The 7 Best AR-15 Red Dot Optic Setups [2024]
Outfitting your rifle’s loadout with a new red dot optic can greatly enhance its functionality while significantly improving both your aim and shot accuracy. In today’s vast AR-15 market, the choices of sights are as numerous and diverse as the marksmen out there that use them.
With so many options, how do you choose the best AR-15 red dot? What are the differences between all of the options?
Whether you’re a tactical operator, a game hunter, or just looking to do some mid to long range plinking, there’s a dot optic setup designed to suit your needs and complement your shooting style.
In this buyer’s guide, we’ll cover red dots of all types. Let us help you find the best sight configuration to fit your budget and discipline, so you can take aim and bring your shooting game to the next level.
Overview of Red Dots
First off, let’s answer the question of what are red dots?
Red dot reticles are sights that project either a red or green dot at a given target. Most dot sights feature blue-tinted glass as a battery-saving feature. These superimposed sights offer a straightforward aiming endpoint, while still allowing for quick target acquisition.
These specialized dots allow for shooters to use both eyes, even in dark environments, to focus on the projected reticle at varying distances, which not only gives shooters a greater depth of field, but it accommodates for greater peripheral vision and causes less eye strain.
If you’re interested in learning more, go here for a breakdown of LPVO vs red dot.
Now, let’s get into the meat and potatoes…
BEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK: Sig Sauer Romeo 5
Sig Sauer Romeo 5
SPECIFICATIONS:
- Magnification: 1x
- Dot Size: 2 MOA
- Weight 5.1 oz.
- Battery Life: 40,000 hours
- Battery: CR2032
- Illumination: 10 settings (8 light, 2 dark)
Brownells (See Price)
Buds Gun Shop (See Price)
Cabelas (See Price)
Euro Optic (See Price)
Optics Planet (See Price)
SIG Sauer (See Price)
Sportsman’s Warehouse (See Price)
The Sig Romeo5 is one of the most popular and durable micro red dots available today and with an MSRP for under $200, this dot sight adds a lot of value to your AR’s loadout without breaking the bank.
Sig Romeo 5 Review
One of the most popular go-to red dots on the market is the Sig Romeo 5. But how does it perform when put to the test?
Read our full review here.
Why we recommend it: A competitively priced red dot sight, the Sig Sauer Romeo5’s compatibility with a wide range of firearms—from long slide handguns, to hunting shotguns, to the AR platform itself—has made it a mainstay among marksmen.
Compared to the more expensive red dots at the top of the pile that claim a 50K-hour battery-life, the more cost-effective Sig Romeo 5 can confidently compete with an impressive 40K on a single CR2032 battery.
Its waterproof design and anti-fog glass technology has a lot to offer out of the box. We went from our tundra-like conditions in northern Michigan to an indoors staging area and felt there were no changes in terms of reticle-clarity. The nitrogen-purged, anti-reflective glass was completely unaffected by the temperature change.
Another thing we liked when we tested this out is that the red dot remains functional after water submersion. It’s IPX-7 rated, so that doesn’t surprise us. You don’t have to worry about rain causing it to malfunction.
Something else we appreciated about this red dot is that it comes equipped with 10 different light settings that can be utilized at any point during the day or night to boost visibility downrange and controls that account for windage and elevation. The Romeo5 performed flawlessly in both inclement weather and in low light conditions during our night-time field tests. We knocked this sight around quite a bit and it still consistently held zero.
Foreseeable Drawbacks: The lack of extra magnification options and reticle choice on this affordable red dot may not suit the needs of every shooter out there.
The compact dimensions of the Sig Romeo 5 may limit the field-of-view and limit the light adjustments for some riflemen.
Bottom Line: The Sig Romeo 5 may be considered an entry-level red dot with its no-frills appearance and minimal features, but it served our purposes just fine. And with an MSRP on the lighter side compared to its competitors, this durably capable sight is an absolute steal!
BEST AMBI CONTROLS/USER FRIENDLY: Trijicon Miniature Rifle Optic (MRO)
Trijicon Miniature Rifle Optic (MRO)
SPECIFICATIONS:
- Magnification: 1x
- Dot Size: 2 MOA
- Weight 4.1 oz.
- Battery Life: 43,800 hours / 5 years
- Battery: CR2032
- Illumination: 10 settings (8 light, 2 dark)
AR15 Discounts (See Price)
Primary Arms (See Price)
Brownells (See Price)
Sportsman’s Warehouse (See Price)
The American-made Trijicon MRO sports the best ambidextrous controls of any dot sight on this list. Its smaller size and visually expansive eye-box make it one of the most user friendly options available.
Why we recommend it: For its smaller package, the Trijicon MRO sports a generous 25mm objective lens that provides a wider field of vision downrange than most other equal-size red dots on the market, which we were very impressed with off the bat; even better, this dot is entirely sourced and and constructed right here in the States.
The MRO’s housing is made from 7075-T6 military-grade aluminum, but maintains a cross between a rubber-like feel and a hardened grain metallic alloy, which we thought was a nice aesthetic touch. Moreover, this midsize reflex sight was an easy install and didn’t take up a ton of real estate on our AR’s topside, either.
The MRO hosts eight light settings—six for daylight and two for low light environments. We did notice some blooming on the highest dot setting, but we never found the need to to use it, as the lower settings helped to keep our aim true.
We also did the obligatory water dunk test and the MRO functioned perfectly before and after; also, the nitrogen-purged glass never became visually impaired due to temperature change.
We know that the Trijicon MRO dot has been a point of contention for many shooters in the shooting community for the amount of parallax when in the aiming position and strafing. But that wasn’t a problem we ran into, even when we jostled the rifle or were on unsteady terrain when prone, this durable Trijicon dot stayed zeroed-in.
Furthermore, we appreciated the easy access feature of the ambidextrous controls above the reticle, which really helped to keep us from fumbling with them during our live fire session.
Foreseeable Drawbacks: The Trijicon MRO is an American-made red dot sight, which may not work for all shooters, budget-wise, but if you’re looking to support a 2A company, this is a good place to start.
The mount for this dot is sold separately from the MRO itself, which shouldn’t be a dealbreaker, but it’s worth the consideration.
There can be a blooming effect or starbursting present from the reticle on its highest setting, which can throw aim off, but we used lower brightness settings and had no issues, day or night. Also there is a blue tinted appearance to this dot sight, which may not fly with some shooters, but the tint never kept us from recognizing colors or targets in the distance.
Bottom Line: For its premium price, the MRO is a bit on the lower end where aesthetics are concerned compared to the more sexy optic options of competing price. But the fact that the MRO red dot has a 5-year battery life, and its wider field of view is one of the most user-friendly and intuitive reflex dots we’ve had the pleasure to use.
BEST BATTERY LIFE: Vortex Optics SPARC Solar Red Dot
Vortex Optics SPARC Solar
SPECIFICATIONS:
- Magnification: 1x
- Dot Size: 2 MOA
- Weight 5.9 oz. with skeletal mount
- Battery Life: 150,000 hours
- Battery: CR2032
- Illumination: 12 settings (10 light, 2 dark)
Euro Optic (See Price)
Brownells (See Price)
AR15 Discounts (See Price)
Sportsman’s Warehouse (See Price)
Rainier Arms (See Price)
Equipped with a stellar 150,000 hours of verified battery life, the Vortex SPARC Solar’s intuitive advancements in technology set it apart from the competition.
Why we recommend it: The Vortex SPARC Solar reflex red dot is one of the most feature-rich dot sights we’ve ever come across. This specialized motion-operated Vortex dot is mounted with a solar panel that utilizes ambient light to power the unit under optimal daylight conditions, which significantly cuts down on regular battery usage.
In fact, one of the aspects that we appreciated most about this micro dot sight is that it has a whopping 150,000-hour battery life which, for us, puts it ahead of the pack compared to most red dot optic setups available today.
For those of you doing the math at home, that’s over 17 years.
The fact that the SPARC Solar’s reticle contained little to no dimming blue tint—a usual design mainstay among red dot optics—was a pleasant surprise to us given its longer battery life. This unorthodox clear lens technology actually aided us in better target acquisition.
The Solar’s zeroed red dot stood out far more in natural ambient light, making our targets clearer, as compared to the shrouding effect of most aftermarket red dots, which can make targets in the distance harder to spot under certain lighting.
Speaking of lighting, this micro dot has 12 different brightness settings to choose from—2 for low light night-vision and 10 daytime options that help illuminate the Vortex Solar’s crisp red dot sight when the sun is at its apex.
The SPARC Solar’s intuitive design made mounting a breeze as it seamlessly attached to our AR-15’s rail system without any issues. What’s more, the dot mount’s low profile worked in conjunction with our AR’s iron sights to help us line up more accurate shots downrange.
The Vortex Solar’s shockproof aluminum housing took some dings during the heavy use portion of our field tests, but proved durable, as it came away with some scuffing on its shell, but no internal damage.
The dot sight also passed the water submersion with little effort, which came as no surprise given Vortex’s track record for designing resilient gun tech. Likewise, the dot’s anti-fog/anti-glare coated, nitrogen-purged glass performed well, as we saw no change when it came to indoor humidity or target acquisition in direct sunlight.
Foreseeable Drawbacks: Vortex designs high quality sights, so expect to pay a premium for their products. The Solar is considered to be a bulkier mount to some shooters compared to more lightweight aftermarket dots, which is something to take under consideration for those desiring a lighter AR loadout.
While the solar aspect of this specialized dot is a proven selling point, the SPARC Solar’s performance may be greatly affected by the availability, or unavailability, of natural sunlight, which may have shooters considering other, less niche mounting options.
Bottom Line: Suffice it to say, we put this micro red dot through a lot and it continued to function optimally. Vortex has always been synonymous with quality craftsmanship and with the SPARC Solar, they’ve added another stellar piece of techy AR furniture to their roster of dot sights. And with their VIP lifetime warranty on all their gear, the premium asking price doesn’t seem so steep.
BEST HOLOGRAPHIC AR-15 RED DOT: EOTech HWS EXPS3
EOTech EXPS3
SPECIFICATIONS:
- Magnification: 1x
- Dot Size: 1 MOA surrounded by 68 MOA ring
- Weight 11.2 oz.
- Battery Life: 600 hours
- Battery: CR123
- Illumination: 20 settings (10 light, 10 night-vision)
Sportsman’s Warehouse (See Price)
Buds Gun Shop (See Price)
Euro Optic (See Price)
AR15 Discounts (See Price)
Brownells (See Price)
GrabAGun (See Price)
One of the best holographic sights on the market today, the EOTech EXPS3 is replete with tactical features that are altogether absent from most aftermarket micro dots.
Why we recommend it: The EOTech EXPS3 is one of the most sought after holographic dot sights on the market and has become an absolute favorite for us.
First off, this sight does have a larger frame and mount, but the larger eye-box window of the EXPS3 accommodates a wider field of view and features a wartime-like 68 MOA-ring surrounding a zeroed 1 MOA dot for close to mid range target acquisition. In fact, it was these tactical up-close-and-personal attributes that won this red dot a government contract with the Department of Defense.
This optic comes equipped with 20 brightness settings (10 for night-vision setups and 10 for natural daylight). A highlight of the EXPS3 is that it contains zero tint of any kind, but maintains a more pronounced reticle image that aided us in terms of stretching the sight’s legs at various power-levels and distances.
What we really liked was that the EXPS3’s crystal-clear sight picture never diminished from our shooting experience—even when firing downrange into natural sunlight—thanks to the dot’s intuitive anti-glare coating; we rarely needed to reposition our line-of-sight to reacquire our targets because of the reticle’s sharp, user-friendly projection consistently kept our aim true, showing only a slight parallax shift at 50 yards.
Under a magnification scope, 1 MOA dot remained zeroed at 1 MOA, which is not true of all holographic sights.
Unlike earlier iterations of EOTech’s sights, the EXPS3’s battery housing never gave way during our drop tests where rough handling came into play. There was also no instance of the EXPS3’s sight radius being blurred by the humid conditions of our staging area, nor did it fail water submersion; this holographic dot came out intact and operational.
From a training standpoint, the larger reticle really optimized our run and gun drills, which further solidifies its tactical prowess and its ability to adapt to different environmental dynamics with ease.
Foreseeable Drawbacks: The biggest drawback that we could find was that the EXPS3’s 600-hour battery life, or lack thereof, left us wanting more from the dot. That said, it should be noted that battery life in most holographic sights is usually less generous, as compared to the 50k+ hours of micro red dots.
The reason for this: holographics utilize powerful laser diodes to superimpose a naturally larger reticle, while red dots use LED technology that promotes less power consumption; thus, micro red dots have a vastly longer battery life than that of holographic sights.
Compared to the micro red dots, this might be a sticking point, so do what we did, and buy more batteries for it. These batteries are inexpensive and easy to come by.
Lastly, EOTech is known for crafting durable gun tech so expect to pay a higher price compared to other aftermarket optics. If you’re building a lightweight AR-15, the EXPS3 is going to add some extra weight to your rifle’s topside.
Bottom Line: Look, micro red dot optics are functionally sound and we love ‘em…but sometimes, a holographic sight really scratches a tactical itch that its competition can’t touch.
BEST LIGHTWEIGHT/MULTI-RETICLE DOT: Holosun Advanced Enclosed Micro Sight (AEMS)
Holosun Advanced Enclosed Micro Sight (AEMS)
SPECIFICATIONS:
- Magnification: 1x
- Dot Size: 2 MOA surrounded by 65 MOA ring
- Weight 3.9 oz.
- Battery Life: 50,000 hours
- Battery: CR2032
- Illumination: 12 settings (10 light, 2 night-vision)
Palmetto State Armory (See Price)
Brownells (See Price)
AR15 Discounts (See Price)
Sportsman’s Warehouse (See Price)
Buds Gun Shop (See Price)
The AEMS is an extremely durable, yet lightweight dot sight option from the forward-thinking engineers at Holosun. This dot is equipped with two crisp reticle settings and is capable of running strictly off its solar power cell.
Why we recommend it: Known for its durability and high performance, Holosun’s most recent LED, motion-activated dot sight offerings designed for the AR-15 platform is the AEMS. The eye-box is quite generous given the optic’s lightweight and smaller size and, like most dot sights, accommodates focusing with both eyes on the reticle.
This 7075-T6 aluminum-machined dot is equipped with solar capabilities and can be run in one of three ways: a 2032 battery, dual power, which consumes 50/50 from the battery and the solar power cell, or as a strict solar optic under optimal lighting conditions.
Speaking of the battery, the AEMS has a 50,000-hour battery life, which is standard as red dots go. One of the standout features that we appreciated on this dot sight was that the battery port was located on the side of the unit, whereas earlier Holosun models required shooters to unmount the dot to access the port on its bottom—well, not anymore!
When it comes to lighting, the Holosun AEMS is armed with 12 varying brightness settings (2 for night-vision, and 10 for natural ambient light) all of which performed well in both daylight and low light visibility. We did notice some starbursting on the dots highest setting, which can cause a level of target distortion in brighter environments.
This multifunctional dot is available in either a red or green reticle image. The AEMS continues Holosun’s tradition of intuitive superimposed design with its proprietary MRS (Multi-Reticle System), which gives shooters more reticle options than most aftermarket dot optics out there. Those reticle choices include a 2 MOA dot, a 65 MOA ring surrounding the dot, or the 65 MOA ring by itself.
When we were getting a feel for the optic, we utilized each reticle at various distances, but the crisp dot/ring option worked well in tandem with our AR rifle’s iron sights as a ⅓ co-witness, which helped us shoot right down the middle. We were able to score close groupings at distances of 40 and 50 yards, which we were more than satisfied with.
The solitary dot setting worked as expected, lining up our shots and hitting consistently with little deviation. While the singular ring reticle, admittedly, took some getting used to because its more pronounced circumference made transitioning between longer range targets more difficult. The O-shaped reticle was, however, more useful at mid to close range because it helped use zero-in on our targets, hitting them repeatedly at center mass.
We ran this dot fast and hard putting round after round through the chamber of our AR, and the heat from the rifle had no effect on the AEMS’ functionality, the image remained responsive and crisp throughout our field tests. While the reinforced Holosun dot sports a waterproof aluminum housing, it’s also equipped with see-through protective lenses that are both shock and dust proof. The anti-glare/fog-proof glass is free of the blue tint of earlier models, as well.
Foreseeable Drawbacks: The AEMS by Holosun is a premium red dot option that may not fit into every shooter’s budget, but you do get what you pay for. Of course, you may not need a sight replete with features, we get it. That said, you may be paying more for less features if you go for, say, the Trijicon MRO when the Holosun AEMS has a similar price point.
Bottom Line: With such a small, lightweight package, the Holosun AEMS’ solid, tactical design and abundant features can complement any shooting style or discipline, as it has surely made a big impression on us. It’s no surprise that Holosun continues to make some of the best gun tech available today.
BEST AR-15 RED DOT FOR HOME DEFENSE: AimPoint PRO (Patrol Rifle Optic)
AimPoint PRO (Patrol Rifle Optic)
SPECIFICATIONS:
- Magnification: 1x
- Dot Size: 2 MOA
- Weight 7.8 oz.
- Battery Life: 30,000 hours
- Battery: 2L76 or 3LDN
- Illumination: 10 settings (6 light, 4 night-vision)
GrabAGun (See Price)
Brownells (See Price)
Sportsman’s Warehouse (See Price)
Rainier Arms (See Price)
The AimPoint PRO optic is a stellar home defense option that has a longstanding, proven track record and a dedicated following of shooters who swear by its reliability.
Why we recommend it: Originally blueprinted for law enforcement and duty-use deployment, this heavy duty red dot sight exudes Mil-Spec inspiration.
The AimPoint PRO resembles a mounted scope and is designed to be 3x magnifier compatible out of the box, but we’ll focus on how the red dot fares on our AR by itself. The PRO’s housing is constructed with durable 7075 anodized aluminum and has become a favorite among shooters for its robust defensive applications.
The expansive eye-box on offer from the PRO is a scope-like 30mm tube that accommodates quick target acquisition. The PRO is equipped with a 2 MOA solitary, reflexive red dot superimposed against bluish-tinted, reflective glass. This optic is equipped with 10 brightness settings (4 that are night-vision-ready and 6 that support ambient lighting conditions).
The PRO’s battery life lasts for an impressive 30,000 hours, which is around 5 years in length depending on settings.
Mounting the AimPoint PRO was a cinch, there was no fumbling with it. We used the QRP2 toolless mount and just ratcheted onto our AR-15’s rail with 3 snappy turns of the sight’s wheel clamp and we were good to go.
At the range, the PRO’s singular red dot image was crisp and easy to identify under the brightest conditions. We tended to veer away from using the brightest setting because it caused a kind of halo effect to appear towards the top of the eye-box, which obscured our targets in the distance.
The dot’s heads-up display and reticle aim was sure, the 2 MOA dot received high marks at various distances, achieving tight groupings at 45 yards. But seeing as this red dot was designed for close quarters combat, we ran wild with it on our run and gun course and that’s where the PRO really showed its teeth.
Whether in rapid fire or more deliberate shooting scenarios, the PRO’s reticle remained on-point and accessible, lining up our shots and on targets at both close and mid range without fail.
The PRO’s reticle never faltered with any parallax issues either, helping us make short work of our more meticulously placed targets on the course.
We tested this optic’s limits, and it definitely took some abuse during the run and gun portion where its housing sustained some scratches and chipping from taking a tumble down some stairs, but the reticle kept zero, which really speaks to AimPoint’s high level of quality assurance on their roster of products.
With an unscheduled drop test covered, we let the PRO sit in water for a period, with no ill effects to the unit’s reticle image, while the anti-fog/glare recessed glass held up as expected.
Foreseeable Drawbacks: For the amount of time that the PRO has been around, it still demands a premium price compared to newer tech out there, but it does have quite a following of shooters who swear by its reliability and durability.
The weight of the PRO may affect those more lightweight AR loadouts. While it does not have much in the way of magnification on the AimPoint unit itself, it is compatible with a magnifier out of the box.
Bottom Line: The PRO may be old news to some shooters, as personal/home defense gun tech goes, it still has got plenty of utility to hang its hat on. While other tech-savvy red dots have come along in recent years, it’s no wonder that the AimPoint PRO still has a dedicated following among the shooting community, it’s the real deal and even after all these years, it still has something to prove.
BEST MULTIPURPOSE AR-15 RED DOT: Leupold Freedom Red Dot System (RDS)
Leupold Freedom Red Dot System (RDS)
SPECIFICATIONS:
- Magnification: 1x
- Dot Size: 1 MOA
- Weight 7.2 oz.
- Battery Life: 1,000 hours
- Battery: CR2032
- Illumination: 8 settings (4 light, 4 night-vision)
Amazon (See Price)
Cabelas (See Price)
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Brownells (See Price)
GrabAGun (See Price)
From defense, to distance shooting, to duty capabilities, there’s not much that the 1 MOA RDS can’t do.
Why we recommend it: Not every dot sight is created equal and that’s no less true than with the American-made Leupold RDS. What sets this specialized dot sight apart from the other red dots on the market is that, while your standard red dot projects a 2-2.5 MOA image, the Leupold RDS projects a smaller 1 MOA dot.
So, what’s the difference? The difference is a 2-2.5 MOA dot superimposes a larger reticle, which can obscure a target and confuse shot accuracy from various distances.
The RDS 1 MOA projected image, however, is smaller than your average aftermarket red dot; thus, it doesn’t conceal targets, far away or nearby. Moreover, the RDS’ smaller reticle-size provides a more proof-positive trajectory for more precise shots from further away.
This Leupold scoped sight is 34mm in length, constructed from anodized 6061-T6 billet aluminum. This RDS red dot has a total of 8 brightness settings (4 for natural daylight, 4 for night-vision) for its proprietary twilight optics system to play with, while the unit’s aperture is encased in a recessed pane of reflective, fog proof-coated, glass.
For whatever reason, the RDS didn’t come with dust covers, which we didn’t like, given that these lens covers are usually customary and part of the kit. Still, even with the lack of covers, the unit passed submersion testing, unfazed.
The only other aspect of this particular Leupold unit that we took umbrage with was its paltry battery life of 1,000 hours, which is about 41 days worth of power on a single battery compared to the 30-50,000 hours in most aftermarket dot sights. The reason for this lower-spectrum battery life could be due the sharp level of clarity of the proprietary Twilight LED technology.
That said, the Leupold RDS is equipped with motion sensors that power down after 5-minutes of stillness/non-use, which is a far better battery saving option than the standard 8-14 hours of its 2 MOA dot competitors. What’s more, the CR2023 batteries for this dot are widely available and relatively inexpensive.
The one thing we noticed right away about the Leupold RDS, as stated above, was the sharpness of its reticle. Like all of these dots on our list, we stayed away from the brightest setting on the RDS because it gave off a starbursting effect in the eye-box that masked our targets, which was more a hindrance than a help, obviously.
On the lower setting, however, the RDS’ superimposed dot never overshadowed our targets; instead, its small projected image allowed us to better estimate where our shots would strike in relation to the target. We shot and secured hits from a number of distances—our longest being about 75 yards out.
We also got some trigger time on targets at mid and close range and wherever the Leupold 1 MOA reticle landed, we hit consistently—not slightly above or below our acquired target—right down the middle, deadbang. This 1-power RDS dot helped us immensely to acquire our targets and score tight groupings on follow-ups, while suffering no true instances of parallax shift.
The Leupold RDS comes with a lifetime warranty, which is good for us because we knocked it around quite a bit during the rough handling phase of our field tests. The RDS’ 6061-molded housing took the brunt of the abuse in the form of abrasions and light gouges, which is nothing out of the ordinary, but the RDS’ softer billet aluminum housing showed a few more pronounced dings in its frame. The dot’s LED imaging never flickered or faltered and remained zeroed, which we were certainly happy with.
Foreseeable Drawbacks: The lack of dust covers and a 1,000 hour battery life might irk some shooters, but aftermarket are available for the RDS and batteries are reasonably priced and plentiful.
Bottom Line: It’s hard to put the standout Leupold Freedom RDS in a particular box because it does so many things well, but one thing’s for certain, this red dot can confidently compliment almost any shooting discipline out there.
How to Zero Your AR Rifle’s Red Dot Optic
Zeroing your rifle’s red dot sight involves adjusting the point of impact of your rounds to align with the point of aim indicated by the red dot. Here’s a step-by-step guide to zeroing your red dot sight.
Safety First: Ensure your rifle is unloaded and pointed in a safe direction when installing or adjusting your red dot sight. Always follow proper safety protocols at the range.
Mount the Sight: Securely attach the red dot sight to your rifle according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Ensure the mount is tight and the sight is stable.
Set Up a Target: Place a target at your desired zeroing distance. For most red dot sights, a common distance is 25 yards for initial zeroing, but you can adjust this based on your specific needs and the intended use of the rifle.
Stabilize Your Rifle: Use a bench rest, sandbags, or a shooting rest to stabilize your rifle and minimize human error. The more stable your rifle, the more accurate your zeroing process will be.
Take Initial Shots: Load your rifle and fire a group of shots (usually three to five) at the target. Aim for the center of the target, keeping the red dot steady on your point of aim.
Adjust the Sight: Inspect your shot group on the target. Use the adjustment knobs on your red dot sight to move the point of impact closer to your point of aim. Most red dot sights have elevation (up/down) and windage (left/right) adjustments, typically measured in MOA (minutes of angle) per click. Refer to your red dot sight’s manual for specific adjustment instructions.
Repeat the Process: Fire another group of shots and adjust the sight as needed. Continue this process until your point of impact aligns with your point of aim.
Confirm Zero at Different Distances: Once you have zeroed your sight at your initial distance, it’s a good idea to confirm the zero at other distances to understand how your rounds will impact at closer or further ranges.
Practice: After zeroing your red dot sight, practice shooting at various distances to become familiar with how the sight behaves and to build confidence in your setup.
Remember, environmental factors such as wind and temperature can affect your shots, so it’s important to periodically check and adjust your zero as needed.
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Final Thoughts on AR-15 Red Dots
And there you have it, our picks for the best AR rifle-ready red dots on the market.
What’s your favorite red dot optic to mount? Do you have any recommendations of red dots that didn’t make our list? Tell us about it in the comments.
Aaron Basiliere is a staunch 2A advocate, a firearms researcher, and one of the principal content creators here at CAT Outdoors. He has written in multiple professional capacities for the last 16 years. He has a BA in English Writing from the University of Wisconsin. When not writing for CAT Outdoors he enjoys drinking coffee, watching documentaries, and spending time with his family and friends.
