Effective range for a red dot on 22 rifle

E

ExMP

New member
Ok, I have the standard 4x scope on my .22. I hate it. I'm going to replace it with a red dot, but, as I thought about it, how far can you zero one out? Granted, a .22 isn't made to shoot 400 yds, but, I wanted to know how far y'all would feel comfortable.
 
Its not a matter of how far it can be zeroed, but a matter of how far it can be effective. A red dot is great for close targets and fast target acquisition. At distant ranges it can be adequate, but don't count on any type of precision. Even the smaller dots will cover the entire black area of a standard 100 yard target at 100 yards. I use a red dot on an AR for 3 gun competitions. I use it because I have to hit targets only as far as 100-150 yards. Those targets are about a 12 inch square, and it doesn't matter where I hit it, just that I do.

If you are looking for somewhat precise shooting, you are better suited with a scope. If you want to acquire larger targets quick, and not care where you hit them, go for the red dot.

-george
 
It's all relative to what you want to accomplish with a red dot. You find them in assorted sizes like 1, 2,3 5, 11 or so MOA as a guess.
In certain matches I put the smallest Nikon red dot on tiny targets at close range and it's great. Never lost yet. Use a different brand with a larger dot and you obscure the targets. Use a bigger target and then you don't obscure the target. Depends on what the size is of what you want to hit.
I tiny pinpoint red dot needs a lot of intensity in daylight. A larger dot can get by with less. For steel plates and bowling pins many red dots are suitable. For steel chickens my Nikon dot can work but other lower cost brands aren't much good.
 
I should add something: you take the case of a moving cardboard target as it sweeps in front of you. You take some of these different reticles having a dot within a large circle and track that target across and you get some good scores. For that shooting it's fine- for a good portion of my other shooting, it has no value.
 
50 yards is fine.

I'm thinking that should SHTF, I wanted a quick acquisition profile for one of my kids to use on a .22. I plan to ring it on, so that the iron sights are still visible.

Thanks a ton =)
 
Depends on the size of the dot. Many will cover 2" of the target at 50 yards making real accuracy difficult. But then many 22 plinkers are only good for around 2" of accuracy at 50 with bulk ammo anyway.

I have one of the Vortex SPARC's on an AR. It can be adusted down to a very small dot. I've been able to shoot some 1" groups @ 100 yards with this gun and dot combo.
 
I'm thinking that should SHTF, I wanted a quick acquisition profile for one of my kids to use on a .22. I plan to ring it on, so that the iron sights are still visible.
Click to expand...

Bad move. You just turned what could have been a reasonable discussion into a SHTF thread and even arming "kids" improve your chances of survival.

Are we talking about a .22 rifle or handgun? A red dot will reach out as far as you can see in a straight line. After all, it's just a dot projected on a lens right in front of you. The .22lr trajectory is far from a straight line once you get much past 75 yards or so. Depending on how high the red dot is mounted above a rifle's bore, you could probably set it to hit 3" low or so at 100 yards (bottom of a small dot image) and still be "close enough" at shorter ranges.
 
To have the bullet hit something under the dot, a 4MOA dot should be good to about 100yd max for a .22. 8MOA should get you another 50yd.
 
With a 2 MOA holographic, I can accurately shoot gopher sized objects to about 125 yards using high velocity .22LR ammo.
 
I have a red dot on my M&P 15-22. Zeroed at 50 yards (CCI AR Tactical) and to shoot at 100, adjust about 3 1/4 inches up. Groups are not great on target at that range but I manage to hit a golf ball 50% of the time.
 
Hmmm....I was taught that you use a red dot (at distance) just like you use iron sights. Proper sight alignment and sight picture with a red dot is putting the top edge of the red dot at the point you want the bullet to impact. You don't cover the target with the entire dot....else, how do you know where you are aiming when you can't see the target?

With some red dots, this might be a problem if the dot is not well formed where you cannot repeatedly determine the top edge of the dot. This is most likely a case of you get what you pay for, IMO. If you can dial up/down the intensity, you can often times improve the dot clarity, although it may be difficult to acquire the dot quickly when at a low intensity.
 
@Sport45

Bad move. You just turned what could have been a reasonable discussion into a SHTF thread and even arming "kids" improve your chances of survival.
Click to expand...


Huh?

I'm working with my kids to get them capable should they need to protect themselves in a pinch or SHTF. How is that derailing a "reasonable discussion" to arming kids to protect me? I figure that the red dot, being the fastest way I am aware of to acquire a target, would give them an edge up on things should the need arise.
 
I was taught the same about the red dot (like iron sights) but, you can keep both eyes open with little worry of parallaxing. I used to use one on my paintball gun, as I wasn't of the "paint the forest" mindset. However, in one instance, I didn't allow for distance (adrenaline) and my center mass 3-round burst ended up a center crotch 3-round burst. Yes, he's fine. Yes, he has kids now :D

Thanks guys, all the positive responses work for me.
 
A .22 rifle is not a very good self defense weapon in such a situation as you mentioned. Hunting small critters for food, sure. But not defense.

As to the original discussion, you will be more limited in range by the ammunition than the optic. A .22lr's maximum range would probably be around 100 yards.
 
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