Not only red dot Fail but eyeball fail :(

View · by **unknown** on Tue Feb 17, 2015 7:23 pm

Hi there

I handled the Eotech XPS2 again today and the reticle looked just like a paint splatter. So the guy mounted it on a rifle for me to see if it helped. We found out that I could see the shape better with my left eye but not with my right (my eyes are super messed up and I wear toric contact lenses). We tried the Trijicon® Reflex and the red dot shape was very fuzzy and shapeless as well.

The guy showed me a Trijicon AccuPoint 1-4x24 https://www.trijicon.com/na_en/products/product3.php?pid=TR24 I could see the reticle super clear and the idea of magnification sounds fun but it is twice my budget ($500-$600).

So if red dots don't work for me, what are my options? I would love to hear your recommendations.

Thank you,

View · by **UnaStamus** on Tue Feb 17, 2015 7:41 pm

If an RDS is out, you have to go with a variable magnification scope with a true-1x magnification, preferably with a daylight visible reticle. There are numerous options available, but the best ones are going to cost you some money.

I have 20/30 uncorrected vision, and I can't use an EOTech reticle without my glasses on. The reticle looks like a flaming a-hole. There is lots of reticle flare. A single dot red dot like an Aimpoint works fine for me, though if I concentrate on the reticle it does have slight flaring. Obviously the smaller 2moa reticles resolve better than the 4moa reticles, and the reticles are much easier to resolve as they get smaller (less to flare outward).

The other option you have is the Leupold Prismatic, which is basically a 1x non-variable scope. It's actually something like a 1.25x and you can see the distortion, unlike with their higher end scopes like the VX-6 1-6x or Mark6 1-6x.

View · by **Scratch** on Tue Feb 17, 2015 7:45 pm

Kind of related....

I don't have the best vision and need to wear glasses if I want to be able to read say a street sign over 15 yards away probably. I also noticed the Eotech as a fuzzy dot, but I also notice the aimpoint and other red dots as a little fuzzy. Although the Eotech is more of a starburst than the others...

But when I flip up the rear iron sight, and look through the peep of the sight and at the dot, the slightly fuzzy red dot is super clear and tiny. The iron sight is completely open and it happens with different kinds of sights.

Why is that?

View · by **gdubya** on Wed Feb 18, 2015 8:21 am

Scratch wrote:
But when I flip up the rear iron sight, and look through the peep of the sight and at the dot, the slightly fuzzy red dot is super clear and tiny. The iron sight is completely open and it happens with different kinds of sights.

Why is that?

Aperture acts as a lens. Same principle as a camera oscura. Find something you can just barely read at whatever distance, make a tiny hole with your fist or fingers to look through and adjust the size of the hole and watch it come into focus.

View · by **Ghost** on Wed Feb 18, 2015 8:49 am

You should look into prism optics like this one

View · by **Hmac** on Wed Feb 18, 2015 10:40 am

gdubya wrote:
Scratch wrote:
But when I flip up the rear iron sight, and look through the peep of the sight and at the dot, the slightly fuzzy red dot is super clear and tiny. The iron sight is completely open and it happens with different kinds of sights.

Why is that?

Aperture acts as a lens. Same principle as a camera oscura. Find something you can just barely read at whatever distance, make a tiny hole with your fist or fingers to look through and adjust the size of the hole and watch it come into focus.

Or, you can squint. Narrowing your eye's aperture by squinting accomplishes the same thing.

View · by **shooter115** on Wed Feb 18, 2015 10:46 am

I have a astigmatism as well, so I know your pain, but mines correctable with glasses. When you were looking through these sights, were you outdoors or in an area where you've got some room? Looking through an RDS indoors at a wall 10' away will always make the dot look funky.

You other options are a prismatic type optic with an etched reticle. Vortex, Burris and Leupold all make nice optics of this design.

If you want a good low power variable the Burris MTAC 1-4X represents an exceptionally good value at under $400.

View · by **unknown** on Wed Feb 18, 2015 12:59 pm

I am thinking I am going to go and tryout the a vortex spitfire 1x or maybe even wait to see the reviews on the Vortex strike eagle http://www.vortexoptics.com/category/strike_eagle_riflescopes

I like the reticle on the Leupold but the questionis if the extra $250 from a vortex are worthy investment. Specially since the strike eagle is a 1-6

What you think?

View · by **Ghost** on Wed Feb 18, 2015 1:06 pm

I'm very happy with Vortex products that I have. Go look through them somewhere and see if they work for you.

View · by **Currahee** on Wed Feb 18, 2015 4:49 pm

I have the Leupold 1x and LOVE it! I put a La Rue Tactical quick mount under it and it is rock solid.

http://www.opticsplanet.com/leupold-63300-1x14-tactical-prismatic-rifle-scope.html

http://www.laruetactical.com/larue-tactical-qd-mount-low-leupold-prismatic

I have the same astigmatism issue... .

I tried the Vortex (great glass for the money), but it still wasn't "clear" to me.

View · by **unknown** on Thu Feb 19, 2015 10:02 am

Looking at the Vortex Spitfire it comes in 1x an 3x. the 3x seems like a good thing since I am blind. Is it easy(possible) to shoot a 3x with both eyes open? When I shot my old red dot it was very comfortable to shoot the 1x with both eyes open.

View · by **shooter115** on Thu Feb 19, 2015 2:25 pm

unknown wrote: Is it easy(possible) to shoot a 3x with both eyes open? When I shot my old red dot it was very comfortable to shoot the 1x with both eyes open.

Not for me. With a 1-4x scope I can shoot with both eyes open at 1X, but as soon as I go to 4X I need to squint or close my left eye. I have a astigmatism in my right eye and even though its corrected with lenses, when looking through magnified optics my left eye will start to fight for dominance.

View · by JJ on Thu Feb 19, 2015 3:16 pm

unknown wrote: When I shot my old red dot it was very comfortable to shoot the 1x with both eyes open.

Other than holo sights, very few optics marketed as 1X, are actually 1X.

Generally, anything with an actual lens is 1.05-1.25x and marketed as 1X. This could explain why you had an issue. Also, many cheap red-dots have really crappy light penetration, and becuase of the degridation of image, you are forced to strain, necessitating closing your off eye to compensate.

View · by **Mauser98** on Thu Feb 19, 2015 4:44 pm

unknown wrote:Is it easy(possible) to shoot a 3x with both eyes open?

Yes it is. It just takes a little time. When I started land surveying, there was still a need for a person at the instrument turning and sighting the rod man. I got the nastiest headaches from staring through the scope all day. I was told to quit closing my left eye and my headaches would go away. Sure as hell, they did. It only took me about 4 hours of keeping both eyes open before I was used to sighting that way, and it transferred to firearm optics without me even realizing it, from 2x to 40x doesn't make a difference to me. I haven't tried anything lower than 2x, so I can't comment on that aspect.

*The optics in survey equipment are probably 10x better than many of the top tiered rifle optics, and they are usually between 30x and 40x magnification. I'm not sure if that made a difference, but if you ask just about any seasoned land surveyor, they'll most likely say they sight with both eyes open.

View · by **jshuberg** on Thu Feb 19, 2015 5:24 pm

Shooting both eyes open with a magnified optic and illuminated reticle isn't just possible, it's a very powerful technique. It's known as the Bindon Aiming Concept.

Basically, when doing this you learn how to shift which eye your brain is favoring. Like a slider in your head you can switch between using eyes on demand. What's cool is that when favoring the eye that is not behind the scope, the reticle it's stitched over the perceived image. It's basically a variation of an Occluded Eye Gunsight. The result is that you see the reticle regardless of which eye your mind is favoring.

The benefit of this is that you can switch between 3x magnification and no magnification simply by switching eyes in your head (when using a 3x scope). There's no reason to switch to backup irons, or a red dot, etc. for shooting up close. You don't have to break your cheek weld, don't have to cant the weapon, don't have to adjust an optic, etc. You simply shift to using the other eye.

For those who have trouble with this, I've come up with a pretty neat training exercise that helps develop the skill of shifting between eyes. I suggest you try it with the optic first though and try to figure it out naturally.

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