Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles Holographic Sights and Astigmatism

I have astigmatism and I heard some of these sights can get ghost images for people like me.

Any one have experience with that? Specifically, I may look at a basic EOTech sight. Can't afford one now but maybe down the road.

Also, is it reasonable to think that a person can see and shoot a deer size target at 200-300 yards without magnification with one of the EOTechs?

I have heard distressing things about EoTech. It comes from the LE people, you may want to consider a different sight. I have an aim point and like it but they are a difference sight as well. I have astigmatism, but I have corrective lenses for it...

I have astigmatism too and some dots are better than others and some days are better too. I use a red dot for close range stuff that requires speed more than 1/4 minute accuracy. Turning the brightness down helps with the blooming just keep it bright enough to stand out.

Eotechs don't work for me, had way too many of them either eat batteries or blink off. I like the reticle but a 2 MOA Aimpoint is what I prefer.

I would not shoot a deer at 2-300 yards with one.Red dots are for close range especially for someone with an astigmatism.

(Yes I know people shoot farther with irons and some who see a clear dot might be precise enough to do it but I can't be that precise looking at a dot with a comet tail or a blurred dot.)

I too have the astigmatism, tried an EOTech shot a 50 yard deer with it, however I strongly recommend against it. The reticle works better for my eyes, turning it on and worrying about batteries sucks. Please wait Mr. Home Intruder while I turn my sight on... Next as the light goes away you have to keep turning it down or the shot you take may be a guesstimate. The dot will overwhelm the target unless you have a light or unless you constantly turn it down or unless your just starting out in the dark.

I found a SIG Romeo4B for $260 that has your choice of reticle (aimpoint or EOTech) by a button push and is supposed to last 50,000 hours. Only thing on the surface I don't like is the battery drawer. However it would never be used on a hunting rifle.

I was also looking at something like the Vortex Spitfire or the equivalent Burris, which is basically an illuminated 3x scope for the AR. At first it seemed like a good compromise, at that magnification, you could still see pretty good in close, the 3x would help at medium range, and if the battery died, you could still use the black crosshairs.

The big drawback on an AR type weapon, at least for me, is the eye relief issue. When going with one the the low mag scope type options, you're looking at 3-4" of eye relief, which isn't going to cut it if I want a flip up rear sight.

Why would the eye relief effect a BUIS?

It's only a "drawback" if you use the wrong parts. Funny how it works for millions of other people...

If you use a decent AR scope mount, NOT just tall rings from your hunting rifle, the eye relief works fine, and flip up rear sights fit under most scopes. No issues, it just works.

I just assume that having the rear sight would require the scope be mounted forward more and then the eye relief wouldn't be adequate.

No. Scope sits above the rear sight.

Look at some google image pics of "AR15 recce".

No fair.. I can't post now... LOL

Sometimes I wonder if just damn old iron sights might be near as good as a red dot sight, seems like could shoot them pretty good a few dozen years ago

I like to run a red dot with the front iron sight up. For me, it's more precise than irons only, and faster than a dot only.

I keep a rear sight on too, but only for occasional stuff like verify dot zero after re-mounting, or in case the dot dies.

I use 1/3 co-witness but I may take the aimpoint off and try a few rounds next week.

I put together an upper for a friend this week using a Faxon super light 16" barrel and a MI keymod rail. The thing turned out under 6 lbs. anyway we went and shot yesterday, first he sighted in at 50 then we went to the 100 while I hung a 7" steel plate at 200.

He sighted his Bushnell red dot just a tad high at 100 and shot a pretty good 3 shot group for a red dot. I grabbed my Colt 6920 and aimed the T2 at the top of the 7" plate but my astigmatism blurred so I remembered an old Indian trick, I popped up the rear sight and looked through it. It cleaned up the dot and I commenced to swinging the plate.

Buddy tried it and had no problems either. Red dots ain't half bad if you're not trying for X's...

I have astigmatism and I can't use a red dot at all. They all look like a cluster of grapes to me. The Eotech is better but still fuzzy. I've settled on the SWFA 1-4 with illuminated reticle.

Try lookng through a peep sight. It take away speed but gives me a clearer dot for longer shots when speed is not quite as important.

Outlaw,

If you want to try an Eotech i have an XPS3 and a Vortex 3x magnifier sitting loose. The only AR i have naked is getting a scope as it will be strictly a coyote gun.


I don't have any vision issues and hitting 12" plates at 200 yds isnt that difficult, even easier with the magnifier. If it was something i was doing a lot i would prefer about 6x.

I do wonder if the focus of the magnifier might help with the astigmatism when accuracy matters and run the red dot for cqb even if its a bit fuzzy.

If you want to try them for a while say the word and i will ship them up. If you decide you want to keep them we can work something out be it sale or trade, if not send them back when your done.

Makes no difference to me, the wife went to an Comp m4 aimpoint so they are just taking up shelf space in the safe right now.

Here they are on one of my 14.5's which was traded for a virtual twin in 16" for calling.

I may just stick with those. The other option I may look at... I have a flashlight/laser that I may use for in close and I may just put a basic scope on it for medium range.

Buy a timer, practice with both, see which is faster and more accurate. That's the only way you'll know for certain.

I'm better with irons on a pistol but better with a red dot on a rifle.

Tried the EOTech and it didn't work for me, just had fuzzy pixels. Looked through an Aimpoint years ago, and it was better, but still not that great. Tried a Leupold Prismatic prism sight and it worked great, now have two of them for house guns. The etched reticle is still visible even if the battery is dead. And much less expensive than an ACOG.

If I need more than 1x magnification I'd go with a 1-4x or similar illuminated scope.