What are red dot sights made of? A good collimator - what is it? How to choose a worthwhile sight. The best red dot sights for rifled weapons
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A good collimator - what is it? How to choose a worthwhile sight
The right scope should be ideally suited to the type of weapon and suit the task at hand, be it sports shooting, hunting or team games.
What is a collimator and why is it needed?
Translated from Latin, collimator means guide along a straight line, i.e. simply rectifier: Such optical devices are used to construct parallel rays of light. Sights designed on the basis of collimators project the image of the aiming point to infinity: in this case, the observer sees a red dot or other mark as if on the objective lens.
Gunner's task - combine the images of the mark and the aiming point. When the pupil shifts left and right relative to the center of the lens, the mark image will also move, remaining on the target image. If the mark disappears from the field of view, this will mean that the observer’s pupil has shifted outside the lens: it is enough to return the eye to its original position, and the mark will immediately appear again.
When choosing a collimator, it is important to understand what you will use it for: the characteristics of collimator sights for hunting, sports shooting and airsoft vary quite significantly. So what: even certain types of hunting - for example, driving and shooting at a bird in flight - will require sights with different marks (see the section on types of reticles). In addition to the reticle and other technical features, the main factor when choosing a sight is compatibility with the weapon (also see separate section).
Before purchasing a device, we recommend setting aside 15 minutes to familiarize yourself with the theory. After all, hunting with a properly selected collimator sight is much more effective than with a mechanical one, and more “sporting” than with magnifying optics.
The design and principle of operation of a collimator sight
The operating principle of the collimator depends on what projection system is used in it. Collimator sights are usually divided into two types.
- Reflex (classical) - English. Reflector sights.
- Holographic (diffraction) - English. Holographic sights, Holo sights.
So, how does a classic red dot sight work?? An LED hidden inside the housing emits light towards the lens, on the inner surface of which a translucent reflective coating is applied. Rays of light, reflected from the surface of the lens towards the observer, form a parallel beam. It is thanks to the parallelism of the rays that the displacement of the pupil relative to the optical axis of the sight will not lead to the mark “moving” from the aiming point.
REFERENCE. The first collimator sights were created at the beginning of the 20th century for the needs of military aviation. During the 1st World War they were installed on fighter planes and bombers, and after the end of the 2nd they “got the hang of it” on hand-held small arms..
Holographic sights- a separate type of sighting devices, but for the user they differ little from reflex collimators with a red dot. It’s just that instead of a standard mark in the plane of the lens, the observer sees a hologram in front, behind the glass: it seems that it “hangs in the air” at a distance of 50-100 m from the observer.
REFERENCE. 2018 marks the 20th anniversary of the creation of the holographic collimator sight: the pioneering development of such devices was the innovative company EOTech (USA, Michigan).
The holographic sight contains a laser emitter that generates polarized light. The laser beam emitted by the diode is directed to a number of reflectors, including a “rectifying” one - a collimator. Next, parallel rays of light fall on the diffraction grating, and after interacting with it, they illuminate a 3D image of the aiming reticle, “embedded” in the viewing lens. The holographic film with a grid acts as a reflector and directs the image towards the shooter's eye: thus a hologram is formed.
Unlike reflex collimators, holographic sights do not have a reflective coating on the lens: nothing disrupts the flow of light through the lens, in the plane of which the image is formed. You can see the target clearly while the reticle is simply superimposed on your field of view.
Advantages over other types of sights
A red dot sight is the best choice for a shooter who wants to keep the weapon balanced and works primarily at short to medium ranges. For occasional shooting at medium-long distances, in addition to a collimator, you can purchase Magnifier(magnifire). Simply put, this is a quick-detachable optical sight of low magnification, which is installed in front of the collimator with the condition that the central axes of both devices are aligned. Naturally, this design is incomparable with a full-fledged optical sight, but it allows you to fully use the advantages of the collimator.
Each of the devices listed in the table has its advantages. For example, with a laser sight you can shoot while lying on your side behind cover; But a collimator-type sight can be equipped with a variety of sighting reticles, convenient for different types of shooting.
By the way, a remarkable fact: on the collimator body you will not find a parallax adjustment wheel, which is found on almost all optical sights of the highest and middle price ranges. This does not mean that collimators are not subject to parallax: as an optical phenomenon, parallax is ineradicable. But the design of the collimator sight is such that the factory adjustment (usually at 50 m) is quite sufficient for high-precision shooting.
Subtleties of choosing a collimator sight
A good collimator sight is not just an optical device to facilitate aiming: when installed on a weapon, the device must form a single whole with it. It is also desirable that the collimator does not interfere with the view of the standard sight or has a special mount that allows for quick dismantling in the field.
Housing configuration (open or closed)
Division of collimators into open and closed intuitively clear: closed sights are those in which the emitter is hidden inside a tubular body, both ends of which are covered with lenses.
Unlike closed ones, open collimator sights have only one lens block, and the emitter is simply installed in a recess under the lens frame. Such devices are poorly protected from precipitation, dust and dirt. Some brands claim that their products are water and dust resistant, but it is better not to count on using them in difficult weather conditions. One of the rare (and affordable) exceptions is Hakko's "extreme" series of open red dot sights: the Hakko BED XT-3, 4 and 6 sights can even withstand immersion in water.
Among closed collimators there are models with a slight increase- for example, KONUS Sight-Pro PTS1 (prismatic, 3x magnification) and Dual 1-2x30 of the same series (with 2x nozzle). In fact, the PTS1 prismatic sight is closer in design to optical sights; It can only be classified as a collimator conditionally.
The scope of application of the two types of collimators is determined by their distinctive features.
Open sights are most often installed on pistols and shotguns, short rifles and light air rifles; closed - for hunting rifles, long rapid-fire rifles, as well as other sports and sniper weapons. So the choice - a closed or open collimator sight - is yours.
Red Dot Sizes and Reticle Types
The most common type of reticle is the red dot. In the West, there has even been a tradition of calling all reflector collimators, regardless of the type of reticle, Red Dot Sights - red dot sights. Outside of Russian-language domain zones, you are unlikely to come across the name collimator sight: it is used mainly to name the “ancestor” of modern collimators - an aircraft sight.
The dimensions of the aiming dot are most often indicated in MOA - minutes of arc(Minute of Angle), less often - in milliradians(Mil). The 1 MOA mark allows you to hit a 1 inch (2.54 cm) circle at 100 yards (91 m). When shooting at longer distances, the area of the circle covered by the 1 MOA mark increases, and as the distance decreases, it decreases.
In other words, the smaller the red mark, the more accurately you will shoot with such a collimator at long distances. But why then do sight manufacturers produce collimators with large diameter dots (up to 10-12 MOA) or more complex sighting reticles? The fact is that in various circumstances, shooters need not only accuracy, but also speed of aiming, as well as ease of aiming, the ability to take into account ballistics, adaptation of the reticle to changes in illumination, and so on, so on, so on...
The larger the collimator point, the easier it will be for you to shoot offhand and the faster you will aim at a moving target. As a rule, scopes with Red Dot sizes of 4-8 MOA are chosen for pistols and carbines, and 1-3 MOA for rifles.
Many modern red dot sights allow you to switch the illumination color (Red, Blue, Green), reticle size, and even completely change the type of reticle. Color selection and brightness adjustment are usually accomplished by spinning one reel; The type of reticle is switched by pressing buttons or using a lever mechanism.
The option to switch reticles is useful if the scope is used with different weapons or used for different types of shooting. For example, for varminting And benchrest a fine crosshair grid may be useful, and for driven hunting or shotgun shooting- “circle with a dot.” The latter option is also universal in that it allows, without switching the reticle, both aimed shots and less accurate but fast shooting at large targets.
Power and backlight intensity
Any light source requires power, and a collimator emitter is no exception. The vast majority of sights are powered by a CR2032 coin cell battery. But depending on the parameters of the emitter, operating conditions and type of power system, operating time of collimator sights Without replacing the battery, the difference is quite significant. For different models it ranges from 100 hours to 30-50 thousand hours.
IMPORTANT! The placement of the battery in the case matters. When choosing a collimator, pay attention to whether it will be possible to remove a dead battery without removing the sight from the weapon. In the most popular models, the battery is located in a pull-out tray or under a removable backlight drum cover.
On the scope market there are also models that operate on a rechargeable battery (for example, the Sight-Pro R8 from Konus), and even energy-efficient ones collimators with a hybrid power system- from a battery and a solar panel on the body. The creation of monocrystalline solar cells with high efficiency has led to the emergence of completely autonomous devices: modern “hybrid” red dot sights can work without batteries, exclusively on solar energy (ZEISS Victory Z-point, HOLOSUN Solar Power HS403C, etc.).
Regardless of the type of power supply, of all the collimator sights, the most in demand are those that allow fine adjustment of the illumination intensity - smooth or multi-stage (at least 5, but preferably 7-12 levels). Adjusting the brightness of the aiming point May be:
- automatic- configured in accordance with the readings of the photosensor (for more details, see the “Other Features” section);
- digital-- brightness level can be changed by pressing a button (for example, Hawke RD1x WP Digital Control);
- electronic-mechanical- the intensity of the dot glow is adjusted by rotating the drum on the body.
Most red dot sights have a minimum possible illumination brightness that is too high to be used with night vision devices. For those who purposefully choose collimator with night mode, we can recommend the Holosan brand: all of their sights are NVG compatible.
REFERENCE. Collimators compatible with night lights are often called night vision sights, but this is not entirely true. By itself, a collimator sight can neither amplify light in the visible part of the spectrum nor capture the thermal radiation of bodies, but can be used, for example, with a night vision attachment.
Selecting a collimator for different types of weapons
How long the scope will last and how stable the adjustments will be depends on compatibility of the model with the type and caliber of the existing weapon. When choosing a collimator, it is important to pay attention to such characteristics as acceptable muzzle energy, or bullet energy(EVP). For sights presented in the OZ online store, the permissible EVP varies from 250 J to 6500 kJ.
The least recoil-resistant collimators ( up to 500 J) are intended for installation on airsoft weapons, air spring and multi-compression pneumatics, rifles chambered for 22LR rimfire cartridges. Among sports and airsoft collimators, we can recommend a model from the British brand Hawk - Sport Dot 1x30 WP.
Muzzle energy up to 1.2 kJ have hunting rifles and carbines of up to .22 caliber (5.6 x 35 or 5.56 x 39 mm in metric notation). For such a weapon, you can buy an inexpensive collimator from a reliable company - for example, the same Hawk, closed-type model RD1x25 WP: this device is not intended for use in difficult conditions, but for simple use it is quite suitable.
Among sights with acceptable EVP 2.2 kJ Let's highlight the BARSKA #AC10330 model: this Red-Dot collimator is intended for installation on crossbows, shotguns, automatic rifles and pistols. The permitted cartridge caliber is 7.62 x 39 mm and ultra-short .223 magnum.
Next bar - 3.5 kJ: the best price-quality ratio in this category is from the good Italian brand KONUS. Universal red dot sights Sight-Pro lines can withstand shooting from 12 gauge smoothbore and 7.62 x 54 caliber (.308) rifled weapons; At the same time, their price remains in a reasonable range of 70-165 USD.
The most durable (and expensive) scopes on the market today can withstand EVP in 6.5 kJ. Among the more or less accessible brands, let's name Hakko, Holosun and Delta Optical: their collimators can be installed on spring-piston pneumatics (PPP), large-caliber firearms and rapid-fire automatic weapons. It is allowed to fire standard 7.62 x 63 mm (.30-06) cartridges, as well as more powerful 9.3 x 62 mm and .375 H&H Magnum cartridges.
REFERENCE. The recoil from a shot from an SPP is formally not that great, but it has a destructive effect on optical devices. The problem is that when fired, it occurs twice: the 1st impulse is directed in the direction opposite to the bullet’s departure; 2nd - in the direction of its movement. If the lenses are not secured tightly on both sides (which is not easy to achieve), they can fly out of their slots and break during shooting.
Another nuance that is worth mentioning is type of correction mechanism. Installable for tactical weapons sights must have tactical turrets (adjustment drums), which can be rotated without looking, guided by the number of divisions passed by ear (by “clicks”). But for collimators used on hunting rifles and shotguns, simple turrets with covers and cutouts for a screwdriver in the end of the cylinder will also work. It is inconvenient to make corrections in the field on such devices, but it is not necessary. When shooting is carried out at the same distance, shooting in advance is enough.
Mounting a collimator sight
Basically, handguns are equipped with one of two standard types of rail:
- Weaver (Weaver-type rail, width 21 mm);
- “dove tail” (dove tail, width 8-12 mm).
REFERENCE. It happens that the weapon does not have a strap for accessories at all: then it can be purchased separately and attached to the receiver, which will have to be drilled for this purpose.
The Picatinny rail, developed as part of the American military standard, is also considered a Weaver-type rail, because... Any device with a Picatinny rail mount can easily be mounted on a Weaver rail. Accordingly, any of the sights released into mass production will have a weaver or dove-tail mount (or even be supplied without a bracket included). But some collimator models are equipped with a special double-sided bracket- such as the KONUS Sight-Pro TR tactical sight. They can be installed on any type of rail and used on any weapon.
Due to the short body length, red dot sights are often equipped with monoblock brackets, while optical ones are often installed on separate mounting rings. Naturally, the one-piece bracket provides a more rigid grip on the rail and greater resistance to recoil.
If you plan to use the collimator with something more serious than gas-powered pneumatics, choose a mount made of a durable metal alloy - steel or aircraft-grade aluminum. It is also desirable that, in addition to the coupling/clamping screws, the collimator mount has 2-3 locking pins, which will be clamped in the slots of the strip during installation.
Collimator sights are often installed on Saiga and SKS carbines, as well as on AK and SVD on side bracket, which does not block the view of the aiming bar. But still, the more common position of the collimator is on the top strap of the weapon. The seating height above the bar differs by tens of mm for different models.
Sights with a low landing practically do not change the natural line of sight: they are preferred by those for whom shooting accuracy is of greatest importance. High Mount Sights(for example, HOLOSUN Paralow HS403B) are suitable for installation on AR-15, M-16 rifles and their modifications. In addition, high brackets for collimators are also used to see the weapon’s original sight in the resulting “window”. We would not recommend this path: a more rational choice is open collimator with folding lens(like HAKKO FlipUp II) or any other on a quick-detachable/release bracket.
Quick-release red dot sights(KONUS Sight-Pro Atomic-QR, HOLOSUN Infinity QD HS402C) are usually equipped with a flag-type clamp. In the event of an unexpected failure of the device, this design will allow you to disconnect the bracket in a matter of seconds and continue shooting using the standard “mechanics”.
Other features of collimators
Today, most manufacturers of weapon optics are trying to keep up with the pace of technological progress and equip their devices with sensors, automatic backlight control systems, fiber-optic mirror light collection systems, etc.
In collimator sights automatic backlight control systems are of two types.
- Based on photosensor(HAWKE RD1x WP Auto Brightness, DELTA OPTICAL MiniDOT, etc.). The device turns on when the cover is removed and turns off when completely dark; The brightness of the dot automatically adjusts to the external lighting.
- With built-in motion sensor(HOLOSUN Infinity QD HS402D, LEUPOLD DeltaPoint 3.5 MOA, etc.). The backlight turns on when the device is shaken and turns off after several hours of rest.
Naturally, auto-control functions significantly save battery power. However, collimators with automated illumination have many opponents: some criticize automation for being economical, others, on the contrary, for being wasteful. Therefore, some manufacturers compromise and produce sights with two control modes - manual and automatic (HAKKO XT-3 mini).
Special mention should be made of the infrequently encountered red dot sights with light guide and automatic brightness adjustment (KONUS Easyhit Fiberoptic Sight). In addition to conventional lenses, the optical system of such sights includes optical fiber and reflective surfaces. The optic collects external light and uses it to display the reticle. Fiber optic collimators do not require power, are light in weight and compact in size, but are very expensive to manufacture and are unlikely to become a bestseller at the current cost.
In addition to adding auto settings, manufacturers are also striving to expand the scope set: there are collimators with laser target designator(HOLOSUN Laser QD HS401R5), flashlight(BARSKA 1x30 Multi-Rail #AC11398), rangefinder, etc. Of course, such designs are more expensive and weigh more: choosing collimators with an “add-on weight” is recommended only for those who are sure that they will use it. The most reasonable solution is collimator sight with rails on the body (KONUS SIGHT-PRO #7377): you can attach or remove the necessary accessories as needed.
This concludes the main section of the article: now you also have the information necessary to select a sight. We hope that in light of the above, questions like “Which collimator is best for a smoothbore gun?” will seem formulated not quite precisely :-).
About the price of collimators and fluctuations when purchasing
The main doubts that arise when purchasing a collimator sight are related to the questions “ Maybe optical is still better?" And " Is it even worth buying a Chinese-made scope?»
An optical sight - yes, it is definitely better if you need high precision shooting at long distances and the time for a shot is practically unlimited. But for shooting on the move at targets that are not too distant, for installation on short-barreled weapons or multi-compression pneumatics, there is simply no point in buying heavy multi-lens optics. The type of sight you need is determined only by the method of application, so the choice is yours.
Now about brands. Without a doubt, if you can afford a collimator for 400-500 USD, choose Aimpoint, Zeiss, Leupold and other famous and expensive brands. You can use such a device for decades, but not because expensive collimators do not break: anything can happen, but you will be insured against unpleasant surprises with a lifetime warranty.
Cheaper sights, for 1-2 hundred dollars, are made in China regardless of the country of registration of the brand, be it the USA (Barska), Italy (Konus), Poland (Delta Optical), etc. At the same time, even those manufacturers that produce replicas of EOTech and other legendary sights do not undertake long-term warranty obligations. The maximum that you will be offered is a 12 month warranty. But the fact is that the lion's share of low-quality devices is detected much earlier, in the first three months after purchase. And if your Chinese collimator worked flawlessly for 3-4 months, most likely you got a high-quality sight.
Customers of the OZ.ua online store are already convinced that the collimator sight is from China could be good. If you are still biased towards products made in China - OK, we understand your concerns: take a closer look at Japanese-made sights from Hakko (Tokyo Scope). Another option is to buy a used European or American red dot sight. Of course, it’s better to take it from friends: only in this case will you know what weapon the collimator was on and for how long, whether magnum cartridges were used for shooting, etc.
Let's assume you have already purchased a collimator. The period of its trouble-free operation will depend not only on the brand name and other inscriptions on the box, but also on how the sight is installed, whether it is carefully aligned and whether it is sighted correctly. Zeroing a collimator sight is a mandatory procedure; we strongly recommend that you do it in accordance with the instructions in the instructions!
For the first time I (author, solikama - editor's note) talked about collimator sights in 1995. I learned from Soldier of Fortune magazine. It was a sight Holodot from the company BoNaSo Trading Ltd. I was terribly curious and really wanted to try it. But everyone I asked about him just shrugged.
Later, while studying at a special faculty, we were shown red dot sight in symbiosis with PP-90 - something similar to what is shown in the photo below)
Photo from Soldier of Fortune magazine
I don't remember what it was called, maybe it was PSK-8 or SWEAT
PSK-8 (stereoscopic collimator sight)
POTS (optical dot sight)
So what is a collimator?
This is probably the first Soviet collimator for small arms “Firefly”
collimator(from collimo, a distortion of the correct Latin collineo - directing in a straight line) - a device for producing parallel beams of light rays or particles.
Collimator sighting systems are systems that use collimator to construct an image of the aiming mark projected to infinity. In reality, the sight rays of light from the source are reflected collimator lens into the eye of the arrow in a parallel stream. As a result of this, the shooter's eye does not necessarily have to be on the optical axis of the sight; the main thing is that it is within the projection of the sight lens along this axis. When the eye moves transversely, the aiming mark from the observer's point of view moves along the sight lens, remaining at the aiming point regardless of the position of the observer's eye relative to the sight.
Collimator sight allows you to shoot while keeping both eyes open, while the field of view does not decrease and the shooter has the opportunity to respond in a timely manner to changes in the environment.
Here it is with a different sight, for the military "Vyuga-45-2"
Collimator sight provides a higher aiming speed than traditional sights (front sight/rear sight) because when aiming, you only need to combine the red luminous mark visible in the eyepiece and the target itself, while the eye accommodates the distance to the target (in mechanical sights - usually the front sight, the rear sight and the target are visible out of focus).
Collimator sights there are open and closed. There is/was a lack of clarity in terminology regarding this. Initially, closed sights were called sights that did not have a transparent lens, but only projected an aiming mark into the shooter’s eye. The target was not displayed in the eyepiece, aiming was carried out binocularly when observing the aiming mark with one eye and the target with the other, in the shooter's brain there was a combination of images from both eyes, characteristic of binocular vision.
It looked something like this.
Currently, such sights are practically out of use.
Modern red dot sights they have an optical scheme through which the shooter observes the target, and at the same time it also reflects the image of the aiming mark into his eye, according to the old classification, all such sights were called open.
Now closed collimator sight a sight is called, in which the light source that forms the mark is in a closed (usually cylindrical, sealed) case, while, in addition to the front collimator lenses, there is an eyepiece lens covering the rear of the housing.
Closed red dot sight
Open red dot sight has only the front lens in the frame, the light source is open on the base of the sight.
Open red dot sight
History of the development of collimator sights
Howard Grubb was the head of the family company Grubb Telescope Company, founded by his father, which made large telescopes, telescope controls and other optical instruments. He is also known for his work improving periscopes and inventing collimator sight.
Howard Grubb (28 July 1844 - 16 September 1931), Dublin, Ireland, optical instrument designer.
In 1900 Grubb invented red dot sight. Subsequently, this type of sights began to be used on all types of weapons from small arms to fighter aircraft and artillery.
In 1901 Howard Grubb created a compact version collimator sight, suitable for handguns and small devices. The sight was modernized and the illumination of the aiming mark was improved by placing an illuminator on the top of the sight, causing the incident light to be reflected from the transmitting mirror and then from the concave glass into the observer's eye.
Collimator sight Grabba began to be used on hunting weapons and gained popularity. also in 1901.
Types of red dot sights
Diagram of three types of red dot sights. The top one uses a collimator lens (CL) and a beam splitter (B) to create a virtual image at infinity (V) from the reticle (R). The bottom two use semi-transparent curved mirrors (CM) as collimating optics
Initially red dot sights began to be used in aviation, using them on fighter aircraft.
They were first used in 1918 on fighter aircraft Albatros D.V And Fokker Dr.1. The sights were manufactured by the company Optische Anstalt Oigee, made according to the Grubb patent, electric light was used as the illumination of the reticle.
A similar sight was made by the English company Vickers
In subsequent years, aviation red dot sights improved, their principle remained the same.
Aviation sights use the same operating principle as conventional collimators.
An example of the operation of an aircraft collimator sight.
Collimator sights were widely used in aviation, in anti-aircraft installations, anti-tank artillery, mortars.
Anti-aircraft collimator sight
Anti-aircraft collimator sight
Soon after World War II there appeared red dot sights for rifles and shotguns, Nydar shotgun sight(1945), which uses a curved translucent mirror to reflect light to illuminate the aiming mark, and Giese electric gunsight(1947), which featured battery-powered brand lighting.
Nydar shotgun sight with case
Nydar shotgun sight on a gun
Nydar shotgun sight - view of the reticle
Later sights appeared Weaver Qwik-Point(1970) and Thompson Insta-Sight. Both scopes used ambient light to illuminate the reticle using a beam-splitting device—a green cross in the Insta-Sight, and a red plastic “light guide” rod that created the red reticle aiming dot in the Qwik-Point.
There was another type collimator sight, the so-called "blind" or closed type, which (depending on the reticle used) is called RED DOT, it came from artillery.
M4 mortar sight
M4 mortar sight
An electric light bulb or light guides were used to illuminate the aiming mark.
Examples of sights using light guides for lighting include SinglPoint and Armson OEG.
Both used a red dot as an aiming mark; the source of illumination was ambient light. But Armson OEG used tritium, a radioactive substance, for illumination at night, which expanded the possibilities of its use.
Armson OEG reflex sight
The SinglPoint sight was used by the Green Berets in the raid on Son Tay in Operation Ivory Coast 11/20/1970
The main disadvantage of this system is that the brain is poorly adapted to integrate disparate images from each eye, resulting in the reticle being displaced relative to the target image. Because of this offset—and the large dot size (8 or 16 MOA), the scopes' effectiveness was significantly limited. The US military has stopped development collimator sights for small arms
The company has taken the next step forward in red dot technology Aimpoint, the sights of which began to use a light-emitting diode ( LED) to project a red dot onto a target image, this happened in 1974. However, despite the advantages, collimators They were not particularly successful among hunters and athletes.
Aimpoint Electronic reflex sight
That all changed in 1975 thanks to US Army Reserve Sgt. Joe Pasquarelli. After receiving first place at the National Pistol Championships at Camp Perry, His photograph graced the cover of the American Rifle Association magazine. The photograph was of Pasquarelli. In his hand he held a pistol on which a sight was mounted Aimpoint Electronic.
House Committee USA Armed Forces Affairs noted back in 1975 about the suitability of use collimator sights for M16, however, quite a lot of time passed before Ollimator sights began to be used on weapons.
Aimpoint sights saw limited use during Operation Desert Storm.
But it wasn't until 2000 that a breakthrough occurred. Aimpoint signed a contract to supply the US Army with 565,783 sights M68 Close Combat Optic Rifle Sights (Aimpoint Comp2 ).
Over the following years, popularity collimator sights has grown significantly, many different models have appeared, but they all owe their appearance to Howard Grubb.
Howard Grubb(July 28, 1844 - September 16, 1931), Dublin, Ireland, designer of optical instruments. He was the head of the family company Grubb Telescope Company, founded by his father, which made large telescopes, telescope controls and other optical instruments. He is also known for his work improving periscopes and inventing the red dot sight.
In 1900 Grubb invented the red dot sight. Subsequently, this type of sights began to be used on all types of weapons from small arms to fighter aircraft and artillery.
In 1901 Howard Grubb created a compact version of the red dot sight suitable for handguns and small devices. The sight was modernized, the illumination of the aiming mark was improved by placing the illuminator on its front side from above, as a result, the incoming light was reflected from the transmitting mirror, and then from the concave glass into the eye of the observer.
Grubb's collimator sight began to be used on hunting weapons and gained popularity., 1901.
Types of red dot sights:
Diagram of three types of red dot sights. The top one uses a collimator lens (CL) and a beam splitter (B) to create a virtual image at infinity (V) from the reticle (R). The bottom two use semi-transparent curved mirrors (CM) as collimating optics
Initially, collimator sights began to be used in aviation, using them on fighters.
They were first used in 1918 on fighter aircraft Albatros D.V And Fokker Dr.1. The sights were manufactured by the company Optische Anstalt Oigee, made according to the Grubb patent, used electric light as a backlight for the reticle. A similar sight was made by an English company Vickers
In subsequent years, aviation collimator sights were improved, their principle remained the same.
An example of the operation of an aircraft collimator sight.
Collimator sights were widely used in aviation, in anti-aircraft installations, anti-tank artillery, and mortars.
Anti-aircraft collimator sight.
Shortly after World War II, reflex sights for rifles and shotguns appeared, Nydar shotgun sight(1945), which uses a curved translucent mirror to reflect light to illuminate the aiming mark, and Giese electric gunsight(1947), which featured battery-powered brand lighting.
Later sights appeared Weaver Qwik-Point(1970) and Thompson Insta-Sight. Both sights used ambient light to illuminate the reticle using a beam splitter - a green cross in Insta-Sight, and a red plastic "light guide" rod that created a red crosshair dot in Qwik-Point.
Thompson Insta-Sight
There was another type of red dot sight, the so-called "blind" or closed type, which (depending on the reticle used) is called RED DOT, it came from artillery.
M4 sight of the M4 mortar.
An electric light bulb or light guides were used to illuminate the aiming mark.
An example of sights using light guides for illumination is SinglePoint And Armson O.E.G..
Both used a red dot as an aiming mark; the source of illumination was ambient light. But Armson OEG used tritium, a radioactive substance, for illumination at night, which expanded the possibilities of its use.
Armson O.E.G.
SinglePoint
Aim SinglePoint used by the Green Berets in the raid on Son Tay in the operation Ivory Coast 20.11.1970
The main disadvantage of this system is that the brain is poorly adapted to integrate disparate images from each eye, resulting in the reticle being displaced relative to the target image. Because of this offset - and the large dot size (8 or 16 MOA), the scopes' effectiveness was significantly limited. The US military has stopped developing collimator sights for small arms
The company has taken the next step forward in red dot technology Aimpoint, the sights of which began to use a light-emitting diode (LED) to project a red dot on the target image, this happened in 1974, however, despite the advantages, collimators were not particularly successful among hunters and athletes. Everything changed in 1975 thanks to US Army Reserve Sergeant Joe Pasquarelli. After receiving first place at the National Pistol Championships at Camp Perry, His photograph graced the cover of the American Rifle Association magazine. The photograph was of Pasquarelli. In his hand he held a pistol on which a sight was mounted Aimpoint Electronic
The US House of Representatives Committee on Armed Services noted the suitability of red dot sights for the M16 back in 1975, however, it was still quite some time before red dot sights began to be used on weapons.
Aimpoint sights saw limited use during Operation Desert Storm.
But it wasn't until 2000 that a breakthrough came, Aimpoint signed a contract to supply the US Army. 565783 sights M68 Close Combat Optic Rifle Sights (Aimpoint Comp2).
Over the subsequent years, the popularity of collimator sights has grown significantly, many different models have appeared, but they all owe their appearance to Howard Grubb.
*Unfortunately, there is quite a bit of information about Soviet collimator sights, but there is something.
I will try to dedicate a separate article to them.
When "a little bit" also counts.
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Any work of art distorts history, voluntarily or accidentally, in detail or in general terms - not the point. When a distortion is the result of intentional interference, they usually try to justify it with the help of an assumption, that is, they extrapolate a special case to general practice.
Let's see what assumptions Call of Duty: World War II makes.
PPSh in service with the Nazis
Given: Ever since the Normandy landings, American soldiers have almost tripped over Soviet Shpagin submachine guns, better known as PPSh-41s.
In the network game, there are both PPSh with a drum feeder and with a box feeder
How it really happened: like all successful examples of Soviet engineering, the PPSh-41 was easy to manufacture and use, reliable and aimed at 200 meters and further. In 1941, when the Wehrmacht acquired a large share of the Soviet arsenal, the PPSh was not yet mass-produced, and therefore the PPSh-41 was rarely seen in the German army. But then, when the Nazis appreciated the advantages of this weapon, it was appropriated at the first opportunity and transferred to service under the name Maschinenpistole 717 (r).
I was never able to find reliable figures on how many PPSh were in use by the German army, but it is known for certain that in 1944 the Nazis modified 10 thousand captured PPSh for the standard 9-mm cartridge, which was mass-produced by the Reich industry.
Let us assume that by the beginning of the landings in Normandy, that is, by June, about half of this number had been released. On the first day of the landing, the shore was defended by approximately 10 thousand Wehrmacht soldiers, and the total army of the Third Reich by that time numbered 9.24 million people. A rough estimate suggests that in the first days of the invasion there were about five modified PPSh on that section of the Atlantic Wall.
But the calculation is crude because it is far from the truth. Captured PPSh without modifications are not taken into account here, and at the landing site it was not elite German units that were on duty, but rather lousy ones to avoid the horrors of the Eastern Front, which means that their equipment was not considered paramount and could consist of captured weapons.
Older ranks preferred to wear captured PPSh without modifications (in the photo - a version with a magazine from MP 38/40)
Assumption: quite real, although it looks suspicious.
Africans in the Wehrmacht
Given: in the multiplayer game Call of Duty: World War II, Africans fight on the side of the Nazis, which looks a little... strange.
Although there are both Germans and Americans in PvP battles, the appearance customization is only available for the Allies. Reminiscent of Rainbow Six: Siege, where special forces operatives play the role of a conditional enemy, that is, terrorists
How it really happened: the longer the war on the Eastern Front went on, the more the Wehrmacht felt the shortage of manpower. That is why the eastern legions of the SS were created, where they recruited "untermensch" of all sorts, if only they agreed to fight: Russians, Ukrainians, Caucasians, Tatars.
But the Arab legion "Free Arabia", in addition to, in fact, Semitic Muslims, recruited into its ranks the dark-skinned inhabitants of occupied Greece. As well as the legion of French volunteers against Bolshevism, only dark-skinned natives of the French colonies served there. Not for long - after March 1942, Africans were demobilized. Finally, under the rule of the French Vichy regime in 1940, tens of thousands of Senegalese riflemen remained - soldiers from African colonies. But they were not allowed to serve on the side of the Axis at all, and many were killed in concentration camps.
Did the “volunteers” guess what fate awaits them after the victory of the Third Reich?
Assumption: in the case of Call of Duty: World War II - impossible. “Free Arabia” fought in the Balkans, and its fighters could not get to the Western Front, and Africans could only end up in other formations by accident and against the rules. No matter how Activision fights for ease of identification in the game, there is nothing to back it up historically, although there was a chance. You just dress up black soldiers in Italian uniforms and you're done.
Black US Army officers
Given: At the multiplayer headquarters, the player is met by Major Howard, a black soldier familiar from the story campaign. And the US command observed segregation not only until the end of the Second World War, but also after it.
At headquarters, Major Howard is more respectable and no longer allows himself to break down and shout at the “Snow Whites”, as in the campaign
In fact: During the First World War, the stereotype about the inability of former slaves for military affairs was destroyed, but blacks were still not allowed to command. Even those units that were entirely composed of African Americans still fell under the command of white officers.
This does not mean that there were no exceptions. Charles Young, the son of a runaway slave from Kentucky, was promoted to colonel in the US Army in 1916, but he was not given the rank of brigadier general due to mass protests from commanders who did not want to serve under a “colored man.” The first black general appeared only in 1941, when Benjamin O. Davis received this rank.
After General Davis, racism in the American army quickly faded away, although to this day some elite units secretly protect themselves from “coloreds”
Assumption: tense, but not fantastic. If colonels and generals allowed non-white officers to join their ranks, then a dark-skinned major certainly would not become a black sheep.
Sherman vs Tigers
Given: The crew of an American M4 Sherman tank knocks out three German Tigers.
The joints on the stern of the "Tiger" are vulnerable even to armored personnel carrier fire, but getting into them was possible only thanks to luck, not skill
How it really happened: the tankers of the Western Allies, who operated the Shermans, were afraid of only one name - "Tiger". The panic reached such proportions that the Yankees mistook the German Panzerkampfwagen IV for the "Tiger" and gave in to it, although the Pzkw IV is far from being so dangerous.
This is due to both the excellent armor of the "Tiger", which reached 100 mm in front, and the 75-mm gun of the "Sherman" - it was not enough to break through the "cat" armor. Yes, and it should not have been enough: the M4 was created to support the infantry, and the US command believed to use anti-tank guns to destroy tanks.
You could see the massive humiliation of four Shermans by one Tiger in the movie Fury, and this scene fully reflected objective reality.
The "Tiger" itself is noticeably larger than the "Sherman", which only increased its demoralizing effect
Assumption: already in the fall of 1944, the Shermans were massively replaced with 76-mm guns, which successfully hit the Tiger at least on board. The tank fight episode in Call of Duty takes place in October, and the M4 there could well have been modified. And in the game, German tanks can only be penetrated from the side or from behind, and hitting the forehead does no damage at all.
Mined bridge
Given: the brave Yankees take the last of the two surviving bridges across the Rhine, the Nazis blow it up, but the bridge remains standing.
Immediately after the explosion on the bridge, the Stukas were also bombed, and it rose a little and that's it. The Germans know how to build!
How it really happened: in this particular case, it was so. The Ludendorff Bridge, named after a German general during the First World War, was captured by the Americans on March 7, 1945. In accordance with the scorched earth tactics, the Germans left neither factories nor bridges to the enemy - including the Ludendorff Bridge. It was mined, all the explosives detonated, but the bridge survived and collapsed only ten days later. By that time, the Allies had already assembled a pontoon crossing across the Rhine. It is permissible to wear the Iron Cross award even now - it is a painfully honorable and old order to bury it along with a swastika.
In fact: a swastika in a white circle on a red background is in itself a powerful ideological tool, different from all existing flags. And the symbol itself is also endowed with a sacred meaning.
In the first years of the Nazi regime, the flag with the swastika was not yet used everywhere and went hand in hand with the tricolor of the German Empire. Which was canceled after the death of Reich President Hindenburg and immediately consigned to oblivion: now the swastika has spread throughout Germany. As well as in the occupied territories, including France.
It is worth noting that the German armed forces were not particularly sympathetic to the Nazis, and in the Wehrmacht the swastika was not so widespread. The equipment was marked with a black cross with an outline, and on the uniform the swastika remained only in the coat of arms with an eagle.
WriteCollimator sights are compatible with combat, sporting and hunting weapons. Thanks to the 1x multiplicity, they do not distort the size of the target. The aiming speed with the help of such devices is several times higher than with other types of devices. Thanks to the unlimited field of view, the illuminated mark can be quickly aligned with the target, even if the eye is actively moving relative to the center of the sight.
Scope of application of collimator sights
Before choosing a red dot sight, you need to know that this device is optimal for hunting at short distances (up to 100-150 m) and shooting at moving large targets. It is installed on firearms, but it is more popular among pneumatic gun owners.
You can also install such a sight on a crossbow, bow and pistol. When purchasing, you need to make sure that the built-in bracket of the device is compatible with your weapon.
What types of collimator sights are there?
Depending on the type of operation, collimator sights are divided into two types. Active collimators operate on batteries. The brightness of their aiming mark does not depend on the time of day. Passive sights require sufficient illumination. It is this that determines the glow of the brand.
Open
The device of any collimator includes a light source, a lens and a correction mechanism. Open red dot sights are simpler and more affordable. The lens (2) scatters light from the source (1), which is reflected from the inside of the input lens (3) and goes in a parallel beam towards the eye. As a result, the shooter sees the reticle and the target (4).
Features of open collimators:
- cannot be used during snow and rain, as they do not have protection from weather factors;
- have the function of changing the aiming mark;
- lighter and more compact than closed ones;
- provide sighting with two eyes;
- do not obscure the field of view.
Closed
The difference between closed type sights is the presence of protective glass (4) and a housing on both sides. The optical design is the same as that of open collimators. Protective glass protects the device from weather conditions and prevents dirt and moisture from penetrating inside.
Features of closed sights:
- in addition to the front lens, they have an eyepiece lens;
- due to the body, the aiming area is obscured;
- more dimensional;
- When installing an additional optical attachment, the magnification of the sight increases by 2 times.
When deciding how to choose a collimator sight for a smooth-bore weapon, it is worth considering holographic models. Outwardly, they are similar to open sights, but have a different operating principle. A laser beam with a recorded image of the brand is emitted onto the photographic plate (1) from the reference radiation source. The result is its holographic projection (3). The image can also be obtained using a holographic grating (6) and a collimating reflector (5).
Features of such collimators:
- holography is better perceived by the human eye in daylight and night lighting;
- the brand is visible regardless of the degree of illumination;
- virtually no parallax errors.
Planks and brackets
Most collimators are made in one piece with a bracket. Such models can be quickly installed on the aiming bar. What other collimator mounts exist:
- "Dovetail". The simplest and most universal design of the seat for most shotguns. The design is simple and reliable, provides maximum service life. The mount is mounted on the zeroed place, so after installing the collimator there is no need for new zeroing.
- Picatinny rails in 0.394" increments. You can move the installed device along the upper corrugated part, and thanks to the slots, you can fix it with levers or bolts in the right place. Thanks to the slots, the plank is lightweight and ventilated.
- Weaver rails with 0.18 inch pitch. This is an improved version of the dovetail with a more complex design. The bar is screwed along the entire length of the sight. It has an additional stop for adjusting the instability of the sight. Can be installed on pistols and sporting crossbows. Sights with Weaver mounts will also fit on Picatinny rails.
- Fastening via rings. They are designed for mounting a cylindrical sight. Most often included with the collimator.
During the selection process, it is important to pay attention to the reticle. Personal preferences are allowed here. The classic version is a red dot. Today there are collimators with switchable brands, due to which they can be used on different types of weapons.
For shotguns, options with a circle-mesh have been developed. There are rice stamps, as well as color changing ones. Recommendations for choosing the type of red dot sight:
- Closed models are recommended for long-barreled weapons. Medium and large calibers are acceptable. Such scopes are chosen for hunting in densely populated areas and in difficult weather conditions.
- Open collimators are the optimal choice for small-caliber carbines and hunting in open spaces. The problem of contamination is solved very simply - buy protective caps for the eyepieces and lens. The sight is also cleaned regularly.
- Holographic models are recommended for installation on shotguns.
EOTech EXPS3-2
If you don’t know how to choose a red dot sight for a carbine, then be sure to pay attention to this model. It is recommended for installation specifically on light weapons: carbines, automatic and semi-automatic rifles. The cost of the device varies between 60,000-65,000 rubles.
The collimator is very accurate, allowing you to detect a target at a distance of 280 m. The model is distinguished by the absence of the parallax effect. Thanks to the complete impermeability and improved protection of the case, it can be submerged to a depth of 3 m. Compatible with night vision devices. To switch from day to night mode, the collimator has side buttons.
Aimpoint Micro H-1 Complete 2MOA
The Aimpoint Micro H-1 sight is designed for use with firearms, rifled or short-barreled. Also suitable for shotguns. Acceptable caliber is up to .500 Nitro Express. Due to its light weight, the collimator can be installed on lightweight weapons. Compatible with bows, crossbows and hunting revolvers. The sight costs about 30,000-36,000 rubles.
SightMark Laser Dual Short Sight collimator with laser center
Hunting scope equipped with an integrated laser target pointer. Users note that the device is suitable for hunting in a raid and from ambush, including from dense thickets. The sight can also be used for sporting weapons. Installing the SightMark Laser Dual helps solve the question of how to choose a red dot sight for 12 gauge. The model belongs to the budget category, since it costs 5000-8000 rubles.
Comparative table of characteristics of red dot sights
To choose a suitable collimator model, you must study the main characteristics of all options. For ease of comparison, they are presented in the table:
| Characteristics | SightMark Laser | Aimpoint Micro H-1 Complete 2MOA | EOTech EXPS3-2 |
| Type | Open | Closed | Holographic |
| Lens | 33x24 mm | 21x15 mm | 33x23 mm |
| Working temperature | -10 to +50 °C | >From -30 to +60 °C | -40 to +65 °C |
| Mounting type | Weaver or Picatinny rail with 17-23 mm seat. | On the brackets. | On the Weaver bar. |
| Peculiarities |
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|
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| Weight, g | 162 | 105 | 317 |
| Power type | Can work for 2 hours with CR2032 lithium battery. | CR2032 batteries operate for up to 50,000 hours. | Operating time from one lithium battery is up to 600 hours. |
