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Red dot magnifiers. Are they worth the effort?

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Mikhail View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mikhail Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Red dot magnifiers. Are they worth the effort?
    Posted: May/25/2017 at 12:10
I searched the forums to see if anyone had ever addressed this subject but came up completely blank on magnifiers. Some of you folks have got to either be using or used to use a magnifier with your red dot sights so how about tell us what yall think about them. 
Do they actually help much?
If you do use one which one do you have and what magnification is it?
Do the cons out weigh the pros?
Basically i want to know if red dot magnifiers are worth the extra weight and hassle

I use my CB and my AR mostly for fun. Still waiting on society to goto hell to use em for survival!!
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supertool73 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote supertool73 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/25/2017 at 13:19
IMO, I personally prefer a variable scope with a true 1x vs a red dot and magnifier.  My favorite is the Trijicon Acupoint 1-4x, with Triangle reticle.  With a setup like that you will have a much larger FOV, especially at the magnified side of it where you might not be using both eyes open.  If you shoot with both eyes open that is.  If not then the variable FOV is gigantic vs the red dot.  

Plus a fold to side magnifier is just that, a big thing hanging off to the side getting in the way of you running your gun.

You can easily hit man sized targets out to 200 yards with a 2 moa red dot.  Realistically if you want to shoot farther than that or want more precision a red dot is not the right optic to begin with.  A traditional scope with a much finer aiming point is a better choice

If you want precision and longer distances as the primary role, use a traditional scope then use a small red dot type optic on a 45 degree mount is a good choice.

Red dots excel at close range.  I say keep them in that role and don't try to make them do something they will not be great at. 




Edited by supertool73 - May/25/2017 at 13:30
Lifetime warranty and excellent customer service don't mean a thing when your gun fails during a zombie attack.

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koshkin View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/25/2017 at 14:07
Magnifiers are a reasonable option if you are primarily planning to use the dot without a magnifier.  

Magnifiers also work very well with holographic sights.

For general purpose use, I also prefer high quality variable (1-6x or 1-8x with good illumination) or dual power (Elcan Spectre DR or TR) sights, but good ones can get a little pricy.  For a focusing optic to compete with a red dot in speed at low power, the illumination has to be done very well.  That can get a little expensive, so it comes down to application and budget.

ILya



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Mikhail View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mikhail Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/25/2017 at 14:49
Very well said fellas. Back when i was in the Army red dots didnt exsist and we used the M16-A2 with open sights. On the firing range we trained from 25m out to 300m on man sized targets. Thats when i fell in love with peep sights. After 150m my Drill Sergeant taught us to read the wind and adjust accordingly. Up till the Army i had allways used a rear V sight w/a front blade.
I think ill stay with just the red dot and co-witness my BUIS just in case i need them. I do like the red dots because they allow me to shoot with both eyes open which of course makes target acquisition that much faster.
As for the magnifier i cant see any real reason for having one but thought id see what others thought before i dismissed them outright.
Thanks for the feed back folks.
P.S. Now i do have to admit id love to have the Leupold D-EVO but that $2,000.00 price tag kind of throws me off a bit. https://www.leupold.com/hunting-shooting/scopes/d-evo/d-evo/
I use my CB and my AR mostly for fun. Still waiting on society to goto hell to use em for survival!!
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