The ultimate guide to weapon optic and collimator

July 6, 2022

When we take the weapon in our hands, we want to feel Robin Hood in his time, that is, to get into the apple without any problems. Maybe someone has the talent to hit the target for the first time, but we need constant practice to achieve a particular result. But experienced hunters believe that there should be a flair for shooting, and the quality of weapons also plays a vital role. Everything must be balanced with the necessary and adequately configured devices. And in this article, we want to talk about the optics that are fixed on a rifle and are just an indispensable attribute during a military operation or hunt.

What are weapon optic and collimator?
Rifle optics are sights. And we understand that it has evolved dramatically throughout history. First, it was a front sight. Then in the 16th century, there were healers, later circular optical sights. And already in the 19th century, sighting optics were used, which is a monocular with a sighting mark applied to it. It is used to target to view the terrain accurately and helps to understand the distance between you and the object of your observation. This device allows you to adjust the assortment of magnification and does not require additional energy. But if you're thinking about buying such a sight, you have to remember that it's pretty bulky and will add weight to your rifle. And also requires a careful attitude because it is pretty sensitive to the surrounding factors. The collimator sight differs from the following previous characteristics. It is smaller and requires an energy source (it works thanks to the battery). If a sighting net is applied to the optical sight lens with special paint, then in the second, it is visible thanks to the light source. It is not intended for long-distance shooting, so it is recommended to be used in its practice by beginners. After all, it has a broader viewing angle. Among the collimators, there are open and closed sights. The difference between them is that they are empty. Although they have a wide viewing angle, they are not equipped with additional mechanisms that protect against mechanical damage and adverse weather factors.

The sphere of weapon optic and collimator scopes application.
We are starting with a military purpose. The immediate goal of the sights is clear without unnecessary words. It is fixed on weapons used in various fields in our world. Hitting the target and the enemy repeatedly saved the life of a sniper and the life of a million people—police officers who are on guard every day. The pity of the situation is different, such as when law enforcement officers have to use weapons. The same applies to exceptional service employees. And what to say about hunters for whom it is just a must-have. Hunting for prey: on birds at a certain height, or on a lumpy beast, or if the animal is significant, and it is essential to know what specific place you need to get so as not to chase it all over the forest.

Types of weapon optic and collimator sight
Above, we have described the main difference between optical sights and collimators (also called reflex). Each of them has certain advantages and disadvantages, and due to its characteristics and principles of work are branched into additional categories. Optical sights are classified by optical magnification and lens diameter. For example, 10×50 will mean a 10-fold increase when using a 50 mm lens. There are optical sights with variable magnification. The growth can be changed manually using different types of mechanisms. Companies with variable magnification have a more comprehensive range of applications and allow you to shoot at different distances, at other targets, and under different lighting conditions and will enable you to have a relatively wide field of view when adjusting a slight magnification. Also, when choosing such a sight, we recommend paying attention to the sighting grid, which is placed either in the first (is in the middle of the sight, the image in it is inverted) or in the second (is in the area of the eyepiece, image direct) focal plane of the sight. To guide the weapon to the target, you need to combine the target image with the image of a specific part of the sighting grid. They are also divided into categories, and each of them is popular depending on the purpose of your optics and the situation in which you use it. For example, the cross grid allows you to point a weapon at a small or remote fixed target with high accuracy. Knowing the angular distance from the intersection to the thickening of the threads, you can estimate the angular dimensions of the target. The "a-la PSO-1" grid allows you to accurately point the weapon to a small and/or remote fixed target and accurately determine its angular dimensions. It has a different range scale, which allows you to quickly choose the distance to a full human height of 1.7 m. Additional sighting corners will enable you to shoot at different distances without adjusting the sight. The collimator automatically targets, focusing on the beam of rays reflected from the remote object of observation. According to the principle of operation, collimator sights are classified into two types: active - sighting brand burns constantly, and the device functions from built-in power supplies—passive - designed to work offline and does not require the connection of external energy sources. Depending on the types of collimator sights, the brand in the lens can have different shapes, which provides high accuracy in the firing of different kinds of weapons. The sighting mark is created thanks to two technologies: LED (where a built-in diode light illuminates the photolithographic plate) and holographic (the brand is illuminated by a laser and displayed on the sightscreen in the form of a hologram). This type of sight is also divided into closed and open. And usually, the first deserves an advantage. It uses several screens on which the brand is designed, while the open uses one "working" lens, which is quite vulnerable to the surrounding conditions. Despite the advantages of closed collimator sights, it should still be borne in mind that they are larger and therefore heavier. Therefore, they are recommended to be installed on large-caliber rifles. And the open in this matter are not so demanding. And this is important to consider when choosing a sight.

How to choose and buy a weapon optic and collimator?
We have to follow the rule when choosing a sight - it has to work for me. It depends on various factors. And probably primarily from your weapon and the conditions of its use. When choosing optical sights, pay attention to the following characteristics. Multiplicity. That is the ability of the lens to "approach" you to the object of your observation. The magnification factor of 10, for example, forms an image similar to if the viewer was ten times closer to the thing. Less magnification reduces the sensitivity to tremors. More approximation leads to a smaller field of view. The amount of light that can collect a sight from an object (this characteristic is indicated in millimeters) depends on the diameter of the lens on the line. The field of view of the optical sight depends on its optical circuit. It is set as a linear value, which will be the number of meters in width that will be visible at 100 m (110 yds) or as the value of the angle in degrees of the visible area. The next indicator is the starting pupil. For the most effective light and brightness of the image, the diameter of the original pupil should be equal to the diameter of the fully expanded iris of the human eye - which is approximately 7 mm. It is worth emphasizing once again that at short distances (less than 20-30 m), the sight creates a blurred image, and parallax appears (when the eyes move relative to the sight, the aiming grid moves close to the image of the target), which reduces the accuracy of aiming. That's why it's best to use it over a long distance from your goal, unlike collimators. Optical collimator lenses project an image and an aiming point (brand) formed by a light source inside the optics and directed to infinity, usually a red (green) point in parallel planes. As a result, we obtain a projection of the image with the sight given to it. As a result, the shooter does not need to fall to the level of the lens while keeping the object in focus. And its advantage makes this sight effective if the target is moving. As for the diversity of collimators, they show everything as your eye sees. It does not enlarge the image. And this is the answer to why it does not make sense to use it over long distances and why it is a good alternative for beginners.



Maintenance of weapon optic and collimator scope.
Any optics thing is vulnerable enough. Therefore, it needs a tidy and caring attitude. When choosing a sight, although it is evident, we pay attention to its parameters and the features of care for it and buy the necessary tools for it. Although we have said that some models are resistant to weather conditions and mechanical damage, they also need to be fixed appropriately on weapons and clean dirt after each use. Check their serviceability and settings regularly to contact the wizard. Remember that in no case should you understand the causes of the fault and disassemble everything into detail. Otherwise, the warranty card will not help you. And here are the following rules to remember. If we are talking about optical sights, it should be emphasized that you consult a specialist if you do not know how to clean them properly. This is to avoid and prevent the possibility of damaging the lens coating or erasing the beauty that the aiming grid is marked. And never use household chemistry to clean such a motto. It is worth keeping sight in the dark and dry places. And from the collimator sights, it is necessary to get a battery after use. After all, if it protests, it will violate the internal functions of the device.

Weapon optic and collimator - F.A.Q.
In this section, let's pay attention to additional questions when choosing a sight. What is the difference between a laser sight and a collimator? Collimator sights are often compared to laser "pointers," but there is a significant difference between them. In the device's object, you can see a sighting mark, which is illuminated by an electronic controller, and only an arrow is visible. The pointer point is also displayed on the target in laser sight. In hunting conditions, this causes a lot of inconveniences because the animal may be afraid of the accidental glare of the laser and leave the place of "discovery. Do you need to dismantle the collimator sight every time you change the battery? In general, yes. But still, some models do not need dismantling, which is very convenient. After all, it will allow you to maintain the position of your sight and keep the observed object in it. What is a "blind" model of collimators? Collimator sights cross-cutting configurations allow you to aim with one or two eyes to choose from, and so-called "blind" models, often called stereoscopic collimators, are designed exclusively for aiming with two eyes atsimultaneously Need to use glasses when shooting with an optical sight? The optical sight usually allows you to adjust it to the shooter with visual defects (short-sightedness or foresight), which will enable you to shoot without glasses. What should be the distance between the eye and the optical sight? When firing, the eye must be at a certain distance from the sight (usually, this distance is within 5-10 cm). If the sight is equipped with a rubber head, the eye must be placed close to it. Otherwise, distortions occur, the field of vision decreases, and there is a risk of eye injury due to the return of the weapon.

How to choose the best weapon optic and collimator, especially for you?
Choosing a thing worth your money and will last a long time is very difficult. We need to be guided by many conditions when selecting the best option. And our tips sound like this. Before buying anything, we understand what to pay attention to parameters, general characteristics, areas of use, advantages, and, no less critical, shortcomings. We need to know our device from all sides so that nothing comes as a surprise to us. Once you've chosen the options you've liked most, clarify whether they're specific to your weapon. You can also use YouTube, where there are many video reviews of different sights, and listen to the opinion of experienced people, but in no way ignore the recommendations, consultants, and employees of official manufacturers or partner stores, having the appropriate documents to confirm this fact. And remember, before you pay the money for the sight, check its serviceability and the absence of defects immediately, so to speak, "without leaving the box office. To set everything up correctly, you were explained how to fix it on the weapon properly and showed the device's capabilities. So it's a long process, but decide what result you're aiming for to hit the target during the operation of the optician who has to work for you.