I use and know how to operate a red dot sight, but I was wondering how exactly the impact is changed when I turn the adjuster. Am I mechanically moving something (the device that puts up the dot?), or am I telling the electronics to look somewhere else? Can somebody explain how that works.
How do red dots work?
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P95Carry
Moderator Emeritus
As I understand them - put simply - a light source produces the red dot - small LED usually and that sometimes shines thru an aperture which can be changed in size or shape - which is reflected on an angled one way mirror.
You look thru that but ''see'' the dot as if an entity in the field of view. X and Y axis adjustments change the mirror plane slightly.
Top end holosights are IIRC a shade different and more sophisticated - maybe some employ a prism. Cheaper units can suffer from parallax - meaning if dot not kept centered visually in tube, some errors can creep in. I would not rate red dots as being much better than for 2 to 4 MOA at 100 yards but use many - mostly cannon handguns and carbines.
This is tho in essence the overall principle.
You look thru that but ''see'' the dot as if an entity in the field of view. X and Y axis adjustments change the mirror plane slightly.
Top end holosights are IIRC a shade different and more sophisticated - maybe some employ a prism. Cheaper units can suffer from parallax - meaning if dot not kept centered visually in tube, some errors can creep in. I would not rate red dots as being much better than for 2 to 4 MOA at 100 yards but use many - mostly cannon handguns and carbines.
This is tho in essence the overall principle.
wallysparx
Member
while on the subject, please help me out, as my spatial logic is a bit off at the moment. if i have say, a man sized silhouette target out at 25 yds, and i hit COM when i'm aiming for the head, would i have to adjust the red dot to go up more, or down more?
Bobo
Member
Make sure you are not flinching or otherwise throwing your shots off, then move the dot to where the bullets are hitting -- the same is true for adjusting a laser sighter.
Captain America
Member
We used comp m red dot sights on our M4s in the infantry (101st airborne), and are great when calibrated properly. When zeroing it, I agree with the above post. You have to make sure that you aren't flinching, jerking the trigger or varying your grip or anything when aiming. If you are shooting high, then adjust your elevation down. If you are shooting too far to the left, then adjust the windage to the right. If you have a special target that came with your scope, then it will tell you exactly how many clicks/turns/etc it will take and things should be pretty dead on. 
Good luck. Make sure you are shooting with both eyes open. Otherwise certain aimdot scopes can really interfere with your field of vision.
Good luck. Make sure you are shooting with both eyes open. Otherwise certain aimdot scopes can really interfere with your field of vision.JohnBT
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