Red dot vs. Green dot

[Vinney47]

I'm wondering about red dot vs. green dot sights. I've looked around and couldn't find much in this forum (but we all know how awful forum search functions are, I apologize if this has been discussed before) , with a few threads in other places that had conflicting info. People saying red is better in low light, other's saying green is better in low light, etc etc.

Does anyone have any solid info on this? Is it an individual thing: green works better for some and red for others? Green is better in some lighting conditions, red in others? I'm happy with my red dot on my 15x, but in looking for one for my 15-22 come across the idea of a green dot and this gets me wondering. Is green superior? or just another option to muddle the waters of which dot sight to get...

Also, why is it that it seems only the lower end dot sights have the option for both? All of the nicer (expensive) sights are either red or green, but the cheap ones often have both colors, user selectable? I even ran across one that had 3 reticle color options (red/green/blue) on the same optic.

 

[bp231986]

Good question and looking forward to reading the responses from the members. Ive asked my self the same question several times, could never find any solid information one why might be better than the other.

 

[Mack]

Until Aimpoint comes out with a color choice this question does not need to be asked.
I will note that with Trijicon ACOG's I perfer green but they were always green at night anyway.

 

[clang444]

When I saw the title of this thread, I thought it was going to be a discussion about powders...

 

[BillK01]

I think generally the human eye is more attuned to green than red - making green easier to see. I have no clue why Aimpoint/Eotech etc have not switched other than the fact the optic is so close to your eye it's not as big of a deal as with a laser that's projected out in front of you.

I know my red laser on my Glock is tough to see on bright days and have read that green lasers are easier to pick up in bright conditions.

The cheapie optics offer multi-color reticle options as a selling point - while the better manufacturers don't have to sell their product that way is my best guess.

 

[OKFC05]

No matter what light your eye sees better in a lab, out in the world it is a matter of contrast between your sight and the background.
So it comes down to what and where you shoot, and your personal preference.
For hunting, there is a lot of green out there hunting in bushes and woods. In the brown prairie of our western fall hunts, not so much green.
Bright red or orange is not usually found in a natural environment, but in an urban area is common.
On a range, either works. I prefer red.

 

[sithlord]

Agree with the previous poster. If you're hunting, that's one thing. If you're shooting at paper or targets, the color of the paper/targets matters.

As an example, red dots and orange clay pigeons are close enough in color. With a green dot, that's not an issue.

On my 15-22, I have a red-green dot, and use the green almost exclusively.

HTH...

 

[REM 3200]

Red is better at preserving your night vision than green.

 

[rojodiablo]

OKFC05 got to the jist of it; the more important thing is how the lit reticle is projected onto your target.
What sets the good optics apart from the lesser ones is how LOW they can go; not how bright. A red that goes down so low it is no more than rust colored is a nice thing in most conditions. A green needs to be glare free; and if it is, then you have a really good first light thru daytime optic. With other light sources, you will find out which one works better for your situation.
Sometimes, with light..... less really is more.

 

[Vinney47]

Good comments so far, appreciate everyone's insight. Since it is for a 15-22, I think I will pick up one of the less expensive sights that has red and green reticle options and give it a try. If I end up really preferring green, or like having both options then I'll look for a suitable replacement for the M&P15x. If I don't like green, I'll just never use that color, but at least I'll get to check it out for myself.

 

[rojodiablo]

Vinney, for a 22, anything will be acceptable unless you are looking to try and hunt groundhogs or squirrels with it.

 

[Vinney47]

Vinney, for a 22, anything will be acceptable unless you are looking to try and hunt groundhogs or squirrels with it.

I'm setting it up as an AR trainer. groundhogs aren't a problem here, and our squirrels taste like ****.

 

[SmokeStack Lightning]

I have the Vortex StrikeFire w/Red&Green dot on my 15/22.

I use the green lots more than I use the red.