Quote:
Originally Posted by Rastoff
Um, what? You're going to need to explain that some more. How do you zero any kind of sight by looking at the target and not the sight?
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The advantage to the red dot system is that you focus on the target, not the relatively closer sighting system, in this case not the window with the dot projected on to it.
The dot is actually distorted or “blooming” for many people when they focus on it in the window. When you shift focus onto the target as a single plane of focus, the dot appears on the target at the place the bullet will strike, when properly sighted in.
If you have iron sights visible through the RDS window, and they are sighted in for a certain range, say 10 yards for defensive shooting, you can adjust the dot to sit just above (or on) the aligned front sight without even pointing at a target. This is kind of like bore sighting. The RDS should then be co-witnessed at the same distance as your irons.
However, such an alignment limits the flexibility of the RDS. The whole window in which the dot appears can be your area of accuracy as long as the dot is on the target. With the cowitness mentioned above, you lose the ability to use (see) the dot clearly when it is low, i.e., below the irons.
An alternate method for sighting in an RDS is to pick the range for which you would like to have it sighted. Typically 20-25 yards will give you the smallest vertical Point of Impact variance from close range out to a little beyond 25 yards. This is often less than 2”. But you want the dot to be in the middle of the screen, not right on the front sight. Now you have the greatest latitude, left-right-up-down, for taking advantage of RDS accuracy. As long as you can see the dot anywhere in the window and it is applied to the target, that is where the bullet will hit.
This second method of sighting in is target focused. Shoot a tight group of three from a rest with the target at 20 yards. You can use your irons to get close. Then color a 2” dot on the target in the middle of your group. This now becomes your target focused aiming point for your dot.
Shoot another rested three shot group placing the red dot on the colored target aiming point. Focus only on the target. The dot should appear in your vision on the target, not focused in the window.
Adjust the RDS to bring that second group to the first group. Really, you will just adjust the dot to hit where the second group was. Repeat if necessary.
Your irons and your RDS may not be similarly aligned to the exact same point of aim. If you were to make that happen, you would be back to the disadvantage of occluding the lower aiming area the RDS could afford you.
Using the RDS is always target focused. This is natural, especially in defensive shooting. In truth, it is natural in all shooting because the point is to hit the target. Seeing the front sight is part of a method; it is not the goal. Aligning three planes of focus, rear-front-target, is difficult and unnatural, but it is what we have had for 200 years and we know it is better than having no sights. With target focused sighting (RDS) you ignore the iron sights.
However, the changes in planes of focus from target to rear sight to front sight to target to front sight put our vision at a distinct disadvantage compared to only focusing on the true object of our desires—one or more holes in the right place on the target. When the RDS is used properly, there is no close range (iron sight) focus to interfere with remaining focused on the target.
People can learn to be fast and relatively accurate with iron sights, although these two parameters are sometimes mutually exclusive. Another problem with irons is the required precise alignment. If the front sight is not fully visible and centered in the rear sight and on the target, we adjust until all these alignment cues are correct. That slows many people down.
The RDS overcomes much of this problem because the dot on the target, anywhere in the window, is a good shot. There is greater flexibility and speed. In truth, the misaligned iron sights are actually pointing toward wherever the red dot is in the window even though you don’t see the iron sights.
Target focused vs. front sight focused = big deal, IMO.