I have to start by making it clear that this is my first red dot site, so I can only speak to this site with no comparison to others. Since prices for red dot sites range from $10 to $1000 I really had no idea what to expect. I started with the assumption that at the low end they must be junk or toys and at the high they were either magical, designed for serious competition shooters and guns, designed to handle the recoil of a 50 caliber hand gun, had major snob appeal, or some combination thereof. I wanted this for a .22 air gun, a Benjamin 392, to be specific.
What did that mean to me? I am a decent shooter concerned about accuracy so I did not want a toy. On the other hand I wasn't about to put a six or seven hundred dollar sight on sub two hundred dollar air rifle intended for plinking, and varmint control at ranges less the one hundred yards. Most of my shots would be taken at targets between 10 and 75 yards. With a 5 MOA dot, I get a spot on the target between 1/2 and 3 inches on most of my targets from near to far. That is good enough as it means I can hit a quarter at 20 yards as easily as with a peep or iron sight and I can acquire it more quickly.
Will a $25 sight do this? Cutting to the chase, YES! This one most surely does!
Why did I pick this one? The revues were mostly good. Being about twice the price of the cheapest red dots I could find and less than a fourtieth the cost of the most expensive, it is on low end of the price range, a good place to start. It has a dove tail mount that is reversible for either 5/8 or 3/8 inch and the Benjamin/Crossman mount for the 392 is a 3/8 inch dove tail. I don't know whether or not it is necessary, but the sun shade seems like a good idea (I always use one on my camera if shooting anywhere near the sun).
When received it, I was very pleasantly surprised by how solid it seemed. This is very well built for the price. I turned it on and looked through to see a well defined and reasonably clean red dot easily visible in the field of view from and on whatever I point it at. All right, mount it. It looks good on the gun. *DOH* I don't have a bore site, this is going to be fun... can I see the iron sight by looking underneath it? Just barely, but that will help. At least I won't have to remove the bolt.
I set the gun on a pillow, squinted at the iron sight to find a target and then adjusted the elevation and windage until the red dot was on the same target, hoping that would get me close enough to start. After a few shots I figured out where it was hitting and after that it was easy. A few more shots, a few more tweaks and bingo. I was on target. Another three to make sure and it was ready to test. More shots more targets, I am putting the pellet behind the dot at 50 yards. This is better than expected and nearly as good as I might have hoped! After 100 pellets, picking up and putting down the gun, the sight has not budged. It is as solid as it looked and felt when I first inspected it.
If you haven't already figured it out, I would heartily recommend this site for anyone looking for a low cost red dot site for an air gun or .22 rifle. This is most certainly good enough for plinking a pest control out to 50 yards or so. Okay, it has more to do with the distance and dot size at the range of interest than the size of the gun. Put it on your 7mag for casual target practice inside 100 yards.
At 100 yards, this spot is going to cover 4 or 5 inches so at that range, hitting anything smaller than a soda can is going to be a challenge. Is that bad? I don't think so! Besides, that is what a 5 MOA dot does.
At the price and for what it is, that is pretty darned good and meets or exceeds the specs. For a lot more money you can get a smaller dot if you need the same accuracy at a longer range. For me?? I am sold on this sight and red dot sight technology. I willl probably buy a few more of these for my other air guns and my Henry .22, unless I'd decide I want to compare it to others with similar specs. For 100 yards + and more accurate longer range guns I will get an fancier one. If I need to hit the X ring at 200 yards or more out, I'll use a scope or iron site.
If you are thinking of this one, go for it. I doubt you'll be disappointed. Are there better ones? Maybe, especially if you spend more. Do you need to spend $500 to $1000 to get a good red dot site? Clearly not! How does it compare to other red dot sights in the same price range? For now, I have no idea.
| Brand | BSA |
|---|---|
| Color | Black |
| Style | Red Dot |
| Sport | Hunting |
| Item Weight | 0.32 Kilograms |
| Material | Blend |
| Magnification Maximum | 1 x |
| Objective Lens Diameter | 30 Millimeters |
| Magnification Minimum | 3 x |
| Compatible Devices | Handgun, Shotgun, Rifle, Cross Bow |
| Mounting Type | Weaver Mount |
| Night vision | No |
| Item Package Dimensions L x W x H | 5.91 x 4.76 x 3.82 inches |
| Package Weight | 0.37 Kilograms |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 1 x 1 x 1 inches |
| Brand Name | BSA |
| Warranty Description | 1 Year |
| Model Name | RD30 |
| Suggested Users | unisex-adult |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Manufacturer | Gamo |
| Part Number | RD30 |
| Included Components | Battery, Red Dot Scope |
| Size | One Size |
