Red dot scope questions

Discussion in 'Firearms' started by monkeyman, Jan 28, 2006.


  1. monkeyman

    monkeyman Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    OK I'm looking for a scope to put on my AK and am kind of thinking about a red dot scope because I like the fact that its compact and good for rapid target acquisition but have never used one and have some questions.
    1-The scope I have kind of looked at has a dot that is 5 MOA. I figure you cant be much more accurate than the area covered by the dot so how large an area would that cover at 100 yards?

    2-It runs on a 3v lithium battery and I was wondering if anyone knew a ballpark of how long the batteries normally last with the scope on?

    3-If the power is off or the battery goes dead is there anything at all in the way of an aiming point or are you totally without sights then?

    4-Are there other scopes that would be compact and low priced that would work well on an AK?

    I'm sure I will have more questions later but this would at least give me some of the basics, thanks.
     
  2. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Sumbuddy elze can tell me I'm wrong, but
    1) One MOA is one inch at 100 yards, close enough.
    2) Variable, but a LONG time.
    3) Not so sure of this, I think it depends on which sight you get. The aimpoint I have seen is blank when turned off.
    4) Probably, but I'm beggin off on this question. I'll be watching this as well, 'cause I'm on a similar quest for the AR platform.

    [peep]
     
  3. Quigley_Sharps

    Quigley_Sharps The Badministrator Administrator Founding Member

    Thought about a good lazer? battle rifles IMHO should remain open sites.
    With a lazer you use both or just the lazer and site it in for 100yds.
    Most of the work with a rifle in night or late evening and early morning.
     
  4. monkeyman

    monkeyman Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    I want to keep it so I can use it as a brush gun for hunting also and at least here in MO it is illegal to have 'any device which casts a beam or light' on anything you are useing for hunting, so if I put a laser on it it would be illegal here at least to use for any kind of hunting. I figure I can aquire my target at least as quickly for a reasonably accurate shot with a scope as I can with irons and with the scopes I have delt with am able to be a lot more accurate if I take an extra split second to aim than I can with open sites, so I dont see to much of a down side to optics. I do figure on trying to set it up so that it isnt to hard or time consumeing to remove the scope if I need to and keep the irons in place so that they are there as a back up in case anything happens to the scope though.


    Any idea a bit smaller ball park? Im just wondering if left on all the time (especialy if there is no aiming point when off) say all day long while in the field hunting tthen would it be likely to have to replace the battery durring the day, once a day, every 2-3 days, or would it most likely last a couple of weeks or a month or more or whatever?
     
  5. sniper-66

    sniper-66 Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    The newer Aimpoints will run for up to 10,000 hours, but the older ones would run for a few days to several weeks depending on the intensity you left it on. I have a dot sight for my .44, $40 model, lasts for about two days. It really is variable. If you could afford $300, get a Trijicon Reflex II. It has a tritium triangle that is always on. Will last for 25 or 30 years. That is what I use on my L1A1. If the power goes out on any battery powered dot sight, then you have nothing.
     
  6. monkeyman

    monkeyman Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    That would be way cool but I think I will be morein the under $50 price range. I basicly wanted to at least be sure that they didnt just totaly munch batteries so that you would say have to replace the battery a couple of times a day or something if you left it on all day. Hopefuly if I do go this way I can find a good deal on one thats a little better and would last all week on a lower setting and turned off at night or whatever.
     
  7. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

  8. sniper-66

    sniper-66 Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    The cheaper ones go through batteries at the rate of about once a day if left on. Also, not sure a $50 dot site will withstand the recoil of an AK very well. The one I put on my .44 lasted about 50 rounds.
     
  9. E.L.

    E.L. Moderator of Lead Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    You get what you pay for. No doubt. Save your $ and buy a good set of optics. Check e-bay frequently, sometimes you will see some really good deals.
     
  10. monkeyman

    monkeyman Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    The one I have been kind of looking at is the BSA 30 mm red dot scope. I can pick it up for $20-30. I dont know for sure how it would do on recoil, it says it dose well for shotguns and handguns and to me the recoil on the AK seems REALLY minimal for anything other than a .22.
    One of the things Im looking at is wanting to keep to a shorter scope and good eye relief.
    Has anyone tried the BSA red dots? The only reviews I have been able to find on them are on a paintball site. :rolleyes:
     
  11. sniper-66

    sniper-66 Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    Paintball and BB guns is the only thing I have seen them on. Wouldn't count on it holding a zero on an AK. I would say for $30 try it, but I would bet the outcome is going to be ugly.
     
  12. monkeyman

    monkeyman Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    Been looking through stuff I found on some other forums through a search and, while not sure how it would do on longer term, one of the guys mentioned he put them on his and his dads 45-70s and they each had about 300 rounds through them with the BSA scopes on them and they were doing well. So I think if I can find out more on battery life on them I will most likely try one for the $30. Oh and while it would be a different thing pretty much all the reviews I looked at from them being on paint ball guns said they held up well to being knocked around. I just wouldnt look forward to replaceing batteries every few hours.
     
  13. Quigley_Sharps

    Quigley_Sharps The Badministrator Administrator Founding Member

    I didnt see that you were wanting to use it hunting game in the first post you made, thought this was for two legged game.
    the 762x39 is a short rage at best hunting round for big game, 100 yds would be the max for human kills. IMHO
     
  14. monkeyman

    monkeyman Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    Yeah I would mostly be useing it for deer as a brush gun for when was out moveing around or in heavy cover. I use a .270 bolt action for anything long range so the AK would be for closer things and plinking mostly.
     
  15. sniper-66

    sniper-66 Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    One thing to remember about the recoil though, it's not the long rolling recoil of the 45-70 that hurts it, it's the intense jolt from a modern round that kills them. But go for it, $30 isn't a total loss if it does go to crap on you.
     
  16. Cleaner

    Cleaner Monkey+++

    Sniper has a point about the different types of recoil. I have not a BSA but a Tasco reddot (30mm pretty much the same sight) on my hunting rifle, NEF handi rifle in .45-70. I also shoot my reloads out of it (300gr semi jacketed hp at 2300fps). The load is stout and the optic has never lost zero. But I also have iron sights on the gun as well. I don't like relying on optics alone.
     
  17. monkeyman

    monkeyman Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    Well I put it on the SKS I have for now to check out the scope and went ahead and zeroed it in today. With a fair cross breeze and just braceing on the woodbox on the back pourch it was able to lay groups about 1" or so at about 50 yards which is pretty good for that gun as the rifle dosent have the best bore around. I have put 40 rounds through it so far and it seems to be doing ok. I also had Tina come out and shoot a group with it and she was able to lay a group about 1 1/2 inches which is the best group I have seen her lay, so I think I will be useing one for the SKS for her and will most likely still use one for the AK. The SKS also has more recoil than the AK dose so since it seems to work on the SKS then deffinatly shouldnt be a problem on the AK. The scope has brightness settings from 1-11 and I had it on 10 for shooting since was bright and sunny and was shooting toward the setting sun and the dot showed well but left it on 7 since about 5 PM yesterday and it is still going strong. On 7 it is a little washed out in bright sunlight and aiming at light colored things but is fine in even a little shade or aiming at darker color targets. I figure I will leave the thing on and check it every so often untill the battery dies so I know what to expect from it on battery life and will let you all know what I find.
    Thanks for the info on it and may be looking for more info on other brands later on when I have funds to upgrade but this one dose seem like it will at least be WELL worth the $30 that it costs.
     
  18. sniper-66

    sniper-66 Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    Thanks for the back-up Cleaner and welcome to the board!

    MM, if it is going to work on the SKS, then it will probably work on the AK.
     
  19. monkeyman

    monkeyman Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    Yeah, and I do know what you were talking about on the different types of recoil. It was a bit of a concern but figured would be worth a shot ad so far looks like it will do well. Oh and on the battery life we are currently at about 52 hours and still going on setting of 7 with an hour or 2 bumped up to 10 for easier shooting under clear blue skys faceing a setting sun.
     
  20. Cephus

    Cephus Monkey+++ Founding Member

    Red Dot on a AK or an SKS is a good deal for hunting I know because I have one on each and I can still use the open sights on the AK but the SKS has been bullpuped and the open sights have been removed !! It will take a deer at 220 yards because it did it last year !! So go for it the only thing is that I had to make my own mounts !! [elim]
    build_thingy2_014_110.
     
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