Head-Shots with Red-Dots

[Molon]

Head-Shots with Red-Dots








For this ballistic exercise, I did a brief comparison of the level of accuracy that was attainable when aiming with four different “red-dot” sights. The following four optics were tested:


 Aimpoint CompML2 with a 4 MOA dot

 Aimpoint T1 with an advertised 4 MOA dot

 Aimpoint CompM4S with a 2 MOA dot

 EoTech 551 with the 65 MOA ring/1 MOA dot





All shooting for this ballistic exercise was conducted from the bench at a distance of 50 yards using my Lothar-Walther barreled AR-15 and match-grade, hand-loaded ammunition. The head-targets used for this exercise were reduced in scale to simulate distances beyond 50 yards.

The testing was conducted at 50 yards in order to mitigate the variable of wind-drift that would have been significant if testing had been conducted at actual distances and to remove the vertical variation of the points of impact that would have occurred due to bullet drop at actual distances. The objective here was to determine what the limitation on accuracy was, due to aiming with the various red-dot sights, not how well I could dope the wind and distance. Each optic was zeroed for POA=POI at 50 yards prior to testing using 10-shot groups. All aiming was conducted with the entire dot of each optic placed over the head-target. (No aiming was done using just the bottom or top of the dot or holding the entire dot above or below the head-target.)


The targets used for this exercise are copies of the head portion of the Front Sight Official Training and Qualification Target. The Front Sight target is an “accurate representation of human dimensions taken from medical cadaver studies and 3000 x-ray studies.”

Only the head portion of the target was used so that no visual cues could be obtained from the larger body portion of the target. The full-sized head-target is approximately 6” wide by 9” high. The targets were sequentially reduced in scale to simulate the full-sized head targets from 75 yards to 600 yards (at 50 yards), in 25 yard increments. (Again, all shooting was actually conducted at 50 yards.)




















The simple test procedure for this exercise was as follows: one shot and one shot only was fired at the head-targets in increasing simulated distance (smaller and smaller targets.) Testing for each optic ended when I missed a target on the first shot. The entire exercise was conducted twice, with the same results each time.

To establish a control base-line of accuracy, I tested a NightForce NXS 1-4X with the NP-1 reticle prior to testing the red-dot sights. Using the NightForce scope (set at 4X magnification) I was able to make first-round hits on the simulated 600 yard head-target (the farthest simulated distance that I used for this exercise.)














Aimpoint CompML2






Using the Aimpoint CompML2 with the 4 MOA dot I was able to obtain first round hits on the simulated 225 yard head-target.








Aimpoint T1






Using the Aimpoint T1 with the advertised 4 MOA dot I was able to obtain first round hits on the simulated 250 yard head-target.









Aimpoint CompM4S






Using the Aimpoint CompM4S with the 2 MOA dot I was able to obtain first round hits on the simulated 400 yard head-target.









EoTech 551






Using the EoTech 551 with the 65 MOA ring/1 MOA dot reticle (and aiming with the 1 MOA dot) I was able to obtain first round hits on the simulated 375 yard head-target.















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