Reflex Red Dots: Open vs Tube

[3154tm]

i'm new to red dots and i've been wondering if there is any reason to prefer one over the other? especially when used on a Mac.

 

[telsonman]

I prefer the tube ones. It's easier to acquire the dot, IMO.

 

[stoyan79]

I like 'em open, less restrictive, larger field of view.

 

[Concorde]

I prefer "open" (Fastfire, Eotech, etc) on most smaller guns including the LAGE uppers on my Macs. I only have the tube type (Primary Arms, Aimpoint) on ARs and my Tavor.

 

[LawBob]

If you have astigmatism, you will see multiple dots. Your glasses won't help. In that case you need an etched glass sight not a laser dot. Or just shoot the dot in the middle.

 

[104timberwolf]

You really need to look through them, side by side, to determine your preference. I went with an Eotech on my AR 300 blackout.

 

[Model 52]

Not all dot sights are created equal. To a great extent you do get what you pay for (although some of them are obscenely over priced relative to the increased benefit).

One vital difference is the degree to which parallax is present, and that varies regardless of whether the design is "open" or "tube".

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Personally, I'm pretty old school and I still prefer the original 25mm Ultradot sight. It offers a 4 MOA dot, it's very durable, waterproof, compact in size, has a wide range of brightness in 11 steps and has minimal parallax. I've owned them for over 20 years now and have never broken one. With 1x and small size, it's also very amenable to shooting with both eyes open.

 

[Gaujo]

One vital difference is the degree to which parallax is present, and that varies regardless of whether the design is "open" or "tube".
...

I haven't heard that before. Which has parallax issues?

 

[Gaujo]

Just found this educational article that might help.
http://www.bullseyepistol.com/dotsight.htm

 

[Vegas SMG]

I believe it comes down to personal preference and mouting location plays a bigger role than the type of red dot you select. With a subgun, mounting it as far rearward as possible gives the user the largest possible field of view and allows for quicker dot/target acquisition.

I also like the Ultra Dots and have the LT model on my dedicated Lage M-11/22 upper. They're available in both open and tube designs and all come with a lifetime warranty. Ultra Dots are mid-priced, and I believe they represent a very good RD value.
http://www.ultradotusa.com/index.html

I've got a couple of tube type CARDS, (Cheap Ass Red Dot Sights), from Primary Arms and so far they've held up well. I prefer the open type red dots like the EOTech, (I own three), the FastFire, or the Ultra Dot LT. Nothing wrong with starting out with one of the Primary Arms CARDS if this is your first time at the red dot rodeo.

 

[chili17]

I'm a big fan of the burris fastfire II's
Skinney Richard uses the tube type, so really I think it comes down to preference

 

[Model 52]

I haven't heard that before. Which has parallax issues?

Pretty much all the cheap dot sights will demonstrate more parallax error than the more expensive sights. However, all other things being equal, the larger the lens/tube the greater potential for parallax.

Those short, large diameter BSA dot sights that were available everywhere for about $30 were just about the worst for parallax.

The Ultradot sights designed for pistols are adjusted to be parallax free at 50 yards but they do very well at distances of 25 yards or greater.

One of the other advantages of a tube design (IMHO) is that it's easier to center the dot in the tube (and thus put your eye in the optical center of the sight) to eliminate parallax for a precision shot.

 

[WKM]

I chose the Burris Fastfire III based on recommendations here. One consideration might be shock resistance; one of the factors in my choice.

 

[LawBob]

 

[LawBob]

 

[3154tm]

thanks for all the input fellas. still a little confused though. it seems to come down to personal preference based on experience with each type. with that in mind and cheap bastard that i am, i was thinking about finding something inexpensive to try before i spend several hundred dollars. i have several uppers i need optics for and that could get very expensive.
i already have a Primary Arms MD-06 that i bought based on good reviews here. it seems to work well i'm just not sure the tube style is best for me.
does anyone have a positive opinion of this reflex sight from PA?:
http://www.primaryarms.com/primary-arms-red-dot-reflex-sight/p/kt-parrs01/
or does anyone have a suggestion for an inexpensive reflex sight?

 

[agriebel]

Primary arms tends to sell good product for the money. I use a sight like that on my .22 pistol where I want to keep the weight down as much as possible.

 

[FrostyEOD]

On my Lage'd MAC, I used to use a tube type red dot sight (Aimpoint H-1 micro), but switched to an EOTech XPS 2-0.

Best advice is try and shoot using different ones to get a feel for what works for you.

 

[JohnnyE]

I had a Trijicon RX-34 in the safe and I decided to park it on top of a Lage MAX31A Mk 2 on my MAC 11-A1. Boy, it's easy to use. I'm gonna leave it right where it is.

ETA: Yeah, I think I'd like an EOTech, too. It's hard to lose track of the dot/reticle in a large, open reflex sight when you're loosing short and long bursts.

 

[JohnFreeman]

That is tactical as HELL!