Anyone else like red dots on long guns..?

[Scrumbag]

Is anyone else more and more liking red dots on their long guns? I've suddenly noticed I've gotten rather a few.

It started with me looking for a way to put an optical sight on my 9.3x62 - an old hunting rifle that wasn't drilled and tapped so a scope wasn't an option but a good buddy of mine suggested a reflex dot on a custom cut dovetail mount to replace the front sight.

So, I tried it and liked it:

Next came the pump shotgun. Here in the UK we shoot pump actions and semi autos at turning targets with slugs. I tried my supernova with an iron sighted slug barrel but hated the sights (just grey on grey and lost them) so a bit of "googling" turned up the Burris Speed Bead and a Fast Fire III (3MOA)

And a big improvement in enjoyment and scores. Not the last time I’ll put a red dot on a shotgun…

Then there came the lever action.

Started off with a red dot, went to a scout scope then decided to go back to a red dot (mainly because of local range rules it isn’t so easy to shoot shotgun slugs but a 44 mag lever action is no problem). So, for the same sight picture as my slug guns, have gone back to another Burris:

(Must get a better picture)

 

[Scrumbag]

Them came the idea of what to do with a rifle I had that I wanted to use for hunting but I had a 6-24x56 scope on with a very fine ret and I had an 8x56 fixed scope sitting around. This 8x56 is great for sitting in a dark wood but not great for quick target acquisition if you bump a deer on the way in or out. So, borrowing from the tactical and 3 gun crowd I put a red dot on the side of my 8x56 and took it hunting:

(That’s actually on my little Brno .22lr that I used to practice / work up with to see if I liked the concept). It went on the 7x64 Mausingfield after that.

 

[Scrumbag]

Finally, there’s the other shotgun.

It’s a Fabarm H368 (Not sure they went to the US). Anyway, with a 26” multi choke and a 24” rifle sighted barrel for not a lot of money it was too good to pass up.

Think it looks cool “naked” using the man sights (fibre optics and really need to see when I can get it zeroed with those as well).

Anyway, given how much I liked my pump with a red dot, thought might as well stick a Burris on that. Given the receiver has ~11mm dovetail grooves, thought I might try and use those.

You can get a dovetail mount from people like Recknagel and Rusan in Europe that lets you mount red dots to dovetails quite easily but they have a little retaining pin in the underside:

So, there needed to be a small hole drilled in the receiver of the Fabarm:

After that, it became a simple matter of mounting the red dot on with the QD dovetail mount.

So, I like that system as don’t have to have a bulky rail in the way if I want to go from slug shooting to wing shooting and that appeals (The Benelli with the Speed Bead you have to unscrew stuff to take the red dot off, rather less neat).

Here's sort of the sight picture:

And the gun in it’s entirety (Stock actually fits me well so need a bit of lift to be aligned with the red dot)

So, apparently like I like red dots. A lot…. (Hello. My name is Scrumbag and I’m a red-dot-aholic…)

Anyone else using red dots on their long guns more than they thought they would?

 

[Scrumbag]

Finally, there’s the other shotgun.

It’s a Fabarm H368 (Not sure they went to the US). Anyway, with a 26” multi choke and a 24” rifle sighted barrel for not a lot of money it was too good to pass up.

Think it looks cool “naked” using the man sights (fibre optics and really need to see when I can get it zeroed with those as well).

Anyway, given how much I liked my pump with a red dot, thought might as well stick a Burris on that. Given the receiver has ~11mm dovetail grooves, thought I might try and use those.

You can get a dovetail mount from people like Recknagel and Rusan in Europe that lets you mount red dots to dovetails quite easily but they have a little retaining pin in the underside:

So, there needed to be a small hole drilled in the receiver of the Fabarm:

After that, it became a simple matter of mounting the red dot on with the QD dovetail mount.

So, I like that system as don’t have to have a bulky rail in the way if I want to go from slug shooting to wing shooting and that appeals (The Benelli with the Speed Bead you have to unscrew stuff to take the red dot off, rather less neat).

Here's sort of the sight picture:

And the gun in it’s entirety (Stock actually fits me well so need a bit of lift to be aligned with the red dot)

So, apparently like I like red dots. A lot…. (Hello. My name is Scrumbag and I’m a red-dot-aholic…)

Anyone else using red dots on their long guns more than they thought they would?

 

[LAH]

Tried one on a 6.5X55 carbine but took it off. Only red dot I've ever shot. Maybe I will visit it again.

 

[std7mag]

Scrummy, i didn't know that about you.

But you may have done me an unkowing favor.

I put a new Henry Single Shot, brass in 45-70 on layaway the other day.
But i'm not so sold on the open sights on the rifle.
They look like they'd be ok at the range, but questionable to pick up in the woods.

And i really didn't want to scope it.

 

[YHM300]

I like red dots on handguns but not so much on rifles. I do fine at 50 yards but not so good at 100 yards or more. I am a fan of the Burris Fastfire I see in your pictures again on handguns. I have a red dot on a single barrel shotgun that has a conversion tube for .357 magnum but that is pretty much a 50 yard setup.

 

[dantiff2]

I love red dots. Started off putting them on all my handguns then I like that so much that I put one on my ole' PA deer rifle (Rem 700, 30-06) years ago and took a nice doe with it. Makes for a really nice, light and quick target acquiring rifle that is handy! I've since went back to the scope for the 06' because I like shooting that rifle out to distance but I swapped the red dot over to the 450 bushmaster. That is a limited range caliber (200-250yds max) anyway so the red dot fits the bill perfect. I use Primary Arms, 2 moa dots and the dot is so small you can still shoot a nice little group at 100 yards with some sort of precision. A match made for each other!
Dan

 

[Kracken McGraw]

I just got my first one on a 18” AR and I’ve been impressed with shooting it.

 

[TIMO]

I run a C More on an AR carbine. Works great for me
Tim

 

[Konocti's Wigwam]

SB,

What about that eye relief, seems that is sitting pretty far forward.

I use a red dot on my 300 blackout pig pistol. This weighs in at 6.0-6.5 lbs. complete

 

[BobT]

I run a Trijicon MRO on an AR carbine frequently and I also use them on specialty pistols for short range (100 yards and in). I have been toying with the idea of putting one on a turkey gun. I have also become a fan of Aimpoint's Wild Boar Fever show and thought a red dot equipped rifle would be the way to go on running game, I often shoot at running hogs and occasionally take a shot on a running deer.

 

[Scrumbag]

SB,

What about that eye relief, seems that is sitting pretty far forward.

I find it pretty good, particularly for moving targets.

 

[Scrumbag]

Scrummy, i didn't know that about you.

But you may have done me an unkowing favor.

I put a new Henry Single Shot, brass in 45-70 on layaway the other day.
But i'm not so sold on the open sights on the rifle.
They look like they'd be ok at the range, but questionable to pick up in the woods.

And i really didn't want to scope it.

That could work!

 

[troupe]

I have been using red dots for many years, through work, competitions with both pistol and rifles. I like a good red dot. If you are running a red dot on a rifle and you want to shoot a little more yardage, dim the dot to where you can see through it a little better. 200 yards is a given. I used my E-O Tech years ago even before the magnifiers were out. Mine was a 1 minute dot and I made my required shots at a 8" plates at 305 yards at the International Tactical Match that was held in Oxford,NC. Many years ago.

I would like to try one for trap or shooting clays, don't know if it would be legal, but it would be easier for me to track the bird, in my mind.

 

[Scrumbag]

I have been using red dots for many years, through work, competitions with both pistol and rifles. I like a good red dot. If you are running a red dot on a rifle and you want to shoot a little more yardage, dim the dot to where you can see through it a little better. 200 yards is a given. I used my E-O Tech years ago even before the magnifiers were out. Mine was a 1 minute dot and I made my required shots at a 8" plates at 305 yards at the International Tactical Match that was held in Oxford,NC. Many years ago.

I would like to try one for trap or shooting clays, don't know if it would be legal, but it would be easier for me to track the bird, in my mind.

Helps with zeroing too

 

[std7mag]

That could work!

Can you recommend one that's decent, without breaking the bank?

 

[Scrumbag]

Can you recommend one that's decent, without breaking the bank?

I think the Burris FastFire III is a good deal at the moment. Nice balance of quality and not too expensive

 

[troupe]

The best price I think you will find is the Sig Romeo 5's. They can be found for less than $150. They work very well, they are made for Sig, but they work well. Holosun is a step up and they work very well also. The Holosun 510 C is a very good optic with a very large window. I use red plain 2 minute dot. I like a reticle that is not busy. I also have a green laser that I have sighted in just below my red dot at 25yds. Two dots, one red and one green stacked at 25 yds. It is very fast and the dual colors draws your eyes very quickly, or it does for me.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Can you recommend one that's decent, without breaking the bank?

We just got these for some AR’s. A lot cheaper than the black colored ones.https://www.eurooptic.com/Vortex-SPARC-AR-Red-Dot-2-MOA-Bright-Red-Dot-Tan-SPC-AR2-TAN.aspx