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Thread: Head-Shots with Red-Dots
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7 November 2015, 16:06 #1Contributing Member
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Head-Shots with Red-Dots
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.
….Last edited by Molon; 12 November 2015 at 18:43.
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7 November 2015, 17:07 #2WEVO Spell Checker
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Good right up
$300 and 10 Pastrami Sandwiches and a case of Diet Coke. ( UWone77)
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7 November 2015, 21:34 #3Member
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You are left.
It was a good write up.
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7 November 2015, 21:39 #4
Great comparison, but from the title, I was expecting something more along the lines of "Sharknado"
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7 November 2015, 23:44 #5
Good stuff, as always, Molon. Thanks for the write-up!
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8 November 2015, 06:22 #6
Nicely done - very interesting results.
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8 November 2015, 07:09 #7LEO / MIL
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That's a really good idea for a comparison. The only one of these I have is the M4S, and I really love it.
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8 November 2015, 14:03 #8
Nice writeup, thanks.
I'm always a little bit surprised at how accurate I can be with just a red dot, even when I can barely see the target at 100 yards.
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19 November 2015, 03:03 #9
Do you have the head reduction target saved as a PDF or anything that could be shared here? The smallest I have goes to 300m and its meant to be shot at 25 yards
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19 November 2015, 19:14 #10LEO / MIL
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Simulated distance targets aren't exactly equal to what they are supposed to represent. I've seen complete morons shoot well on our 100 yard simulated silhouettes and when we actually make them use a full target at 100 yards, you'd swear they were using birdshot.
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24 November 2015, 05:56 #11
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24 November 2015, 09:45 #12LEO / MIL
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I would encourage you to try this test at actual distance. Wind shouldn't play a big factor at 200-300 yards.
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7 December 2015, 08:34 #13
You aren't simulating shooting a normal size head at those distances. You are simulating shooting smaller heads at 50 yards.
Last edited by WestTXarms; 7 December 2015 at 08:50.
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9 December 2015, 12:09 #14Contributing Member
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9 December 2015, 17:03 #15
You should change the titles of your pictures from "simulated XXX yard target" to "another target at 50 yards" so there isn't any more confusion.