Dot vs Crosshairs and Low Light

[Krooz]

I have a Leupold-Gilmore dot on my RB 44 and really like it except for during low light conditions. This scope does not magnify and unlike my rifle scopes I lose my sight picture pretty early (comparatively) in the evening.
I'm thinking of getting a conventional scope instead but wonder, if being a long eye relief, I'd lose the picture early anyway. Thanks in advance for opinions.....

Krooz

[Geno]

I have almost the same experience using an UltraDot, I really like it, but noticed at dusk, dark woods and black bear = cant see target. No light gathering ability, or poor at best, with a dot type setup. Most quality scopes seem to add some helpful light gethering for those last few minutes of shooting time. Weigh the advantages of each, choose accordingly.

[C A Plater]

One "trick" is to use with the dot is to keep both eyes open and use the eye to aquire the target and align the dot in right eye.  Your brain will merge the two sight pictures and even if your right eye cannot see anything but the dot, it will still be on target.

[TScottO]

The human eye has a hard time seeing thorough light into darkness. You ever notice when it's dark outside and you're inside with the lights on and you cannot see out of the window but turn the lights out and you can see outside just fine. This is the same thing with the reddot scopes in low light conditions. You can practice what Plater was telling you by placing a cotton ball over the target sid of the scope lens and holding it with a piece of tape. One eye looks at the dot but cannot see through the scope. Your other eye sees the target. It takes a lil getting use to but thats the way I learned to shoot with both eyes open. It's a lil awkward at first but it works like a charm.

Good luck and be safe.

[Redhawk1]

One "trick" is to use with the dot is to keep both eyes open and use the eye to aquire the target and align the dot in right eye.  Your brain will merge the two sight pictures and even if your right eye cannot see anything but the dot, it will still be on target.

Great suggestion, that is what I have been doing. But if you decide to go with a scope, make sure you get the biggest optics. 32mm or better. I have a Leupold 2X20 sitting in my gun safe because the field of view is bad and it takes to long to find the crosshairs. I have practiced with the Leupold and just did not like it. I have a couple of Bushnell on a couple of my handguns, my Pachmayer Dominator has a 4 X32, my T/C contender in 223 has a 2X6X32. My Encore in 30-06 has a Burris 3X9X32 and my Encore 22-250 has a Weaver 2X8X32. They work great. On my S&W 500 and my BFR in S&W500 I have red dot sights. I have a Bushnell Holo sight and an Ultra dot on them. On my Ruger Redhawk I have a tasco pro point, and on my S&W625 I have an Aim Point. and I have several Ruger 22's with red dots also. I shoot all my red dots with both eye's open. I shoot at an indoor range and it is a low light condition and when I am alone in there I turn down most of the lights and make it a dark as I can and practice for low light conditions. Works great for me.

[Bama76]

I have given up scopes all together on handguns they are just to slow and for me it gets worse in low light. The both eyes open style and red dots set on low power win out hands down. With that said I also use rifles for my longer range work so the need for magnification on my handguns is not there but I do easily understand why hardcore handgun hunters would want crosshair scopes. my 2 cents only

[Krooz]

Thanks for the tips. The problem is that the hole I hunt in gets dark quick and the ole eyes just don't work as well at dusk as they used to (so, using both eyes doesn't help much). I'll likely just stick with the dot recognizing it's limitations.

Krooz