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A red dot sight is a type of non-magnifying reflex, otherwise known as a reflector. That is used to aim for people using guns, cameras, and other items that will require a good aim.
The dot can be red or green; even so, they are all called red dot sights. To avoid confusing the users.
Red dot sights can also be called optics as they only have a one-time magnification and do not have inbuilt magnification.
They were invented in the late 1970s and have since gotten more and more improvements over the past fifty-one years. Nowadays, they range from small red dot optics to large full-sized ones for the big guns.
Now that you know what red dots are, what they are used for, and a little about their history. It’s time to learn how a red dot sight works.
How a red dot sight works
The red dot has an inbuilt mirror that is spherical, which generally reflects the light produced by an LED focused on its axis. The spherical mirror, which acts as a reflector, has a coat that will only show red light. The same coating has another function, which is to block other rays from interfering with your reticle.
Put simply; an LED will shine a light on an angled glass that has a special coating. The curved glass then reflects the light it got from the LED. Hence creating a reticle.
This reticle allows the shooter to see through his or her optic. However, the person on the other side of the optic will not know the shooter’s reticle.
It is worth noting that red dot sights are measured using MOA, and the size of the red dot will depend on the hole found at the LED front.
Usually, the more prominent the dot, the easier it will be for the shooter to see and hit on target. Whereas smaller dots are preferred when aiming over small distances.
In case you want to shoot over a long distance, the red dot will cover less of your target, Enabling you to see your target better.
There are two categories of red dot sights
Tiny red dots
From the name, you already know that they are tiny. This is true, but it’s for a purpose. They are used as pistol sights and sometimes as back up for standard rifles.
Standard rifle Red dots
These form the majority. They are tube-shaped and mainly used for larger firearms.
Standard rifle red dots have a size of about 1 to 3 MOA an objective lens that measures 25milimetres or more. They are primarily used for close ranger shooting.
Why do you need a red dot sight?
The first and foremost reason is the aim. It is almost impossible to miss when using a red dot. Secondly, they can be used to teach new shooters. Lastly, they are affordable and effortless to use. Also, you don’t need to be in perfect form when shooting.
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