How far to mount a red dot from the eye?

[Revelation 12:7]

So a friend loan me a Primary Arms Red dot.
Being a newbe to ARs I'm wondering is there a point of reference
of of how far to put the Red Dot from my eye?

 

[StatesRightist]

Not really, I've mounted half way down the barrel scout style, as well as all the way back. Where ever you mount it, once it's sighted in, be sure you somehow mark where you have it. That way if you have to remove it, you should be able to remount it and it still be accurate.

JMO

 

[Maddmax]

I mounted mine just far enough ahead of the rear iron sight so my dust cover clears the rear iron sight.

 

[Dikinalaska]

I have my strikefire mount on the last slot of the upper, right before the upper meets the quadrail. Puts the closer lense right above the trigger. But you should play around with it a bit, put it where seems most comfortable. I put mine where it is so it's not obtrusive to my left eye, but still close enough to get a quick sight in my right eye when I pull the gun up. YMMV

 

[crofoot629]

I like mine mounted as far forward on the upper receiver as they will go.

I think for best accuracy it's important to keep the whole mount on the reciever and not on the forward rail if there is one. This really comes into play if your removing the Rail/Handgards for some reason. In my case I learned the hard way when I removed the handgards to mount a sling attachment.

Emory

 

[Gunslinger808]

Far enough forward that it won't impede deployment of your flip up rear sight.
That way in an emergency you just flip up the sight and aim through the red dot.

 

[Revelation 12:7]

Red info.

Thanks everyone for the input.
Here is a better pic of Fiona aka M&P 15 (SUPER) Sport.
With the PA Red Dot and a hand me down PWS FSC 5.56.
MG

 

[storeyteller]

Nice lookin' rifle.

 

[Dikinalaska]

+1 on the good looking rifle. Again, it's really personal preference, but I would move the red dot a few slots further forward so you can still use your rear flip-up sight(looks like MBUS, but I can't really tell from a small iPhone screen) as gunslinger stated

 

[JohnnyTactical305]

I have my Vortex Strikefire on the slot closest to the barrel on the upper receiver, that works best for me.

 

[cyphertext]

Fiona...

I have my red dot mounted in a cantilever mount as far forward on the upper receiver as it can go as well. This way, I can keep both eyes open (and surprisingly, this comes fairly naturally) and see the dot, but I still have good peripheral vision. I find it faster to acquire the target this way. Mounting it farther forward also allows room on the rail for a magnifier, or night vision.

If you mount it farther back on the upper, you will decrease your peripheral, but increase your field of view through the red dot itself. This was explained to me as "fighting through the tube". I don't fight with mine, but this was how it was explained....

It does come down to personal preference and what other accessories you plan to use with the red dot. For me, I want to be able to hit hogs on the run out at the lease, so peripheral vision is good!

 

[BillyJack2012]

Flush with or just ahead of the mag well.

 

[Foxtrot]

For tubed 1x dot sights: As far forward as it will go but remain over the upper receiver portion is more correct. Too far back and you can affect peripheral vision, too far forward and you have lots of peripheral vision but lessen field of view through the tube which may cause problems placing the dot quickly, so you need to balance the two. As far forward but remaining over the upper receiver is just about the correct balance for most.

 

[Maddmax]

I mainly went for field of view. Peripheral vision is still plenty good.

 

[Revelation 12:7]

Red Dot

Ok then, this is starting to make sence. The peripheral issue seems quite logical. I will experiment with that in mind. Thanks a bunch everyone. So maybe another question would be, how much of the target should be seen through the tube? In other words more like a scope, or more like iron sights, ie a large aperture with a lit post?
Just for background, Fi or Fiona comes from a series called Burn Notice. The character Fiona is frequently seen using AR platform rifles. Anyway, at the end of the 5th season she turns herself in to the Feds. To protect the main character Michael.
Safe shooting everyone.
MG

 

[Maddmax]

I mainly went for field of view. Peripheral vision is still plenty good.

Just a side note. It also works best (for me) with eye relief and getting a quick red/green dot to center of scope and on target.

 

[cyphertext]

So maybe another question would be, how much of the target should be seen through the tube? In other words more like a scope, or more like iron sights, ie a large aperture with a lit post?

MG

Since the red dot is not magnified, how much of the target you see in the tube will depend on how close you are to the target. With my scope forward and both eyes open, it is almost like the tube isn't there, I just see a dot floating. I see a ghosting of the tube, but I focus on the dot. Place the dot over the target and squeeze.

 

[Maddmax]

Since the red dot is not magnified, how much of the target you see in the tube will depend on how close you are to the target. With my scope forward and both eyes open, it is almost like the tube isn't there, I just see a dot floating. I see a ghosting of the tube, but I focus on the dot. Place the dot over the target and squeeze.

My red/green dot is adjustable to light conditions and distance.

 

[cyphertext]

My red/green dot is adjustable to light conditions and distance.

What do you mean that it is adjustable to distance? I can change the intensity of my dot, and I can change the MOA, or dot size, but I don't have anything for distance. How does it work?

 

[jkc]

If you are using any red-dot correctly, there are no "field of view" issues as with conventional telescopic optics. You should be looking only "at" the dot with both eyes open, not peering "through" the tube. (I have a couple of 2X Aimpoints, and even with magnification, the principle is the same). The device should be mounted as far forward as is feasible, to minimize the amount of downrange real estate it obscures, but as has been mentioned and explained, probably on the receiver rather than on the handguard of ARs. Hold your hand in front of your face and move it closer and farther away, and you'll see how much difference even a few inches makes in obscuring your downrange view.