Speedluvn
Active Member
Just got a Vortex Venom. What are preferred set ups when zeroing in the red dot. I don’t know, what I don’t know. I’m looking for pointers?
Pistol Red Dot
- Thread starter Speedluvn
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I lollipop them over my front sight blade.
DutchV
Ultimate Member
- Jul 8, 2012
- 4,730
This. It gives you the iron sights as an "on ramp" to the dot, since they're right where they've always been.
Zero at 10yds to start. Ignore your irons and co-witness and all that... the irons are what they are. If you're using your irons to find the dot, you're doing it wrong, and you need to dry-fire from the draw more.
I've seen varying opinions about whether 10yds, 15yds, or 25yds is the preferred zero. IMHO, for practical shooting, it does not matter a whole heck of a lot. Having a good zero at 10yds is better than having a bad zero at 25yds.
I've seen varying opinions about whether 10yds, 15yds, or 25yds is the preferred zero. IMHO, for practical shooting, it does not matter a whole heck of a lot. Having a good zero at 10yds is better than having a bad zero at 25yds.
Zero at 10 yards. No reason not to slave the dot to the irons (as well as you can) to get it on paper initially. Ignore the irons when actually zeroing from there though.
Speedluvn
Active Member
This is what I’ve been reading but I wanted real world experience. I’m also trying to understand using the red dot. I’m using the dot to locate my target, correct? Or do I use the front sight to locate the target?
I'm not sure I completely understand what you're asking here, but I don't try to acquire targets "through" my optic, I look for the target first, then move the pistol to superimpose the dot on the target. I'm not really following the dot to the target if you get what I mean...
Once you have the dot working, IGNORE THE FIXED SIGHTS. The whole point is that the bullet will impact wherever the dot was when you pulled the trigger (presuming you're not having trigger pull problems, jerking, etc).
Here's something to keep in mind:
The red dot display is going to be sitting above the muzzle even more than the normal fixed sights are. If you zero the dot on a target that's too close, you're going to be way off on targets that are farther away. If you zero on something that's farther away, you'll find that when shooting just a few yards away, that the point of impact is off by some. This is because the optic on top of the pistol and muzzle are separated by the physical distance created by how it's mounted. This is going to be more exaggerated on some rigs than on others.
If your optic sits on a rail up above the pistol, it's more dramatic than when the optic is nestled down into a milled-out slot on the slide. Does it matter, at normal pistol self defense distances? Not really. Does it matter when you're trying to hit a six-inch steel target on the fly in an hurry during a match? Yup!
So just be aware that zeroing too close means the red dot has to "look down" at the point of impact. Ten yards is a pretty good working distance.
davsco
Ultimate Member
like above, if you're using either front or rear sights while shooting, you're not efficiently using your dot. eyes on target and as you're pushing out you want to superimpose the dot on the target.
it's hard, esp if like me you go back and forth between iron-sighted guns and guns with red dots. that small incremental 1/4" over regular height sights makes it hard to pick up the dot.
if you lose the dot you can cheat a little by finding the front sight and going from there but again that is taking time.
it's hard, esp if like me you go back and forth between iron-sighted guns and guns with red dots. that small incremental 1/4" over regular height sights makes it hard to pick up the dot.
if you lose the dot you can cheat a little by finding the front sight and going from there but again that is taking time.
Strongly recommend taking the new Green Ops Red Dot class. NoVA is a bit of a hike for you, but that class is going to answer all your questions and then some.
Incidentally, shooting red dot pistols has made me a much better iron sight shooter.
Incidentally, shooting red dot pistols has made me a much better iron sight shooter.
To help illustrate the concept, I just slapped together this little doodle. Hopefully it will help with the concept. Once you think it through, it's obvious. But a lot of people who zero in up close end up shocked that they're shooting way OVER a target a few dozen yards away. Obviously at much longer distances, bullet drop starts to enter into the math, but not meaningfully with a typical pistol at pistol working distances.
When shooting a red dot, you need to be in target focus mode, with the dot super-imposed. Do not look directly at the dot.
Speedluvn
Active Member
So much information to digest. Keep the information coming.
Reloader
Ultimate Member
Very nice illustration of what takes place and why you always want your rifle scope mounted as low as possible also
No kidding! Think about the PS90, for example. That optic sits WAY above the muzzle. If you were defending yourself against an Evil Leprechaun, you'd better know how you zeroed that thing for use at practical Leprechaun defensive distances, or you could shoot right over (or under) the nasty little bugger.
Kirkster
Active Member
Once you get over the hump of acquiring the dot on presentation you are going to find it is faster. I also zero at 10 yards. I don’t even look at the irons for zeroing, just put the dot in the center of the target and zero it like you would a rifle. Then just focus on the target and the red dot is where the bullet is going to hit. It is really going to take a bit of practice to be proficient but once you get it, man is it good.
If your eyes have started to go (as mine have) and you are using progressive lenses, the red dot will forever change your shooting, no more struggling on focus issues. Just look at the target and put the dot where you want the bullet to go. No more shooting glasses with an in focus and crisp front sight and blurry target. I have already sold a couple pistols that I did not want to spend money on for milling. Won’t buy a pistol without it being dot ready.
Will probably sell my NightHawk Custom Dominator as I just can’t bring myself to get the slide milled.
If your eyes have started to go (as mine have) and you are using progressive lenses, the red dot will forever change your shooting, no more struggling on focus issues. Just look at the target and put the dot where you want the bullet to go. No more shooting glasses with an in focus and crisp front sight and blurry target. I have already sold a couple pistols that I did not want to spend money on for milling. Won’t buy a pistol without it being dot ready.
Will probably sell my NightHawk Custom Dominator as I just can’t bring myself to get the slide milled.
Homesick Texan
Active Member
Great illustration Occam! I'm a dumb country boy and that breaks it down to where even I better understand it now.
Hey, a picture really is worth the ol' thousand words. And it's DEFINITELY worth saving half a box of ammo while you figure it out the hard way. "Wait ... I've got to hold LOWER, the farther away the target is? What?" Being too casual on that myself the first time with a pistol red dot, it cost at least a beer's worth of ammo before I realized what I was doing wrong (zeroing too close).
Speedluvn
Active Member
I started zeroing but than stopped because some other variables came into play. I appreciate the info!
photoracer
Competition Shooter
As a competition shooter who shoots red dots a lot plus iron sight guns on occasion its always better to see the target and bring the dot or sights up to where you are looking. This is the way the human brain is wired. We are sight dominant predators.
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