Category: Red Dot Sights

Don’t worry—we’ve all been there. Everyone has heard “cowitness” but what does it actually mean? It’s one of those questions that we all seem to think we should just know. But what if we don’t? Sit tight as we explain it to you, so you can be the expert the next time it gets brought up.

What does Cowitness Mean?

Cowitness is the term used in relation to how your irons are set up height-wise compared to your red dot. Most guns have iron sights that are stagnant and won’t change height. This means that it is in relation to changing the height of your red dot. Typically, this can be done through placing your red dot on different size mounts. There are two different types: absolute cowitness and lower 1/3 cowitness.

What Does “Absolute” Refer to?

Absolute cowitness means that your red dot and your iron sight are lined up perfectly. So, in other words, if you were to aim at a target, your iron sight and your red dot would be one and the same.

What Does “Lower 1/3” Refer to?

Lower 1/3 cowitness means that when you aim at your target, your iron sight will appear lower than your red dot. It is called a “lower 1/3” because your iron sight appears in the bottom 1/3 of your field of view. One benefit of this is that your iron sight won’t be in the way of your aim. You can view the red dot without any obstruction.

Why is it Good to Know This?

In case your red dot sight runs out of battery, it’s good to know where it lines up relative to the iron sight on your gun. That way if you are in a pinch, you can still aim accurately through your iron sight by knowing how your red dot was lined up.

Red Dot Sights

Nowadays, people rely heavily on their red dot sights rather than iron sights because of their accuracy and reliability.

Today it’s time to take a look at target shooting. Many of you may have heard of it—and many of you might also participate in it. But for those of you who don’t know much about it, we’re here to tell you all about the hype.

Target Shooting

Target shooting is a type of sport. It involves a variety of ways to use a device and shoot at a target. You could use rifles, pistols, crossbows, etc. You can aim at a target (hence the name), bottle, can, etc. Pistols are typically used at shorter ranges while rifles are used at longer ranges. If you are new to this sport and wish to start from shorter ranges, a pistol or rifles of .22 caliber are a good option. Although this sport is mainly done for fun, there are also competitions for those who have a competitive edge. Target shooting is also popularly used for Firearm Safety classes.

What Optics Should I Use For Target Shooting?

Popular target shooting optics include red dot sights and scopes. Red dot sights are the most popular. X-Vision Optics has 4 red dot sights in our product lineup. Red dot sights are used in this sport because it helps a shooter to aim better by placing a dot on your target. Our KRAD digital scope does the same thing but with more advanced settings.

Where Can I Find a Competitive Shooting Program?

There are a lot of competitions and programs out there for competitive target shooting. The NRA is a great place to start if you are new to finding programs or competitions that would be right for you. They have over 11,000 shooting tournaments and 50 national championships every year. They even have programs at over 300 colleges and universities.

Shooting Ranges

There are many shooting ranges throughout the United States. Some require memberships while others are open to the public. Make sure to do your research if you are trying out a new shooting range for the first time.

If you’re huge into target shooting or you want to become a target-shooter, then you are probably well-acquainted with a red dot sight. Red dot sights allow users to quickly acquire their target at an extended range. There are thousands of different types of red dot sights on the market. If you are new to red dot sights, then it is important you know the difference between Picatinny and Weaver rails. This can help you make sure you buy the right red dot sight for your gun.

What are Weaver Rails?

Weaver rails were introduced before Picatinny rails. The weaver rails don’t necessarily have consistent spacing between the grooves. Weaver mounting rails have slots that are .180” wide and have smaller slots than on a Picatinny rail. If you are looking to purchase a red dot sight and know that your gun has a Weaver rail, then it is important to be sure you buy a red dot sight that will fit correctly onto your gun. To read into some more information on Weaver (and Picatinny) rails, check out this website here.

**Products meant for Picatinny rails will NOT fit on a Weaver rail. However, products meant for Weaver rails CAN fit on a Picatinny rail.**

What are Picatinny Rails?

Picatinny rails have specific dimensions of grooves and notches. These mounting rails have slots that are .206” wide. You can find these types of rails typically built into a long gun or a handgun. There are many different products on the market today that can easily be added onto Picatinny rails. These can include scopes, tactical lights, night vision sights, a red dot sight, and more. The US military adopted Picatinny rails in 1995, which can be attributed to the Picatinny’s rise in popularity.

In conclusion, nowadays you will probably see more guns with Picatinny rails rather than Weaver rails. Your red dot sight will most likely fit on Picatinny rails over Weaver rails, as well. This is partly due to the consistent spacing that makes it a better option when switching out different accessories between guns.

This spring X-Vision Optics released a lineup of red dot sights, and along with it, the MG1 Magnifier. If you navigate on our x site, you can find the MG1 Magnifier under the “Red Dot Sight” tab. We are super excited for our customers to use this product.

How does the MG1 Magnifier Work?

This x site is meant to be used with red dot sights. When using a red dot, it’s super easy to shoot at targets. But pair it with a magnifier, and that target just got a whole lot easier to see. When using the magnifier with a red dot, you will want to put it behind the red dot. So, for example, when you are holding a gun, you will look through the magnifier first and then through the red dot. If you place the magnifier in front of the red dot, the product will not work correctly.

Why Use a Magnifier?

Using a magnifier with a red dot sight such as one of our x sites allows you to see a target much better. It adds magnification so you can view objects closer and clearer. The MG1 has the capability to fit on both weaver and picatinny style rails. Consequently, you can use the MG1 with any red dot sight. One of the best features of the MG1 is its flip-aside design. You can attach it to your gun, but if you don’t want to use it, you can just flip it to the side instead of completely taking it off. If you do wish to take it off, however, this product has a quick-release feature that makes it easy to attach or detach from your gun.

Want to Know More?

View our product on our x site here or watch our product video. To know more about magnifiers in general, check out this website here.