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Old 11-01-2016, 06:58 PM
Mike G 0351 Mike G 0351 is offline
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First off I'm left eye dom and shoot right handed.
Last range trip I zeroed my Iron sights, W/left eye closed.
So at home i zeroed the red dot to be on top of my Iron sight.
Now the fun starts, If i shoot with red dot both eyes open, the dot is high far right, So I was trying to adjust things and it just was not working, I actually was running out of clicks one way our the other....
So I correct that, So now if I shoot with left eye closed, The dot is wear it's suppose to be on top of front sight and I hit where I aim.
Both eye's open like your supposed to do with red dot, The dot no where near front post, Yet dot on target you hit target....
Am I stuck with this our do I re sight the Irons with both eyes open and adjust the dot to match front sight post....
I hope this makes since to someone....
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Old 11-01-2016, 07:24 PM
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Not sure exactly what you're experiencing but here's the basics.

Dot should on top of the front sight post when you're looking through the rear sight aperture and have the front sight post aligned accordingly with the rear sight aperture. This will be same zero for both irons and red dot. However, if you are not looking through the rear sight aperture the front sight post and dot will will appear to float independent of each other left, right, up, down... depending how you are looking through the optic. This is normal. The bullet will strike where you place the red dot on target regardless.

Try this. Point the red dot at a target. Keeping the rifle steady, move your head around while looking through the optic. You'll notice the front sight post move around in relation to the red dot and target, but the red dot stays on target. Click, bang... bullet strikes where red dot is pointed. This is why red dots are considered fast target acquisition because there is no precise eye alignment required as with irons, nor is there any eye relief considerations as with a magnified optic.

Here's a vid I made to better illustrate what is meant by parallax free. Notice the red dot stays on target.


Last edited by ChattanoogaPhil; 11-01-2016 at 07:51 PM.
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Old 11-01-2016, 10:12 PM
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Mike,
The dot does not need to be on the front post when shooting.

Especially with 1x red dots, I don't like a fixed front sight. It often confuses the sight picture and just gets in the way when not needed.

The term co-witness is often misunderstood. The red dot and iron sights are not intended to be used at the same time. The only reason to co-witness is so you can use the irons without removing the optic when the batteries die or the dot is not working.
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Old 11-02-2016, 12:20 AM
highsideforum highsideforum is offline
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I posted in the last thread that the Vortex 1x was NOT good for 2 eye open shooting and I went with a Holosun HS503g instead........


Still don't see the reason for buying and old, replaced optic,
and for that matter, the reason for that other thread being locked.....
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Old 11-02-2016, 12:32 PM
scott_0 scott_0 is offline
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if POA and POI are on, dont stress it
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Old 11-02-2016, 01:02 PM
mscampbell2734 mscampbell2734 is offline
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The issue your having and the other posters are missing is your shooting right hand but left eye dominate.

Normally when you shoot a dot sight with both eyes the dominate eye looks through the dot and is aiming the rifle and the other eye is just open to increase your field of view and depth perception.

In your case the dominate eye is overpowering the "sight" eye, causing your issue with the sight adjustment.

You either need to shoot right eye only or shoot left shoulder
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Old 11-02-2016, 03:08 PM
warriorking warriorking is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rastoff View Post
Mike,
The dot does not need to be on the front post when shooting.

Especially with 1x red dots, I don't like a fixed front sight. It often confuses the sight picture and just gets in the way when not needed.

The term co-witness is often misunderstood. The red dot and iron sights are not intended to be used at the same time. The only reason to co-witness is so you can use the irons without removing the optic when the batteries die or the dot is not working.
Well stated..
Leave the Irons out of the picture, 1/3 co-witness the red dot to your target,and use the irons only if the battery dies on the vortex...
After a few mods on my Sport 2 I had to move my Strikefire 2 somewhat on the Rail, It then required a sight adjustment..had it Zeroed within 6 shots....
I Love my Strikefire 2..

Last edited by warriorking; 11-02-2016 at 03:21 PM.
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Old 11-02-2016, 03:30 PM
cyphertext cyphertext is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mscampbell2734 View Post
The issue your having and the other posters are missing is your shooting right hand but left eye dominate.

Normally when you shoot a dot sight with both eyes the dominate eye looks through the dot and is aiming the rifle and the other eye is just open to increase your field of view and depth perception.

In your case the dominate eye is overpowering the "sight" eye, causing your issue with the sight adjustment.

You either need to shoot right eye only or shoot left shoulder
Yep... to illustrate, close your non-dominant eye, extend your arm and hold up a thumb. Line that thumb up with an object across the room. Now open both eyes and your thumb will still be lined up with the object. Close your dominant eye, and the thumb will appear to have moved off the target.

Try it using your non-dominant eye as the alignment eye as the aiming eye. When you open your dominant eye, it will appear that your thumb moved.

Same thing happening here.
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Old 11-02-2016, 07:51 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cyphertext View Post
Yep... to illustrate, close your non-dominant eye, extend your arm and hold up a thumb. Line that thumb up with an object across the room. Now open both eyes and your thumb will still be lined up with the object.
Not always.

Eye dominance is more mental than physical. Some people are strongly eye dominant and some are less one sided. Some don't have an eye dominance and both eyes are equally preferred; this is more rare.

Me, for example, I'm left eye dominant, but not strongly. If I don't perform the test (there is more than one way to test eye dominance) in a particular way, I easily switch eyes. Because of this, I have trouble with cross shooting. Cross shooting is where the off eye takes over when you really don't want it too.

I can close either eye and actually shoot with either eye, but I prefer my left eye. I'd say I'm about 60% left eye dominant.

So, it's possible that a person could do the test suggested by cyphertext and the thumb will move. It is a decent test and will work with about 80% of the populace. For the other 20%, life is hard. People like me have trouble with close up depth perception.
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Old 11-02-2016, 10:33 PM
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Regardless of what eye I use, I can't do the two eyes open thing. I MUST have the eye not being used closed or I can't focus on the front sight.

I haven't tried a red dot yet but rifle or pistol, one eye has to be closed using irons.
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Old 11-03-2016, 10:31 AM
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ChattanoogaPhil ChattanoogaPhil is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sgtsandman View Post
Regardless of what eye I use, I can't do the two eyes open thing. I MUST have the eye not being used closed or I can't focus on the front sight.

I haven't tried a red dot yet but rifle or pistol, one eye has to be closed using irons.
That's true for some and simply habit for others.

Most folks will talk about the benefits of shooting with both eyes open, but it's been my casual observation at the club that most are one-eye closed shooters, whether it be a magnified optic, irons, or 1x red dot... rifle or pistol.
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Old 11-03-2016, 05:21 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ChattanoogaPhil View Post
That's true for some and simply habit for others.



Most folks will talk about the benefits of shooting with both eyes open, but it's been my casual observation at the club that most are one-eye closed shooters, whether it be a magnified optic, irons, or 1x red dot... rifle or pistol.


There is a bit of habit there as well. I grew up being taught to shoot with one eye open, there is a life long habit to break. But when I try, I see to posts or a blur, so can't focus. So, one eye it is, like it or not.


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Old 11-05-2016, 03:47 PM
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Quote:
most are one-eye closed shooters
I can't get it right with one eye open. It's like my brain doesn't like what it sees so it makes me dizzy and I forget all about being accurate. I just want to stop being dizzy and sick.
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Old 11-05-2016, 06:08 PM
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I can't get it right with one eye open. It's like my brain doesn't like what it sees so it makes me dizzy and I forget all about being accurate. I just want to stop being dizzy and sick.
Have you tried both eyes closed?
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Old 11-05-2016, 06:38 PM
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Quote:
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I can't get it right with one eye open. It's like my brain doesn't like what it sees so it makes me dizzy and I forget all about being accurate. I just want to stop being dizzy and sick.
Buy a red dot.
Problem solved.
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Old 11-06-2016, 12:29 AM
C J C J is offline
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Quote:
Have you tried both eyes closed?
You're trying to get me in trouble. You better hope you're not in the area when I try this method.

BTW I have a red dot. A Strikefire 2 to be exact.
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Old 11-06-2016, 02:59 AM
highsideforum highsideforum is offline
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Quote:
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BTW I have a red dot. A Strikefire 2 to be exact.
Ugh.
You're right.
I'm wrong.
I'm getting confused by all the names/models that Vortex offers.

would a AR owner buy a "Strikefire 2" if the newer "Sparc AR" is available, and the "Sparc AR" is specifically made for AR rifles?

Last edited by ChattanoogaPhil; 11-06-2016 at 08:46 AM. Reason: CS
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Old 11-06-2016, 04:53 AM
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Quote:
would a AR owner buy a "Strikefire 2" if the newer "Sparc AR" is available
The Sparc AR wasn't out yet when I bought my Strikefire 2. Plus it would have been much more expensive had I waited anyway. The only thing I saw that might be a real advantage was the smaller size but it really isn't that much smaller. And the battery on the Strikefire 2 was much better IMO. Those batteries last a very long time compared to the AAA batteries used in the Sparc. They hold a charge in the box waiting to be used too. They will keep their charge for 10 years or more. Alkaline or NIMH batteries won't last that long. Mine doesn't get used all that much anyway so the battery should be ready when I need it. I do check it from time to time. But I have a bunch of guns to shoot and lots of ammo I've stored up over the years. I'm working on building up a 5.56 stockpile I guess. I mostly shoot something else. I rotate around between different guns and calibers.
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Old 11-06-2016, 10:15 AM
cyphertext cyphertext is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by highsideforum View Post

would a AR owner buy a "Strikefire 2" if the newer "Sparc AR" is available, and the "Sparc AR" is specifically made for AR rifles?
You keep posting this, as if the Sparc AR replaced the Strikefire II in their product lineup, and it didn't. It is just another offering. You know, kinda like serving chocolate AND vanilla ice cream.

Yes, an AR owner might buy a Strikefire II, even if the Sparc AR is available. The Strikefire II has different features. The only thing that is "specially made for AR rifles" about the Sparc AR is that it comes with mounts to set it up for both absolute and lower 1/3rd co-witnessing on an AR out of the box.

Like CJ said, the Strikefire II offers a larger objective, longer battery life(not much), and it is also a little lighter, offers more adjustment, and finer adjustment. Different features, different price points, different products. One not a replacement for the other.

Same thing goes for Sparc II vs. Sparc AR. Some may choose the Sparc II for the different battery type. Doesn't make them wrong because they didn't choose the latest offering from a company, especially when the latest offering is a different product in the lineup and not a direct replacement or upgrade.
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Old 11-06-2016, 10:49 AM
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The SparcAR is indeed designed for an AR, but I'm thinking that a better description is that unlike other micros the SparcAR has a one-piece scope/riser design which is limited for use to an AR platform.

My Aimpoint and Primary Arms micros (as well as the SparcII) can be used on a wide array of long guns and handguns. But when you want swap out the SparcAR all you've got is a AR parts box optic.

Last edited by ChattanoogaPhil; 11-06-2016 at 10:58 AM.
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