Red Dot mounted on top of Rifle scope

[Vinnie45ACP]

For those that have mounted a Red Dot on top of there Rifle scope (for quick target acquisition), We are specifically talking about the ones that are mounted directly on top of and directly in line with the Main scope.

1) Do you find it is really worth it and help that much? you find yourself "you couldn't live without it" or is it a waste?

2) At what distance is it preferred to zero it do be as much in line with your Rifle scope? for it to be most effective?

3) For those that have done this, after using it this way for a while, do you find yourself saying "you couldn't live without it" or "it is a waste"?

 

[ShootnFool8]

tag

 

[Bluedog82]

What kind of rifle and use are you talking? On top of a bolt gun for hunting or on a carbine/dmr type rifle that needs to be able to do CQB?

 

[NHR]

I have a MRDS mounted 12:00 over a 2.5-10x NXS on my AR.

I've shot a lot of 2gun, DMR, and biathlon events with that rifle.

1) Do you find it is really worth it and help that much? you find yourself "you couldn't live without it" or is it a waste?
I love it. I naturally default to the dot for <50 yards. It's also easier to use for offhand shots and working through ports in barricades or VTAC boards. I went to this setup after my first LPVO and never regretted it.

2) At what distance is it preferred to zero it do be as much in line with your Rifle scope? for it to be most effective?
My primary optic is zeroed at 200 yards, the dot is at 100. I also zero with different ammo. The dot is zeroed with the 55gr bulk that I stock and the primary is zeroed with 77gr. The higher optic really screws with close zeros, so you want to zero at distance. Here are my holdovers for the 100 yard zero.

3) For those that have done this, after using it this way for a while, do you find yourself saying "you couldn't live without it" or "it is a waste"?
I've had this rifle set up this way since 2017. Last year I built a 12.5" AR and put an LPVO on it because that's what all the cool kids do. After using it in a handful of matches I'm ready to either put an MRDS on it at 12:00 or maybe just move my NXS + dot over to the 12.5 and get a better LR/precision optic for the 16" AR.

 

[Badjujuu]

I have one mounted on top of my Zco at 12 o'clock.

It does help when you have to pan and look for targets if they're not in line. Just point the rds at the desired target and look down thru the scope and you'll be right on.

When using rds, i don't generally change my magnification either on the scope. Just leave it and adjust parallax if needed..

I have it zerod at 100 yards.

Could I live without it? Yes. I shoot without using it about 80% of the time. Those times that I need it, it's there for me to use it. Most matches the targets seem to be in line.

Alternative to using rds is just learning to point the back of the elevation turret at the target and bringing your eye down to the scope.

Also it looks cool.

 

[91Eunozs]

On my ARs, yes…. Have one on top of a 4x ACOG on one, and on top of a Reptilia scope mount w/a NF 1-8 scope. I zero the scopes at 100 yards and the red dot at 25 for my needs.

All the others either have red dots with BUiS in line all direct co-witness, or offset BUIS.

Not sure what you gain on a bolt action, but can’t think of any reason not to have one either.

 

[acudaowner]

either way it's up to you

 

[Bart]

I really have enjoyed having a 12 o'clock mounted rds on my AR I use in run and guns- super useful for lining up the farther targets, drop down, and there they are, inside my scope FOV. Generally, these targets are 100-500 meters away, in shitty terrain and (of course) on a timer.
Taking a more close-in (0-100 meters) carbine course next weekend, anxious to see if it works as well in that environment!
Yep, could live without it, but prefer not to, zero is 50/200. Definitely not a waste, in my opinion.

 

[NHR]

zero is 50/200.

You sure about that? Pretty sure it's physically impossible with a piggyback red dot, unless your primary optic is mounted so low it isn't useable, or you have a rainbow trajectory. You can have a 50 or 200 zero, but not both.

 

[GreenMushroom]

I put dots on top my magnified optics for shooting at night but have gotten to like them a lot for daytime use as well. If cost isn't a factor why wouldn't you want a dot on top your optic? They hardly weigh anything and mounted at 12 o'clock don't add bulk to the rifle.

The biggest drawback at this point is a limited selection of mounts. For daytime shooting I like them low enough to get a side of your chin weld. The reptilia mounts are nice but they're not doing rmr for some reason. The 34mm is taller than I like I assume because they think it'll have to see over a 50mm bell. I have it on a g3 1-10 so it could sit quite a bit lower and still clear everything.

The 30mm dpp mount is perfection on a razor 1-6. With a 1.42 scope mount it's not much different than a unity height dot.

 

[Bart]

NHR,
Great point! The POI is right at 2" low at 200 with a 50 yard zero, but my range doesn't have a intermediate distance between the two. A 50/178 sounds cumbersome, and I really am not a good enough shooter to acount for two inches with an rds sadly, so I did round that out...
Thanks!
Jordan

 

[TacticalPlinker]

 

[NHR]

NHR,
Great point! The POI is right at 2" low at 200 with a 50 yard zero, but my range doesn't have a intermediate distance between the two. A 50/178 sounds cumbersome, and I really am not a good enough shooter to acount for two inches with an rds sadly, so I did round that out...
Thanks!
Jordan

What is your height over bore with the red dot? 50/178 shouldn't be possible.

A 50 yard zero is more like 50/325 with you being 5-6" high at 200 yards.

Here's a 50 yard zero dope chart for 4.25" height over bore.

If it works for you, great. Just not confident your holdovers are what you think they are, or your zero isn't what you think it is.