Replies

• Jeeper Senior Member Posts: 2,954 Senior Member

  May 2014 #2

  Define "Fire Dot" reticle? What manufacturer?
  
  FWIW, I have a Burris 3x9 with the illuminated reticle, and LOVE it for low light conditions.
  
  Luis

  Wielding the Hammer of Thor first requires you to lift and carry the Hammer of Thor. - Bigslug

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• knitepoet Senior Member Posts: 20,861 Senior Member

  May 2014 #3

  Normally, for me, if it's too dark for me to see the reticle, it's too dark to positively identify my target, so unless it's available as a "free" option, a lit reticle isn't worth much TO ME.

  Seven Habits of Highly Effective Pirates, Rule #37: There is no “overkill”. There is only “open fire” and “I need to reload”.
  
  
  

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• breamfisher Senior Member Posts: 13,490 Senior Member

  May 2014 #4

  I'd imagine an illuminated reticle would be "good" for big game hunting in lower light/brush or snap shots at a moving target close in. Other than that...

  Overkill is underrated.

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• Fisheadgib Senior Member Posts: 5,797 Senior Member

  May 2014 #5

  I haven't used the firedot but I have one Burris scope with an illuminated reticle and it is useful on overcast dreary days. I only use the illuminated feature when I need it and it functions like a conventional scope otherwise. The firedot seems similar as it can be used as a conventional scope and the dot illuminated if conditions warrant it. Being that it's made by Leopold, I'm sure it's well made and thought out so it wouldn't hurt. Frequently in low light I find a fine reticle hard to see against the fur of an animal although I can see the animal clearly. The illuminated reticle contrasts against the target better than a black line.

  snake284 wrote: »

  For my point of view, cpj is a lot like me

  .

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• bullsi1911 Moderator Posts: 11,008 Senior Member

  May 2014 #6

  I have a Primary Arms scope with the illuminated center dot. It does help in low light, but does not do anything at all in full sun. I could see it being of use on a big game rifle, especially if hogs come in at dusk.

  To make something simple is a thousand times more difficult than to make something complex.
  -Mikhail Kalashnikov

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• BigDanS Senior Member Posts: 6,973 Senior Member

  May 2014 #7

  Like many animals, hogs like to move in the "golden hour" before sunset or sunrise and after and in those dusk conditions I think an illuminated reticle would be good.
  
  D

  "A patriot is mocked, scorned and hated; yet when his cause succeeds, all men will join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot." Mark Twain
  Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.... now who's bringing the hot wings? :jester:

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• shootbrownelk Senior Member Posts: 2,035 Senior Member

  May 2014 #8

  Fisheadgib wrote: »

  I haven't used the firedot but I have one Burris scope with an illuminated reticle and it is useful on overcast dreary days. I only use the illuminated feature when I need it and it functions like a conventional scope otherwise. The firedot seems similar as it can be used as a conventional scope and the dot illuminated if conditions warrant it. Being that it's made by Leopold, I'm sure it's well made and thought out so it wouldn't hurt. Frequently in low light I find a fine reticle hard to see against the fur of an animal although I can see the animal clearly. The illuminated reticle contrasts against the target better than a black line.

  
  I'll have to go along with you Fish. Many is a time I could have used an illuminated reticle on elk hunts when it was legal shooting time, but very overcast. I could clearly see the bulls antlers against the sky, but his body was blotted out by the gloom of the hillside. The intersection of the crosshairs were obscured by the darkness. An Illuminated reticle would have given me a precise aiming point, and a few nice 6x6's in the bag.

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• Jayhawker Moderator Posts: 16,759 Senior Member

  May 2014 #9

  I have always like the ability to have an illuminated reticle...but insist that the optic function without something being "turned on"...my Millett DMS worked just fine in that respect.

  Sharps Model 1874 - "The rifle that made the west safe for Winchester"

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• Jeeper Senior Member Posts: 2,954 Senior Member

  May 2014 #10

  Bottom Feeder wrote: »

  I will be purchasing a new scope that is available with or without a Fire Dot Reticle.
  Is the Fire Dot actually useful for hunting situations or not?
  This would be on a big game rifle.
  It will be used in the woods as well as the wide open spaces.

  
  FWIW, having an illuminated reticle can mean the difference between taking a precise shot in low light conditions, or possibly having to pass on a shot because you cannot see your crosshairs well enough. This is assuming that you had enough light to know WHAT you're shooting at.
  
  I haven't had a shot yet at deer or hogs where I needed the illuminated reticle, but have no doubt that given long enough, it will happen. I know I've chosen to pass up shots in the past where I couldn't see the crosshairs well enough to feel comfortable with the shot. If I had had an illuminated reticle, I think I can say I would have harvested a couple more animals in years past.
  
  Luis

  Wielding the Hammer of Thor first requires you to lift and carry the Hammer of Thor. - Bigslug

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• snake284 Senior Member Posts: 22,387 Senior Member

  May 2014 #11

  Jeeper wrote: »

  FWIW, having an illuminated reticle can mean the difference between taking a precise shot in low light conditions, or possibly having to pass on a shot because you cannot see your crosshairs well enough. This is assuming that you had enough light to know WHAT you're shooting at.
  
  I haven't had a shot yet at deer or hogs where I needed the illuminated reticle, but have no doubt that given long enough, it will happen. I know I've chosen to pass up shots in the past where I couldn't see the crosshairs well enough to feel comfortable with the shot. If I had had an illuminated reticle, I think I can say I would have harvested a couple more animals in years past.
  
  Luis

  
  Yeah, like for me last hunting season. Late in the season I had a shot opportunity at a very nice buck. I shot at it at about 140 yards, but it was right almost to the end of legal shooting hours. I could see the deer just fine with my Leupold VX-1 4-12 x 40, but I couldn't see the cross hairs plainly. the fact that i missed that deer wasn't because of the light transfer or resolution of the scope. It was fine. It was because I couldn't see the reticle plainly and I shot too low. Well all that and he WAS walking away from me. If he'd stopped for a few seconds maybe I could have made out the reticle against the deer.

  Daddy, what's an enabler?
  Son that's somebody with nothing to do with his time but keep me in trouble with mom.

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• Bottom Feeder New Member Posts: 12 New Member

  May 2014 #12

  Thanks for the input. Some of my local deer hunting is done in a rather dark cedar swamp and I was thinking it could be of some value there during dark day conditions.
  
  I believe I will get it.
  
  The Leupold scope I have in mind has it included in addition to a regular reticle. I can turn off/on just the lighted reticle whenever I want. It also has a standby mode where it will turn itself off when the gun has not moved for a while, and then turn back on when the gun is moved.
  
  This would work well with me as my past experience with red dot type sights is that I never remember to turn them off, which results in an endless supply of dead batteries.

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• HAWKEN Senior Member Posts: 1,720 Senior Member

  May 2014 #13

  knitepoet wrote: »

  Normally, for me, if it's too dark for me to see the reticle, it's too dark to positively identify my target, so unless it's available as a "free" option, a lit reticle isn't worth much TO ME.

  
  I agree with Paul, with one exception; when I set up my 1894 Marlin, in .44 magnum, to hunt hogs, I put a Pro-Point red dot scope, with a 4 MOA dot, on top. Hogs appear either at first light or at dusk, usually at a fairly close range, so that was a good choice, for me. The 4 MOA dot is bright enough to see, in low light, target acquisition is almost instant, there is no parallax, and you can keep both eyes open.......Robin

  I don't often talk to people that voted for Obama, but when I do I order large fries!
  Life member of the American Legion, the VFW, the NRA and the Masonic Lodge, retired LEO

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