Red dot for a 243 pistol................

[asquires2]

You have probably read my previous post on the upcoming of my 243 Encore pistol. Up until about 2 hours ago I was fixed on a Burris 3-12x32 IR scope. I had a chance tonite to look at a couple different mounted scopes and red dots and I seen that the red dots were easier to acquire your target . The guy basically shot 22lr pistols which had the red dots , his centerfire pistols basically had scopes but a few had red dots. For what Im wanting from my Encore pistol is a hunting gun so my question is whats a good red dot scope for my 243 pistol. I'd like to find one that will hold up to the recoil of the 243 pistol.

[mbopp]

At what range and how big of a target? I'd put the 3-12 scope on a varmint gun but not on a deer gun. 'Course where I hunt woods shots on deer are well under 100 yards. Short story - I had a Leupold 2X on my .357 Herrett 14" Contender but switched to a Bushnell Holosight (stolen from my shotgun.) I found the holosight easier to line up a shot with out in the woods. I also have a Millet 1" Red Dot but find the field of view pretty narrow when mounted on a handgun.

A good excuse for another gun would be to try a Burris Fast Fire sight. I like the Bushnell holo but it's a bit klunky and uses 2 "N" batteries.

If you want / need magnification you're pretty much locked into a scope. But at the ranges I deer hunt at I'll give up magnification for field of view.

[asquires2]

Im with  you when your rite , Ill give up magnification for field of view. I had a chance to play with a couple differrent scopes lastnite  and the red dot will do just fine for the range Im hunting. Ill be hunting deer with it at a max range of 200yds . If a yote pops up he will be fair game too but 200yrds is my max. How does your Burris hold up to the recoil of the 357?

[southernutah]

Eotec is what i would like  to try. got to try one on a AR and was nice
 http://www.eotech-inc.com/

[mbopp]

The Bushnell seems to be holding up OK but I haven't fired a lot of full-house loads with it yet. It probably got more punishment when it was on my slug gun. Battery life is short, I carry spares when hunting.
Rumor has it Bushnells holosight is/was made by EO Tech but wasn't ruggedized.

[asquires2]

Eotec is what i would like  to try. got to try one on a AR and was nice
 http://www.eotech-inc.com/

I looked at the eotech and for a first timer it was a little pricey

The Bushnell seems to be holding up OK but I haven't fired a lot of full-house loads with it yet. It probably got more punishment when it was on my slug gun. Battery life is short, I carry spares when hunting.
Rumor has it Bushnells holosight is/was made by EO Tech but wasn't ruggedized.

I was looking at the Ultra dot Pan AV , I shot them a email and Im waiting on a response

[shvlhead.45]

I don't use a holo or red dot on a hand gun at this time but have used them quite a bit over the last 8 years or so on .223/5.56 through .45-70 carbines.  Any quality (Bushnell, Burris, Aim Point, EOTECH...) and even some of the cheaper holo or red dot will hold up indefinitely to a .243 in a TC Encore hand gun.

You will find, as you have already observed, quicker target aquisition but you will find that with low light conditions (last half hour of legal shooting light) you will have difficulty identifying the target and they don't work worth a flip using a spotlight on varmints/predators after dark.  Don't expect to shoot tiny groups anymore, especially over 100 yd; expect your groups to be in 2"-3" range at 100 yd and around 2X that at 200 yd if shooting that far.

I have found that a 6 O'clock zero lets me shoot a tighter group.  I stack the X-ring on top of my sight's red dot for an "8" sight picture and zero so that my impact is high enough at a 100 yd to impact the X-ring center and even with .45-70 and .45 Colt heavy loads I can shoot minute of deer at 200 yd with a high center chest hold.

Hope this gives you a little more information for your decision making.
v/r
SH.45

[asquires2]

I still havent got a response but Im gonna try one. If it doesnt pan out on my 243 pistol Ill put it on my 629. As much as I enjoyed just looking through it I would hate to bypass it and regret it later.

[shot1]

I think you will be better off with a regular scope if you are planing on shooting deer at 100 to 200 yards. Those red dots cover up a great deal of a deers front end at 100 yards and will cover up most of a deer at 200 yards. Like has been said in low light conditions the brightness of the dot washes out your target. Once you get used to using a scope you can find your target pretty quick. Just keep the power turned to the lowest power and after you find your target you can turn up the power. You will be shooting off a good rest of some sort for 100 to 200 yard shots with a Encore or you will not be hitting what you are shooting at. Red dots will work for close range but cover up too much for me at longer range. Just my TCW.

[asquires2]

I finally put a scope on her ,its a Burris 3-12x32. I bought a cheap red dot but was affraid to mount it thinking the recoil would kill it so I put the red dot on my Marlin 39 just to play with. I lucked up at the Indy 1500 and found this Burris brand new in the box for $350 and couldnt resist. All I need now is a sling and she will be complete. I cant wait to take her for a drive!