Reflex Sight Vs Red Dot-A Comprehensive Comparison

Reflex Sight Vs Red Dot-A Comprehensive Comparison

Reflex sights will provide you with an illuminated projection of your target, while the red dot will provide you with the actual image but with a red dot. And for enhanced clarity, you could adjust the brightness settings or adjust the magnification to get a better FOV of either the target or the surrounding environment.

Most shooters like using the reflex sights because they are easy to use and therefore, allow them to place the red dot over the target. The above then makes, aiming using the sight much easier, red dots are equally effective in that they enable a single point of focus making target acquisition easy and fast.

Given the effectiveness of the reflex and the red dot sights, finding one that is effective can be a challenge, the reason we zeroed down to two effective units, the sightmark reflex sight, and the Sig Sauer Romeo red dot. The below excerpt will discuss their features and functionalities, read on.

What are the differences between the Reflex sight and the Red dot?  

Reflex Sight vs Red dot- How do they compare?

Construction Quality

Both the Sightmark reflex sight and the Sig Sauer red dot sight have been made with high-quality durable material, with the Sig Sauer sporting the Aircraft-grade aluminum housing known to have a high strength to weight ratio and is resistant to corrosion. The above then means that you can use the optical sight in demanding environments or under different climatic conditions without it compromising on performance.

The Sightmark reflex sight, on the other hand, has been constructed with a rugged, lightweight 6061-T aluminum hood complete with a protective shield. So while the 6061-T aluminum is strong and corrosion-resistant, you will notice that it is mostly used in the general-purpose applications mainly because it has a lower tensile strength thus easy to form and it is also low in hardness. With regards to the above, the Sig Sauer is the better unit because it is made of the durable and strong Aircraft aluminum grade material.

Waterproofing and submersion

A submersible sight can be used in humid or moist environments, under the rain, and can be submerged into water with regards to the manufacturer recommended submersion rating. The Sig Sauer is an IPX-7 meaning that it can be submerged to a depth of 1 meter and stay underwater for a period of 30 minutes and still work effectively.

Sightmark, on the other hand, is an IP68 and submersible up to 40ft, the sight is additionally resistant to dirt, dust, and debris. And from the above information, sightmark is the better unit because it additionally offers shooters a full immersion beyond the 1 meter offered by Sig Sauer.

Battery life

There are times when you are lurking in the shrubbery with your target on sight but then your sight cannot offer you the relevant accuracy to get a shot. So, when combing the markets for an optical sight, it does pay to be wary of the battery life, because it could possibly bail on you when you need it the most.

The Sig Sauer red dot sight will furnish you with over 20,000hrs run time, well that is more than you could ask for in one unit, while the sightmark reflex sight offers up to 1,000hrs. For the latter, it would be wise to invest in a spare battery just in case, a fact that makes the Sigsauer optical sight the better unit as the single battery can suffice.

Weight

Most sight owners give too much thought on the weight of their sights, with most of them opting for units that have shed off a few pounds. But then again the extra weight is normally because of battery type and size and the objective lens diameter. So the idea is that you get a unit that is highly effective but with less weight so that when you are in the field, transitioning between targets, dot recovery will not hampered by the extra sight weight.

So besides having a not very powerful battery, Sightmark is the heaviest unit thanks to its large-diameter objective lens. Sig Sauer on the other hand weighs 140g, has a powerful battery, and a 20mm objective lens, which is convenient for precision shooting, thus the best unit it as regards weight and functionality.

Reflex sight vs Red dot – A Comparison Overview

Reflex Sight

Sightmark SM26005 Ultra Shot M-Spec Reflex Sight, Black

• Cast magnesium alloy housing with protective shield
• IP68 Waterproof rating - submersible to 40ft
• Low power consumption
• Digital switch controls

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The Sightmark reflex sight is made of the durable cast magnesium alloy, and in the area around the lens, it has incorporated a protective shield, which will ensure that the sight can take on the beating of a dynamic environment without compromising on quality. The unit is an IP68 waterproof rating and can work effectively when submerged into water up to about 40ft.

The sight is highly effective whether you want to use it at night or during the day thanks to the equipped varying levels of brightness complete with the night vision modes. Ease of use has been facilitated with the digital switch controls.

Pros

• The optical sight is light in weight and shockproof
• Offers a wide field of view and is parallax corrected
• Equipped with variable brightness modes complete with the night vision settings

Cons

• Problems with staying attached to the Picatinny

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Red dot sight

SIG Sauer Romeo MSR RED DOT Sight

• High-performance lens coatings for excellent light transmission and dot contrast in any situation.
• Ultra-compact size and weight with unlimited eye-relief and parallax-free operation.
• Precise 2 MOA Dot
• 1.41" T10 Torx M1913 Skeletonized lightweight Riser Mount for absolute co-witness

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The Sig Sauer red dot sight retails at a rather fair price, is highly functional and users will, therefore, be furnished with a high-performance lens coating configured to enable excellent light transmission complete with dot contrast in different situations. And to ensure that you accurately acquire your target then unit comes incorporated with up to 10 daylight settings, and 2-night vision setting perfect for low light situations.

Pros

• Equipped with the best quality optics
• Good optical sight for the price
• Provides an accurate red dot

Cons

• The optic shuts off randomly

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Conclusion

Looking for an optical sight that will offer you extended hours of the best performance, the Sig Sauer red dot sight is perfect but if you want an optical sight that offers a large field of vision then the sightmark reflex sight will suffice.

Final Verdict: so which is better, the Reflex sight or the Red dot?

The Red dot sight is the better unit because apart from being light in weight it offers a wide FOV at 20mm has variable daylight settings and 2-night vision and comes equipped with long battery life.

FAQ’s

1. What weapons can benefit from the SIG Sauer Romeo MSR RED DOT Sight?

The Sig Sauer Msr red dot sight was intended for the air rifle, the shotgun, carbine, and the MSR.

2. What do the night vision modes mean in Sightmark?

The night vision modes mean that the red dot will not be visible when the NV settings are being used.