Take Your Aim To The Next Level With A Red Dot Sight

If you are curious about the many benefits a red dot sight can bring to your shooting, allow us to fill in the gaps. In this guide, we will examine the ways in which these optics can be used to improve shooting speed and accuracy. We will also offer a few comparisons with other well-known optics to give you a good sense of what to expect from one of these nifty sights.

At Futurama, we have a fantastic selection of options, with high-quality offerings from Bushnell, Meprolight, Nikko Sterling, Rudolph Optics, Leupold, Sightmark, Holosun, Aimpoint and more. Our catalogue is one of the most extensive anywhere in South Africa, so if you share our passion for high-speed, ultra-accurate shooting, you are certainly in the right place!

What Does A Red Dot Do?

Red dot sights, also known as reflex sights, are a style of optic designed for use at close ranges, generally under 90 - 100 metres for optimal performance. One of the foremost benefits of these sights is that they are remarkably easy to use, which makes them ideal candidates for beginner shooters because of the simplified aiming. The name ‘red dot’ is self-explanatory – when you look through the optic, a small red dot indicates the travel path of the bullets.

Which Is Better: Red Dot Or Laser?

The answer to this will depend on the specific applications you are looking for. A laser sight allows for greatly improved target acquisition when firing from the hip. On the flip side, a reflex sight requires that you aim through the optic in order to properly utilise it. A laser sight will certainly be of help in close-quarters situations.

Does Red Dot Have Eye Relief?

Reflex sights use only a single lens at the front of the scope, this is what reflects the dot and makes it visible in the centre of the optic. As it is wide open and offers an impressive field of view, the eye relief it provides is unlimited. If you prefer, you can even keep both eyes open while aiming, which enhances your peripheral field further and allows you to see your entire surroundings. When compared to other optics, these sights feature some of the best eye relief you can find.

Is It Worth Getting A Red Dot?

Perhaps the largest benefit of one of these optics is that you do not need to align your front sight, rear sight, and the target itself. The reflex sight takes care of this and simplifies the aiming process substantially, enabling faster target acquisition, transitions, and overall shooting. If your main priority is speed and accuracy, the reflex sight is undoubtedly the way to go.

How Long Does A Red Dot Last?

When purchasing a red dot you can make the decision to go for a battery operated, tritium illuminated and/or fibre illuminated optic. The battery operating optic can give you up to 1 000 hours of battery life out of a single battery. With tritium and fibre optics you could expect between 8-12 years of worklife. If it is battery operated, a good rule-of-thumb is to replace the battery every year on your birthday so as to not forget.

A Few Products From Our Online Store

For those who are looking to purchase a reflex sight, allow us to walk you through a few amazing optics we stock in our online store. At Futurama, we have a massive selection of red dot sights, and the price can range from as low as R1,500 and up to R30,000. As is often the case, the more expensive offerings are generally created using higher-quality materials and feature greater durability and longevity.

Holosun HE507K-GR Open Reflex Sight

If you are in the market for an incredible open reflex sight for your subcompact pistol, you would be hard-pressed to find a better option than this product from Holosun. This impressive optic features a battery life of around 50,000 hours, which should be enough to keep you going for many years to come. It is also remarkably adaptable and can be placed on almost any factory iron sights. Additionally, there is no need to worry about calibration with this sight, as it can be placed into a ‘lock mode’ which should ensure that all settings are protected.

Aimpoint Duty RDS Reflex Sight

Perhaps you are more inclined towards a tube-style red dot sight? If so, the Duty RDS Relex Sight from Aimpoint is certainly worth your consideration. Designed with durability in mind, this high-tech piece of equipment should have no issues meeting the demanding requirements of professionals on the job. The highly visible 2 MOA dot ensures ultimate clarity, and the advanced optical lenses assist greatly with light transmission.

The build quality of this optic is nothing to scoff at, manufactured using pressure-forged aluminium alloy, it should be more than capable of handling heavy abuse and dramatic changes in temperature. In fact, the quality of the materials is such that it can handle being submerged up to 25 metres – not many optics can make that claim. The game-changing CR2032 single battery with integrated ACET technology should allow for at least three years of constant-on use in the daylight position.

Sig Sauer ROMEO 5 1X20mm Reflex Sight

If you are familiar with Sig Sauer, you will already know that they create some of the best precision optics in the industry, and this product is no exception. It has been painstakingly designed for both pinpoint accuracy and speed, it is an added bonus that it is about as hardy as any other high-grade product you can find.

Unlike the other two sights we have looked at, the ROMEO 5 features 10 distinct illumination settings, including a motion-activated option – this allows the sight to adapt to different lighting conditions with zero issues. The optic has been manufactured using aircraft-grade aluminium, which makes it shockproof and waterproof, allowing for seamless performance regardless of the weather conditions. Whether you intend to implement this red dot sight in a professional capacity or you are simply an enthusiast, we can say with certainty that you will not be disappointed.

Factors To Consider When Purchasing A Red Dot Sight

For those who are not familiar with the ins and outs of optics, it can be intimidating to be presented with so many options. Allow us to walk you through a few of the most crucial considerations when it comes time to purchase the perfect reflex sight for your needs.

Size Of The Optic

Of course, the size of the reflex sight is very important, as it isn’t ideal to have an optic that is too large for the weapon you intend to use it on. While it is true that all sights essentially perform the same task, with differing levels of quality of accuracy, lower calibre weapons like handguns would benefit more from a smaller reflex sight.

On the other hand, higher calibre weapons like rifles, would be more suited to larger alternatives. Larger optics are more capable of withstanding heavier recoil, which is another reason to consider a larger sight for bigger guns. Ultimately, the most important thing is how comfortable you are with the sight, but it is still worth putting some thought into the sizing of the optic for the specific weapon you are wanting to place it on.

Battery

Battery is another vital factor to consider when looking at reflex sights, and it helps to think about it in terms of overall battery life and ease of access when purchasing new batteries. If you opt for a brand that uses specialised batteries that are not as easy to come by when compared to more readily available options, you could be setting yourself up for certain challenges further down the line. With that being said, if the benefits these special order batteries offer regarding weapon compatibility or performance outweigh the downside of them being more difficult to acquire, then it could be worth your while.

Equally as important is the longevity of the battery in question. You will want to find a reflex sight that uses batteries that meet your needs regarding the amount of training time or action you intend to get out of it. If you look through the red dot optics on our online store, you will notice that each product has a detailed description that lists the kind of battery they use and the amount of use you can expect from it. When it eventually comes time to replace the battery, most reflex sights have a mechanism that allows you to simply swap them out.

Reticle Size

While this may seem like a minor concern, it can have larger implications than many people might think. Generally, a smaller dot is going to be much better for taking precise shots at longer distances. This is the case because the dot itself obstructs less of the surrounding area, allowing for more accurate long-range shooting. However, it is crucial to note that a smaller dot is going to be more challenging to see, especially in broad daylight.

Larger reticles are ideal for those who are newer to shooting or want to use the weapon at closer ranges. The downside of the larger dots is that they can obstruct your vision at longer distances. In close quarters, however, it can be highly beneficial to have a bigger reticle, as it will be easy to see even with quick, sweeping movements. Ultimately, perfect reticle size will come down to the type of shots you will be taking and the distance involved.

Open Or Tube Style Reflex Sight

This decision will also have a considerable impact on the versatility of your sight. The open style, also known as a window design because of the square window-like shape, offers greatly improved field of vision and is lighter than the tube counterpart. This lightness is excellent when snapping onto targets quickly, but it also leaves the sight more exposed to external damage.

The tube style is aptly named because of its more standard tube-like appearance commonly seen in many other kinds of optics. This reflex style is more suited to long-range shooting and is typically hardier than the open sights are. This means that they tend to last a bit longer and should stand the test of time. Again, it will come down to the way you intend to utilise the optic, as there are pros and cons to both styles.

Hopefully, this guide has answered a few questions you may have had regarding reflex sights and their capabilities. At Futurama, we ensure that we stock only the finest high-quality products available. If you have any questions or you would like to place an order, don’t hesitate to get in contact with us today!