Red Dot Mounting Choices

[Pyzik]

I never realized just how small of an objective lens the micros have until I started shooting my scoped AR more.

I'll agree with GOST that putting it closer to your face helps you pick it up quicker and will also helps reduce the parallax that red dots can have.
As far as height, if you're not running a fixed front sight I'd say go with an absolute mount, if you're going with a fixed front sight go with lower 1/3.

Since you don't go cheap, get the best QD mount you can.

Those are my $0.02. Which probably isn't even worth that since I am not nor have I ever been an operator.

[Naytwan]

I have a Fortic F1 mount. I like mine mounted at the front of the upper, right before the rail starts. The F1 gets it a little more forward. For me this is a good setup.

[alamo5000]

I bought a CMT lower 1/3 mount for my Aimpoint T2. I REALLY like both parts quite a lot although I haven't mounted either yet. I have to wait until after Christmas to finish putting everything together because some of the stuff is technically 'presents'.... I am waiting on a key component that I definitely need as well. I just hope they got the one thing on my list.

I REALLY like the Aimpoint so far although I have only handled it for about 45 minutes... as for the mount that's just one thing I guess I will have to risk... to see if I like the absolute or the lower 1/3....If that is the only thing then I have it made :)

I can buy another $50 mount no problems. At this point it's just a matter of experimenting some.

[Hmac]

I

I'll agree with GOST that putting it closer to your face helps you pick it up quicker and will also helps reduce the parallax that red dots can have.
As far as height, if you're not running a fixed front sight I'd say go with an absolute mount, if you're going with a fixed front sight go with lower 1/3.

Parallax will be increased the closer you move an RDS to your face. OTOH, it will be easier to pick up the dot in less-than-optimal cheek welds. The trade off is that a consistent and repeatable cheek weld will be critical to minimizing the effect of parallax on POI. Best option IMHO is using an RDS with a 30mm tube (skip the micros) and moving the RDS far enough forward to allow mounting your BUIS and a magnifier. Best combination of rapid dot-acquisition and minimal parallax. (Parallax is not very great at 50 yards with most high-quality RDS and won't affect head-shot accuracy to a significant degree)

My preference is lower-third. All my rifles are set up the same way so I can use the same magnifier on several different rifles, but I've only mounted iron sights of any kind on a couple of them these days. I think they are unnecessary for my shooting needs, and, for me, an unnecessary complication and expense.


.

[Pyzik]

Parallax will be increased the closer you move an RDS to your face. OTOH, it will be easier to pick up the dot in less-than-optimal cheek welds, but the trade off is that a consistent and repeatable cheek weld will critical to minimizing the effect of parallax on POI. Best option IMHO is using an RDS with a 30mm tube (skip the micros) and moving the RDS far enough forward to allow mounting your BUIS and a magnifier. Best combination of rapid dot-acquisition and minimal parallax. (Parallax is not very great at 50 yards with most high-quality RDS and won't affect head-shot accuracy to a significant degree)

My preference is lower-third. All my rifles are set up the same way so I can use the same magnifier on several different rifles, but I've only mounted iron sights of any kind on a couple of them. I think they are unnecessary for my shooting needs, and, for me, an unnecessary complication and expense.

You're correct on parallax, thank you for the clarification!

[alamo5000]

Parallax will be increased the closer you move an RDS to your face. OTOH, it will be easier to pick up the dot in less-than-optimal cheek welds. The trade off is that a consistent and repeatable cheek weld will be critical to minimizing the effect of parallax on POI. Best option IMHO is using an RDS with a 30mm tube (skip the micros) and moving the RDS far enough forward to allow mounting your BUIS and a magnifier. Best combination of rapid dot-acquisition and minimal parallax. (Parallax is not very great at 50 yards with most high-quality RDS and won't affect head-shot accuracy to a significant degree)

My preference is lower-third. All my rifles are set up the same way so I can use the same magnifier on several different rifles, but I've only mounted iron sights of any kind on a couple of them these days. I think they are unnecessary for my shooting needs, and, for me, an unnecessary complication and expense.


.

Thanks for that information. I will have to read it more clearly when I am more awake.

I thought an Aimpoint T2 was 'parallax free' though? Or is that just 'has less parallax'?

I will definitely revisit this thread once I start getting the gun together.....

(BTW I have the T2 already just not on an assembled gun)...

[Hmac]

Thanks for that information. I will have to read it more clearly when I am more awake.

I thought an Aimpoint T2 was 'parallax free' though? Or is that just 'has less parallax'?

I will definitely revisit this thread once I start getting the gun together.....

(BTW I have the T2 already just not on an assembled gun)...

Marketing hype.

Eotech, like Aimpoint, uses a collimated image, so parallax is a negligible issue with either, but neither is parallax-free. With Eotechs, the dot image is projected at 100 meters, with Aimpoints, 50 meters. So, both have potential parallax error that is equal to the size of the optical window at zero distance and decreases to zero parallax out at their respective set distances. With either optic, even a crappy cheek weld makes parallax relatively inconsequential in a combat sight.

The closer an RDS is to your eye, the larger the potential angle it subtends between your eye and the projected dot, giving you a greater potential parallax error. Again, bearing in mind that even at its maximum it's a pretty small error from a practical standpoint.