Pistol red dot sight question.

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  • bjb550

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    Nov 16, 2008
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    Recently I purchased a red dot sight to run on pistols. It's a Swampfox Liberty and the only pistol sight I've tried. I noticed that while using the optic outdoors there seems to be a red semi-circle under the dot. Almost life a reflection maybe from the emmiter. Indoors I just see the dot. So my question is if it's normal to experience this while using these types of sights on pistols? I've reached out to Swampfox as well and am waiting on a reply.
     

    DAVE_M

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    Recently I purchased a red dot sight to run on pistols. It's a Swampfox Liberty and the only pistol sight I've tried. I noticed that while using the optic outdoors there seems to be a red semi-circle under the dot. Almost life a reflection maybe from the emmiter. Indoors I just see the dot. So my question is if it's normal to experience this while using these types of sights on pistols? I've reached out to Swampfox as well and am waiting on a reply.

    It is normal when using lower quality optics. The issue is not prevalent on higher quality MRDS such as the Trijicon RMR, Leupold Delta Point Pro, or Holosun 507c.

    I have had the same issue on cheaper MRDS like the Burris Fastfire.

    You did the right thing by contacting them, because it shouldn’t be happening. Likely there is an issue with the emitter lens or the optic glass itself.
     

    Bangswitch

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    Recently I purchased a red dot sight to run on pistols. It's a Swampfox Liberty and the only pistol sight I've tried. I noticed that while using the optic outdoors there seems to be a red semi-circle under the dot. Almost life a reflection maybe from the emmiter. Indoors I just see the dot. So my question is if it's normal to experience this while using these types of sights on pistols? I've reached out to Swampfox as well and am waiting on a reply.

    Do you have an Astigmatism?

    I have experienced this with red dots of varying qualities. I had it on a trs-25 and blamed the optic for being of lower quality so I bought a Holosun only to find the same halo with the brighter settings. Turns out I have an astigmatism
     
    Last edited:

    bjb550

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    Do you have an Astigmatism?

    I have experienced this with red dots of varying qualities. I had it on a trs-25 and blamed the optic for being of lower quality so I bought a Holosun only to find the same halo with the brighter settings. Turns out I have an astigmatism

    I dont think its an astigmatism issue. The red semi circle under the dot is perfectly round in contour. It sounds like it may be a quality issue as stated in the above reply. I'll wait to see what the Company has to say.
     

    bjb550

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    It is normal when using lower quality optics. The issue is not prevalent on higher quality MRDS such as the Trijicon RMR, Leupold Delta Point Pro, or Holosun 507c.

    I have had the same issue on cheaper MRDS like the Burris Fastfire.

    You did the right thing by contacting them, because it shouldn’t be happening. Likely there is an issue with the emitter lens or the optic glass itself.

    Thanks for the info. Makes more sense now as to what's happening. I'll wait to see what Swampfox has to say and proceed from there.
     

    Jgarris11

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    I have the same issue with my rmr and holosun holosun 510. I thought it was the sights but come to find out I have astigmatism. Take the optic off the gun and look through it, rotate the optic 360 degrees while looking through it. Does the semi circle stay in the same spot or rotate with the optic? If it stays it’s astigmatism if it rotates it’s the optic. Here’s a video someone sent me when I had the same issue.

    https://youtu.be/WPZ76OzzJ74
     

    DAVE_M

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    I have the same issue with my rmr and holosun holosun 510. I thought it was the sights but come to find out I have astigmatism. Take the optic off the gun and look through it, rotate the optic 360 degrees while looking through it. Does the semi circle stay in the same spot or rotate with the optic? If it stays it’s astigmatism if it rotates it’s the optic. Here’s a video someone sent me when I had the same issue.

    https://youtu.be/WPZ76OzzJ74

    Did your optometrist/ophthalmologist tell you that you have an astigmatism?
     

    MOTOR51

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    Simply use your phone and look at the dot through the camera. It will probably be perfectly round. I have astigmatism and I know the struggle lol. That’s why I have continued to find my way back to eotech


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
     

    Jgarris11

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    Did your optometrist/ophthalmologist tell you that you have an astigmatism?

    Yes. when I went in to get an updated prescription for my glasses, I told him what was going on and said yes I have astigmatism after he ran his exam.
     

    DAVE_M

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    Yes. when I went in to get an updated prescription for my glasses, I told him what was going on and said yes I have astigmatism after he ran his exam.

    That’s interesting. I’ll have to ask my doc next time I see them.

    I have met many people that claim they have eye sight issues, self diagnosing themselves, but have never seen an eye doctor. For me, the dot looks like a paint brush stroke without my prescription. With my Rx glasses, it’s not as bad, but still there. The only time I’ve ever had that halo effect is with bad lenses on the optic or my glasses.
     

    Bangswitch

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    Yes. when I went in to get an updated prescription for my glasses, I told him what was going on and said yes I have astigmatism after he ran his exam.

    I’m kind of a lousy patient. I buy bulk contact lenses and only bother to return the eye doctor when I’m low on lenses or I can tell my scrip needs to be changed. I noticed Halos at night and always assumed everyone saw those. I wasn’t till I had an optics issue that I realized I had an astigmatism. I mentioned it to my mother and she laughed at me. She was surprised I didn’t know and acted like I must had forgotten. I’ve been wearing corrective lenses since I was 11.

    I don’t think you have to be near or far sighted to have an astigmatism either.
     
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