Red Dot Optics and MOA . . what it means?

[momoshooter]

So,

I competed in my first USPSA Steel Shoot Challenge this past weekend.
It was a blast.

I used my Glock 35 (.40 cal) and did ok.

However, it would have been quite a hoot to use my Ruger .22cal MkIII
(Bull Barrel) to compete in it.

I didn't realize you could use a .22 pistol until getting to the match.

Anyways, now that I know I want to pick me up one of those fancy Red Dot optics. I've heard the name C-more and know that it's used on those $7,000 Blaster Race guns.

That would probably be overkill to put one atop my Ruger... but then
again I really don't know.

Can anyone tell me anything constructive about these?

Like what's up with quoting the MOA...some say 4 MOA.. I know that
MOA=Minute of Angle...but I'm too slow to get it's importance and how
it pertains to the little red dot and me shooting at distances of only out
to 25yds. or less.....

Anyone??

[bombadillo]

Well, 4moa @ 100 yards is roughly equivalent to 4" if you were doing your part. A 4moa dot on a handgun at 25 yards will equal about 1" groups so it should do its job just dandy out there. There was a nikko stirling red dot going for 200 bucks that was a great little sight perfect for what you were looking to do in the classifieds not long ago. this Would probably suit your needs just as well though and its way cheaper than a lot of the other sights out there. Check it out.

[momoshooter]

Red Dot

Sweet! Thanks for the info.

[momoshooter]

http://www.muelleroptics.com/products/MQS12233MB.html

To me this "seems" a little better deal. I DEFINITELY like the CQB
Image. This is awesome and I think would work better for me
for Steel Shoot for example.

However, there are always differences in quality... and You get what you
pay for seems to mean a lot in the Firearms industry.

My Gut says the Burris is going to be bullet proof. However, with it's little
amount of features that I'd like in terms of the Red Dot., the Mueller seems
to have everything else the Burris is claiming to offer.

Anyone have any opinions on this?

[ddj8052]

I do not know if you already purchased a red dot, but I will give you some info. c-more's are by far the most common dots you will see in ALL pistol competitions. Almost everyone shooting .22's at out club (San Luis Obispo Sportsman's Association) are using c-more's including myself. The reason is that the c-more's are very reliable and they have very little parallax shift. Most red dots including the Mueller that you mentioned will have a lot of parallax. This basically means that when you look at the dot, and your eye is not centered in the scope the point of impact versus the position of the dot will move. This makes the dot appear to be inaccurate. I hope that that all makes sense. I am not a very good writer so I never know if what I am trying to say comes out right.

Anyways, the other big problem with most cheap red dots is that they are not bright enough to be seen in direct sunlight. The c-more is plenty bright to be used in direct sunlight. Even if the dot appears to be OK, if you hold the dot on an all white plate (like you will have in Steel Challenge matches) the dot will wash out. Another problem you run into is that the dot will not hold its zero under competition conditions. Trust me there is nothing more annoying than going to a match and knowing that you are doing everything right and you are still missing. c-mores are worth every penny. If you are shooting .22's you do not need the "Click" model, the regular rheostat version is fine.

Another advantage of the c-more is that you can buy different sized dot modules for your c-more. On my Open STI I run a 12moa dot. On my Open .22 pistol I have an 8moa dot and and my Open .22 rifle I run a 6moa dot. My open Revolver, if I ever get around to finishing it, will have a 12moa dot as well. MOA as it applies to red dots means that if you place the dot on a target 100 yards away, the physical size of the dot will cover the moa. In other words, a 4 MOA dot will cover approx 4 inches of a target 100 yards away. A 12moa dot will cover 12 inches at 100 yards. So even if you are shooting close in targets, a bigger dot will be easier to find quickly. Conversely, a larger dot will also cover more of your target for longer range tight shots. Experimentation is the only way to learn what size is best.

Now, there are numerous other good quality red dots that would work great in competitions. I personally like the c-mores better than all of them for the purpose of competitive shooting. Dots like Aimpoints, Bushnell Holosights, Eotechs, Ultra-dots, are all popular as well, but c-mores definitely rule the roost.

Where did you shoot your Steel Challenge match? From you info I would guess with the Richmond hot shots. Their are incredibly great people at the Richmond club. Ask around, those guys would be more than williing to help. If you want I can let them know when you will be at the next match and they will be sure to help you out.

Please let me know if this makes sense or if you need more info. Have fun shooting. Juan

[bombadillo]

Not to keep pushing on the one I have for sale, but Ultradot is a fantastic pistol scope and holds up to some seriously punishing recoil. I had one on my Ruger super redhawk but I just like iron sights better. If I were considering a red dot for a pistol, it'd likely be a Doctor or Burris Speed Dot or at least something of that nature. I really like the small profiles of those and they are pretty hardy sights. As for just running a red dot, the Ultradot has a 4moa dot in the center and has great features for the money.

This is the Doctor on a 1911: