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View Full Version : Red Dot for whitetail?



jsteinmetz
10-18-2012, 08:43 AM
So I've done tons of research online, and come up with the usual. No one can agree on anything.

Anyone ever use a Red Dot (or reflex) sight for deer hunting? I've never used one myself, but I'm trying to get my 10 year old into hunting. He handles the new Circuit Judge great, but doesn't like the sights. I don't really want to scope the gun, but was thinking of a (preferably fairly inexpensive) red dot or something similar. Anyone have any input on using them?

Thanks!

pkuptruck
10-18-2012, 08:48 AM
given the woods, or fields... red may not be best... maybe green?

I have never used one personally... but dont see why not!!

try a few out with him first.. ( obviously NOT on the gun..) and see which one he can see against various backguronds better...

good luck!

jsteinmetz
10-18-2012, 09:04 AM
given the woods, or fields... red may not be best... maybe green?

I have never used one personally... but dont see why not!!

try a few out with him first.. ( obviously NOT on the gun..) and see which one he can see against various backguronds better...

good luck!


That's not a bad thought. I hadn't thought about checking it against backgrounds. I was more concerned with the functions and accuracy. I know some of the military use them, but really don't know how accurate they are. Granted, we are only talking short range (40-50 yards or so - he is a new hunter), and he is a great shot, but are these types of sights accurate enough at that range?

dougwg
10-18-2012, 09:07 AM
This worked for me last year

http://ateiguns.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/sw-mp-color1.jpg

pkuptruck
10-18-2012, 09:23 AM
as doug showed above ^^^^^

they DO work, and can work very well. its sole function is to provide a repeatable, dependable, consistant aiming point.. its up to the shooter to do the rest.. :cheers:

IIChance
10-18-2012, 10:52 AM
@dougwg Like the looks of your gun's grip. Is that a diy stippling job or is that a stick-on product?

ka64
10-18-2012, 10:56 AM
This old tasco has worked for years. Set up at about 75yds max.

http://i751.photobucket.com/albums/xx155/ukrany1/Guns/100_1999.jpg

dougwg
10-18-2012, 11:07 AM
@dougwg Like the looks of your gun's grip. Is that a diy stippling job or is that a stick-on product?
http://www.firearmconcepts.com/

MichiganShootist
10-18-2012, 11:08 AM
I have a red dot on my compound bow and my crossbow.

The compound has taken several dozen whitetails over the years... the cross bow is only 4 weeks old and 2 shots took two does so far this season.

The wonderful thing on a bow is that if the red dot is perfectly centered in the retical your anchor point makes no difference... the arrow will go where the dot is. (great for tree stands)

The only downside is that you have one aiming point regardless of distance.

PaulB84
10-18-2012, 11:09 AM
So I've done tons of research online, and come up with the usual. No one can agree on anything.

Anyone ever use a Red Dot (or reflex) sight for deer hunting? I've never used one myself, but I'm trying to get my 10 year old into hunting. He handles the new Circuit Judge great, but doesn't like the sights. I don't really want to scope the gun, but was thinking of a (preferably fairly inexpensive) red dot or something similar. Anyone have any input on using them?

Thanks!



Red dot's are simply great. A quality product (aimpoint, trijicon) will be parallex free, meaning wherever the dot is, thats where your round will go. No need to perfectly center the dot in the tube. They are 21st century iron sights.

That said, you won't like the cheaper offerings because they are not parallex free, have terrible battery life, wont hold zero, wont hold up to recoil. You dont want your kid to have a perfect shot lined up, squeeze off a good shot and miss by 18" (or worse, make a bad shot and maim the animal without recovering it)

Theres no such thing as a free lunch in optics. You get what you pay for, period.

PaulB84
10-18-2012, 11:15 AM
I have a red dot on my compound bow and my crossbow.

The compound has taken several dozen whitetails over the years... the cross bow is only 4 weeks old and 2 shots took two does so far this season.

The wonderful thing on a bow is that if the red dot is perfectly centered in the retical your anchor point makes no difference... the arrow will go where the dot is. (great for tree stands)

The only downside is that you have one aiming point regardless of distance.

what brand RDS?

not being parallex free would take the whole point out of having a RDS for me

MichiganShootist
10-18-2012, 11:39 AM
Both my RDS are EoTechs with zero magnification. In the area I hunt a 15 yard shot is common.

Danco411
10-18-2012, 12:35 PM
Putting an aimpoint on a Rossi Judge is a bit much. I assume it's a .223 caliber? Also parallax will not be that big of a deal inside of 100 yards if the rifle is held correctly and he has a good cheek weld on the stock. Parallax is more of an issue when shooting fast while moving. Battery life is an issue but you must make sure to turn the less expensive models off so you don't end up in your blind with a dead optic.

A red dot optic is a perfect way to get a 10 year old shooting better. It will sit higher off the rifle than irons and he will not have to search for the eye box then aquire his target which is biggest problem with kids and scopes. If it is a .223 zero it at 50 yards and it will only be 2" low at 100 which is well in the kill zone for a whitetail. Once he starts getting good groups at 50 yards his confidence will go way up.

Take a look at the Bushnell TRS-25. They run about $85 on Amazon. It's the best made low end red dot. I have one on a 45 degree mount on my Mega Maten .308 for fast shots under 100 that I won't need the big optic for. I have had several and they have not failed or lost zero even with the recoil of the .308. A .223 won't even know it's on there and it will mount right up to Weaver rail on the Rossi.

Hope your kids gets one. My son is 14 and just got his first deer this year after blanking all last year. :hoppinhappy:

IIChance
10-18-2012, 01:52 PM
@dougwg

Thanks!

TAC
10-18-2012, 03:11 PM
Anyone ever use a Red Dot (or reflex) sight for deer hunting? (preferably fairly inexpensive) red dot or something similar. Anyone have any input on using them?

Thanks!


The color red is excellent for deer hunting!

Some less expensive red dot sights I've used personally, that will meet your needs are:

Bushnell TRS-25 ($100 or less)
Vortex SPARC ($200 or less)
Vortex StrikeFire ($170 or less)

langenc
10-18-2012, 06:31 PM
I agree that he should try one. Im not sure ;a chep one' is the way to go.

Buy once, cry once-buy twice cry twice.

I have a Millett SP 1 one a Ruger hunter. My son corked a grouse at about 40 yards with it-the first time he ever fired it. I wish the other grouse the flushed had not and would have liked him for do a 'double'.

jsteinmetz
10-18-2012, 07:03 PM
I greatly appreciate all the info. The Judge is the .45/410 one. My son can shoot my AR if it's rested, but he is too small to hold it otherwise. He does understand how to use a scope, but I want him to get into the habit of quicker target acquisition. I don't plan on scoping the gun permanently - I already proved to him that a 100 yard shot is perfectly doable. I was hoping to avoid a $300-400 part for a temporary solution, but I was hoping to find something in the $75-100 range. Does anyone else have any suggestions for it?

I know his shooting skills are there, but he has not hunted before. I was hoping that a red dot would help overcome the effects of 'buck fever' somewhat. (I know I missed my first 6 point more than a few years ago..... :banghead: )

jsteinmetz
10-18-2012, 07:07 PM
Another question (since I'm getting so much help here...) -

What are everyone's thoughts about a 'reflex sight'? I think that is what was on Doug's at the beginning of the post. Are those better/worse than the tube-style red dot? Again, I'm looking more for speed of acquisition, not form - his form is great as it is.

Thanks again!