Pistol-sized red dot sights with magnification?
20h 59m ago by sh.itjust.works/u/kersploosh in guns
I'm decades behind the latest tech, so excuse me if this is a dumb question. I see a lot of compact red dot sights on semi-auto pistols these days. Do any of them include a bit of magnification, like 1.5x or so? I took a quick look online and was overwhelmed with options.
Asking because my eyes are getting older, and a little magnification is going to be helpful someday soon.
Short answer to your question is no.
Magnification requires multiple optical lenses which creates an "eye box", the specific distance between eye and optic that you need to see a clear picture. You can't use binoculars held two feet away from your face, for example. This is difficult to implement on a handgun because of the variability in how different people hold handguns, especially in more dynamic shooting. It may be near impossible because of the size constraints of the pistol red dot format.
You could opt to use a more traditional handgun scope but you'd be looking at an...interesting mounting solution that is not conducive to being carried in a holster. Think the .45 Longslide from Terminator 1.
Good points.
I've used traditional scopes on Ruger Standards, and they work great since the scope can attach to the frame and not move when the bolt cycles. But mounting a traditional scope on the slide of a modern semi-auto just seems like a terrible idea. Lots of added mass flying around. I was hoping the red dot makers had some slick magical solution. Guess I'll just need to bring my prescription glasses to the range when that day comes.
Hey! On the plus side, you will never forget eyepro at the range!
Some of the guys doing competition shooting are frame mounting their optics with a bracket that reaches around the slide.
This is difficult to implement on a handgun because of the variability in how different people hold handguns
Also just because people have different length arms.
Not really. The expected common uses for a pistol with a mini-dot don't really mesh with 1.5x magnification. Dedicated scopes exist as I'm sure you know, but they don't come in the same footprint as a dot.
Normally eyesight issues with pistols come down to seeing the reticles not the targets. If you can't see a 15 yard target, then that really becomes more of an optometrist's problem to solve.
People with astigmatism normally can find a workable pistol red dot, since with the reticle being so much further away than on a rifle, the light streaking or blobbing tends not to be as bad. You can check out a few brands in person to find one that looks crisp and doesn't have a refresh rate your eyes hate. If you really have serious red dot issues, the next best thing is something like a SeeAll open sight.
SeeAll is new to me, and that looks interesting. I'll read up on that. Thanks!
I know on rifle applications, if you want mag you simply add a fixed magnifier (usually with a flip in/out) behind your red dot like so:
But that's obviously not practical or possible on a pistol. Plus typically these forms of magnification require specific eye releif distances that are closer than arm-outstretched length.