[davek]

I'm unfamiliar with the ins and outs of red dot optics so please bear with me.

What advantage does a larger MOA dot have over a smaller one? It would seem to me that a smaller one would be more accurate. Does it lend its self to faster target aquisition?

Thanks.

[Double Naught Spy]

Larger red dots make for quicker visual acquistion of the dot within the optic and larger dots work best for closer range shooting. For pistols, you might go with a 8 or 10 MOA dot for steel matches out to 15 yards. For matches of 25 or more, you might go with a 5 MOA and maybe 3 MOA for 50+.

Keep in mind that it is a matter of distance and the size of the object you want to be hitting that comes into play. Too big of a dot and you cover your entire target or more and you are more likely not to score a hit. Too small of a dot, especially for shorter ranges, and you actually lose time finding the dot in the optic and so that is a disadvantage.

Neither small nor large MOAs determine accuracy per se. It is a little easier to sight in a small do for a specific impact point. That is why some folks like variable dot size optics and simply change the dot size depending on the target and distance being fired.

For rifles, I have an ACOG with 3.5x magnification and a 4 MOA donut for a dot that basically is a 1 MOA wide line around a 2 MOA circle. Within the scope, a 4 MOA donut is really small compared to the whole field of view and so the first thought is that I should be able to make head shots at 500 yards really fast. It doesn't work that way. First, while the dot is small compared to the whole field of view and gives the impression that I should have remarkable accuracy, the fact of the matter is that an IDPA silhouette target's head fits well inside of the interior circle of the donut! At 400 yards, the donut covers the entire width of the silhouette.

From 25-200 yards, the 4 MOA donut is quick and actually it really shines more in the 50-200 range. Inside 50 it is slower than open iron sights and inside 25 the magnification is too much. Beyond 200, a little more skill is needed to make sure shots on target are well centered as the donut starts to cover a significant amount of the target area.

Make sense?

[444]

You don't mention what you are going to do with the sight or what you are going to put it on.
Obviously, you want the dot to be big enough to see and pick up easily. Having the small dot doesn't nessessarily give you more accuracy. It depends on how you zero the sight.
I assume you are familiar with the six o'clock hold on a bullseye target ? You hold the tip of the iron front sight on the bottom of the circle of the bulleye target so that the sight picture looks like a lollipop.
Well, with the red dot optic, you do the same thing. You zero your sight so the very tip of the top of the circle is your point of impact. Then, when you want to take a precision shot, you place the very top of the dot where you want the bullet to hit.
When you are shooting for speed at relatively larget targets at close range such as a human chest, the zero is plenty good enough to just put the dot close to where you want the bullet to hit and let fly.

[davek]

Double Naught Spy,

Yes that makes sense. It's kind of what I thought. Thanks. :)

444,

What I'm doing is putting together a project gun in my head and planning on what I'd like to do. I haven't even bought the gun its self yet, but I plan to start with a paratrooper SKS with a good bore. If the finish is bad I'm going to re-finish with Gun-Kote, put a Choate conventional stock on it, some sort of muzzle brake, maybe get a milled trigger group and have it worked on by Kivaari (http://www.mnmpublishing.com/kivaari/index.asp) , put one of those Ben Murray (http://www.murraysguns.com/sksown.htm) firing pins in, and finally a Millet (http://www.millettsights.com/milit.htm) mount and sight. I realize that I'll be putting more money into it than it'll be worth, but I've never done a project gun before and I look at it as a learning experience. Additionally, I'll hopefully have a nice fun/trunk gun.

Again, I haven't bought a thing yet, but was just trying to sort out what I was going to try to do.

Thanks again.