Hunters and lovers of sports shooting who want to increase the effectiveness of their weapons, improve the accuracy of combat, a collimator is best suited for "tuning". It is the collimator sight for 12 caliber fishing weapons - this is the most rational version of the optical device. Aiming is carried out by simply pointing the target beam at the target, which significantly increases the speed of preparation and the shooting itself. The shooter's eye is at a safe distance from the device, which eliminates injury during recoil. And for novice hunters, you can’t think of a better assistant. Such sights provide comfortable shooting for people with insufficient visual acuity.
Reflex sight for smoothbore weapons
This type of sight is an electronic optical device. Applies to low power devices. For most serial samples, it is equal to one. The brand is projected onto the front lens (output screen) of the device. The label itself can have various shapes: be in the form of a dot, a dot in a circle, a square, or intersecting lines. Each option is designed for a specificfire distances: up to 100 meters, up to 400 and more than 400 meters. The stamp color can be red or green. The ease of use lies in the fact that the device does not block the target, transmits light and transmits a clear image.
Types and types of sights
Depending on the brand of fixture, the backlighting methods can be active if they use battery power, or passive. Active ones allow you to accurately shoot at night and in bad weather conditions. Active stereoscopic ones project a mark for only one right eye. Passive ones can only be used during daylight hours, their brand is not bright and does not differ in contrast.
Sights are produced in two types: in the form of a tube, reminiscent of the appearance of optics, or in the form of a frame with a front lens. The tube consists of an LED emitter and two or more lenses. Such a device is more compact and lighter than classical optics, but slightly larger than an open type device. The advantage is good visibility of the tag in bright sunlight. All elements are reliably protected by a durable case from shaking when firing. The 12 gauge closed red dot sight is not very convenient, as this type of weapon is most often used when shooting from an unstable position.
Open-type devices have a better view when shooting and significantly less weight. However, it is difficult to use them even during light rainfall. A variation is a halogen sight, although some experts classify it as a separate type.equipment. Outwardly, it looks like a frame of an open fixture. However, the brand image is projected onto the output screen by a laser beam. Depending on the hunting conditions, the screen-plate can be quickly replaced. Can be used in all weather and fog.
Features of use
Application practice shows that the aiming device is best mounted on a quick-detachable console. If necessary, the equipment can be quickly dismantled and the pursuit of game can be continued. The device allows you to fire from a moving vehicle, as well as hit fast-moving objects. On automatic weapons, it is usually mounted on the side of the receiver. Collimator sights are very sensitive to low temperatures. In severe frost, the battery may fail, and the entire device will fail.
Real Japanese quality
One of the most common are Hakko BED red dot sights. They are manufactured by the Japanese company Tokyo Scope Co., LTD. This means a lot, given that almost all goods are made in China. Brands of almost all industries have their own production facilities in China. Hakko collimator sights are assembled in Japan to the last screw. Products differ in high optical characteristics and durability of a design. Available in both closed and open versions. Both of them provide for the choice of one of four labels. In closed fixtures, 11 levels can be usedillumination.
Owners who use these devices confirm that the devices are truly waterproof and shockproof, and the gas filling of the interior prevents fogging. The Hakko collimator sight is highly reliable and is able to withstand the recoil of 12-gauge guns. The device provides for mounting on the Weaver mounting base. Although any Hakko BED reflex sight is not critical to the distance from the shooter's eye: the most acceptable pupil distance from the exit screen is at least 100 mm.
Ultimate Holographic Scope
Many experts and professional shooters recognize the American EOTech holographic red dot sight as the best example. This is a direct descendant of a military product. The difference between these open-type devices and their counterparts is that they have a laser optical device (the label is recorded in the form of a hologram and is illuminated by a laser), which provides considerable advantages. Firstly, the brightness of the label can be adjusted over a wide range - the variator assumes 21 levels. This makes it possible to shoot in all weather conditions. Some samples are equipped with thermal imager and night vision functions. And secondly, the EOTech red dot sight has practically no parallax effect. This was achieved thanks to a complex brand projection system. It is visible even in rain, snow and heavy pollution. The device remains operational in case of mechanical damage.
Long runtime is achieved by automatic shutdown. The device can be programmed for 4 or 8 hours. An important advantage is the small size and curb weight. The device is very convenient when used on 12-gauge shotguns. Many devices provide for the use of standard batteries: AA batteries. Batteries can be found in any store. Their replacement occurs by simple manipulation and takes no more than a minute. When changing batteries, sighting of the collimator sight is not required. Overseas products are very expensive. Top models cost over 60 thousand rubles.
Another American product
The Sightmark red dot sight is significantly cheaper, but that doesn't mean it's low quality. Sightmark is a subsidiary of the Yukon holding, which manufactures products for law enforcement and the Ministry of Defense. Products are mostly open type, have up to 7 levels of brightness settings and are designed for installation on smoothbore weapons up to 12 gauge. Dovetail mount, bar 11 mm wide. Some samples are mounted on a Weaver/Picatini base. The sights are lightweight and highly reliable. A significant part of the products is produced in China.
Domestic no worse
In 2009, the collimator sight "Cobra" appeared on the market in the EKP-8-21 version. This is the first and so far the only digital optical device for civil use. The open type device is intended primarily for installation onsemi-automatic weapon of the Bekas series. The Russian sight is mounted on a dovetail mount. The electronic circuit allows you to select four types of labels, 16 brightness options, as well as memorize information about the type of label and the brightness of the glow. The maximum range of ballistic corrections is up to 600 meters. Collimator sight "Cobra" is highly reliable. The owners note that after several dozen shots, the settings are saved and the seat is not deformed. Moreover, aiming in poor light conditions improves over time. Some owners complain that the device has a significant weight and height. The device can be used with the strap of the MP-251, IZH-18, IZH-27, IZH-94, Taiga shotguns. You can aim with one or two eyes.
How to mount?
An important issue that overshadows the choice of the device itself is the method of attachment to the weapon. Most samples of smoothbore weapons do not provide for any regular fixtures or consoles for installing additional devices. The exceptions are the domestic "Saiga", "Bekas", pump-action shotguns and some samples designed for self-defense. The hunter should independently look for a technical solution. The choice is not rich: “dovetail” and bases (they are also called slats) Weaver and Picatini. The mounting of the red dot sight in the vast majority of samples provides for placement on Weaver rails using integrated seats. For dovetail fixtureonly scopes equipped with special mounting rings can be mounted. Some models are attached directly to the aiming bar of the gun. As a rule, such electronic optics has small dimensions and weight. These include the well-known compact Docter sights. The light mark of this device is clearly visible in the snow, and even against the sky. However, their cost may exceed the price of the weapon itself.
Not very reliable
Domestic craftsmen mount a seat under the Weaver and on the dovetail. For this, special adapters are made. When choosing adapters, each sample requires an individual approach. So, the Vologda Optical and Mechanical Plant manufactures a product of the same name (VOMZ). The steel console is designed to accommodate an additional sighting device of any type of mounts on it. But, for example, a 16-gauge IZH-27 collimator sight can only be placed on a ventilated aiming bar up to 7 mm wide. Such a design leads to a significant weighting of the weapon and a violation of its centering. The weight of one adapter alone is more than 100 grams. According to user reviews, such a mount is not durable and begins to loosen after a dozen shots. Alternatively, a not too heavy optical device should be installed. Based on this, the same collimator sight on the IZH-27 should weigh no more than 90 grams. What can we say about more powerful weapons and their corresponding technicalfunds?
A worthy setting for an expensive stone
If an expensive optical device is purchased, it makes no sense to save money on its installation. The bar and bolted connections must have a sufficient margin of safety in order not only to fix a relatively heavy sighting device, but also to withstand recoil loads over a long period of operation. The 12 gauge red dot sight must only be mounted using specially designed stock mounting hardware. A large assortment of dovetail and Weaver/Picatini rails are freely available and available online.
It is necessary to choose a product that follows the contour of the receiver. Also, the thickness of the body of the box itself should allow drilling a hole and cutting at least three turns of thread. It is best to cut the thread on professional equipment. You should also take into account the distance from the eye at which the collimator sight will be located. Feedback from experienced owners indicates the need for additional sealant treatment of the threads and the surface of the junction of the console itself to the plane of the receiver. All other editing methods are money wasted.
Optical sighting
Like any other optical device, after mounting on a gun, the sight requires zeroing. The shooter must have a clear idea of where the bullet or shot will hit at a distance of 35-50 meters. Most devices are equipped with regulators. In this case fine tuningis carried out by means of adjustment in two planes with the help of two rotary regulators-drums. For a certain distance, you should remember the position of the regulators. Many people think that the so-called cold sighting is enough. In this case, ammunition with a laser designator is used. Zeroing a collimator sight may not give the desired result. This is due to the fact that sometimes in hunting weapons there is a mismatch between the axes of the barrel and the chamber. Cold alignment can turn into chamber zeroing. It is necessary to take into account the correction when shooting from hand, as well as tangible recoil, because the red dot sight for 12 gauge is most often mounted.
Another way to adjust the optics is by fixing the barrel in a special machine or vice. The barrel is aimed at a fixed point, and then the sight is adjusted. Cold zeroing can be replaced by a procedure of several dozen trial shots. Any optics requires painstaking adjustment, including a red dot sight. Reviews that experts post on thematic forums often contain advice to fire several series of four single shots. According to the results of hits on the target of a particular series, the average point of the hit and its deviation from the center of the target are recorded. The sight is adjusted and after that - the next series of shots. And so on until a satisfactory result is obtained.
In bullet shooting, alignment is carried out using the same type of cartridges andat the same distance that will be used in real conditions. However, in practice this is not possible. It is best to zero the device for use at several likely ranges of fire, and mark the results of hits on the object with notes in a notebook. At the same time, corrections of angular indicators proportional to the firing distance are fixed.
Reviews
Users do not have a consensus on the sight model. Reviews are diametrically opposed. The choice of sight depends on the conditions of use, the training of the shooter, the weapon and ammunition used. Most agree that with 12-gauge shotguns it is best to use open-type attachments. The final choice depends on the solvency of the hunter.
