[Walt]

  I  was wondering if anyone knows about reddot scopes. Do they hold up under the recoil of heavy loads?The ones I might be interseted in are the Holo sight and the Burris speed-dot 135. Thought they might work on the 444p outfitter. Thanks for any advise.

                                                      Walt

 

[Big Bore]

Walt, take this for what it cost you, but IMHO the battery driven red dot sights aren't worth didly.  I had one (a Tasco PDPIII) and when it was working it was ok, but....it seemed it was never on when I wanted it on, and if I left it on a lot then the batteries were short lived.  Deer just have a habbit of not showing up when you are ready for them.  Now, to another type of dot scope.  Trijicon has one that uses a tridium tube to illuminate the dot.  No batteries, always on, and it lasts for about 12-15 years.  It is seeable in total darkeness and in daylight there is a fiber optic network to boost the brightness automatically.  The one we have is the 12" MOA triangle on my son's AR-15.  For fast shooting up close the 12 MOA triangle is awesome.  For fine shooting at long range (we have shot it out to 300 yards) you set it up to shoot off the tip of the triangle.  Try that with a normal red dot scope, it "ain't" gonna happen.  Also, my son is color blind so he sees a bright red dot as a pale yellow dot, only seeing the yellow compenent of the dot.  Trijicon uses a yellow dot/triangle so he sees it clearly in all lighting conditions (he sees yellow normally).  If you don't like the 12 MOA triangle they also make it in a 3" and 6" dot.  True it cost around &#36300-&#36350, but you get what you pay for.  I highly recommend it.

 

[MT Callahan]

Walt,

The red dot sights have always struck me as being toys. They're neat and, when they work, fun to play with. I just wouldn't use one as a hunting tool. A good quality scope is a much better investment. If low light is an issue, a heavy duplex crosshair stands out just great in the last hours of the day. Try to track a scope down with the heavy crosshair and take a look.

 

[Bill Lester]

Walt,

In my previous life as a hardcore action pistol competitor, I've seen A LOT of optics used on the range. Everything from bowling pin shoots, steel speed events, and IPSC "race courses." On pretty weak-recoiling handguns I've seen at least a half dozen scope failures. That doesn't include batteries that weakened over a long day's shoot or in cold weather.

Now put those same dot sights on a heavy recoiling 444 with multiple ports less than 18" away, generally used in cold and/or wet weather during hunting season, and I think you can imagine what lurks in your future.

May I suggest a quality 1.25-2X scope with a duplex reticle for your 444P? I think it would do great good service for years to come.

 

[Contender]

Excellent advice here! And I'm sure these sights have their place.

I had a Tasco Propoint on a 41 Mag Contender bbl a few years back. I got out in the field up in the tree stand and low and behold, I realized I NEVER PUT THE BATTERY BACK IN! I had taken it out for storage. This being the first outing of the season.

I decided to wing it and use it as a BIG Ghost ring!

I promptly got a Burris 1X Scope and mounted it on there. With no magnification, actually 1.3X, all it does is put a cross hair on the target. And no electrics to remember or worry about.

Besides, the dot sights make a gun look like a space ship. :wink:


FWIW

 

[Marshall Stanton]

I'm sure not a fan of optics on leverguns!  It seems to spoil the whole balance of the gun for me, and the handling qualities that make a levergun special and serviceable.

My .444P wears a set of Ashely Outdoors sights, and I'll tell you what, in low light conditions I can shoot just as late with those as with a low power scope!   They are simply beyond describing their wonderfully practical attributes until you use a set!

Another thing.... I've never had a set of apeture sights fog up, lose their charge, or fail electronically!

I'm very opinionated, so read this accordingly!

God Bless,

Marshall

 

[Walt]

    Thanks Guys! You all made up my mind! I do like to see what I'm trying shoot. I do try to learn from others,and I've learned alot here.Thanks for the replies.

                                                          Walt

 

[James Gates]

Walt...The fellows are talking on the square! The so-called open sights put on rifles today are a joke. More shots at moving game is missed because of over shooting (not pulling the front sight down in the rear notch, than for any other reason. I run optics on my single shots and bolt guns for precision shooting from tree stands, "out of truck windows",etc....but have shot receiver sights for years when the shooting has to be fast and heavy. Remember, after sighting in with that little peep in the sight, put it in your pocket when hunting! If there is an exception to the rule, it's as the man says...a 1x scope!( really a hair of magnification)
I'm like Marshall...optics sitting on the flick lever gun looks like a side saddle on a mustang...however I like the Leupold 1x-4x semi compact, if you need the optics for messed up eyes! My brother, Clay, tried the red dots and finally threw it in the river. It would not stay in adjustment and in low light didn't help. I have put the Leupold 1x-4x on my new 1894P to test ammo, etc this summer, but when the Red Gods of Fall start calling it will likely have an Ashley sitting on it.
Best Regards to All, James