As a new shooter, mounting a red dot sight on your scope can be challenging. You are likely to have many uncertainties about your mounting; will it fall off amid your shooting activity? Or where are you even going to place it? These are common questions for new shooters or anyone looking to mount the red dot sight on a scope for the first time. Knowing how to mount it correctly will help you improve your accurate shooting skills. Read on to learn more on how to mount a red dot sight on a scope.

What Is A Red Dot Sight?

If you want to hit your target in any shooting activity, accurate shooting is a necessity. However, relying on an average iron sight on your rifle for accurate aiming can be difficult; this necessitates mounting a red dot sight. A red dot sight is a simple gadget that makes use of tiny LED light to help you point where you are about to aim. Even so, the dot doesn’t necessarily have to be red; depending on your model, it can also be green or other colors. Nevertheless, whether your models produce the red or green color, they are all cited as a red dot. It will give you an illuminated dot in the lens.

Whether you are using a short gun or a long gun, a red dot sight is crucial. In most cases, red dot sights run on batteries, and since it uses less power, the battery can last for a long time. Some of the features of red dot sights include:

  • Not magnifiable; however, you can magnify the target by installing a magnifier.
  • Most of them are waterproof.
  • They are shockproof and fog proof.

The red dot sight should come with the manufacturer’s mounting instructions; however, if this is not the case, here are simple tips to help you mount it on a scope.

Tip#1: Tighten The Red Dot Over The Receiver

Your weapon is likely to experience a wide range of vibrations along its body as you fire and recoil it. If your optic is not tightly mounted, the vibrations can cause it to move or shift from its position hence losing your zero. This can hamper your consistent accuracy when shooting. Fortunately, you can avoid this problem.

You will need to use a nonpermanent thread locker; a blue thread locker is recommended for this duty. It is essential when you are mounting optics on your weapon. You will also need a set of good-quality screwdrivers to help you in driving in the screws. Apply the thread locker on your screws when installing the sight on the scope. It will ensure that the screws are firmly held in their position, and it’s also easy to remove should you need to change your sight. This keeps your sight solid even when you are making shots or recoiling the weapon. Ensure that you are using screws that are of the right size. Using screws of the wrong size can hamper the functioning of your weapon.

Tip#2: Push The Sight Frontward As You Tightening It

In most cases, any scope or accessory installed on a weapon will tend to move frontwards as you make a shot. It is because whenever a shot is fired, the rifle jerks back under recoil. When this is happening, the sight installed tends to remain stationary because of inertia energy. Therefore, when tightening the screws to hold your red dot sight on a scope, you should twist it frontward.

Continue tightening the screws as you pushing it forward to a point it snugs. By so doing, your red dot sight will firmly hold its position to a point it won’t be moved or shaken when recoiling your rifle. You should do this over the receiver, and it is the ideal position to mount your sight. However, if you will be using a magnifier, you will have to create room for it by mounting the sight close to the receiver’s foremost part.

Tip#3: Mount The Red Dot Sight On The Frontward Midst Of The Top Rail

With a red dot sight, you don’t have to worry about your eye relief. Your head can either be close or far off from the sight, and you will still be in a good position to see via the optic. With a frontward mounting of your red dot sight, you stand to benefit from;

  • Offers a greater field view: When you install the sight on the very frontward of your gun rail, you will be in a position to view what is taking place on the downrange when you are shooting your target. You will be able to see whatever is happening outside your sight because your eyes are not fixed to focus on via a small tube.
  • You can install BUIS (back up iron sights) behind the optic: There is an extra space left before the sight when you mount your sight on the frontward. Since your red dot sight uses batteries, they may run out of charge, or the sight may be physically damaged by anything. You don’t want to experience such failures when you about to shoot your target. Installing a backup iron sight on the left rail space can help you make an accurate shot if the red dot sight malfunctions.
  • You can amount a magnifier behind the optic: Red dot sight can be limiting when looking to take a long-range shot. You can utilize the extra rail space left by installing a magnifier behind the red dot sight. With a magnifier installed, you don’t have to worry about taking long-range shots.

Easy Tips For Using Red Dot Sights

When you are using a red dot sight for the first time, it may feel a little off-putting. However, with regular training, you should start feeling at ease with it. Here are some quick tips to make it work easy for you.

  1. Learn about all the aspects of your dot.

A key feature in most dots is a brightness setting. It would be best if you familiarized yourself with this setting so that you can adjust it accordingly. Remember, when shooting in a dark environment, you may need a bright dot, but do not overdo the brightness, or else the dot may change to blue or halo, which may hamper your shooting. When shooting in a bright set-up, a bright dot may be impossible for you to view; for this reason, you will need to adjust the setting to a dark dot; even so, don’t over darken it.

  1. Work on aiming at the dot and not on the back end notch.

Most first-time users of red dot sight seem not to trust the dot. Do not be among them; once you have installed the red dot on your scope, you should always aim with it and let the dot settle. Once the dot hits the mark, you should fire, don’t align it with any other attached device on your rifle, such as the iron sights.

  1. It would be best if you practice your shots.

To perfect your skills of using the red dot, you should start practicing. Find a safe place or a shooting range and start practicing shooting on different targets at different ranges and work on hitting the bullseye. This will make you a good shooter. When using red dot sight, you must shoot with your two eyes open.

  1. You can use red dot sights for different types of weapons.

It works across all types of shooting weapons. However, it delivers spotless services when used on moderately close-range weapons such as shotguns, pistols, and rifles.

With the tips above, mounting and using your red dot sight should be easy. However, if you encounter any challenges or are not sure what you are doing, seek expert advice. Start training with it to perfect your shooting accuracy.

 Factors To Consider When Buying Red Dot Sights

Since you now realized that red dot sights are a must to have tool in shooters, how do you ensure that you are buying the right one from the many models in the market? Here are key aspects to consider.

  1. Look at the size: Like how we have weapons of different sizes in the market, we have sights of different sizes. If you have a small weapon such as a handgun, it is ideal to go for a small red dot sight while a large weapon will necessitate a large sight.
  2. Consider the battery life: Red dot sights use a battery. You should consider a sight whose battery is easily accessible and has a long life. A battery that you can get from your local stores can also serve you for the period you intend to use the weapon.
  3. What is the reticle size? The size of the red dot is a critical aspect that you shouldn’t forget. A small red dot is perfect for taking accurate long-range shots since it will occupy a small surface area hence guaranteeing an accurate shot. But you should also remember that a small red dot may be invisible, especially in a bright setting; if you are a new shooter, a large red dot is ideal for you because of visibility. However, it can obstruct your view of the target if you are taking long-range shooting. Consider going for a red dot that relates to your shooting range: for a 100 yards range, choose a 1-inch diameter red dot, while for 200 yards (as these top scopes can), a 2-inch diameter red dot is good, and so on.
  4. Open or tube design? The open design is also referred to as the window style as it has a little square molded window. The tube design has its inside operations of the sight in an enclosed tube. Both designs have their pros and cons; critically evaluate them before making your choice.

Final Thought

A red dot sight is an essential tool for new and experienced shooters undertaking long and short-range shooting activities. Even so, knowing how to mount the red sight scope is a skill that every serious shooter should own. With the tips above, you should find it easy to install the red eyesight on your scope and boost your shooting skills. Knowing how to mount it alone will not make you the best shooter; start doing practices on how to aim with it, and you will be a successful shooter.

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