Optics - Need Info on Short Distance Options - AR15

[Steve_NEPhila]

I am going to glean that you may have an astigmatism which makes the dot in red dots look more like a "bloom." I have an astigmatism and I have no interest in eye surgery, yet. I use prismatic sights to excellent effect (with zero magnification). My favorite is the Vortex Spitfire. I can adjust the focus on that 1x sight so that it is crystal clear for me. It also sports an etched reticle that shows as black during the daylight. (I have a couple of these and have run it in 3 gun quite a bit on an AR, 2-300 yard hits on man sized steel is regular in my hands)

I recently purchased a Bushnell "Lil P" which claims to be the smallest prism sight at 1x. It sits atop my M&P15-22 training rifle and also has an etched reticle. This thing is tiny and works very, very well. It is part of Bushnells new line of products that they introduced at SHOT last year, yet did not hit the streets until recently.

One very important note, NONE of the 1x prismatic sights can be used with a magnifier.

I like 1x prismatic rifle sights with etched reticles. They are robust solutions that help us with inferior eyes.

[Brick]

Go with a red or one of the "reflex" type red dot sights. In either case you can expect to need to wear your prescription glasses when using the sight or you'll see a red woolly caterpillar instead of a dot (which might be OK in a pinch out to 50 yds for self defense). Your red dot, depending how you zero, should be good for 100 yds. If you can still use the iron sights (assuming something akin to an M16A2) use the GI battle sight zero and you're good for "minute of man" shooting using the large ring out to 300 meters.

[Emptymag]

"reflex". I've seen that term before. Off to Google land...


Oh, and I wear glasses all the time. Not wearing glasses isn't an option.

I'll assume I have astigmatism. I just went to the safe to pull out the AR pistol with micro red dot and looked at it WITHOUT my glasses.

The red "dot" is made up of a bunch of tiny dots - this example is as close as I could find - but it's a perfect circle...


With my glasses on, the red dot looks fine - maybe not perfectly crisp, but I know I could use a new prescription - it's a single, round dot though.

Thinking about it now, I've always thought that people with good vision miss out on the "light display" I see when looking at Christmas lights without my glasses on!

I did stumble across this online article that should prove useful to anyone else trying to follow along.

Red Dots vs Holographic Sights: What’s Best For You?

[Brick]

Took a quick look at your reference Red VS Holographic, I think I'd pass on the holographic! Too many internal parts! I always try to follow the "KISS" method, when possible. The Reflex sights are a simple red dot projected on a screen without the tube.
Have a look at this https://www.sportsmansguide.com/prod...sight?a=969716 I can't vouch for it, but it won't break the bank.

[Emptymag]

Oh, that's right... I did know that reflex sights are those smaller, "hooded" sights as opposed to having a tube.

Those have always made more sense to me and seem easy to use, but the price tag is usually WAY too high for whatever reason.

[ExFlyinguy]

I just thought of another option for a magnified optic. It's a Nikon P223 fixed 3 power. *No illumination

It has a bullet drop calculator (BDC) reticle. I bought one and mounted it to my Ruger American Ranch for deer hunting, but it really belongs on a AR. Short eye relief.

$141 from Optics Planet but one would need a base/rings too. LINK:https://www.opticsplanet.com/nikon-p...fle-scope.html

$128 from ebay: https://www.ebay.com/p/Nikon-P-223-3...cope/140923566

Nikon has a nifty web site/phone app to establish your BDC http://www.nikonsportoptics.com/en/N...tOn/index.page

[Emptymag]

Oh, I won't be using any "app" to calculate where to shoot something - I'll just keep shooting until it goes down.

30 rd mags are cheap.

[DucatiRon]

Here is my 45/70 scope. 99 bucks. Was on the gun when I bought it and has lasted the last 3 years with me owning it.

https://www.crosman.com/optics/cp-ta...ar-rifle-scope

[Emptymag]

Here is my 45/70 scope. 99 bucks. Was on the gun when I bought it and has lasted the last 3 years with me owning it.

https://www.crosman.com/optics/cp-ta...ar-rifle-scope

I think I remember asking you about that one at the Halloween shoot.

If I find a picture of the reticle, I'll probably recognize it.

[gghbi]

I keep seeing "Prism" in my fumbling around. I really have no idea what that means.

The magic of prisms is that they allow a more compact optic. Without the prism they would need to be much longer to get the same effective focal length. Think of old timey high power scopes that were almost as long as the barrel and compare a current model of the same magnification.