TIP: A fix for red dots that get washed out in the sun

[Dolomite_supafly]

Here is a tip for those of you with a cheap red dot that seems to get washed out in the sun or other bright conditions.

Most red dots these days use a 2032 coin style battery. The 2032 battery is a 3V and works well.

There is also another coin battery that is 3V but is 1/2 as thick as the 2032 batteries. They are, imagine this, called a 2016. When you stack two 2016 batteries they are identical in size as a standard 2032 battery but when stacked provide twice the voltage. And because you are getting twice the voltage you are getting a much brighter dot.

I have tried this on several cheap red dots and they work great.

I will give a word of warning. Although I can't confirm whether it will or will not harm I would caution against using this technique in a sight that has electronics like auto brightness. It might also harm those red dots that have push button brightness adjustments but not those with a knob.

I own my fair share of cheap optics. And before I found out about this tip I would look though all kinds of red dots until I found one that didn't get washed out. Since I was told about this I just buy what I want and then stack batteries if it needs the extra brightness. I have done this and had red dots go from barely visible in sun to bright enough that they are easily seen at 1/2 power.

I posted this in another thread and thought I would make a seperate thread for this tip.

Dolomite

[Jonnin]

tube red dots can be improved with extra tube over the ends of it. Some red dots even have this --- shades both sides of the tube from the sun which helps a ton with sunlight.

[LngRngShtr]

also heard of this mod, but they cautioned about insulating the side of one of the batteries I believe the one closest to the cap on some scopes.

John

[Viracnis]

Thanks for this tip!

Tried it in my wife's cheap red dot on her Hi-Point and was startled how well it worked. Good tip.