Tell me about Red Dots

[AlaskanAtHeart]

Can someone educate me about red dots?  If I were going to put one on a Mark III, what will it do for accuracy?  Is it easily removed?  How much will it cost?  Are all red dots created equal?  (I saw in a search that someone prefers the Ultradots, I looked them up on eBay, but I'm not sure I understand them)  Do they shoot a laser out onto the target?

My dad wants me to get a Springfield Armory 1911 A1 and put a Crimson Trace laser on it for self defense.  Told him he could leave me his in his will, LOL, because I'm sure that's out of my spending limit at the moment!  I'm thinking the Crimson Trace isn't the Red Dot everyone talks about in target shooting, though?

In reading about competitive shooting on the NRA's site, I see that red dot scopes (sights?) are legal, but I'm assuming they don't mean something that shoots a laser onto the target, that seems like cheating to me.

[GLC]

Red dot scopes are non-magnified sights.  Inside the scope is an illuminated red dot of varying size or adjustable size.  You can shoot a red dot both eyes open since there is no magnification and only one focal plane.  Focus on the dot, put on target, fire. Very simple and quick if needed.   The smaller the dot, the finer the aiming point, but also more difficult to pick up quickly.  Typically, dot size is by MOA which is "Minute of Angle" which is roughly 1" at 100 yards or 1/4 inch at 25 yards.   A 4 MOA dot will cover 1" at 25 yards.  

I'm looking for a good one for my MKIII too.

[tallyho]

Detailed (and somewhat technical) article on red dots here: http://www.bullseyepistol.com/dotsight.htm

I too have been researching red dots. My wife just got started in .22 pistol shooting (she likes falling steel and speed steel matches) and we've put a red dot on her Beretta U22 Neos.

We just got amulti-dot sight which has 4 different reticles, a 5moa dot, a 10moa dot, a crosshair, and a crosshair with arcs at the end of each cross arm (kind of like an interrupted circle with crosshairs). Before the multi-dot she was using one with a single dot (about 3moa) which was okay, but she wanted something different after trying someone else's.

These games are shot at fairly close range (10 - 15 yds) and are timed, so it is important to get on target quickly and accurately... and the red dot seemed to be working well for her.  We will find out in a few days how the multi-dot will be.

Cheers
Kerry