What is the best scope for a shotgun. How to shoot a collimator sight. Night vision scopes

The goal of using any firearm since its invention has been to quickly and accurately hit the bullet on the target. All the developments and improvements in weaponry over the course of several centuries are aimed at increasing the speed of aiming at the target and the accuracy of the shot. So at one time an ordinary 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 of this model from other types of sighting devices is that it does not have a permanent front sight or grid. Aiming is based on directing a beam of light into the shooter's eye with the help of a lens, which is compared with the target and gives very accurate 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 sighting devices of other types.

Principle of operation

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

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

Difference from other types of sights

When using a standard open front sight, the shooter, before firing a shot, must combine his gaze on the same 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 shooter be sure that the bullet from the barrel will fly in the right direction. This method reduces mobility during shooting and visibility, since the shooter needs to close the second eye so that binocular vision does not knock down accurate aiming at the target.

In the case of using an optical sight, shooting on the move is almost impossible due to the strong fluctuations of the mark. In this case, high shooting 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 admissible - the conditions of sniper shooting.

This device allows for accurate shooting at close and medium distances. It is only required to combine the direction of the gaze and the light flux, after which the shooter sees where the bullet will hit. Compared to a conventional open sight, the red dot sight, which allows you to spend a shorter amount of time aiming, gives you more room for accurate shooting on the move.

In conditions of long-range shooting, the collimator does not allow accurate shooting, since the marker can cover almost the entire target, so 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, you should remember that it works until the battery runs out.

Application

Since its inception, collimator sights have spread to many areas of human activity related to 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 the bow.

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

Types of collimators

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

In the classical sense, closed devices were called such devices in which there was no transparent lens. Through it, the shooter did not see the space behind the scope 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 ahead, and a mark is projected onto the second at this time by a collimator. 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.

Open was called a model with a transparent lens and an open front wall. Through such a sight you can see the target. 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 sights closed in the classical sense has disappeared. A new understanding of the difference between closed and open devices has come. At the present time, an open sight is called a sight in which the lens is fixed in a small frame and does not have an auxiliary protective structure around it.

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

Operation, care, storage rules

So that a high-quality collimator does not fail during shooting, you need to install it only on weapons with the appropriate caliber. A device designed for pistols and light semi-automatic weapons should not be placed on weapons with high recoil, as this can quickly disable them.

It is easy enough to damage this device. Lenses do not tolerate any physical impact, scratches easily remain on them, which 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, as some fabrics can leave scratches.

Batteries are inserted into the device just before firing and removed after it is completed. Batteries must be kept separate during weapon storage to protect the device's electronic components 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 what caliber weapon it will be installed on.

When choosing from models designed for weapons of a suitable caliber, you need to understand that cheap options are not complete and reliable, and will go astray during firing and sharp shaking. A stable and reliable design can only be expected from well-known and time-tested manufacturers, so you can’t save here. A cheap device during active operation will quickly fail 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 closed device is based on the conditions in which it will be used. For mobile shooting at close range, where unforeseen physical impact on the device is possible, blows, pieces of earth falling into it, it is better to purchase a device of a strong closed design.

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

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

Shooting Features

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

Installation and setup

High-quality branded devices are provided complete with mounts for two mechanisms - a dovetail and a Picatinny rail. Small arms are 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 tightening the clamping screws tightly. They need to be tightened tightly, but in moderation so as not to break the thread.

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

At night, lower the brightness level of the light flux so as not to illuminate the target.

At the same time, there is no need to be afraid that the enemy located on the other side of the weapon will see the dot 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 such a device, the front sight is visible only to a person looking through the scope, and no one else.

Choice of position and distance

To zero in a weapon with any sight, you need to ensure a calm atmosphere in the place where the zeroing will be carried out. Ideally, there should be no wind and precipitation, and there should be no places with changes in humidity, such as flowing rivers, near the trajectory of the bullet. The sighting of a collimator sight begins with shooting at targets located at close range. With each adjustment step, 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 choose large targets, as the error before zeroing in can be very high. When using firearms, dense targets for firing live ammunition are suitable, and when shooting from pneumatic weapons, thin targets for pneumatics are sufficient.

Shooting process step by step

Shooting takes place in a few simple sequential steps.

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

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

cold zeroing

In addition to the usual zeroing method, there is also the so-called cold zeroing. It happens without 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 where 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 guide laser, the position of the marker is corrected for the laser marker, taking into account the lowering of the bullet's trajectory. After that, the device can be considered zeroed, but for reliability, you should still check the accuracy of firing a weapon with live ammunition after its cold zeroing.

Brief overview of models

There are several well-known manufacturers producing collimators. 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 method of attachment.

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

Eotech

American manufacturer with a good reputation. 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 standardly mounted on a Picatinny rail.

• 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.

Aim point

Manufacturer from Sweden. The range of this brand includes many models for various purposes, both sights for military special forces and for hunters. Available with various mounting systems that allow installation on almost any weapon. The quality and price are very high.

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

sightmark

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

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

Video

See in our video how to shoot and set up a red dot sight using the Aimpoint Micro T-1 model as an example.

A device that directs the beam of the aiming mark into the shooter's eye parallel to the beams that form the image of the terrain in the lens of the sight. Therefore, no matter how the shooter moves the eye relative to the lens, the position of the aiming mark will still correspond to the aiming line. This feature significantly speeds up the search for a target through the sight and alignment of the aiming mark with the contour of the target.

When choosing such a high-precision device, a red dot sight is usually compared with traditional optics. When selecting a sight for the most common type of hunting weapon - 12 gauge smoothbore guns - the collimator has the following important advantages:

• The range of an accurate shot from a smooth-bore weapon is limited to a distance of 100 - 120 m. At such a distance, the possibility of increasing the target is not needed, which means that the characteristics of an optical sight turn out to be clearly redundant. Or, in other words, the scope is sharper than the shotgun itself. And since the characteristics of a complex optical sight are redundant, there is no need to overpay for them. The characteristics of the collimator sight are quite consistent with the capabilities of the weapon itself.
• When hunting with smoothbore weapons, in most cases, shooting is offhand. The time that can be spent on aiming is minimal under such conditions, and delaying aiming will almost certainly end in a miss. The speed of aiming through a collimator is much higher than the speed of aiming with traditional optics, so the choice should be made in favor of a collimator.
• Aiming through the collimator does not deprive the shooter of the opportunity to use both eyes, and the narrow frame of the open collimator sight does not interfere with observing the movement of the target. This allows you to quickly adjust the sight when shooting at a moving target, such as flying game. An optical sight often does not provide such an opportunity.
• Shooting from a 12-gauge gun is usually carried out with shotgun ammunition, which means that for a hit it is not necessary to align the aiming line as accurately as possible. Therefore, aiming through the collimator will be quite effective and fast.

What to look for when choosing a scope?

Today on the shelves of hunting stores you can find a wide selection of collimators. Sights for every taste and budget, built on various schemes and made of different materials, domestic and foreign ... But how to choose the right option for 12 gauge among this variety?

First of all, you should pay attention to the characteristics of your weapon. 12 gauge has a powerful cartridge, and therefore a lot of recoil. Shooting from such weapons is usually carried out offhand, and the weapon itself is quite heavy. Knowing these characteristics, it is clear that when choosing a collimator, you should pay attention to the following:

• Aim type. Best of all for 12 gauge smoothbore weapons, open-type collimators are suitable, with a single lens enclosed in a thin frame. They provide the fastest aiming, are comfortable when tracking a moving target or quickly transferring the device. But closed collimators are best left for other weapons.
• Attachment type. There is a variety here that exceeds the wildest expectations. Many scopes are sold with mounts, while others (for example, ) will have to purchase a landing base separately. Before buying, you should clarify which type of mount is suitable for your weapon. Or bring the gun to the store to be able to try on the scope before buying and make sure it can be installed.
• Aiming mark type. Modern sights can have one label (most often - a dot), or several switchable ones - a dot, a crosshair, a circle, and combinations thereof. The diameter of the reticle dot is expressed in MOA. For a 12-gauge shotgun, scopes with large dots (at least 7 MOA) or a circle mark are best suited.
• Aiming mark brightness. As a general rule, a good scope should have at least 5 levels of reticle brightness. But here it is worth proceeding from a real need: if you plan to hunt at dusk, then such a variety of brightness modes will be really useful. But for hunting during the day, a smaller number of adjustment modes may be enough.
• Scope power supply. Batteries should be sufficiently reliable and not run out at low temperatures. It is believed that batteries - "tablets" are quickly discharged in the cold, so on a winter hunt you can suddenly be left without a sight due to a dead battery. But modern high-quality lithium batteries are devoid of this drawback.
• Price. Usually the price of a high-quality collimator sight is quite high. There are many options for cheap Chinese-made collimators, but the possibility of their effective use on 12 gauge is extremely doubtful. A powerful 12-gauge cartridge creates high recoil, and low-quality cheap sights are very poorly protected from this. Therefore, such a "high-precision element" after each shot, the settings may go astray.

Overview of collimator sights for 12 gauge

• . Very high quality collimator made in Germany. Advantages of the sight - high-quality Zeiss-class optics, automatic adjustment of the brightness of the aiming mark, very compact size and low weight. It is worth considering that Docter scopes do not have brackets for attaching to weapons, so the sighting base will have to be purchased separately. This makes the sight more versatile, but it forces you to spend extra money on the purchase of an aiming base.
• . Inexpensive sight, well adapted for hunting in winter conditions. Even in cold weather, the manufacturer guarantees that there will be no negative effects such as a drop in the brightness of the aiming mark or premature battery discharge. The device weighs little, tolerates recoil or accidental impact well. This makes the scope popular with hunting enthusiasts.
• . Another device from SightMark. Its main advantages are compactness and a wide viewing angle. Due to its small size and compact landing base, this sight will not cling to branches or grass. Its lens is enclosed in a narrow body, which practically does not interfere with the transfer of the sight.
• Affordable wide-angle collimator, very useful for hunting moving game (for example, a hare). The aiming mark can be adjusted in brightness and size. The weight of the sight is small, and the characteristics are quite sufficient for effective hunting. The sight withstands recoil well, so it can be mounted even on 12 gauge.
• The Redring Mark II is a very high quality 12 gauge scope. This device was developed by the coach of the Swedish Shotgun team. The aiming mark is made in the form of a ring, the diameter of which corresponds very well to the diameter of the shot siege at a distance of 100 meters. The sight holds recoil very well, provides greater accuracy of hits on fast-flying game. The only drawback is the high price.

Thus, a properly selected red dot sight will be quite effective when used with a 12 gauge hunting weapon. But when choosing a sight, you should carefully study its characteristics and method of attachment.

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

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

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

With such a device, even a person with visual impairments can hunt. Devices of this modification are produced both for rifled and smooth-bore weapons.

Main settings

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

It is in these parameters that they differ and have their own specific purpose. The main optical parameters are:

• multiplicity;
• light transmission;
• parallax;
• lenses, their dimensions and anti-reflection 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 sight. This is not always true.

The magnification (magnification) varies for different models from 2 to 50, but this does not mean that sights with a small magnification are bad and cheap, and those with a large magnification are expensive and good. High magnification systems are mounted on weapons when it is necessary to hunt small game or small animals from a distance.

To hunt a large animal (elk, wild boar), optics with a small magnification or collimator ones are used. - This is a kind of optical, which usually have a constant multiplicity-1. Such systems are designed for hunting a moving animal, they have excellent light transmission, high strength and are considered the fastest.

The collimator is an LED built into the sight, which can be in laser and conventional (infrared) versions. When a carbine or rifle is aimed at a target, a red dot appears on the item.

Light transmission- This is the amount of light transmitted through the scope to the eye. The larger the multiplicity of the device, the smaller this parameter. The most expensive scopes have 95-97% light transmission.

Parallax is the illusion of deviating from the goal. On "optics" with a magnification of more than 10, with a break in aiming or a sharp movement of the head, it seems that the target has "gone".

In order to prevent such an effect on sights 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 manufactured optical sights 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 parameters given above, may differ in method of attaching to a weapon. Experts advise to mount all devices on the brackets and mounting rings that 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 sight for a carbine 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 most in demand among professionals:

Models for hunting in the steppe

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

There are a large number of optical sights on the market for various requirements. Each hunter must understand what he pays money for when buying a system and what values ​​​​of the above parameters are important to him, and which ones can be neglected. You can buy optics in almost any hunting store or via the Internet.

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

Firstly, shooting from a smoothbore gun is carried out at relatively short distances (up to 50 m with shot, and up to 100-120 m with a bullet). At such distances, any increase would be redundant. Secondly, they shoot from a shotgun most often offhand, and catching a target, especially a fast moving one, will be very difficult.

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: the target, the front sight and the 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. These are bird hunting, driven hunts, the selection of wounded animals, etc. Can a collimator sight replace an optical one? In short, no.

Rather, the red dot sight replaces open sights. From what has been said, it can be seen 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. We should also not forget that most sights, even 1.2-4x20 variable scopes or analogues, are quite large in size and weight.

So, we can conclude that for installation on a smoothbore gun, the most suitable are compact devices of small size and mass, 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 place it at any distance from the shooter's eye. Collimators can have interchangeable aiming marks, which makes it easier to aim and make 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 (CCT)

KZT is a tube similar to an optical sight, the difference is that KZT is much lighter and more compact. More recently, 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: throwing up a gun, the shooter looked into the collimator with one eye and saw a point, with the other - at the target. In the head of the shooter, the images were combined, and with the right pointing, the point was projected onto the target. Such devices quickly disappeared from sale, as they had a huge parallax and “turned off” one eye of the shooter, greatly limiting the view. Fortunately, they have been replaced by normal closed collimators.

KZT is smaller and lighter than optical sights, but still quite bulky. But they have one advantage over open collimators: at the same price, a closed collimator sight will be more tenacious 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. CATs can be both quite massive and ultra-compact (literally the size of 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, they taste and color ...

The disadvantages include lower service strength (mainly due to the lens) and deterioration in the visibility of the brand in bright sunlight. A very interesting version of the CAT is a holographic sight. Its main difference is the complete absence of parallax, the focusing of the aiming mark is in the plane of the target, the aiming mark itself can be any, including three-dimensional, the change of the aiming mark is carried out 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 aligned, with an arbitrary position of the shooter or weapon.

Like an optical sight, any collimator after installation must be zeroed in, for which they have adjustment drums. For most tasks, especially on smoothbore weapons, it is enough to combine the aiming line with the collimator mark using a cold sighting device.

To install a collimator sight, it is necessary that there are seats on the weapon (“dovetail”, weawer, etc.). It is important to note here that it is highly desirable that the collimator be mounted on a quick-detachable bracket and that the additional straps and counterparts of the bracket do not obstruct the aiming bar of the shotgun. Like it or not, 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 waterfowl.

Another weak link in the collimator is power. Most of them are battery operated, as are open collimators powered by small button batteries, which are very sensitive to low temperatures.

First of all, it is necessary to determine the type of collimator. For shotguns and rifled rifles of large caliber, in my opinion, closed or open holographic collimators are more suitable. For small-caliber rifles and rifles of caliber up to 7.62x39 (and analogues), 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 afterwards. The collimator you choose should have a reticle brightness adjustment, and it is desirable that it be interchangeable. In good collimators, there are from 5 to 9 different marks.

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

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

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

Almost all of them survive the recoil of small calibers well (.22Lr, 7.62x39, .223, etc.). But not everyone is able to withstand the recoil of a shotgun, 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.

Collimator sights for smoothbore weapons in our country are used very actively. The thing is that they have compact dimensions, light weight, bright aiming mark. In this case, parallax is usually absent. So this is the position in our catalog that deserves your attention.

Why should everyone have this device?

A reflex sight for a shotgun is an element of humane hunting. Agree, is it much more correct when the game dies in a matter of seconds, without experiencing prolonged torment? This is possible due to the increased accuracy of shooting. After all, the hunter can aim and follow the game with both eyes at once. Even if it is not in a static position.

Principle of operation

The collimator sight is complemented by a smoothbore gun according to the principle of collimation of light rays. A beam of rays, located in a parallel plane at a far distance, repeats the object of observation. The lens is thus a telephoto lens. It has a dot, called an aiming mark. It glows and allows you to draw the correct conclusions about the location of the object.

Collimator sight mount type

Remember: the best reflex sight for smoothbore weapons is the one that fits you perfectly. Therefore, initially pay attention to the type of bracket. It must match the design of the gun in the arsenal. If you have chosen a model without a bracket, you can easily buy it separately.