Red dot problems

C

coondogger

New member
I mounted a Truglo red dot sight on my ar. Took it to the range to sight in and couldn't even get on paper. I took it home and tried using a laser bore sighter at about 35 feet. Looked close enough so I took it to the range again. Still not on paper. Grrrrrrr. So I pulled the locking bolt, pulled the bolt and carrier, rested the upper and took a gander down the barrel at a target 50 yards away. Then, looking back and forth between the open barrel and the optic, I got the red dot to more or less converge on the barrel. Closed everything up. Took a few shots. And Nothing. What's going on here?
 
Something is wrong with the way it is mounted then, at least that is where I would start.

As utopia pointed out, start at 25 yards.
 
Can you cowitness the irons to the dot?

I agree with starting at 25 yards, or even closer. At the very least, youll see where it going, and know if ts the sight or something else.

Not to be a smartass here, and having been through stuff like this with other cheap red dots myself, I learned my lesson and bought what I couldnt afford and dealt with it. Best thing I ever did.
 
Honestly thats why you dont buy $30 red dots.
Throw it away and use Iron sights.
Then save for a primary arms or Vortex SPARC for around $200.

The Primary Arms and Vortex are about the only 2 decent budget red dots before spending $400-$600 for Aimpoint or Eotech
 
Even though I probably wouldn't put a TruGlow on a battle rifle, I've not had any problems with getting the one I have to zero. It's been on two rifles and adjusted just as it should. I have no idea why yours won't adjust, just saying it's not brandname specific.
Just for information, I have 5 AimPoints in use on firearms of various requirements and have never had a failure with them. The TruGlow units haven't failed me either but they haven't been tested to the extent of the AimPoints.
 
As far as co-witnessing with irons, the rifle doesn't have irons (although if I keep having trouble with the red dot . . .). I doubt it's the mount because I had a gunsmith check it out and he pronounced the mounts sound. I trust his professional judgement because over the years he's mounted scopes on my deer rifles and they needed only the minutest tweaking to zero. I'm going to try to sneak off to the range today and try it at about 15 yards. See if I can get the darn thing on paper. Really, everyone I've talked to about this -- including an ophthalmologist friend who shoots (now there's someone who knows about optics) is baffled.
 
I have BUIS on a couple of my guns with red dots, and they make getting things zeroed a lot easier, and they also let you confirm zero is still good. Also good to have if things go south. :)

Its possible you just got a bad unit, maybe try a replacement.

Keep in mind too, with some of the less expensive sights, parallax is an issue (not that thats the issue here). You need to get the same cheek weld and have the dot centered, every time, or you can have varying and different results on paper.


I would think if you try it at 15 yards youll get a good indication of whats going on, one way or the other. Use a big sheet of paper behind the target too, even up close, makes things a lot easier.
 
Honestly thats why you dont buy $30 red dots.
Click to expand...

I have to agree here. And to some extent with the gun market you get what you pay for. I've never been one to settle for less unless the build was a budget weapon. I know that sounds rather extreme under circumstances, but my prescribed method is if you want it bad enough, be patient and save. It's worked for me. I just mounted my Aimpoint Micro H-1. I've had the AR for two years. Which i would suggest getting unless out of your budget, i've heard good things about vortex, trijicon also makes red dots that are cheaper than aimpoint, and then you have the leupold HAMR too.

As AK103 said parallax is an issue with some of the cheaper sights. Hell it's an issue with EOtechs, unless they've change their forumla and i didn't know about it. Aimpoints are parallax free which is so nice, because in a high stress situation there might be a time where my cheek weld and eye sight isn't correctly behind the sight and not looking directly through the optic so the reticle/dot could be off target.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6fKhpLF92k&feature=related
 
OK, I went to the range (three minutes from my house). Moved in to 20 yards. Got on paper and zeroed in at that distance. Then moved back to 50 yards and zeroed in again. The red dot is working fine, now. And in defense of less expensive scopes, it's good to keep your use in perspective. I'm not going to war, I'm just plinking.
 
It's understandable, it's just my preference i guess. Glad you got it working again. FWIW my aimpoint is on my BCM 14.5 because the rifle's sole purpose is self defense. Just last night going to see a friend for instance i have to go through a bad small town to get to his house in the country. Collapsed my weapon short enough to maneuver in my truck, I have a month before i can buy pistols so this works. As opposed to trying to maneuver a 28" barreled shotgun in a truck.
 
Blackops, it was a horror, though. It took three boxes of ammo and the better part of a week to puzzle this one out. As far as your ar in the car, it reminds me of the character Robert E. Lee Clayton in the Missouri Breaks. When asked about his Creedmore rifle being overkill he said. "I have to disagree. It gets the job done. And that's what counts.":D
 
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