Reflex sight on smooth-bore weapons. Sights on a smoothbore gun Recommend a collimator sight on a smoothbore gun

Today, rifle scopes are an integral part of a hunter's or target shooter's equipment.

Having this device, there is no need to combine the target itself, front sight and sight (when using an open one, these 3 objects should be on the same line), it is enough to aim the crosshair at the target and you can shoot.

When there are optics in the arsenal, the process of training in shooting is greatly simplified, and many of them are able to magnify the image several times, which makes it possible to aim more accurately and multiply the chances of hitting the target.

Even a visually impaired person can hunt with such a device. Devices of this modification are made for both rifled and smooth-bore weapons.

main parameters

Optical sights for hunting rifles and rifles are not a simple design and have a number of parameters.

It is by these parameters that they differ and have their own specific purpose. The main parameters of optics include:

• multiplicity;
• light transmission;
• parallax;
• lenses, their sizes and antireflection coating;
• fastening method.

One of the most important characteristics of any "optics" is multiplicity, this also applies to scopes. Do not trust the stereotypes that the higher the magnification, the better the scope. This is not always true.

The magnification (magnification) varies for different models from 2 to 50, but this does not mean that scopes with a small magnification are bad and cheap, and with a large magnification they are expensive and good. Systems of high magnification are installed on the weapon if it is necessary to hunt small game or small animals at a distance.

For hunting large game (elk, wild boar) optics with small magnification or collimator optics are used. - This is a kind of optical, which usually have a constant factor of -1. Such systems are intended for hunting a mobile animal, they have excellent light transmission, high durability and are considered the fastest.

The collimator is a light-emitting diode built into the sight, which can be in laser and conventional (infrared) versions. When a rifle or rifle is aimed at a target, a red dot appears on the object.

Light transmission Is the amount of light transmitted through the scope to the eye. The greater the multiplicity of the device, the less this parameter. The most expensive scopes have 95-97% light transmission.

Parallax Is the illusion of deviation from the goal. On "optics" with a magnification of more than 10, with a break in aiming or a sharp movement of the head, the feeling is created that the target is "gone".

In order to prevent such an effect from happening on scopes for hunting at close range with a magnification of 8 or more, a parallax detuning ring is installed. It comes in the form of a drum around the body of the sight and in the form of an adjusting pin on the side of the body. Each division on such a "device" corresponds to the distance for the shot.

Most of the riflescopes produced for a three-line or shotgun have lens diameter from 40 to 45 mm and are waterproof and also protected from internal fogging.

Many optical targeting systems, in addition to the various above parameters, may differ in the method of attachment to the weapon... Experts advise to attach all devices to the brackets and mounting rings, which are “native” for each weapon, so that the sight and the gun are a single whole mechanism.

Models for professionals

Today you can choose a rifle scope for absolutely any purpose. For hunting wild boar, or other large animals, models with a multiplicity of 3-9 are most often used. With these indicators, there are many systems, both domestic (Belarusian) and cheap Chinese production. The following models are in greatest demand among professionals:

Models for hunting in the steppe

For hunting in the steppe or in other open areas, sights on carbines are used with a magnification of 4-12, 4.5-14. Popular models are:

Now on sale is a large number of optical sights for different requirements. Each hunter should understand what he pays money for when buying a system and which values ​​of the above parameters are important for him, and which can be neglected. You can buy optics in almost any hunting store or online.

Recently, there has been a tendency to change the sighting devices on a smoothbore gun. Standard sighting devices, still installed on most serial hunting rifles around the world, appeared at the earliest stage of the development of firearms, and if we talk about breech-loading weapons, then simultaneously with the appearance of breech-loading double-barreled guns, i.e. over a century ago. And a significant number of shooters use such sights to the present time quite successfully. However, recent trends say that a lot has changed in this matter, and the sights of a modern rifle should differ from the standard adopted one hundred and thirty years ago.

Traditional sights

Traditionally, the sighting devices of a shotgun were only one front sight, usually cylindrical-spherical (European tradition) or spherical (American tradition) shape. In Russia, guns are produced with cylindrical-spherical front sight (i.e. full or flattened sphere on a cylinder or cone). In this case, the gun, as a rule, also has an aiming bar. Double-barreled guns - almost always (with extremely rare exceptions), and self-loading and magazines - mainly since the end of World War II, although they were produced with a bar before that time. Single barrels most often did not have an aiming bar.

The aiming bar is a very important element of sighting devices for most shooters. With a conventional front sight, only a few shooters do not experience discomfort when firing a gun without a sighting bar. The bar and front sight, against the front sight alone, noticeably increases the convenience, speed and accuracy of aiming.

The aiming bar can taper towards the muzzle (this is the case on most horizontal bars, and on a few vertical bars), or not have a narrowing (this is done on almost all vertical bars). The bar can be narrow (6-7 mm) and wide (9.5-12 mm). Wide strips are mainly used for sporting guns; such strips also often have a white or red narrow strip or groove in the middle.

Domestic gun MP-233 has a wide bar and is equipped with two front sight

My opinion: the width of the plank is as you are accustomed to. Personally, I don’t like wide strips, with grooves, stripes or without, but I like narrow strips. However, this opinion is subjective and, most likely, in the framework of sports disciplines, such wide bars really give an advantage, since almost 100% of sports guns are equipped with them.

The lath material is traditionally steel or, more recently, carbon fiber. The good thing about plastic is that it is lighter, and, being not soldered along the entire length of the barrel, does not change its geometry when the barrel heats up from intense shooting. But its disadvantage is fragility, so it can be used on a hunting rifle mainly on "sterile" hunts, without ripping through the thickets and other Russian attributes of running hunting.

The first step towards changing the sighting devices was expressed in the fact that two front sight was installed on the gun - a small one in the middle of the bar and a large one at the end. When aiming, they needed to be combined. Such a system was spread mainly on American self-loading and magazine guns, especially this idea was liked by Mossberg, but other companies (Benelli, Remington, etc.) produce guns with 2 front sight. The idea is not bad, but it really does not have any advantages over a single front sight and a bar either in speed or in aiming accuracy. Although many users find this system very convenient for themselves. The first domestic gun that leaves the factory with 2 flies is the MP-233.

But a qualitative step forward made it possible to make new materials for the manufacture of sighting devices.

What was the main disadvantage of the traditional front sight? Low contrast against a forest background. They fought with this by making a front sight from brass (yellow), ivory, painting it with white paint. But these were all half measures. The real breakthrough came with the advent of a special plastic that had the properties of optical fiber, i.e. was able to direct most of the light flux incident on a cylinder (or parallelepiped) made of such plastic from all sides, only along the axis of this cylinder. Because of these properties, flies made of such plastic are called light-collecting and retroreflective, although the latter definition is incorrect, since it refers to products capable of directing the light flux back to its source. An example is reflective blocks on cars.

The "intermediate" option is flies made of ordinary bright plastic. Recently, very often such flies are put on sports guns. They are usually made in the form of a parallelepiped with a length of about 20 mm, with a truncated end facing the breech. For daytime conditions for the shooter, they are not much different from fiber optic, and they do not practice shooting at dusk according to the rules.

Fiber optic flies are manufactured by TRU GLO, HIVIZ and others. They differ mainly in length and method of attachment.

Option 1 - a small (7-10 mm in length) red plastic cylinder, located horizontally by the end and held by a small metal clip. It is screwed in instead of the standard front sight. The projection shape is a circle, the diameter can be different - from 2 mm to 4 mm. These flies are found on many sporting rifles.

The front sight on the MP-233 is made of ordinary plastic

On the Russian IZH-39 and MP-233, similar flies are also installed, however, the plastic used in them does not have optical fiber properties.

The second option is a cylinder or cone extended up to 30 mm, often made with replaceable front sight of different colors. The base of the front sight is made of metal or plastic. With a metal base, they usually have the ability to adjust, but, as a rule, they are designed to be installed together as a whole.

The third option is a long, 60-80 mm cylinder, mounted on a rail, which is almost always made of plastic.

There is a front sight of this type and the domestic production of PKF "Efkon". It is called "Cat's Eye" and costs 3 USD in Moscow. It is a plastic parallelepiped, fixed on a steel rail with U-shaped holders. The front sight is attached with a screw to a regular place. The projection shape is a square. The initial version was designed for the 8 mm bar (TOZ), later they began to be produced in 2 versions for the rifles of the Izhevsk and Tula factories.

Flies of the second and especially the third type (long) look noticeably brighter than small ones, and allow successful aiming in low light conditions. In general, the longer the front sight, the more it is able to collect light, and the brighter it will be, and the lower the illumination level at which the front sight will be visible. The longest and brightest are visible almost at night, as well as in moonlight.

All fiber-optic flies allow you to subconsciously focus attention on them, even when raising the gun, in contrast to collimators and conventional flies. Thus, the process of aiming with light-collecting flies begins even when the gun is raised. High contrast and error-free identification allow aiming much faster than with a conventional front sight.

What are the disadvantages of fiber optic flies? The main problem of such flies (of the second and third types) is their mechanical fragility and attachment to the weapon. Flies of the first type are made of a much stronger plastic, less light-collecting, and are firmly embedded in a metal frame. Since they are fastened in place with a standard screw located at the bottom of the clip, such a front sight has no problems with strength or installation height. When firing in the daytime, such flies are practically in no way inferior to flies of the second and third types.

The fragility of longer flies is due to the considerable length and material of the front sight, as well as the material of the guide, which in the overwhelming majority of cases is made of plastic. However, if you handle the gun carefully, then the front sight does not create any problems.

The second problem is the installation of a front sight on a gun that was not originally equipped with such a front sight. The thing is that the standard front sight is usually very small, and the fiber-optic one, in addition to being often larger than the regular one, is also fixed on the guide. The guide is almost always made of plastic. Since to ensure strength it is necessary to make this guide of sufficient thickness, all together this leads to the fact that the fiber-optic front sight independently installed on the gun turns out to be much higher than the standard one, and the gun begins to lower, often quite noticeably.

The flies installed at the factory are practically free of these shortcomings. They are attached with U-shaped holders directly to the aiming bar, without a guide. Or it is milled in the bar " dovetail"under the front sight guide. Thus, their height coincides with the height of a conventional front sight. In addition, a fairly large number of holders are used, literally every centimeter, and these holders are made of steel, not plastic. This significantly increases the strength of the front sight, and, at the same time , reduces or even virtually eliminates the visibility of the side surface of the fiber optic insert to the left (non-dominant) eye.

The front sight itself of the second and third types, sold separately, can be mounted on a magnet and using a special plastic clip, pre-installed on the gun bar, glued with double-sided tape. Almost all of them have a hole in the front for fastening with a screw screwed into the place of a standard front sight. However, due to their length and the plastic used as a guide, it is impossible to firmly fix such a front sight with only one screw.

The magnetic attachment, if not duplicated by any other attachment, can easily get lost when the front sight touches the branches. Therefore, such flies, as a rule, are also fixed with a screw.

The plastic clip, pre-mounted on the rifle, makes it easy to change the fiber optic inserts while maintaining sighting. The fiber optic insert on its own rail is simply rubbed into place.

Both the magnetic mount and the plastic clip have the significant disadvantage that they change the shape of the projection of the front of the bar. Aiming becomes somewhat less convenient due to the fact that at the end, at the point of attachment of the front sight, an extension is obtained that does not fit with the projection of the breech of the bar. As a result, time is lost on perfect alignment. And with a high front sight, resulting from the clip + guide, the aiming bar practically falls out of the aiming tools.

The method of fastening to double-sided tape is simple, but requires extremely careful installation, since when skewing and correcting the position of the front sight when peeling off the tape, it can tear and stretch, losing its adhesive properties. In addition, double-sided tape very quickly (a year of operation, or even less) under the inevitable influence of oil and water loses its properties. The author is aware of a case when the front sight, glued to the double-sided tape that came with the TRU-GLO front sight, fell away and was lost on the third day of hunting, which greatly upset the owner of the gun, since the front sight was not cheap, the hunt was not over yet, and the regular front sight was in advance dismantled. You can glue the front sight with any durable oil and water resistant glue. It should be remembered that domestic adhesives made on the basis of rubber (glue "Moment" and "Super Moment") are able to firmly fix the front sight for no more than a couple of years - in the future, under the influence of oil, the glue loses its properties. It is best to use epoxy. It will hold very firmly, and neither the shots nor the operation of the gun will change the position of the front sight. There is no doubt that the connection does not have the same strength as the soldered one, but with normal handling there will be no problems. When gluing a new front sight, I recommend leaving the factory one. The advantage of the glue landing is that it is much easier to align the front sight when gluing, since it can be moved during the glue hardening process. Also, the glue fit is lower than on double-sided tape, which is also important. Naturally, the surface must be thoroughly degreased before gluing.

It is by gluing that it is better to install on any gun the domestic front sight "Cat's Eye" produced by PKF "Efkon". Thus, regardless of the purchased version for the IZH (6.75 mm) or TOZ (8 mm) bar, you will best attach the front sight to your gun, while the shape of the projection of the front of the gun will not be changed. We do the following: remove the fiber optic insert itself from the metal guide, and simply glue it with epoxy resin directly to the bar. When using epoxy resin, the effect of changing the color of the fly is noticed - the yellow modifications acquire a greenish tint.

Front sight "Cat's Eye" glued to the gun rail Rus. Effective and inexpensive

In this case, the height of the front sight almost coincides with the height of the standard one, only the aiming will be done not at the target, but at the target itself (i.e., the projection of the front sight is the center of the debris). The front sight is held very firmly, since the shape of its projection is square, and the surface area under the glue is quite large. The fiber optic part itself is made of a more durable plastic than the front flies manufactured by TRU GLO and HIVIZ, and withstands even light hammer blows without consequences. It is, of course, noticeably less bright than imported flies, but its brightness is quite sufficient for instant identification. It can be seen until late dusk, when hunting is possible at all. Note that Blaser began to install a front sight made of such plastic as a standard sight on a part of a rifled weapon (for example, R93 in the "Off-road" modification). They are about 20 mm long.

I recommend this "naked" installation of the Cat's Eye front sight for domestic double-barreled guns with horizontal barrels. The concave shape with a tapering bar on domestic horizontal lines creates serious problems when installing imported long flies. None of the attachments are suitable here, except for gluing. Due to the relatively wide guide with the concave strip, gluing on double-sided tape gives a very strong decrease in the center of the debris. The glue landing reduces the descent, but you still have to aim at an open bar. True, as for me, I did not consider this a disadvantage, since it turned out that it is more comfortable and faster for me to aim from a horizontal line with an open bar. This is because I am used to verticals, so although after training I do not feel the difference in aiming the vertical and horizontal, I still feel more comfortable aiming at an open bar (so the view is much larger, the barrels cover a smaller area) from the horizontal is more comfortable for me. The "Cat's eye" front sight, being freed from the steel guide and easy processing with a file of the lower part for better matching with the concave shape of the strip (however, you can not do this), sits perfectly on the glue and holds firmly, while its height is equal or practically equal (if without modification) to the standard front sight! In addition, the price of such a front sight of 3 USD is much more suitable for owners, for example, a hammer tulle or IZH-58, than a Truglo for 40 USD. The latter is often equal to the cost of another gun. When installing, I recommend keeping the old front sight in its place.

The TRU-GLO front sight on the IZH-54 gun is glued to the bar and additionally fixed with a screw

TRU-GLO is very bright, but the installation height is too large

You can make your own fiber front sight using a ruler or other appropriate material from your office supply store. This kind of plastic or similar fluorescent plastic is also often used for the manufacture of toys and various objects. All that is required is accuracy when cutting, so that the edges of the front sight are perfectly straight. However, the brightness of such homemade flies will still be inferior to even the Cat's Eye, not to mention TRU GLO and HIVIZ.

Fiber optic front sight is available for installation on single-barreled shotguns that do not have an aiming bar. They have a semicircular, barrel-shaped guide, glued to the barrel. Such a front sight is shown in the photo for the third type of fiber-optic front sight, photo "c".

The Cat's eye sight is also easy to install on these guns, slightly spreading the ends of the U-shaped guide to the sides for better fit with the barrel and reducing the height of the front sight, and fixing it to the barrel using "cold welding" (high strength epoxy resin).

Long front sight slightly reduce the aiming line, but with a barrel length of 700-750, reducing the line by 80-90 mm does not have much effect.

Fiber optic front sight is often sold as front sight + rear sight. The sight is also made of fiber, and most often has a different color or projection size to improve identification.

This is good when shooting with a bullet, as it improves the accuracy of the fire. Aiming speed with a fiber-optic front sight and rear sight is higher than when using a conventional rear sight and front sight. For shooting with a shot, the rear sight is not needed, although with some getting used to it, it does not interfere very much, while maintaining the constant ability of a relatively more accurate shot when firing a bullet. However, it should be borne in mind that such sighting devices do not provide high accuracy of the battle, due to round shape front sight and rear sight edges, as well as the apparent distances between them. When aiming, strict uniformity is not obtained, which leads to a significant displacement of the STP. To put a pillar or not - there are more arguments "against" than "for". The sight, although it allows you to eliminate the lowering of the point of impact when installing a non-standard front sight, but at the same time practically removes the aiming bar from the aiming process. Its installation is partly justified if you often have to shoot a bullet from a gun. But the best solution in this case would be to install a collimator sight, which is much more accurate and more convenient in aiming.

Thus, we have already touched on another type of sighting devices for shotguns - a conventional open sight, equipped with an entire front sight. Such sights are installed on shotguns, designed primarily for firing a bullet, the so-called. "deer" guns ("Deergun").

It can also be seen on some police shotguns (for example, the Benelli M3T with a folding stock). The barrel of such shotguns is shortened, without an aiming bar. Often these American-made shotguns are equipped with a fully rifled barrel. For shooting with a bullet, an open sight is very suitable, since there is a possibility of adjustment in two axes. Fiber-optic front sight and rear sight have been developed especially for these guns.

The front sight is usually about 20-30 mm long. Both the rear sight and the front sight have a high steel base and the ability to adjust. If a fiber optic front sight is not used, then usually white dots (paint or plastic inserts) are applied to the rear sight and front sight. In view of the aforementioned low accuracy of optical fiber sighting devices, it is recommended when choosing an open shield sight to give preference to the conventional model with a rectangular front sight and an entirely U-shaped metal sight.

Note that the trend is the complete rejection of conventional sighting devices on shotguns designed for bullet shooting. These guns are equipped with a bar for mounting an optical or collimator sight and have the shape of a stock adapted for such a sight.

Diopter sights

Another type of sight that has firmly taken its place on military and police shotguns is the diopter, or, as it is called in the United States, the "ghost ring" (ghost ring).

An example is the SDASS TACTICAL pump-action shotgun (see photo).

Diopter sights on shotguns naturally have an enlarged aperture, compared to the diopters for rifled weapons, about 3-3.2 mm, for the fastest possible aiming. Such a sight is often called an annular sight, although the only difference is precisely the size of the hole. The advantages of such scopes are the increased sighting line, which is especially important for short shotguns, which are used for combat purposes, as well as the exclusion of one element from aiming - the rear sight. The shooter is only required to combine the front sight and the target, since the even hold of the front sight in the visible ring is instinctively done. The sight, in contrast to the traditional rear sight, covers the target significantly less, since the shooter sees only one front sight on the target (which is usually performed high). Have regular sight the entire bottom of the target is completely covered. That is why often open sights are aimed "at the target".

The canonical drawback of the diopter is a low light threshold, which is of little relevance for scopes on shotguns. Indeed, using a rifle diopter with a very small aperture (1-1.78 mm) in low light conditions is very problematic. However, on smooth bore, the hole has a diameter of about 3-3.2 mm and in low light conditions it is not much inferior to the usual front sight. Greatly helps the convenience and speed of aiming and the installation of a fiber-optic front sight. Of course, this is not a sight for night shooting, but it is quite possible to shoot until late dusk.

In general, the scope is good, but it is of little use for a feather hunter, since it is designed for shooting at large, not very fast moving targets, and quick aiming from it at a flying bird is difficult, although it is possible after developing the skill. Therefore, diopter sights have found their niche in smooth-bore shotguns designed for bullet shooting and tactical shotguns.

The usual front sight still provides a high aiming speed and ease of tracking a moving target.

In dioptric sights, bright plastic or fiber-optic front sight is now increasingly used.

Ring sight

A very exotic design borrowed from anti-aircraft machine guns. Represents several concentric semicircles (usually 3), connected by 3 radial straight lines (one vertically, 2 - horizontally. The overall size of the sight is 20-30 cm. It is made of wire with a diameter of 2-3 mm. It is attached to the end of the barrel. Ring sights, mainly homemade, often sold in stores. It is believed that with its help it is good to teach newbies to take the correct lead. However, its dimensions and obvious inconveniences of operation do not allow this type of scopes to spread in any way.

"Reduced" version of the ring sight is manufactured by RUEB (see photo).

RUEB "S SHOTGUN SIGHT for $ 7.75

Collimator sights

Another type of sighting device has appeared very recently, but already claims to take place on a significant number of shotguns. This is a collimator sight (hereinafter for brevity - KP). In Russia, the main popularizer of this type of scopes is Chief Editor magazine "Russian weapons magazine - Gun" A. Vasiliev.

Consider this type of sighting device.

Collimators are divided into:

• Active (powered by batteries, the aiming mark is visible around the clock) and passive (does not require external energy, but the aiming mark is visible only during the day and in weak twilight). The aiming mark for passive ones is very dim and low-contrast.
• Through (light passes through the body or meniscus of the sight, you can aim with one or two eyes) and blind, they are also called "stereoscopic" (they project only the mark for the right eye, nothing but the mark is visible through the sight, aiming is carried out only with two eyes)
• Open (one lens) and closed (multiple lenses, similar to optical, only shorter).

View through an open collimator sight. Aiming mark type "point"

The principle of forming an aiming mark at collimators can be LED (the image is formed by illuminating the photo-lithographic plate with an LED) or holographic (the mark is written in the form of a hologram and illuminated by a laser).

Reflex sights provide fast targeting. Due to the lack of magnification, they practically do not limit the field of view, since the aiming is done with two eyes. An additional undoubted convenience is that a gun with an installed collimator sight fully retains the ability to shoot a shot at a bird in flight. For some closed-type scopes, optical attachments with a magnification of up to 2.5x are produced.

Advantages of collimators.

1. Significantly simplify and speed up the aiming process, since there is no need to align anything, only to combine the mark and the target, while the problem of different eye focusing on the target and the mark disappears, which is very important when using conventional sighting devices, where either the target is vaguely visible, or front sight. Adding a rear sight makes aiming even more difficult. This makes the controls especially attractive for those with little shooting experience. Aiming speed and firing efficiency when using a collimator is noticeably increased, this is especially noticeable for beginners.

2. Increase the accuracy of shooting with a bullet, especially among those who do not have much training. They allow you to shoot a gun with a bullet with a significant displacement of the STP - the sights have a wide adjustment range. Which is completely inaccessible to the front sight and is often very difficult or also inaccessible in open metal sights on a shotgun (often they are made unregulated).

3. Corrects the shortcomings of the gun's handiness, balance, pitch angle, etc. in the usual hunting sense.

4. The reticle does not cover the target.

5. Allows for targeted shooting in low light conditions, up to complete darkness, so long as the target is visible. Better only a night sight or special optics, but they have their limitations.

6. Facilitate aiming for people with insufficient visual acuity in the right eye (for example, astigmatism, myopia). If the left eye sees better, then it actually becomes the leading one, the right eye is the "leading" only out of psychological habit, and this becomes especially noticeable when raising the gun, when after a moment the sights are already seen by the left eye. The CP, in contrast to the front sight, allows you to neutralize this drawback, since the aiming mark is not visible with the left eye. When attaching the gun, the right eye, although it is not the leading one, will see the reticle, and the surrounding reality will be visible with the left eye. For the shooter, it will be enough to combine the mark with the aiming point to produce an accurate shot. The shooter actually faces an alternative - whether he will learn to shoot from the left shoulder, or whether he can make a stock with a retraction for the left eye, or buy and install a command post. Note that in not very difficult cases, when the right eye still sees quite well and initially retains the properties of the leading eye, the situation can be corrected by installing a fiber-optic front sight, the brighter the better. In this case, the throw-off of the gun can be carried out with the left eye closed, and only by putting the gun to the shoulder and catching the front sight with the right one, the left eye opens. However, the most effective solution to the problem is with the help of KP.

Disadvantages of collimators, real or attributed:

1. Increase the mass of the gun and change its balance (the latter, however, usually for the better), not much, since the collimators are very lightweight. In the best models, this increase is very small and with fairly heavy weapons such as the "Saiga" semiautomatic devices, it is practically imperceptible.

2. Not cheap (140-150 USD are good domestic, 300-500 USD are good imported). Especially expensive are holographic.

3. Clogging. Any optics requires careful handling, if possible, protection from debris and periodic cleaning in compliance with the rules (you cannot use your finger). Closed collimators can be fitted with transparent caps on either side to protect the eyepiece and lens. They can be cleaned with your finger. Alas, they, of course, noticeably reduce the aperture ratio. Pollution is especially important in winter, when one cannot literally take a step so that snow does not fall from the trees. Note that the developed visor in good open collimators (and not just a reflector rim) protects the scope well enough from clogging, while at the same time making it easy to clean the scope. Open sights are also sealed, so closed-type collimators do not have much advantage.

4. Parallax. Any optical system has this phenomenon to varying degrees: if you take any optical or collimator sight, direct it at some fixed target (it is better, of course, to fix it), and then, without touching the sight, move your head, i.e. look at the lens from different angles, the sight will point to different points on the target, remaining stationary relative to it. In practice, this very unpleasant property of optics means that with different stands and methods of holding the weapon, the weapon will be aimed at different points. Parallax is inherent in almost all scopes, cheap and expensive, and the only thing that can be done is to choose a scope whose relative error will be subtle, i.e. will be within the desired shooting accuracy. Thus, when choosing optics, you should pay attention to how stable the position of the head is in relation to the sight, and what error at the required distance will be given by your usual movements of your head relative to the sight. Since the predominant shotgun is used for shooting, the parallax problem is completely irrelevant, and when shooting with a bullet, the distance is limited to 100 m, and a good sight at such a distance does not give a significant shift, and the spread of hits is a consequence of other factors to an incomparably greater extent. The parallax of a good collimator is 1-1.5 arc minutes, i.e. 3-4.5 cm at 100 m, and with a uniform holding of the weapon, it is zero, so when choosing a sight for a shotgun, parallax can be ignored.

5. Alkaline batteries decrease their capacity when low temperatures... It is not recommended to turn off the scope in winter in cold weather. It is wise to carry a couple of spare sets of batteries in the winter. Good sights have automatic brightness control not only depending on the ambient light conditions, but also on the degree of battery discharge, therefore, the full discharge of batteries does not occur suddenly, but will occur gradually, reducing the brightness of the aiming mark, which will allow the user to notice this in time and replace it in a timely manner. batteries. Lithium batteries are much less sensitive to frost, therefore, even in severe frost (up to -35 C), they will last for several days of hunting. Either way, a couple of spare sets of batteries are inexpensive and will solve all cold problems.

In my opinion, the advantages of collimators far outweigh the disadvantages, but, of course, it is up to the user to decide for himself, since a good sight costs a lot. However, all the shortcomings in practice turn out to be surmountable, and the additional opportunities obtained after installing the sight can bring an extra trophy.

There are also features inherent in installing collimators on smoothbore guns.

Smoothbore guns, especially domestic ones, simply do not have places for installing collimators. For imported guns, there are both standard seats with a Picatinny (Vivera) rail (Benelli M1super90 Practical, Benelli M4), as well as removable covers for the receiver (aesthetically unattractive) or a spare barrel with a welded weaver rail (for Mossberg, Remington and Winchester) ... Of the domestic guns, only the Saiga models have a standard side bracket so far. However, let's hope that soon the rifles of the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant (MP-153, MP-133, maybe even IZH-94 and IZH-27) will be equipped with a side bar already at the plant.

The problem of installing the sight is easily solved by installing a pump, semi-automatic, single-barreled or double-barreled vertical bar for the side bracket on the side surface of the box. The work is very simple and can be done independently. You can fit the side rail to almost any shotgun. On guns with horizontal barrels, the installation of the gearbox is difficult and requires a non-standard approach, but it is possible.

Many manufacturers do not pay enough attention to the high optical axis in their scopes. Meanwhile, this significantly changes the position of the head relative to the gun, forcing the shooter to lift his cheek from the butt and fully straighten the neck. Often the high optical axis of the scope itself is exacerbated by the type of bracket used, which further raises the optical axis. As a result, the stock (and this is still an important shotgun sight) ceases to participate in the aiming process, and the process itself loses its naturalness. Many manufacturers of scopes and mounts do not pay attention to this problem. This indicates a lack of understanding by manufacturers of the needs of shooters.

An example of a completely incorrect location of the control panel is shown in the photo. The shooter even got a bruise on his chin due to the poor attachment of the weapon with such an arrangement of the collimator.

An example of incorrect installation of the sight (OKO) - the shooter's head is on the weight, touches the butt only with the chin

However, there is a collimator sight with the lowest optical axis - OKP-1.

An example of the correct installation of the sight (OKP-1) - the shooter's head takes a natural position, the optical axis of the sight is low

When hunting or competing, you must keep the scope on at all times. Batteries are inexpensive for most scopes and it is possible to carry a spare kit with you. Just remember to turn off the scope when the gun is not in use. In good sights, the ability to see standard sighting devices through the sight reflector is realized, which in case of refusal or forgetting to turn on the collimator will allow you to quickly hit the target from the standard sight.

Through the reflector OKP-1, the standard sight is clearly visible

What should you pay attention to when choosing a collimator?

The most optimal for smooth-bore rifles are the sights of the active open type.

Despite the fact that closed scopes can be better protected from clogging by installing transparent caps on both sides, and they are usually completely sealed, such properties of closed scopes as significant closure of the sight body by the body of the sight, lower aperture and high mass of such models will be justified only when installed on rifle... The aforementioned disadvantages are very significant, they noticeably change the sight picture and instead of just an aiming mark against the background of the terrain achieved in the best open models, especially those with a removable protective visor, we get a clear view through the scope, with the body covering part of the field of view. In addition, due to the significantly greater mass, the balance of the weapon changes. For effective shot shooting at a fast-flying target, a better picture and lower weight of the open scope are preferable.

What requirements should a modern collimator meet:

1. Service strength and tightness. As much as we all love our weapons, they always have a chance in the field to plunge into water, snow, sand, or just get a strong blow. Therefore, any optics should be (+ this should be guaranteed by a passport) sealed and, if possible, shockproof.

2. Resistance to kickback. Cheap collimators (under 50 USD) usually do not withstand recoil of calibers 20 and above. However, more expensive scopes usually do not have any problems associated with recoil (with a single exception - no one is immune from marriage). It is only necessary to fix the sight well on the weapon.

3. Convenience and clarity of sight alignment.

4. Minimum parallax.

5. The lowest possible optical axis.

6. Small weight of the sight.

7. Sufficient reflector size (> 30, and much better 35 mm) for comfortable shooting.

How to attach the selected scope to your weapon.

1. The strongest and best fastening is on the side bar. And fixing the sight is simple, and when removing / installing the zeroing point does not change. The sighting line of conventional sights does not close in the best scopes. In addition, this method is the most affordable and can be used for almost any gun.

2. You can install a weaver rail or a regular dovetail bar on top of the box. In this case, it is easy to mount the collimator, but the standard sight with such an installation, even if it is OKP-1 under the Weaver bar, is impossible to see. The optical axis with such an installation will inevitably be higher than with the lateral one.

3. No collimator sights can be attached to the aiming bar, except for one only Docter Sight (it weighs 25 g) - a sufficient number of cases of bar separation are described.

The side plate can be attached to the box on almost any shotgun. In the photo - MR-153

The bar has a low profile and does not interfere with the use of the gun when the sight is removed

A collimator on a smooth gun applied to the types of hunting

Hunting is different. And to speak of the collimator's suitability for hunting "in general" is incorrect.

Consider the following options - running hunting for upland and marsh game, hunting for waterfowl from an ambush (with stuffed animals), for waterfowl on the flight (ducks and geese), for a raid on an animal, for an animal on an ambush, for an animal with a stealth.

Obviously, the conditions of shooting and hunting itself are very different here, different weapons and ammunition are required. Accordingly, the suitability of the CP will vary.

Traveling hunting for swamp game - the collimator allows you to successfully shoot on these hunts, but increases the weight and dimensions of the weapon. Since lovers of swamp game prefer the lightest guns, and even with horizontally located trunks, the gearbox most often simply has nowhere to put and it will add mass. Therefore, usually on such hunts, it is usually not put, except in cases where there are vision problems. It seems that on a light semiautomatic machine, the use of the KP would be quite appropriate, although the yield from this on the hunts under consideration will not greatly increase due to the "nimbleness" of the marsh game.

Driving hunting for upland game. Since many people prefer to use medium-weight weapons or even 12-gauge "magnum" rounds on these hunts, the increase in mass is not so noticeable, which makes the collimator usefulness high. An undoubted essential convenience is the possibility of an accurate shot with a bullet, since such a need sometimes arises in upland hunting. The collimator, improving the stickiness of ordinary domestic rifles and having instant identification of the aiming mark against the background of the forest, allows you to shoot faster. Closed collimators are of little use, since they do not give a sight picture convenient for a shotgun. To the greatest extent, the spread of collimators for these hunts is hampered by the banal lack of seats on double-barreled guns. But on double-barreled guns with vertical barrels, you can set the bar yourself or in the workshop, thereby significantly "correcting" the shortcomings of the gun's handiness and ergonomics.

Hunting for waterfowl (ducks and geese) from ambush, with stuffed animals and on the flight. In the absence of the need to walk and often twilight shooting, it will be very useful to have a red dot sight on the gun. It should be especially noted that it is under these conditions that the collimator is preferable to the best fiber-optic flies. The peculiarity of hunting for waterfowl is that shooting is mainly carried out at dusk, and the target moves in the direction of the arrow. A good fiber-optic front sight is visible, of course, in open space until late twilight (although it depends on the position of the gun, besides, the domestic "Cat's Eye" fades faster), but the bar becomes invisible much earlier! There is a way to rub the bar with chalk, but it helps very little, and rather interferes than helps - clear visibility of the bar becomes impossible, you have to shoot with an "open bar". Shooting at the front sight alone, without seeing the bar well, is possible only with a 100% stock shotgun, while having a very developed muscle memory. However, does everyone have such a gun and such training? Trap shooting athletes - yes. And the rest? But that's not all the difficulties. Most often, the shooter on the flight is positioned so that the game flies high (and quickly) in the direction of the shooter. Therefore, in order to ensure a hit, you need to take a sufficient lead. Taking a lead in such a flight of a bird will turn out only if it is completely covered with the barrels of the gun! Thus, aiming at an swooping bird is difficult by moving the aiming point without visibility of the aiming point and the target at the same time. A collimator with an aiming mark "hanging in the air" does not completely block the field of view and is completely free from this drawback - the relocation of the aiming point in the direction of the bird's flight in no case shields the target with the gun, allowing you to choose a completely correct lead and even correct a sudden sharp maneuver game (this sometimes happens when a bird in flight sees the movement of the shooter raising the gun). Plus, the collimator mark is illuminated and visible, thus, even in absolute darkness. At the same time, a good collimator has automatic brightness control, which will allow you to shoot effectively with a sharp change in the direction of fire - you missed a bayonet - you shoot at hijacking (in one of these directions with respect to the other, lighting conditions due to the moon / sun or sunrise / sunset can be very differ significantly). Manual brightness control can be a hindrance to this.

On the beast (on a raid, ambush, stealth) - the use of command post is highly desirable. On a bear on oats - great, better only a night sight or special twilight optics.

It can be noted that the KP is best suited for those hunts where you can successfully use magazines and self-loading, but it will not be superfluous on a double-barreled gun. The KP is the optimal choice for a combination shotgun, since with optics it is impossible to shoot into the air from a smooth barrel. The command post will allow you to accurately shoot a bullet from a rifled at a distance of up to 100 m, and at the same time it leaves the opportunity to shoot in-flight at a bird from a smooth barrel.

KP for magazine and semiautomatic shotguns

Russian guns of the classic type (MTs21-12, TOZ-87, IZH-81, TOZ-94, MR-133, MR-153, Bekas and Bekas-auto) are best suited for installing collimators on the corresponding bracket on the side bar. With such a bar, you can also use an adapter bracket for the Weaver bar, to which the sight itself will be attached directly (if you have just such a sight). Installing the bar is not difficult and can be done independently or by a gunsmith.

Only the Saiga and Bekas-Auto models have standard seats (on the Saiga it is a side bar, on the Bekas there are grooves on the receiver, and the box is made of aluminum alloy). For Bekas-Auto, a special bracket is required for installation on standard seats.

The bar does not interfere with the use of a gun without a collimator, and when removing / installing the sight alignment is preserved. In the photo - gun MP-153

Of the models of collimator sights integrated with a bracket for the side bar, two can be mentioned - OKP-1 and Cobra. The scopes are the same in terms of reliability and have no recoil issues. The Cobra sight is made with interchangeable aiming marks. However, the Cobra has a meniscus of a smaller diameter, a noticeably worse sight picture due to the thick rim of the meniscus and, most importantly, a very high optical axis height, which requires the installation of a high cheek.

Cobra collimator family

The OKP-1 sight appeared on the market recently, but it can be safely called an excellent sight.

OKP-1 sight on MR-153

This is an open-type sight with active mark illumination, which is integral with the bracket for the side bar. Removal / installation of the sight occurs without disturbing the alignment. The main advantages of the sight are the minimum possible height of the sighting line, the ability to use conventional sighting devices, regardless of whether the sight is on or not. Very high aperture ratio and good design of the body, practically dissolving the lens against the background of the terrain. The visor, which well covers the meniscus from above from clogging, is removable, and in some models it is quick-detachable. The aiming mark is made in the form of a circle with a dot. A simple and convenient solution to two problems at once - accurate shooting (a small mark is required) and fast shooting (a large mark is required). The dot size is 3.76 MOA. The low location of the sighting line - and there is currently no sight of a similar design on the market - is a significant advantage, since it retains the natural swoop of the weapon and the use of standard sighting devices. No high cheek installation required. Automatic brightness control.

OKP-1 sight on Saiga-12

The aiming mark in OKP-1 can be changed at the request of the shooter (ring with a dot, enlarged ring with a dot, dot, square). The basic brightness of the mark can also be adjusted (for shooters who do not have very keen eyesight).

For Bekas-auto, it makes sense either to purchase a closed-type gearbox and not take it off again, since you will have to shoot the sight again every time (the Bekas aluminum box is unlikely to be able to withstand the repeated alternation of mounting and removing the sight), or just put a side bar.

Optical sights on a smoothbore gun

The specifics of firing a bullet from a shotgun is such that, as a rule, the maximum firing distance, with rare exceptions, is limited to 75 meters (and most often it is 20-40m), and the target moves quickly. In such conditions, an optical sight with a high (above 4) magnification is not even useless, but simply harmful. The best effect is obtained by using scopes with variable magnification from 1 to 4 with a lens diameter from 20 to 26 mm, called the Safari class or sights for driven hunting. Scopes of this type have a minimum magnification of 1 (Leupold and Docter) - 1.1 (Zeiss) - 1.25 (Shmidt & Bender and almost all others) and are often equipped with an additional projected red reticle (the so-called Flash Dot).

Zeiss 1.1-4x24T Varipoint VM / V

Such a sight from brands is not cheap (about 600-800 USD), for optics of the middle echelon (Taxco Titan, Bushnel and Burris) they ask about 350 USD.

In the mode of minimum magnification (1-1.25) and with the illumination on, the optical sight will work almost like a collimator, but with the peculiarity that its exit pupil is not very large and has a fixed distance. So the image in the right eye, even at 1x, will be different from the image in the left. It takes some getting used to, but even after it, the convenience of shooting is noticeably inferior to a collimator, especially an open type. True, sights without a projected mark do not require batteries, and the possibility of magnification up to 4 times will allow you to conveniently shoot at a distance in the region of 100-120 m.It should be remembered that bullets from a smooth barrel usually begin to significantly round out the flight path after 70 m, so the gun must be targeted with the type of bullet used at such distances. The optical sight for a shotgun does not need a large magnification (more than 4x at maximum), but it is useful to have the widest possible field of view.

The disadvantages against the collimator are obvious - a much larger mass and cost, a significantly smaller exit pupil size, the presence of a fixed value of the exit pupil removal against an unlimited one, which greatly affects the speed of the first shot, the picture is noticeably different for both eyes, due to both the properties of the optics and the closure by the case sight sight. The collimator will not hit the eye with a strong recoil (located further) and, when applied to smooth-bore guns, it easily allows you to shoot shot at flying birds, which is inaccessible to optics. All this leads to the fact that the driven sight is inferior to the collimator in terms of speed and convenience of shooting at a moving target, and in terms of versatility and range of application - to a sight of the 1.5-6x42 class. The magnification of 1-1.25 in terms of accurate aiming gives very little, and it is due not to the task of bringing the target closer, but to align the picture as much as possible for the right and left eyes.

Thus, while waiting for the beast on the license plate, if the sight is set to the minimum magnification, then a collimator would be better, as it is more convenient, faster and easier, and when set to a magnification of 1.5 and higher (i.e. for more distant targets ) it is more convenient to shoot from a sight of the class 1.5-6x42.

Sights of constant magnification (2-2.5x) have some application, however, this solution is inferior to the optics of the driven class (only cheaper) and collimators.

Laser designators

A type of scope that has become popular mainly due to Hollywood action movies. Represents a source of laser radiation, fixed parallel to the barrel of the weapon. A red dot is displayed on the target, where, in theory, the projectile should hit. Instills unnatural aiming skills - instead of actually aiming, the shooter stretches his neck and tries to see a tiny dot on the target. When hunting by feather, its use is practically excluded. It can find some use when firing a bullet from a storage shed, in addition to the main "normal" sight, if the shooter is sure that this will not frighten off the beast (although the beam itself is not visible, the included sight from the side of the emitter is visible from a long distance at night).

In conclusion, we note that despite the fact that the stock still plays an important role in aiming with a shotgun, new technologies can significantly squeeze the traditional sight. Collimators, significantly improving the convenience of aiming with a shotgun, allow you to shoot faster and more accurately, while expanding the shooter's capabilities at dusk. For bullet shooting, the advantages of collimators are obvious. Thus, the established type of sighting devices on a shotgun - front sight - although it remained as a standard one, but a new generation of scopes - collimators - are increasingly finding their place on guns, and we add, quite deservedly.

Michael HORNET (c)

2002-2003

To improve the results of shooting, it is not enough to modify the weapon; it is also necessary to use more advanced sighting devices. Collimator sights allow to significantly speed up targeting, while maintaining high firing accuracy. Their design is quite simple and can be reproduced at home, adjusted for the lower strength of homemade devices.

The device got its name from the principle of collimation used - the conversion of light beams, which correspond to the objects of observation, into parallel beams. In the same plane with the objects of observation (focal plane, opt.) There is an aiming marker, the glow of which is provided by a working LED.

The shooter's eye observes the marker at an indefinite distance. He never blurry and is on the target. From the side of the target, the light source is not visible, which is explained by its low intensity and the reflection of most of the rays in the direction of the shooter.

The advantages of a collimator are the ability to aim with two eyes. This expands the field of view and allows you to transfer the midpoint of impact in time.

Video review of the collimator sight, its principle of operation and application:

Distinguish between open and closed collimator sights. When using the open type, the shooter observes the target with two eyes, simultaneously fixing the aiming marker. The sight cavity is translucent, which also makes it possible to aim with one eye, as in the case of a telescopic sight.

When aiming a weapon equipped with a closed collimator, one eye observes the target, and the other fixes the aiming mark. It is impossible to aim with one eye, since the space behind the optics is made of an opaque material.

Difference from mechanical, optical, holographic sights

Types of reflex sights and how they differ from others

The fundamental difference between a reflex sight and classic sights is as follows:

• to provide an aiming marker, an electrical source is always used - a battery or a battery;
• to aim at a target, it is not necessary to achieve alignment of the mechanical parts of the sight (front sight and rear sight);
• the optical system does not provide a target approach (although collimators with a small magnification have recently begun to appear);
• the role of the aiming mark is played by the light spot, and not by the metal mesh in the focus of the lens or the marks engraved on it;
• when the shooter's eye is displaced relative to the axis of the weapon, the aiming marker almost does not change its position and remains on the target (practically no parallax).

There is another type of collimator -. This type is a development of the classical collimator scheme and uses a laser, as well as a holographic mark, instead of a point light source. The latter can take any shape, including visually apparent volumetric.

Holographic sights are considered more advanced than collimator sights, since they allow better orientation in conditions of rapidly changing targets. However, reflex sights are more versatile, remaining equally comfortable at short and long distances.

Application

Reflex sights have become widespread on medium and melee weapons, although sometimes they can be installed on. Most often they are used together with, assault rifles and .
The installation of collimator sights on pneumatic weapons has become very popular. This is especially true for airsoft drives.

In conventional 4.5 mm pneumatics, collimators are often used by beginners, as they allow you to make accurate shots with even minimal training.

If the main application of pneumatics is shooting at frequently and suddenly appearing targets, then a collimator sight is perfect. There are also night sights that allow you to hit the target accurately in the dark.

General device and diagram

The conventional design of an open and closed collimator sight is shown in the figure below.

Closed collimator sight (scheme b) is a tube in which a convex lens and a point light source are mounted. The front of the sight is closed, that is, you need to aim with two eyes. After aligning the marker and target, you can shoot.

Open collimator sight (scheme a) includes in its design a reflector mirror, often translucent. You can look into such a sight with one eye, observing the target and the luminous marker. The greatest effect is achieved with both eyes.

With the enthusiasm and practice of working with mechanical devices, the simplest collimator sight can be assembled on your own. To do this, you need a rectangular or round case, a reflector mirror or a piece of glass of the correct shape, as well as a working LED. Place the mirror or glass at an angle to the arrow so that the reflection of the LED is visible in the middle of the case.

Examples of the simplest designs of collimator sights that even a child can build with their own hands (in the literal sense) are shown in the video:

Operation and care

When using a collimator sight, you must:

• wipe the optics as it gets dirty, using specially designed wipes. Simple rags can damage (scratch) lenses and mirrors;
• check batteries or accumulators before installing them in the sight - relevant for devices with non-standard batteries;
• transport the scope separately from the weapon, with the exception of specially designed carrying cases. A properly adjusted scope will maintain its mid-point of impact even after repeated mounting and dismounting cycles.

Storage rules

To maintain the performance of a red dot sight, you need to fulfill the basic requirements for their storage:

1. remove the battery for a period of inactivity so as not to damage the electrical circuit when electrolyte leaks;
2. keep the scope in a dry place with constant humidity - this will protect the device from corrosion;
3. avoid physical impact on the scope, as repairs optical system quite expensive even for budget models.

How to choose a collimator sight

How to choose a collimator sight

There is an unspoken rule - all reflex sights with a purchase price below $ 15. That is, they are not fully scopes. This is due to the extremely unreliable design of cheap crafts, which will knock off at the slightest shock (even when overcharged).

Installation

Modern (brackets) have two main mechanisms - "dovetail" and the Picatinny rail. The most expensive models can be fixed on any of them, thanks to the universal mounting kit.

When installing the sight, its location is rigidly fixed with clamping screws, and sometimes it additionally locks in a special groove. Tighten the screws firmly, but be careful not to strip the threads or bend the guide rails.

You can watch the installation of a collimator sight on a rifle with an adapter plate in this video:

Customization

The process of adjusting a collimator sight can be reduced to two manipulations - setting the brightness and zeroing in. The change in brightness is carried out depending on the external lighting - the stronger it is, the brighter the aiming marker should be. When shooting in cloudy weather or at dusk, the power of the emitter must be reduced in order to prevent the target from being illuminated.

In the absence of experience, carry out the zeroing of the weapon from the stop. It is most convenient to use a special stand or a bag filled with sand.

Carried out at a standard distance for each type of weapon. In the case of pneumatics, it is advisable to start at ten meters, adjusting the midpoint and location of the marker in several steps:

1. the weapon is aimed at the target through mechanical sights or the bore. Also, a luminous collimator marker is aimed at the target (by rotating the adjusting screws in the horizontal and vertical planes);
2. a series of shots is fired (usually no more than three), which determine midpoint hits. The position of the marker is again adjusted with screws, taking into account the deviation of the aiming position from the point of impact (in accordance with the instructions for the used sight);
3. after the initial zeroing, another series of shots is fired to ensure the correctness of the corrections;
4. when the weapon is fired at a given distance, it is necessary to check the point of impact at other distances. The observed decrease or increase in hits should be recorded and learned. Knowing the deviations from the aiming point and the distance to the target, it will be possible to fire without making adjustments to the collimator settings.

A quick overview of popular brands

Cobra

Refers to the line of combat collimator sights designed for installation on serial military weapons. Depending on the conditions of use, you can select not only the brightness of the marker, but also its appearance(point, crosshair, etc.). Russian-made sights have a predominantly open design and allow you to quickly transfer fire to emerging targets.

Eotech

It is a line of collimator sights of various modifications, including holographic ones. The devices are of a high price range and have a wide range of features, many consider them to be the best in their field. Most are compact open designs.

Hakko

They belong to the scopes of the middle and upper price range and are manufactured in Japan. Implemented designs are varied and include both small collimators with a single lens and tubular designs for long range shooting.

Sightmark

The large assortment has gained fame thanks to its use by hunters and sportsmen. The price of the devices is shifted towards moderate values, and their considerable durability allows firing from weapons of large calibers, such as the 12th. Sightmark has collected a number of awards for its high quality products, some of which are used by US law enforcement.

Aimpoint

The company produces high quality scopes that are used on a variety of small arms. Most are made in a shock-resistant and water-resistant case that can withstand heavy mechanical stress. Scope prices are quite high and maintain the reputation of an expensive brand, but you can always get Chinese replicas at a lower cost.

Comparison of reflex sights from Aimpoint and Eotech:

Burris

These collimator sights are open-ended and are compact devices for installation on sports and hunting weapon... For military use, sights are less widespread, due to the open optical part. The devices are quite robust and compact, as well as highly ergonomic.

Leapers

The Leapers range of collimator scopes have become famous when mounted on smooth-bore hunting weapons and small-sized pneumatics. The rigid construction allows the scope to withstand high recoil. Among large selection there are budget models that allow full use of inexpensive gas-cylinder pistols with installed collimator sights.

Docter

German-made devices are popular due to their ultra-small dimensions and sufficient strength to withstand high recoil. Docter collimators are used in recreational, hunting and sports shooting, and are also used for installation on shotguns and submachine guns.

Bushnell

American-made samples complement a wide range of sighting devices, including not only collimator, but also optical sights. We can say that collimators are rather an exception for this brand, which in no way affects their quality. Most of the Bushnell red dot sights are budget models used for sporting and hunting purposes.

The purpose of using any firearm since its inception has been to quickly and accurately hit a bullet on a target. All developments and improvements in weaponry over several centuries are aimed at increasing the speed of aiming at the target and the accuracy of the shot. So in due time the usual front sight appeared, with the development of science called "optics" - optical sights, and with the development of electronic technologies - collimators.

Features of the collimator sight

The fundamental technical difference between this model and other types of sighting devices is that it does not have a permanent front sight or reticle. Aiming is based on directing a beam of light with a lens into the eye of the shooter, which matches it with the target and gives a very precise aiming at the target.

With a slight deviation of the weapon along the horizontal or vertical axis, the mark also shifts, still indicating the direction of the bullet's flight. Such qualities are unimaginable for other types of sighting devices.

Principle of operation

The collimator sight device is based on the use of simple electronics and optical effects. The light source is directed into a reflector lens, which forms a light stream in the direction of the arrow. A person holding a weapon in a firing position sees this flow as a point that shifts along the lens depending on the displacement of the weapon axis relative to the shooter's gaze axis and makes it possible to quickly and accurately point the weapon at the target to fire a shot.

The collimator takes advantage of the features of human binocular vision, giving the shooter the ability to aim without closing the other eye.

Difference from other types of scopes

When using a standard open front sight, the shooter, before firing a shot, must combine his gaze on one axis, the front sight on the nose of the barrel and the rear sight on its near edge. Only when these conditions are met can the person firing the shot be sure that the bullet from the barrel will fly in the right direction. This method reduces mobility during shooting and vision, since the shooter needs to close his second eye so that binocular vision does not interfere with accurate targeting.

In the case of using an optical sight, shooting in motion is practically impossible due to strong vibrations of the mark. In this case, high firing accuracy is achieved by a stable position of the weapon, in which it is possible to aim the crosshair at the target. For such measured shooting, only the conditions of large distances between the shooter and the target are permissible - the conditions of sniper shooting.

This device allows for accurate shooting at close and medium distances. It is required to combine only the direction of sight and light flux, after which the shooter sees where the bullet will hit. Compared to a conventional open scope, the reflex sight, which allows for shorter aiming times, provides more room for accurate shooting on the move.

In conditions of firing at long distances, the collimator does not allow accurate shooting, since the marker can cover almost the entire target, therefore, it does not compete with sniper optical devices.

An important difference between the collimator and other devices is the use of electricity for operation. Without power, the light source will stop working, then accurate aiming will become impossible. Therefore, when using a device of this type, remember that it works until the battery runs out.

Application

Since their inception, reflex sights have spread to many areas of human endeavor associated with weapons. In addition to military and police units around the world, they are most common among hunters and airsoft players. In some cases, the collimator is even placed on a bow.

This device is suitable for almost any type of small arms designed for close and medium range, including heavy shotguns and even machine guns. So what is a collimator sight for? Shooting in combat conditions or regular hunting with a red dot sight after getting used to it will definitely become easier and more convenient.

Collimator types

Collimators distinguish between open and closed. Initially, these classes meant two types of collimator sights, which are seriously different in their structure.

In the classical sense, closed devices were those that did not have a transparent lens. Through it, the shooter did not see the space behind the sight with the eye that sees the front sight.

Aiming was achieved by the need to use two eyes at once, one of which sees the space in front, and the mark is projected onto the other at this time. Thanks to binocular vision, the human brain in this case compares different images from two eyes and the shooter sees a front sight in front of the target and can aim.

An open model was a model with a transparent lens and an open front wall. A target is visible through such a sight. Therefore, shooting with a collimator sight using only one eye is possible only with an open type.

With the development of collimators, the need for closed sights in the classical sense has disappeared. A new understanding of the difference between closed and open devices has come. At the present time, a sight is called open, in which the lens is fixed in a small frame and does not have an auxiliary protective structure around it.

A closed device is a device in which the focusing lens is located in a sealed structure of a massive frame and an additional front lens. This design protects the focusing lens from rain drops, dirt and other foreign objects that can ruin the aiming quality. It is this understanding of the concepts of closeness and openness that is widespread at the present time.

Operation, care, storage rules

To prevent a high-quality collimator from breaking down during firing, you only need to install it on weapons with the appropriate caliber. A device designed for pistols and light semi-automatic weapons should not be placed on a weapon with a high recoil, as this can quickly disable it.

It is easy to damage this device. Lenses do not tolerate any physical impact, they easily leave scratches that reduce the quality of aiming. It is better to wipe them from dust with the help of special napkins and without the use of improvised means, since some fabrics can leave scratches.

Batteries are inserted into the device only before firing and removed after firing. When storing weapons, the batteries must be separate kt; fnm to protect the electronic parts of the device from possible damage if the batteries fail.

It is also advisable to remove the device while transporting the weapon, or use special covers that protect it from possible physical impact.

How to choose?

When choosing, first of all, you should know on what caliber weapon it will be installed on.

Choosing from models designed for weapons of a suitable caliber, you need to understand that cheap options are not complete and reliable, and will get confused during shooting and sharp shaking. A stable and reliable design can only be expected from well-known and time-tested manufacturers, so you cannot save money here. A cheap device will quickly fail during active operation and you still have to purchase a new one, therefore, it is better to immediately buy a more expensive but reliable one.

The choice between an open and a closed device is based on the conditions under which it will be used. For mobile shooting at close distances, where unforeseen physical impact on the device, strikes, hitting pieces of earth into it is possible, it is better to purchase a device of a strong closed structure.

For installation on rifles intended for shooting at long distances, you can choose an open collimator suitable for such weapons, but a closed one is also suitable, since the viewing angle in this case does not play an important role.

Sniper shooting is not possible with the standard device, but there are options with lenses that provide some zoom for more comfortable long-range shooting.

Zeroing features

After purchasing the device, it must be shot. First, you need to study the theoretical part, understand how the collimator sight works and how to correct its aiming at the target, and then zeroing in the collimator will not cause any problems.

Installation and configuration

Quality branded devices are supplied complete with mounts for two mechanisms - "dovetail" and Picatinny rail. Weapon It is also made with appropriate mounts on the body, therefore, installing the device on the barrel consists only in firmly fixing it in the right place by tightly tightening the clamping screws. You need to tighten them tightly, but in moderation so as not to disrupt the thread.

Before you aim the collimator sight, you need to carry out its initial adjustment. Setting up is not particularly difficult, as any hunter can figure out how to set up a red dot sight. In expensive models, you can adjust not only the brightness, but also the shape of the front sight. Most often, the choice is between a point, a cross, a circle with a point and a cross with a point. The brightness is adjusted depending on the lighting.

In the dark, the brightness level of the light flux should be lowered so as not to illuminate the target.

In this case, there is no need to be afraid that the enemy on the other side of the weapon will see the point in the sight, because the visible beam of light is very weak and is reflected in the direction of the shooter's eye. Thanks to this device, the front sight is visible only to the person looking through the scope, and to no one else.

Position and distance selection

To shoot a weapon with any scope, you need to provide a calm atmosphere in the place where the zeroing will take place. Ideally, there should be no wind and precipitation, and there should be no places with moisture changes, such as flowing rivers, near the bullet's flight path. Zeroing a collimator sight begins with shooting at targets located at close range. With each step of the adjustment, the distance to the target can be increased.

Target selection

For zeroing weapons with a collimator, targets are selected depending on the type of weapon. For the first stages of zeroing, it is preferable to select large targets, since the error before zeroing can be very high. When using firearms, dense targets are suitable for shooting live ammunition, and when shooting from pneumatic weapons, thin targets are sufficient for pneumatics.

The sighting process in stages

Zeroing takes place in a few simple, sequential steps.

1. Before you shoot the collimator, you need to place the weapon in a stable position so that the swaying of the shooter's hands has as little effect on the shooting accuracy as possible. You can use an emphasis in the stand, or very tightly fix the weapon in a vice with soft pads.
2. The weapon is directed at a target located 10 meters from the shooter.
3. Fire 3 shots.
4. According to the results of firing, a deviation of the trajectory of the bullet from the aiming point is observed. Using the corresponding screws, the collimator sight is adjusted and the marker position is corrected.
5. They fire 3 more shots.
6. If the shooting results are acceptable, then the target is moved back to a distance of 30 meters.
7. Shooting is repeated and adjustments are made in accordance with the shooting results.
8. When the accuracy of shooting at a target at a distance of 30 meters becomes satisfactory, the target can be carried at a distance of 100 meters.
9. The process of sighting and adjusting is repeated again until satisfactory accuracy is obtained.

When shooting at close and long distances becomes accurate enough, the sighting of the reflex sight is completed.

Cold sight

In addition to the usual method of sighting, there is also the so-called cold sighting. It happens without firing a single shot. To do this, a special tube with a laser is inserted into the barrel of the weapon, which is directed exactly along its axis.

As a result of using such a device, a laser marker appears, which points exactly to the point at which the barrel of the weapon points. This is the point of impact of the bullet without taking into account the decrease in its trajectory during the flight.

After installing the aiming laser, the position of the marker is corrected to the laser marker taking into account the decrease in the bullet trajectory. After that, the device can be considered targeted, but for reliability, you should still check the firing accuracy of weapons with live ammunition after cold zeroing.

Models at a glance

There are several well-known collimator manufacturers. Each brand has its own characteristics, advantages and disadvantages.

Cobra

A Russian manufacturer that specializes mainly in open-type models with the ability to adjust the brightness and type of marker. The differences between the models are mainly in the way of fastening.

• EKP-8-02 is fixed to the barrel using a lateral mounting system with movable levers in hidden places to minimize the possibility of accidental pressing.
• EKP 8-18 has a different mounting method - the Picatinny rail.
• EKP-1S-03 is a device with a side aiming bar, the location of the fixing levers for which provides maximum ease of installation and removal.

Eotech

Reputable American manufacturer. Devices of this brand are common among the military and tested in combat conditions. The high quality of these products corresponds to their high price. The manufacturer specializes in compact-size open sights and are mounted on a Picatinny rail as standard.

• The Eotech 552.A65 is the standard model with good moisture protection and customization options.
• Eotech EOLAD-1V - has a laser designator built into the design, making it easier to shoot from the hip.
• The Eotech XPS3 is a very compact model and is completely waterproof.

Aimpoint

Manufacturer from Sweden. The assortment of this brand includes many models for different purposes, both sights for military special forces and for hunters. They are available with a variety of mounting systems, allowing installation on almost any weapon. The quality and price are very high.

• The Aimpoint 9000L is a closed long sight for hunters. One of the most common models thanks to the versatility of setting with many levels of brightness, waterproofing and resistance to mechanical damage.
• The Aimpoint CompC3 is a closed model with a smaller size, more suitable for medium and short distances.
• The Aimpoint Micro T-1 is a compact device primarily used on close range weapons.

Sightmark

A Chinese manufacturer with a reasonable price of devices. Satisfactory product quality and affordable price contributed to the widespread adoption of this brand among amateur shooting and hunting. Uses dovetail mounts and a Picatinny rail, and has good recoil resistance up to 12 gauge. Sightmark devices typically have 4-6 brightness levels.

• The Sightmark SM13003B is a compact and lightweight device widely adopted by airsoft players.
• Sightmark SM13005 is a compact model with a short body.
• Sightmark SM13001 is the most compact and lightest model with 2 brightness levels and no choice of marker type.

Video

Watch our video how to aim and adjust the reflex sight using the example of the Aimpoint Micro T-1 model.

Many hunters, having acquired a smoothbore gun, begin to think about how they can tune it. The first thought is to install the optics. But it seems to me that it makes no sense to mount an optical sight on a smoothbore gun, and here's why.

First, a smoothbore gun is fired at relatively short distances (up to 50 m with a shot, and up to 100-120 m with a bullet). At these distances, any increase would be unnecessary. Secondly, they shoot from a shotgun most often offhand, and it will be very difficult to catch a target, especially a rapidly moving one.

What does a reflex sight do? Having a special optical scheme, the collimator allows you to replace the rear sight and front sight with one point. It is no longer necessary to combine three points at different distances from the eye: target, front sight and rear sight.

When is a collimator needed? It is most advisable to use a collimator sight when shooting at short distances up to 100 m, especially if the target is moving quickly. This is a bird hunt, driven hunts, a selection of wounded animals, etc. Can a collimator sight replace an optical sight? In short, no.

Rather, a reflex sight replaces open sights. From all that has been said, it is clear that the optimal magnification is 1x. In addition, it is highly desirable when shooting to look at the target, as they say, in both directions. It should also not be forgotten that most of the scopes, even variable sizes 1.2-4x20 or analogs, are quite large in size and weight.

So, we can conclude that compact devices of small size and mass are most suitable for installation on a smoothbore gun, which make it possible to shoot with two eyes open. Collimator sights are very close to the described formulation. Let's take a closer look at them.

A common feature of all collimators is the lack of focus (they simply do not need it) and the ability to position it at any distance from the shooter's eye. Collimators can have interchangeable aiming marks, which makes it easier to aim and enter corrections for distance or lead (in the case of a moving target). First of all, collimator sights can be divided into closed and open.

CLOSED TYPE COLLIMATORS (KZT)

KZT is a tube similar to an optical sight, the difference is that KZT is much lighter and more compact. Not long ago it was possible to meet "deaf" devices, looking into which, we will be surprised to find that nothing is visible at all, except for one luminous point.

He worked as follows: raising the gun, the shooter looked into the collimator with one eye and saw a point, with the other at the target. In the shooter's head, the images were combined, and with correct aiming, the point was projected onto the target. Such devices quickly disappeared from the market, since they had a huge parallax and "turned off" one of the shooter's eyes, severely limiting the view. Fortunately, they were replaced by normal closed collimators.

KZT is smaller and lighter than optical sights, but still quite cumbersome. But they have one advantage over open collimators: for the same price, a closed collimator sight will be more durable and protected. Also a big plus is the good visibility of the tag in any light, even on a bright sunny day.

OPEN COLLIMATORS (CAT)

CAT is a small device on which the image of the aiming mark is projected onto a small screen or lens. CAT can be both massive enough and ultra-compact (literally from a matchbox). Open-type collimators are the most compact, practically do not reduce the view and, in my opinion, are more aesthetic, although, of course, in taste and color ...

The disadvantages include lower service strength (mainly due to the lens) and deterioration of the brand's visibility in bright sunlight. A very interesting CAT option is the holographic sight. Its main difference is the complete absence of parallax, the focusing of the aiming mark is in the target plane, the aiming mark itself can be any, including three-dimensional, the aiming mark is changed by changing the holographic screen.

A feature of a holographic sight is that a shot can be fired when the aiming mark and the target are combined, with an arbitrary position of the shooter or weapon.

Like the optical sight, after installation, any collimator must be aimed, for which they have correction input drums. For most tasks, especially on smooth-bore weapons, it is enough to combine the aiming line with the collimator mark using a cold zeroing device.

To install a collimator sight, it is necessary that the weapon has seats ("dovetail", weawer, etc.). It is important to note here that it is highly desirable that the collimator is mounted on a quick-release bracket and that the additional strips and counterparts of the bracket do not obstruct the aiming bar of the shotgun. Whatever one may say, no matter how compact the collimator is, it still strongly protrudes beyond the dimensions of the weapon, so it can be knocked down or damaged when moving with a weapon, flooded with water or splashed with mud when hunting for waterfowl.

Another weak link in the collimator is the power supply. Most of them run on batteries, like open collimators powered by small coin-cell batteries that are very sensitive to cold temperatures.

First of all, you need to decide on the type of collimator. For shotguns and large-caliber rifled rifles, in my opinion, closed or open holographic collimators are more suitable. For small-bore rifles and rifles with caliber up to 7.62x39 (and analogs), open collimators are more suitable. After choosing the type of sight, you need to find out if the collimator mount will fit the base of your gun.

The fact is that most closed collimators and all open ones have integrated brackets, and it will be almost impossible to change them later. The collimator of your choice should have an adjustment for the brightness of the reticle, and it is desirable that it be replaceable. Good collimators have 5 to 9 different marks.

A lot of red dot sights have appeared on our market. There are very cheap models, from $ 15, which can be supplied only for toys or light pneumatics.

When choosing a sight, it should be remembered that a collimator sight is exactly a sight, i.e. a rather complex optical device. In addition, when shooting, it experiences a lot of overload, so it cannot be cheap.

In the end, I would like to mention the collimators made in China. At a fairly low price, they can be quite impressive. Often it is difficult to distinguish them "by eye" from the products of branded manufacturers. Unfortunately, they have one very unpleasant drawback - unpredictable quality.

Almost all of them survive well the recoil of small calibers (.22Lr, 7.62x39, .223, etc.). But not everyone is able to withstand the recoil of a smoothbore gun, especially with Magnum cartridges. Sometimes they just go out, but more often the aiming mark begins to shift, which leads to inexplicable misses. This state of affairs makes one wonder whether it is worth saving on a collimator and risking a long-awaited hunt.