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THO · New Member

I solved most light problems! First problem is the brighter the light the bigger your crosshairs/dot gets, then at dusk/dart they are REALLY BRIGHT. So first thing to do is remove your battery and check the voltage, if it is a 1.5 put a 1.4 in its place. If not, cheep batteries won't hold voltage long, some are good new, others you leave your scope on for DAYS and keep checking it until you get the light you want. The better batteries will take longer on, to wear them out 5 to 7 DAYS. On auto brightness models, if you can cover the sensor up use white sticky paper that will normally fix them also. I have greatly used illuminated scopes and dots for 35 years and they are great if you can keep your illumination to a sweet spot for the condition at hand. just sayin

AirGunEric · Site Admin

Are you taking about an illuminated reticle? Most people don't use them (i.e. leave them turned off) as they generally get in the way more than they do anything else.

THO · New Member

Yes, Eric I hunt hard, I like first and last light, also pest at night. The dot sight is handy for speed on moving targets.

Slavia · Moderator

I agree that dot sights are good for target acquisition. They're also good because they are a single-plane sighting system. You don't have to deal with focus on the rear sight, front sight, and target - it's just the target.

I have also noted failings with the dot sights at both ambient lighting extremes. In bright direct sunlight the dot often "washes out" with even the brightest setting. I have a gray polycarbonate disc that I slip under the flip-up scope cap to kill some of the image brightness.

At the other extreme, even the dimmest setting is often too bright in low-light conditions. In the basement I like to see a P.O.A. through the dot, and often it's too bright to do that. A halogen light on the target fixes that (or a flashlight on the gun I use for wascally wabbits in the garden).

I have experienced the effect you describe with the battery burning down to a lesser brightness, but in my experience when the battery gets to that point it's already on a steep downhill slope and won't stay that way for long. I feel that battery longevity is more a function of when the scope was made than battery quality. It seems like the newer scopes squeeze more hours out of a battery than before.

Regarding illuminated reticles: I'm with Eric. I would rather have a dark reticle with the edges in sharp focus.