides off and no threads inside. I am not to happy with their customer service at this point. I sent them an e-mail a couple of days ago and still no response. However, I still haven't tried new batteries yet as it was late by the time I got home.


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## wildcat6 (Apr 5, 2011)

JonnyRevel said:


> The piece in the front ought to have honeycomb type cutouts in it. Another possible cause to your problem could be eye relief. Most red dot type sights are meant to be for instinctive, quick shooting. Give yourself more room between your eye and the sight.
> Let us know if this works out.


I appreciate that. I will certainly check on that.


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## wildcat6 (Apr 5, 2011)

Out of curiosity what type of red dots do you all use. I thought I had a fairly expensive one but apparently I have one on the cheaper end, lol. I have seen 3 brands in particular well upwards of $500. I don't want to put that much into the optics.


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## MichaelK! (Oct 22, 2010)

It requires a 2032 coin-style battery that you can pick up at K-mart or the grocery store for 3.99$. 

By the way, I picked up my gun a few days ago to check something, accidentally left the red-dot on, and put it back in the safe. A week later and the battery was dead. It is no surprise at all that a new red-dot has a dead battery.


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## wildcat6 (Apr 5, 2011)

MichaelK! said:


> It requires a 2032 coin-style battery that you can pick up at K-mart or the grocery store for 3.99$.
> 
> By the way, I picked up my gun a few days ago to check something, accidentally left the red-dot on, and put it back in the safe. A week later and the battery was dead. It is no surprise at all that a new red-dot has a dead battery.


I sure hope that is the case. It worked really good as it got darker outside and it was pretty easy to dial in with it.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> Out of curiosity what type of red dots do you all use


I have one of the ORIGINAL* Aimpoint *1000's that still works.

It's 25 years old



> This product is no
> longer manufactured.
> 
> Aimpoint 1000 which was launched in *1987* was based on the same principles as Mark III but had a revised design to make the sight slimmer and lighter.
> ...












I don't know how good their customer service is
I've never NEEDED it!

I prefer a normal scope on most rifles though, since the dots cover so much of the target, making accuracy harder at any real distance.

I noticed the one you have has a "5 minute" dot, and it's hard to take advantage of the accuracy *potential *of your rifle when your dot is covering a 5" circle at 100 yds


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## Ed Norman (Jun 8, 2002)

I also had an original Aimpoint in 1987. Put it on a Super 14 Contender and about the 10th shot sheared all 4 scope base screws and it rocketed past my head 10 feet. Too much fun. I got more and bigger screws and it worked fine. 

I once put a red dot sight on an SKS and turned a 100 yard deer rifle into a 40 yard deer rifle. I like scopes or irons. It seems too much sun washes out the dot on the brightest setting, it never shows up on a bright snowy day, at night it might be too bright and hide the target, and there is often a filter to cut down on the light, which also cuts down on the view of the target. 

I guess on a competition pistol they have their place for speed shooting.


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## JonnyRevel (Oct 16, 2009)

The one I had was a Trijicon, I believe. It was a military issue. How did checking your eye relief work out?


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## Graham (Jul 24, 2011)

I have a cheap BSA red dot on my crossbow. It takes a little getting used to, but for something that works at close range like the crossbow, it's perfect. I have also been in the situation where I got to the hunting ground and realized that I had left the dot on the week before. I always keep a spare battery in my pack after that day.


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## wildcat6 (Apr 5, 2011)

JonnyRevel said:


> The one I had was a Trijicon, I believe. It was a military issue. How did checking your eye relief work out?


Not had a chance to check just yet. I do taxes and now that the season has begun I don't get home until well after 10:00. I am hoping I will have a chance on Sunday to test that out.


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## wildcat6 (Apr 5, 2011)

I wish I could afford one of those Trijicon, aimpoints, or EOtechs. I will probably get one in a few months but I wanted to see if I actually liked the system first before I went all out. I do like shooting with it when I can see it, lol..I guess there are pro's and cons to everything.


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## Chuck R. (Apr 24, 2008)

Wildcat6,

Check out the Vortex Strikefire or SPARC. 

Theyâre both fairly reasonable and have been getting some great reviews. You can find a Strikefire for around $150 with mount. I mounted one to my S&W MP15-22 a year ago and itâs worked well, plenty bright and doesnât wash out. It also features an automatic shutdown feature at 6hrs. Battery life is OK, now where near the 7 years+ that the Aimpoints get. 
I mounted a Vortex Viper HS on my DSA SA58 Para FAL, and Iâm pretty impressed with that scope also. Vortex optics as a whole get some pretty decent reviews.

Iâve got a Trijicon Tri-Power on my LE6920 thatâs on the same batteries for 5 years now, mostly due to the tritium and fiber optic illumination.

http://www.vortextactical.com/product/vortex-strikefire-red-dot-scope-red-green-dot-ar15-mount

Chuck


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> I wish I could afford one of those Trijicon, aimpoints, or EOtechs


Aimpoints didn't used to be so OVERPRICED.

I don't understand why they cost so much now vs a few years ago
*Everything* in all the optics lines seems to be running at least *4 times *what they were just a short time ago


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## wildcat6 (Apr 5, 2011)

Chuck R. said:


> Wildcat6,
> 
> Check out the Vortex Strikefire or SPARC.
> 
> ...


I have heard of the Vortex one before and have seen some good reviews about it. I may check that one out.


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## Chuck R. (Apr 24, 2008)

Bearfootfarm said:


> Aimpoints didn't used to be so OVERPRICED.
> 
> I don't understand why they cost so much now vs a few years ago
> *Everything* in all the optics lines seems to be running at least *4 times *what they were just a short time ago


Stuff like this is part of the reason (Well worth the 12minutes):

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89HEefl1KI4&feature=player_embedded[/ame]

Thereâs an Aimpoint Micro on the carbine. They have a well-deserved reputation for reliability.

Chuck


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> Stuff like this is part of the reason (Well worth the *12minutes*):
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89HEe...layer_embedded


It would probably take a few HOURS to download on my SLOW dial up 

Some of the *illuminated reticle scopes *are still reasonably priced, and would tend to take better advantage of the guns accuracy


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## Chuck R. (Apr 24, 2008)

I agree concerning accuracy, but thatâs not really the point for a red dot thatâs going to be mounted on a carbine. Most are designed for speed, reliability, and battery life, and these are where the Aimpoints excel. Sorry you canât see the video, hereâs the reader digest version.

Itâs a test of a Daniel defense M4 carbine with an Aimpoint Micro mounted. After each âeventâ they test fired the carbine, then checked the zero at 50 yards.

Test 1: buried in dirt- zero issues
Test 2: submerged by tossing in pond- zero issues
Test 3: Shot with birdshot-Zero Issues
Test 4: Threw it on a dirt road, and drove over it with a jeep- Zero issues
Test 5: Dropped it out the back of a moving vehicle onto a gravel road and ran over it with a jeep- zero Issues
Test 6: Detonated an explosive 5â away from Carbine- Aimpoint broke rear lens, still worked and maintained zero.
Test 7: Dropped from 6â on concrete- zero issues with functioning, but POI moved up & right
Test 8: 30â Drop test on grass - zero issues POI same as after Test 7
Test 9: Dropped out of helicopter at 100âonto field. Rifle functioned, Aimpoint still worked, but rifle lost zero. 

When I go out on collections for work I try to sit in on the sessions with the small arms guys from Benning when I have âdown-timeâ between interviews. The newer versions of Aimpoints consistently get high grades from the troops. With the initial fielding there were some issues, but theyâve apparently been fixed. 

Chuck


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

Sounds like they've made them pretty much bulletproof.

Mine has held up well after years of being used on various guns


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## Hazmat54 (Aug 10, 2010)

I have a EOTech 512 but I think it looks funny and out of place on my AR. I am using a S.P.O.T. red dot. Came with mount and lens covers for around $160. Plus I think it looks good on the rifle. I mount as far forward as I can. Great for bouncing cans around the berm.


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