Red Dot & RMR Sights For Dangerous Game Rifles

Mark A Ouellette

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Red Dot and RMR Sights for Dangerous Game Rifles

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Above photos are Trijocon SRO on Heym 88B

I have been contributing information concerning Red Dot and RMR Sights for Dangerous Game Rifles on a couple of other threads that some AH members may have missed. I figure that this information warrants its own thread, so here you go!

Warning, this isn’t an article about every sight available. I am not a professional writer, as evident my often lack of editing! Nor do any manufacturers send me stuff to use so that I will give them free advertising. Rather, this is based on my experience of a subject that it seems many at AH are not experts. Well neither am I but here’s what I know!

There are Red Dots and there are Red Dots – Reflex and RMR

First there were Reflex sights, commonly known as Red Dot sights that cast an illuminated red dot of light against an almost clear coated screen. There are many other brands available of varying quality. I have seen other competitors suffer a red dot failure during Precision Pistol (Bullseye) matches. Ouch!

Buy once, cry once! Fifty years ago Bell motorcycle helmets’ magazine advertisements catch phrase was, “If you have a $10 head, buy a $10 helmet.” At the time a Bell helmet cost between $30 and $50. Nuff said?

Within the field of Red Dot sights there are what are known as Reflex/Tube and RMR

Reflex Red Dot Sights

While both RMR and Reflex are indeed reflex sights, the larger type is known as Reflex, Tube Red Dots, or simply, Red Dot sights. Technically these are within the category of Reflector Sights: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reflector_sight

There are also holographic sights which I have never used;
https://www.pewpewtactical.com/red-dots-vs-holographic-sights/
https://www.sportsmansguide.com/article?key=weapon-sights-article
Maybe holographic sights will withstand the recoil of a .500 Nitro?

For bullseye Precision Pistol the Match Dot brand is popular and much less expensive than Aimpoint.

I have a SIG Romeo Reflex. These were on sale for a little over $100 so I bought one. I mounted it on an AR-15 carbine and for that, it works well. If I were seriously relying on this weapon in combat, I would mount a Trijicon or Aimpoint, or brand with similar PROVEN reliability such as the German Docter. This logic is even more applicable for any dangerous game hunt!

This is an Aimpoint Reflex “Red Dot” or “Dot” H-2 sight.
https://aimpoint.us/micro-h-2-red-dot-reflex-sight-6moa-standard-mount/
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I have a few of the older Aim Point H-1 dot sights that I have competed with.

I may try one of these sight on a double rifle or maybe the CZ 550’s.

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The bottom two Aim Point H-1 shown above are mounted in LaRue quick release Picatinny rail mounts.

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All have sun/weather shade tubes pressed into them. These are available from National Pistol Champion John Shue. The shades keep direct sunlight from glaring on them and rain drops off.

The two 1911’s show are from Accuracy X: http://accuracyx.com/
The 6” M1911 in the center is a 10mm Auto that Accuracy X built for me.

The 6" 10mm pistol with a Leupold 2-8x scope is featured in this video hitting NRA 500-yard Silhouette Rifle targets from 500 yards!
.

Ruggedized Miniature Reflex sights (RMR)

Larger Reflex sights were followed by the Ruggedized Miniature Reflex sights or RMR. The term RMR is Trademarked in the USA by Trijicon. They marketed the first RMR. Their current generation RMR Type-2 is used by the US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM, Navy Seals, US Marine Raiders, Green Berets…). I remember the fictional character Rooster Cogburn yelling across the impending field of battle, “Don’t you bet your life on it!” Good logic for dangerous game hunting.

RMR Type-2: https://www.trijicon.com/products/product-family/trijicon-rmr-RM06-RM07-RM09
SRO: https://www.trijicon.com/products/subcategory/trijicon-sro

Below are Trijicon SRO and RMR Type-2 sights in 14-16mm Trijicon mounts. This size mount fits the ribs on my Heym and Merkel double rifles.
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JJ Perodeau https://jjperodeau.com/ can mill your double rifle’s rib to accept these mounts.
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Trijicon SRO mounted on a Heym 88B
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Light Transmission

The coating on a Trijicon brand sight's view screen is iridium. It may be the same for other brands but I do not know for sure. A red dot is cast or illuminated onto the screen for our eyes to see. The iridium coating does darken the view screen by a small amount that one won’t notice until they try to make a shot at dusk. Then, rather than seeing the game animal, a silhouette may be the only thing visable! It’s happened to me hunting in Limpopo. I still made the shot!

Red Dot Size

A RMR (micro) or traditional Red Dot sight with 3.25 and 6 MOA dot are liked by many shooters, especially for the new trend of RMRs on concealed carry handguns. At 5 yards, these larger dots should be better for instant target acquisition than a more precise, 1 MOA dot. It would be the same if facing an elephant at 20 yards! I prefer 1 MOA dots.

The dots seem to increase in size as their intensity increases. At 100 yards on a bright day my Trijicon RMRs the 1 MOA dots are clearly bigger than that at 100 yards. At 50 yards on a bright day, maybe I could reduce the dot to 1 MOA, maybe. On a dull day or at dusk, I can click those dots to a very tiny size. Bottom line, the brighter the dots, the bigger they appear to my eyes.

I carry my rifle with the dot set at a medium brightness for worst case situation, like an impromptu meeting with Mr. Buffalo! For long shots when I most usually have more time, I click the red dot intensity down to where I can just see it clearly against the target. This gives me a more precise sight picture. I have shot buffalo, giraffe, wildebeast, all at 100 yards to 150 meters. Further, I snap shot two running warthogs with it. Dot intensity is much like the power of a variable rifle scope. Keep them set for worse case, close range shooting!

Trijicon SRO on sale 1 February 2023

Primary Arms has the Trijicon SRO with 1 Minute Dot on sale for $465.
https://www.primaryarms.com/trijicon-sro-sight-adjustable-led-1-moa-red-dot

With my state sales tax and Priority Mail shipping the total was $502.
This is the sight I use on my Heym double. The red dot has dozens of adjustments. It can be reduced to a super tiny barely able see pin prick or crank it up to a mini-sun on the extra large view finder. This makes it dynamite for close range and with a tiny dot, very accurate for a double rifle at 100 to 150 meters.

A bonus is that the battery loads from the top! My RMR Type-2 has to be removed from the mount to replace the battery. Granted, this is a once a year task to be safe, and a two to three year task if one waits until a battery fails. Still, one should check their rifle’s zero after removing the RMR from the mount. Chances are due the mounting bosses in the mount and alignment holes in the RMR, it will shoot within an inch or so at 50 meters, it not dead on!

Trijicon SRO RMR
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RMR mounting Compatibility
There is no standardization of mounting interfaces in the Reflex and RMR industry! The best Reflex or RMR won’t do you any good if you can’t get the right mount for your rifle!

This is a good guide for RMR mounting compatibility:
https://www.cz-parts.com/cz-red-dot-plates-mounts-compatibility-guide

Trijicon SRO and mount
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Trijicon SRO/RMR mount available on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004W59ZL4?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

Trijicon RMR for CZ550 from American Hunting Rifles. Notice the quick release lever.
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Size Difference of Trijicon RMR and SRO

The Trijicon RMR Type-2 (and the older Type-1) have a lower profile than the SRO. The difference is less than 8mm or a third of an inch. The RMRs' shown are in the mounts for 14-16mm Ribs.

I hunted with the SRO in Limpopo, Kalahari, and Zimbabwe. I also mounted both to double rifles and shouldered them dozens if not a hundred of times each in a side by side comparison. The result was that I bought a second SRO.

Trijicon SRO and RMR Type-2
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So there it is! I hope this information helps Africa Hunting members make good decisions about Reflex and RMR Red Dot Sights for their dangerous game rifles!
 

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Thank you so very much for the education Mark. I have always wanted to know, and was just getting to the initial stages of researching for my own needs. I would like a sighting system with a quick detach option for a BRNO 602 action. You have kick-started my research!
 
Great write up! Thanks for all the information and explanation. I put a Trijicon RMR 3.25 moa on my Chapuis 375H&H double and it works great. Instant target acquisition and the red dot is a huge help on the black hides of buffalo. I liked it so much that I put one on my Beretta M9A3 9mm.
FYI, Chapuis doubles have removable blocks in the rib that can make mounting a RMR really easy. Just a couple of screws and pop the block out and screw the mounting plate into the same spot.
I would add that if you get a Leupold Firedot scope in 1-6X24 and turn it down to 1 power, it works like a red dot RMR. I put this scope on my 416 Rigby Big Game. Fantastic scope.
 
Chapuis doubles have removable blocks in the rib that can make mounting a RMR really easy. Just a couple of screws and pop the block out and screw the mounting plate into the same spot.
You are correct! I completely forgot about the removable block on some if not many modern doubles.
Thanks for the information!!!

I would add that if you get a Leupold Firedot scope in 1-6X24 and turn it down to 1 power, it works like a red dot RMR. I put this scope on my 416 Rigby Big Game. Fantastic scope.
Once again thanks! I also have more than half a dozen illuminated low power variable scopes. They do what a Red Dot does but at the cost of size and weight. On a bolt action I like these illuminated scopes. They are also feasible on a smaller frame double so long as they have quick release mounts. The RMRs on a double help those of us with eyes that no longer focus easily on the metallic sights by adding only 2 ounces or less!
 
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At 65 I am still able to see and use Iron Sights.. I realize that Red dots can/may be faster and more accurate but, as a traditionalist I struggle with the need.
...IF... down the road my eyes start to fail me I think this product by Docter/Noblex optics sits extremely low and would have the least aqmount of impact on your gun mount
 
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At 65 I am still able to see and use Iron Sights.. I realize that Red dots can/may be faster and more accurate but, as a traditionalist I struggle with the need.
...IF... down the road my eyes start to fail me I think this product by Docter/Noblex optics sits extremely low and would have the least aqmount of impact on your gun mount
Now that is sexy!!
 
Photos of my Trijicon 1 MOA mounted on my 458 Lott CZ550

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A local gunsmith helped me develop and make the Apex Predator mount you tap out the V pop sights from the 550's and slide in the Base and lock it in place with grub screws.

Very low profile the sight is further out for quick acquisition and a V was milled into the back of the base in case of a failure on the Trijicon or breaking it. That way in emergency I can still use the open sight and take off the SRO.

Game hunted thus far with it:

Red hartebeest, Blue wildebeest, zebra, buffalo cow and lioness.
 
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Photos of my Trijicon 1 MOA mounted on my 458 Lott CZ550

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A local gunsmith helped me develop and make the Apex Predator mount you tap out the V pop sights from the 550's and slide in the Base and lock it in place with grub screws.

Very low profile the sight is further out for quick acquisition and a V was milled into the back of the base in case of a failure on the Trijicon or breaking it. That way in emergency I can still use the open sight and take off the SRO.

Game hunted thus far with it:

Red hartebeest, Blue wildebeest, zebra, buffalo cow and lioness.
What were your distances ranging from with all of those shots?
 
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Great stuff Mark

As you know i have a burris fast fire 3 on my blaser 416RM. Best think i ever did
Also one of my PHs has a burris fast fire 2 on his 375.

Once you have these reflex sights u never want to go back to open sights
 
Thank you, Mark. I appreciate your sharing this information. And I love the Pardini!

Laura
 
What were your distances ranging from with all of those shots?

Closest was 23 metres Lioness, furthest shot was Blue Wildebeest about 180 meters
Zebra about 90 meters
Red hartebeest around 120 meters
Buffalo cow 40 meters

Please note 1MOA is small but you just push up the Itensity and it becomes larger don't look at the idea that 1 MOA is too small aim small miss small. I am very happy with the 1MOA and happy that I went that route.
 
Mark thank you for this good topic.
 
Trijicon SRO on sale 1 February 2023

Primary Arms has the Trijicon SRO with 1 Minute Dot on sale for $465.
https://www.primaryarms.com/trijicon-sro-sight-adjustable-led-1-moa-red-dot

As a follow-up into my own education into these reflex type sighting systems, Mark Ouellette was very kind in giving the Forum a heads-up on a good deal he had found. I was going to order this model of Trijicon SRO, and have them send it to my hotel in Harrisburg, as I was attending the Great American Outdoor show there. They could not guarantee delivery on time, so I abandoned the idea. While attending the show, I stopped by the Kenzie's Optics booth, asking them if they had a price match policy. They said they would honour the Primary Arms price - they were not happy about it, but were gracious enough to stick by their policy.
 

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Thanks to Mark’s education to me as well I bought this as well. Could not be happier with the results! Thanks again Mark for taking the time to share your great experience! I bet your rifle safe is something truly to behold with some beautiful rifles!
 
@Mark A Ouellette

I second what RareBreed said about your posts and information sparking my curiosity in these sights.

After looking them over at DSC I decided on the RMR and ordered one and sent it off to have the rib milled on my .470 for the same mount you have on the Heym.

I also ended up ordering an AHR QD mount for my BRNO 602 and love it as well.
 
Great info Mark. Can you who makes a mount for a Heym 89b double. I would like to try one of the Trijicon SRO.

Mark does anyone make a “footprint chart” for all of the different sights?
 
As far as I know Holosun and Trjicon both have the same footprint.
 
Thanks Mark.
Good Info
Lately I've been looking at another Red Dot for another if my BigBore rifles.
One that has caught my eye and fancy is the Sig‐ Sauer Romeo8H...
 

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