Didn't find anything recent on the topic with the search, and I"m about to get a RDS for my AR, so:

Question:
When using a red dot sight what is your preferance?

Choices:
1/3
Absolute

 

I'll be the minority for sure but I prefer absolute.

^^ You've got company. One never struck me as being more "busy" or more likely to block the shooter from seeing anything downrange than the other. That being the case (for me), simpler is better.

I prefer lower 1/3, for a couple of reasons. If you plan on using night vision, you will need that clearance to look through your optic incase laser, nv goes down. I do not like absolute cowitness, too much in the viewing window. You have front sight, rear sight, red dot, target, I find it cluttered. If you have flip up sights and leave them folded this is less of a problem, I always run mine up, so it does. Even with the sights deployed you can look over the sights and have a small window, approximately the upper 1/3 unobstructed with absolute cowitness. I can use the optic with a pretty unobstructed view with lower 1/3, and if for and reason I need to use irons then I just drop my head down and there they are, which is why I prefer lower 1/3.

I myself don't find it cluttered. I don't really see the fixed iron sights as my focus is on the dot.

Plus with the fold down BUIS, I run mine down. So they are a non issue.

I like absolute, because after zeroing both the iron (or BUIS), and red dot you can reference them to check on their zero.

If one is off from the other, one of them needs to be rezeroed. Time to check your $h!T!

ARman

All of mines are Lower 1/3rd.

quote:

Originally posted by ARman:
I like absolute, because after zeroing both the iron (or BUIS), and red dot you can reference them to check on their zero.

If one is off from the other, one of them needs to be rezeroed.

Except you can do the exact same thing with Lower 1/3rd cowitness.

Compare far left image with far right image:

quote:

Originally posted by dwd1985:
It depends on the irons. If the front and rear are both flip up, I prefer absolute. If there is a fixed front sight post, I prefer lower 1/3

My preference as well.

More open optic reticle, less clutter, easier to transition from optic reticle to iron sights without major adjustments.

On a SCAR with it's higher rail, I have an absolute mount. On ARs, 1/3.

All of mine have flip up sights.

I guess I don't see the point if you are using the dot you are ignoring the sights and if you are using the sights it is because the dot failed and it is not visible any way. What relationship the dot has to the sight picture is irrelevant since you should not be using both together anyway?

I use absolute when possible. If the dot fails I can center the front sight in the optic tube and keep going.

quote:

Originally posted by dwd1985:
It depends on the irons. If the front and rear are both flip up, I prefer absolute. If there is a fixed front sight post, I prefer lower 1/3

I agree with this as well.

I prefer absolute. I want one sight picture and one cheek weld. I like that absolute cowitness helps me to quickly verify an established sight picture that's been zeroed. I want the irons in the mix, and I treat the dot as an added part of the original sight picture. Then again, I'm a rifleman and not an operator. I'm not clearing plate racks or timing splits. I'm trying to help give my meager skills any bolster I can.

Hey captain, who says you shouldn't be using both at once, and why do they say that?

Fixed sight 1/3 food downs 1/2...1/3rd is easier to sell when trying to upgrade or change optics.

quote:

Originally posted by P220 Smudge:
Hey captain, who says you shouldn't be using both at once, and why do they say that?

With sights, you have to align the front sight, rear sight, and target ( 3 items), to get accurate hits. With red dots, you put the red dot on the target, (2 items) to get accurate hits. If you use the red dot by attempting to align it up with your front sight, rear sight, and target (4 items) , you are A) doing it wrong and B) wasting time. Since red dots were designed to save time, they have thus been integrated into combat rolls. The last thing you want to do in combat, when getting shot at, is waste time.

If you are using your sights AND red dot at the same time(in cowitnessed alignment), stop it right now. That's ridiculous.

quote:

Originally posted by bubbatime:
If you are using your sights AND red dot at the same time(in cowitnessed alignment), stop it right now.

There is actually some value to doing that when zeroing the optic at close distances (≤ 50 yards). It helps ensure the process doesn’t introduce any parallax errors by not having the dot centered in the field of view for every shot. Sights like the EOTech and Aimpoint are supposed to be “parallax free,” but that’s not absolutely true at close ranges. But you’re correct when shooting normally at longer distances.

bubbatime, you do realize that you don't have to simultaneously use the red dot and the iron just because both are visible, right? As for "stopping it right now", what would you propose that I do for an AK where I can't flip down the sights and being able to see both irons and a red dot at all times doesn't actually pose any problems?

Lower third.

quote:

Originally posted by Il Cattivo:
what would you propose that I do for an AK where I can't flip down the sights and being able to see both irons and a red dot at all times doesn't actually pose any problems?

I’m not sure I understand your question, but if it’s, “How do I not use both irons and the red dot when I can see them both?” I believe that’s an issue of what we condition ourselves to focus on. I have a drill that requires shooters to engage a relatively small target (12" plate at 50 yards) from a muzzle-down position as quickly as possible.

In developing my own technique for the drill I found that it works best for me to focus on the target throughout the engagement process and to use my peripheral vision to bring the dot to the target. I also use it for other high speed drills. What I don’t do is first look for the dot and then try to find the target to bring them together. I’ve recommended that technique to other shooters who have also had good results with it.

A side effect of using that technique is that I am literally not aware of the front iron sight even though it occupies the bottom of the field of view through the optical sight. I do position my optic so that the iron is in the lower third of the view because I cannot imagine any advantage to having it up to the center.

If I misinterpreted your question, my apologies and please disregard all of the above.

^^^ It's my fault. I was giving bubbatime a hard time without actually saying anything. Granted that the OP's question is based around the AR, but other rifles don't have iron sights that can be flipped down. In my experience with red dots on a couple of such rifles, looking at the red dot when the iron sights are in place doesn't really seem to lead to any problems. It's nice to have the less-cluttered sight picture that comes with using a red dot and folded-down irons but, IMHO, bubbatime was a little more vehement than may have been justified.