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Red dot for deer hunting
- Thread starter RichLec
- Start date
bdb
NES Member
Personally I am pretty traditional on hunting and say no but I don't really see a reason not too. Never tried one in low light though, only used one on my AR at the range. My hunting scopes are great in low light though, that I know.
I actually have been looking at a few scopes that are able to be used in the day and dusk. I dont hunt after legal hours so thats not my concern. My concern is I do a lot of stalk hunting in the woods of maine and it is hard as hell to get a site on a bear or deer an hour before dusk! Was looking at this one http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001L7UTS4/ref=cm_sw_r_an_am_ap_am_us?ie=UTF8
bdb
NES Member
I have yet to see a quality scope that isn't great at "legal shooting time" light conditions. I am a big fan of Leupold and high end Nikon. Never felt the need for anything that claimed "night vision" in a hunting optic. If you have issues "an hour before dusk" whIch is basically broad daylight I'm not sure what to suggest.
I have not done it... However doesn't mean there's anything wrong with it... If you like red dots and you believe it will help give it a try.... Nothing at all.unethical about it! I know a fella who uses one on his turkey gun... Give it a try especially if you can just pull one off your AR.. Also on a nice clear day a hour before sunset may have a decent amount of light.. But on a rainy day or a very over cast day that's a different story.. Especially if you are also under heavy tree cover... I hunt with a "descent" scope and have had trouble in this situation but have had enough light to make a good shot If I was using Iron sights...
Red dots work great.
I have red dots on my slug gun, blackpowder and turkey gun (actually red/green on turkey gun). I am left eye dominant and shoot right handed so it helps with cross dominance.
The areas I hunt are pretty thick also, so I don't need any magnification. They get on target fast, and as long as you can see the dot, that is poi, even with an awkward gun mount/hold.
The dots do have a tendency to 'loosen' or 'spread' over time. My 5 minute dots are not about 7 minute dots. I would recommend a 2 or 3 minute dot.
And I don't like the combo red/green. There doesn't seem to be enough adjustment on the brightness settings. I will mount my gun about every half hour to check brightness settings, or when cover changes if still hunting.
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I have red dots on my slug gun, blackpowder and turkey gun (actually red/green on turkey gun). I am left eye dominant and shoot right handed so it helps with cross dominance.
The areas I hunt are pretty thick also, so I don't need any magnification. They get on target fast, and as long as you can see the dot, that is poi, even with an awkward gun mount/hold.
The dots do have a tendency to 'loosen' or 'spread' over time. My 5 minute dots are not about 7 minute dots. I would recommend a 2 or 3 minute dot.
And I don't like the combo red/green. There doesn't seem to be enough adjustment on the brightness settings. I will mount my gun about every half hour to check brightness settings, or when cover changes if still hunting.
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Aimpoint micro would be perfect on a 30-30.
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Maybe you should go with a lighted reticle. Leupold makes some nice ones if you're willing to drop a grand or so.
I thought a 30-30 was meant to be shot from the hip
I thought a 30-30 was meant to be shot from the hip
Hunter235
NES Member
I'm a big fan of red dots for hunting. I have three AimPoint 9000's, a Sightron S30-5, and three Tasco PDP 3's. Great for Turkey and Deer... especially running deer. You can shoot with both eyes open, instictively, and with full awareness of what is going on around and behind your target. I also use ARD's on my turkey guns due to reflection from the glass. The reflection is a red glare... not from the LEDs but from the coatings on the front glass. Deer don't seem to be as aware of the glare from the glass as turkeys are. The Sightron S30-5 is a good value and comes with an ARD and scope caps. About $150.00.
Artifact
NES Member
Hunting with a red dot is a great option under heavy cover or when there isn't much light available. With a red dot you don't have to look through the scope and worry about parallax or eye relief and or magnification /too close, you can just shoot with both eyes open thanks to our brains combining both images into one.
My Tasco red dot is more than accurate enough. Mossberg 500 turkey gun, 22" barrel, improved cylinder choke and Winchester bulk 2 3/4" slugs will keep them all on a 6" paper plate at 100 yards until I can't shoot any more.
That used to be a box of 15, but my old age wussification has knocked that down to about 5 rounds now, lol.
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That used to be a box of 15, but my old age wussification has knocked that down to about 5 rounds now, lol.
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I was toying with the idea of putting one on my Marlin Lever gun. I am also toying with the idea of putting ar-15 style peep sight on it.
