I just attached a red dot optic to the top rail of my rifle. When I hold the rifle to align my buis and the red dot I have to twist my wrist a little in order to get the perfect sight picture.
I have not had this pain when i use my buis. I have taken my rifle to the range several times to zero my buis and just for some range time.
Any suggestions on how to make the pain go away or just lessen the pain. Do I need a different pistol grip. Do I need a different optic?
Oh, I have the red dot positioned over the ejection port on the top rail.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions or information.
Maybe I am missing something, but why do you need to align the red dot with the iron sights? The red dot should be used by itself and you should look through the iron sights only if the red dot fails for some reason.
You should never have to align both the red dot and your iron sights when you are shooting. That’s actually a common error we find when teaching others to shoot on the range, though most will typically try to align the red dot with the front sight post. Each system is stand alone.
The only time I will purposely align the red dot with my BUIS, is to make adjustments/ballpark zero the red dot with iron sights. I usually do this after my irons are zeroed, and I’ll adjust the red dot so it falls on the tip of the front sight post when looking through the irons. Then I’ll flip my BUIS down and finish zeroing my red dot with 3 round strings. I find this to cut down on the number of adjustments/relays, as it usually only takes me 1-2 strings of fire to zero after doing so.
My guess is that you are contorting into position trying to align both sighting systems. Try extending your stock a notch or two if it’s collapsible. A good prone shooting position should be comfortable enough that you can stay in it for an extended period of time. If you have to fight it, then you need to change your position up.
I always site my optics off my front site post so I have a reference when takeing longer shots. I generally use the same setup for everything includeing coyote hunting.
Do you have your stock collapsed all the way? I get wrist pain when shooting with the stock collapsed but not when its extended. But if you don’t notice it when just useing your irons it could be how the optic is mounted?
What Red Dot Optic are you using. If its not paralax free and you are trying to force the dot on top of the FSP, you are likely not going to get accurate shot placement. And the fact you are fighting yourself to get a good sight picture/cheek weld tells me you are set up bad. Something be crimping your style. I run an EOtech XPS, with irons and EOtech Magnifier. When i am running courses <50M i have my BUIS down, Magnifier to the side, and simply raise the gun into my line of sight and shoot when my 65 MOA ring is on the Center Mass.
My set up is on the factory 7 Riser/QD. So it’s running as a lower third co-witness. I don’t have to drop down into my irons unless i have/want to. I train with irons, RDS on/off, magnifier on/off. And i am comfortable in every way. I Do have to run my stock down to 2nd or 3rd detent to get a proper sight picture with the magnifier, which is basciallly NTCH (Nose to Charging Handle).
Check your set-up, something ain’t right. I’d say without looking you are likely running a RDS that is simply not optimal for the gun. And it’s probably a generic RDS. You would be so much better suited with an optic designed with the M4 in mind as the target platform.
Flat out, it shouldn’t hurt…if it does STOP. You are only training bad habits. Get it figured out. Go to a reputable LGS, and have someone examine your shooting form…
Better yet, post a few pics from various angles, and most of us will be able to better tell you what’s going on. Unless you are 80, and suffering from Rhumatoid Arthritis, something is dead wrong. Good luch
Thanks for the information. That is what I was looking for from this forum. I admit I am new to AR rifles so I am probably making a lot of mistakes. And like G.I. Say " knowing is half the battle."
Thanks for taking the time out of your day to post this info for me. I am using a generic red dot. Vortex Sparc. I have it set up wrong as I now know from previous post. I have the have the red dot sight set up to co witness with my iron sights. Yes I am going to take my rifle to the range and zero the red dot with out using the iron sight. I am going to make an adjustment and have the red dot co witness my buis in the lower 1/3 of the optic.
I will take some pics of how I have the optic set up now and try to post them so people and tell me now to fix my problems.
I will also start saving up for a better red dot optic.
No worries, I’m happy to assist when I can. As instructors, we train roughly 350-400 Officers a year. Contrary to poular belief, most cops aren’t gun guys. You’d be suprised the number of errors we see. The best part about teaching, is that it ultimately makes you a better shooter, just from diagnosing other people’s mistakes.
Case-in-point, I used to take for granted that most should know to ignore their iron sights when shooting with a red dot. We had a huge increase in the number of red dot shooters last year due to a policy change, so we spent more time zeroing them. On several occasions, we had difficulty getting Officers zeroed with their red dots. Come to find out, most were lining the dot with the front sight post and then aiming at the target.
Since no one touched on it, I am near sighted and know the benefit of co-witnessing a red dot through the irons. It is basically like super squinting and turns a red dot which with vision error appears to be a10MOA+ blur down to the crisp 2MOA dot that it actually is. That said it is when precision is needed that it becomes necessary otherwise for your shorter ranges and larger target it isn’t best or if you have good vision or corrected vision for that matter.
Definitely think something is screwy if you can line up the irons just fine and not hurt your wrist and suddenly do if there is a red dot lollipoping the front post since everything should be lined up just like bare irons. Do you change the stock position, head position, how you shoulder it, or anything like that when adding the dot to the mix? if so try the same position and set up you do with just irons and see how that works.
That is exactly what I am doing, or was doing. I am going to find me a beginners AR class and start my training as soon as I save up some money. Because obviously there is a lot I don’t know and need some one with experience like you to show me the right way. Thanks again:p
I am sure I will run into more issues as i move along this learning curve.
Not sure if it has been mentioned but depending on the optic try to move it as far forward on the rail as you can thus extending the sight radius. And the lining up with front sight base is something most people do when learning to shoot with red dots unless told not too, this not something some people are born knowing so don’t feel bad. You see most people have have their red dots a lot further than ejection port so you don’t have to get down so much on the rifle. Good luck and don’t get scared to ask questions if you don’t know. Just make sure you search first or you will be jumped on and just expect some smart assed answers from those who know more. Don’t fret just read more and search and you can most likely find the answers somewhere.
The one thing I have learned from visiting this forum is to use the search button before asking questions:). However, sometimes I don’t know the best search parameters to use to get the best results. So after several unsuccessful search attempts I come into the forum and ask my question.
I know many people are feed up with new shooters asking a question that has been asked a million times. That is why I use the stickies and search before asking questions.
Thanks for your response to my post. I will add your suggestion to the other info I have gotten and move forward.
By the way my wrist doesn’t hurt anymore after implementing some of the suggestions I received from this thread. Thanks everyone:D