Target Dot Crosshairs - Purpose?

[allenlhouston]

I see Sightron and others have a large listing of target dot cross hairs.
Some are as small as 1/8" and as large as 1/4"
What is the purpose for these dots?
Are they just for target shooting and at what distance?
I would like to hear from users as to uses and the pros & cons of target dots.

[helotaxi]

Best I can figure it makes for easier alignment with a round bullseye. I've never seen a point in them. Give me a fine crosshair or fine duplex.

[Fjold]

I can put the 1/8" target dot on a ground squirrel's head at 400 yards and the dot doesn't hide the target. The dot is mounted on the fine crosshairs and is easier to see than the intersection of the fine cross wires. The regular duplex and the mildot reticle crosshairs are too thick and you can't get a fine enough sight picture on small targets. A lot of benchrest shooters will use a target dot.

[Dirk]

Are they just for target shooting and at what distance?

A 1/8 MOA dot is at 100 yards. If you shoot targets at 200 yards, it will cover 1/4 MOA. That way you can decide which part of the X you want to aim at!

[Fjold]

Are they just for target shooting and at what distance?

A 1/8 MOA dot is at 100 yards. If you shoot targets at 200 yards, it will cover 1/16 MOA. That way you can decide which part of the X you want to aim at!


An 1/8 MOA dot will cover approximately 1/8" at 100 yards (1 MOA is 1.047" at 100 yards)

At 200 yards an 1/8 MOA dot will cover just over 1/4" at 200 yards, just over 3/8" at 300 yards and just over 1/2" at 400 yards, etc.

It's still 1/8 MOA, that's a constant but the area it covers increases with distance.

[Dirk]

Frank,

You are correct. I got my math wrong and I corrected it.

[hotbrass]

We use target dots in metallic silhouette matches(the chicken, pig, turkey, ram kind, not the military silhouettes.) You just put the dot on the animal and pull the trigger. Crosshairs are not as easy to see. With a 1/4 moa dot, it is like shooting with a red dot scope. You dont have to concentrate on the dot, just the target.

The luxury of metallic silhouette games is you can hit the animal anywhere and score. Not like hunting where you want a clean kill.e

I see no point in shooting paper with a dot. There is not enough precision.

[Dirk]

Most F-class shooter use a fine cross hair with a 1/8 MOA dot all the way out to 1000 yards. There is PLENTY of precision in that reticle.

[hotbrass]

Most F-class shooter use a fine cross hair with a 1/8 MOA dot all the way out to 1000 yards. There is PLENTY of precision in that reticle.


Probably so. I cant even see a 1/8moa dot.