Effect on POI when occluding red dot sights

[MegademiC]

A few posts recently have brought up how phoria will negatively impact POI when shooting with occlused RDS'. Some of the benefits of shooting with a covered RDS include the inability to wash out the dot when using a weapon light or changes in ambient lighting, maintaining a target focus vs dot focus, and allowing the use of an IR light along with an RDS when aiming under NODs (especially useful with pistols).

Molon did testing with a TA11 3.5x ACOG and documented a significant POI shift at 25y. For today, I only had access to a 25y indoor range. With an 11.5" rifle topped with a T2 in LaRue LT660 mount, I fired a quick 10-round group offhand with the RDS uncovered (left target), then closed the solid cover and fired another quick offhand 10rd group (right target). The rifle is zeroed at 200y and POA remained consistent at the center of the B8.



While there is some shift in POI, it is insignificant within CQB distances. I will have access to a 200y range next week and will test on paper and steel at various distances to continue gathering data.

Additionally, I repeated this with a Glock 19 and Holosun HS507c X2. Both were 5 round groups at 25y shooting 124gr Geco 9mm. The top target is with the RDS taped, the bottom is uncovered.



Interestingly, there was no perceptible difference in POI. This could be attributed to the fact that I normally zero my pistols offhand with both eyes open, so I'm already accounting for any effects of phoria.

I'm planning to also test this with a 4x ACOG, 1-6x Razor at 1x/3x/6x, and to stretch the RDS' legs to see how far it can effectively be used while covered.

The best way to test this is to look at the target, and only get behind the optic for a quick sight picture.IME the longer you sit occluded the more phoria impacts you.

People do this in uspsa comps while training themselves and still place top 5 or win. I would not do it for precision work (sitting behind the sight), but for reactive- mid or fast paced shooting it should be fine for a/c zone hits to decent distsnce... hell ive hit 8" targets consistently at 60 with no sights on a rifle, occluded would be much better.