New Red Dot. Not Sure If I have a Problem????

[dust feeder 2]

So, after quite a bit of advise from you folks I finally pulled the trigger and bought one of the primary arms m3 red dot & RS AKM mount packages from primary arms.

 

I'll give Primary Arms 2 thumbs up on service. They were nice and helpful on the phone, I got the package quick and it was wrapped well.

 

I also like the RS mount. Seems solid but I havent shot it yet.

 

BUT - I'm not sure if this red dot might not have a problem. I can clearly see that the dot is made up of probably 15-20 other little dots. I don't mind that at all, but what somehwat bothers me is that it really isnt a cirle (more of a uneven, non-cimetrical clump of dots) and some of the little red dots are much brighter than others (mostly the perimeter ones). Since some spots seem to be missing a dot its almost like the lasers may be misaligned and mulitple little lasers shining on the same point, leaving some spots bare and making others extra bright?????

 

The dot is more diamond shaped or maybe even slightly sideways heart shaped and theres on little arm of dots that kind of hangs off the main body going upward. I might kind of like the upward little arm b/c it's like a little 1 or even 0.5 moa aiming point just sitting on top of the main body of the dot. but we'll see whan I get out to the range.

 

This is my first red dot so I'm not exactly sure how it should look, but I'm assuming a little more circular and even intensity among the dots. I also understand that this is a $70 dot, not an aimpoint or eotech so I'm not expecting perfection.

 

I'll probably call primary arms just to ask, but wanted to get some of your guys take first. Is this usual? Has anyone else seen this before? Is anyone elses the same?...

 

Thanks for the input!

 

I'll try and get a pic of the dot and add it when I get home from work

Edited January 23, 2012 by dust feeder

[sickness 89]

Glad you like the RS AKM mount. I knew you would.

 

As for the M3 - I've never used one.. but, in my experience cheaper red dots all exhibit what you're talking about to some degree or another especially when cranked up on brightness. Just what you have to deal with when using cheaper electronic parts.

 

I wouldn't worry about it.. take 'er out and shoot it up.

 

My Aimpoint has a nice round dot, but it is a $500 sight. There may be other sights out there with good optical/electronic features for less money.. if someone else here can chime in on that, I'd be interested to hear about it too. The selling points of the Aimpoints are ruggedness and battery life (measured in years, not hours).

[DrThunder88 912]

I've noticed the dots look blurrier when I'm wearing glasses or I'm looking at something at across-the-room distances. Give it a looking through outside. Otherwise, PA is a good company to deal with for returns. It could be some schmutz on the collminator or some such.

 

There aren't any lasers in most reflex sights. Typically they're lit by LEDs. EoTech's holographic sights may use lasers.

[zfields 3]

Pretty much all "dot" sights have some of whats called blooming on higher settings. My friends aimpoint looks just about the same as my m3-multi. Personally, the corsshair settings on my m3 multi look a lot cleaner to me, and are easier for my eye to pick up anyways.

 

 

Also, be sure you are shooting both eyes open, using one eye seems to make the blooming effect look even worse.

[jimdigriz 580]

My Aimpoint has a nice round dot, but it is a $500 sight. There may be other sights out there with good optical/electronic features for less money.. if someone else here can chime in on that, I'd be interested to hear about it too. The selling points of the Aimpoints are ruggedness and battery life (measured in years, not hours).

 

I'm sure my Aimpoint would exhibit a nice round dot if I photographed it with a camera. To my not-so-good eye, it does not appear a perfect circle. Which makes little practical difference. Of course, the OP may be having a worse problem.

[dust feeder 2]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. It sounds like its about typical and it really doesn't bother me, so I'm sticking with it. Just wanted to make sure it might not have gotten damaged in shipping or maybe just a little off from the factory.

 

Sickness - your prompting and support of the RS mount definitely encouraged me to go that direction and I'm real happy I did. I have my second child coming any day now so still haven't had a chance to get out to the range yet, but without shooting I definitely like the weighting of this mount set-up more than a forward gas tube mount.

 

Dr. Thunder - I don't wear glasses, but have noticed is much better when focusing on the target (especially at farther distances) rather than the dot. i htink its just the fact of what my eye is focusing on, but either way most of my shooting will be ~100 yards so I think I'll be fine

 

Thanks again!

[baggedsvt 1]

I just received mine the other day and it is just as you described. Not a focused single. Does get bigger and more out of focus as the brightness is intensified. It feels like a nice solid piece and from the reviews works for a shotgun for $75.

Edited January 27, 2012 by baggedsvt

[sickness 89]

Sickness - your prompting and support of the RS mount definitely encouraged me to go that direction and I'm real happy I did. I have my second child coming any day now so still haven't had a chance to get out to the range yet, but without shooting I definitely like the weighting of this mount set-up more than a forward gas tube mount.

 

Congrats on the new addition to the family, and glad to help ya out on your mount decision.

 

I've never liked forward-mounted optics on most guns. After you get a rail out there, and the optic it makes everything just too front heavy. The positioning of the RS mount makes everything just about perfect. The gas tube/ultimak mount and a light weight micro sight solves this, but then you can't easily remove the gas tube.. which stinks.

 

The RS mount solves this whole issue once and for all for co-witness applications. Thanks to Jim Digriz for turning ME onto it awhile back over in the 5.45 area.. hadn't heard about it until then.. and of course props to Horse for making the damn thing. As soon as I saw pics of the AKM, I knew I had to have it since I prefer larger tube optics anyhow, and lower 1/3 co-witness gives me a warm feeling in my gut. Several of my buddies, most who aren't AK guys, have actually started getting interested in the AK platform just because of handling my 5.45 w/ the AKM. That says something to me, and I'm sure I'll push these AR fans over to the AK easily enough as soon as I put together my Saiga .223 w/ another AKM.

 

Good luck, and keep us posted on how your set up shoots!

[JTucker 2]

I bought a cheap red dot a not long ago for a 22 pistol and I thought something was wrong with it as well. The dot looked really large and blurry like. When I took it out to shoot it I figured I had to focus on my target and the dot became more of a dot for lack of a better way to decribe it. Look through the dot and don't focus on the dot itself.

[Lone Eagle 839]

Here's a quick way to check the dot on tube-type red dots.

 

1. Grab the digital camera.

 

2. grab the red dot.

 

3. Close the front cover on the red dot.

 

4. Put the camera lens agasinst the rear of the red dot. Try to center the dot on the digicam screen.

 

5. Snap pic.

 

6. Upload pic to computer and view it with Windows Pic/Fax viewer. Blow the pic up just a shade(don't pixilate it).

 

7. View your dot. It should be perfectly round and clear. If any distortion is there, it will show up in the pic.

 

I wear glasses, and have astigmatism. If I focus on the dot, it appears to be a glob with a halo. If I focus on the target with both eyes open, the dot registers as an egg-shape with a fuzzy edge, but is clear. Hopefully they can straighten that out when I have my eye surgery later this summer.