Red dot ar issue

[timeforchili]

Do you guys raise your red dot above your fixed front site or let the dot overlap? I put a super goofy 1 inch rail in to raise it above the front site and a guy at mid west looked at me like I had two heads for doing it...I took it off and the overlap is something to get used to but I'll site it in and see what happens. What do you guys do?

 

[42769vette]

i think what your talking about is cowitnessing. personally i prefer a lower 1/3rd cowitness, but alot of folks like the absolute cowitness. neither is the wrong answer, but your dot should not run left or right of your front sight if you have it mounted at 12 oclock

 

[repeter1977]

I have one mounted, and the front sight while "in the way" really does not effect it at all, since I put the red dot on the top of the front sight when I zero, so when I move it around, usually still very dead on.

 

[indyjohn]

We had to learn the cowitness thing when we put a Red Dot on OkieGirl's Windham. For us, the dot sits on top of the blade at 50 yards. The blade is used to align the cheek weld at target aquisition but once you start firing, you don't see the fsb any more. This part proved to be very important, don't let the fsb steer you, follow the dot.

 

[wsenefeld]

My dot lines up with my front sight. I love it that way. The mount that comes with a lot of vortex or aimpoint red dots was designed to line up exactly that way. If you have a rear sight that lines up with the red dot and front sight, its called co-witness.

 

[mvician]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogX-cIx9hpk&feature=player_embedded

 

[karoozin]

I prefer the absolute co-witness. Then if your electronics fail you are still good to go.

 

[ZombieApocolypse]

I prefer the absolute co-witness. Then if your electronics fail you are still good to go.

Not sure how either co-witness would matter if the red dot fails? You would be using the iron sites in that case anyway right?

I just put a 1/3 co-witness (red dot base is a little higher than before) on my AR, havent had a chance to shoot it yet so i dont know if i prefer it this way or absolute

 

[chuddly]

i absolute co-witness but thats just me. I am not opposed to lower 1/3 but its just not my more comfortable set up.

 

[eagle5]

Not sure how either co-witness would matter if the red dot fails? You would be using the iron sites in that case anyway right?

I just put a 1/3 co-witness (red dot base is a little higher than before) on my AR, havent had a chance to shoot it yet so i dont know if i prefer it this way or absolute

When using the iron sights on a 1/3 cowitness, your iron sight just barely peeks above the base of the red dot viewing window. This may be harder to acquire for some.

With absolute cowitness, your iron sight is roughly centered in the red dot viewing window, which might enable faster acquisition and could also obscure more of the target.

Both work just fine, it's a matter of preference.

 

[PaulF]

I had the front sight post removed and a YHM gas block installed, followed by a set of Troy flip-up battle sights. No front post in the way, but iron sights available if needed.

-Paul

 

[repeter1977]

When using the iron sights on a 1/3 cowitness, your iron sight just barely peeks above the base of the red dot viewing window. This may be harder to acquire for some.

With absolute cowitness, your iron sight is roughly centered in the red dot viewing window, which might enable faster acquisition and could also obscure more of the target.

Both work just fine, it's a matter of preference.

I prefer this as well. Helps make sure they are both zeroed, with only having to fire it once. The Absolute cowitness that is. Granted, with the rear sight, mine is a Diamond pop up, so its out the way, the red dot gets on the target and the front sight is there too, so dont even see the front sight, just dot on the target, breath and squeeze. Just my

 

[esrice]

A couple of notes on cotwitnessing. . . .

Just because your irons are cowitnessed to your dot does NOT mean that you shoot with them that way. Once they are cowitnessed you flip down the irons and run just the dot. If your dot fails, the irons go up and you continue.

The only difference between Absolute cowitness and Lower 1/3 cowitness is where in the optic window the irons line up (either in the middle or just below). It has nothing to do with how you shoot.

 

[tradertator]

I prefer lower 1/3. Mentally, I feel like I have a cleaner line of sight.

 

[williamnewman1]

im an absolute co-witness guy as well , just feels right

 

[DialTone301]

Lower 1/3 for me. I like the clean sight picture.

 

[Jeremy1066]

The only time it will matter is if your red dot dies. Then your irons are either in the middle or toward the bottom of your blank viewing window. I like the lower 1/3 better as I have a better sight picture (in my mind). You will never use irons and red dot at the same time.