Red Dot sights and co-witnessing

[Nemesis Lead]

I just wanted to see what people's preferences were for co-witnessing red dots with iron sights on AR rifles.

There are 3 basic choices:

1) Iron sights in the lower 1/3 of the red dot tube (high mount)

2) Iron sights co-witnessed with the red dot (medium mount)

3) Iron sights slightly taller than the red dot (for those who keep their BUIS locked down and want a very tight cheekweld) (somewhat low mount).

I am curious about people's choices and why they feel that way.

I am getting a new red dot for Limited multi-gun and am wondering what height mount to get. FWIW--I won't even have irons on my gun.

 

[Bunnypunter]

Absolute co-witness. If the red dot goes down you can use the tube as a ghost sight with your front sight.

 

[ZombieMonkey]

Flip ups, I don't really care. But for hard mounted irons the lower third helps to clean up the sight picture on longer distance or more precise shots. Just my viewpoint though.

 

[Drifter™]

Absolute co-witness so that I can use the same cheekweld for scope, reddot, or irons. My applications are hunting and informal shooting. Folding BUIS are not up when I use an optic.

 

[jasonfaz]

I prefer your option #2 and have also been good running #3. I tend to lose cheek weld with the high mounts and I like running my T-1 with stock fully collapsed and in really tight.

I'd also suggest the stock you're using makes a difference. With a CTR and MFT Minimalist I was gtg with a low mount, but with my current UCIW set up (similar to the SOPMOD and STR) the cheek weld - while more comfortable - raises my line of sight just enough that I needed an absolute co-witness height to get any consistency.

I don't use irons to co-witness either. I've tried with and without and frankly I'm better (and faster) without co-witnessing. You get to drop that additional weight too...

 

[jasonfaz]

BTW, if youre looking for a mount for a T-1/H-1 the KAC mount is the only one I know of that gives you all of those heights in a single mount with the use of the included spacers. Might be a good way to go.

 

[GH41]

"I am getting a new red dot for Limited multi-gun and am wondering what height mount to get"

Get the height mount that works best for your gun fit and shooting style. Asking us this question is no different than asking us what size shoes to buy!

 

[Nemesis Lead]

"I am getting a new red dot for Limited multi-gun and am wondering what height mount to get"

Get the height mount that works best for your gun fit and shooting style. Asking us this question is no different than asking us what size shoes to buy!

I am just seeking the opinion of others. It's not like I can buy all three mount and then return 2.

 

[GH41]

I am just seeking the opinion of others. It's not like I can buy all three mount and then return 2.

I understand what you are trying to do but no one can answer your question. They can only tell you what works for them. Do you or a friend have an AR with iron sights on it? Put your stock on it. Mount the gun like you normally would. Are the sights aligned without forcing your head up or down? If so get the standard co-witness mount. If you have to lift your head to align the sights get a lower mount. If you have to force your cheek down hard to align the sights get a higher mount. Most people will just adapt to a standard height mount. Remember.... You are talking about a dot sight. The dot doesn't have to be perfectly centered in the scope to place the bullet where you want it. They are much more forgiving than a true scope. The best way to train people to properly use a red dot is to have them close the front cap and look at the target not the dot. If your looking at the dot you are doing it wrong. Good news... If you get a quality standard height mount and it doesn't work for you they are easy to sell for near what you paid.