Red Green or yellow Scopes

Looking at getting a new dot scope and I am kinda confused by what is best. Ive seen red dot scopes, green dot scopes, yellow dot scopes. Ive also seen a red green dot scope and a yellow green dot scope. What is best for what. I honestly have no experience with these new types of scopes. Cant really call them scopes 1 t0 2 X isn't hardly magnification at all.

Isn't there a dot scope with a decent price. I am a old guy 3X just doesn't cut it for me. and whats up with this 1X bull. Whats the cheapes but best out today and in what colors.

I had a red dot a few years back, ok, when they first came out. But I only used it when in brush situations or when on drives for white tail. Did not even know about the others.

Only use standard scopes for open terrain and for standing.

I found the dot scope great for its ability to just place the dot on the target. I had lent my gun to a driver on one drive and he dropped 3 deer in a matter of seconds. Amazing tool.

Sorry for the no help.

The Dot-scope is supposed to help you acquiring a target at close range faster and this it does, it allows you to aim with both eyes open and keep up your awareness of the surroundings. See here (Aimpoint),here (Reflex sight) and here (holographic sight) for further information.

If you want a scope with magnification, your best (and by far most expensive) bet would be a trijicon ACOG. They are available with different magnification and different reticles, but they're more expensive than many good rifles.

The different colors can help you see the reticle against different backgrounds by having a clear contrast. In the woods for example, a red reticle is preferable to a green one due to visibility. At night, a green reticle might be easier on the eye than a red one.

If your primary need is magnification, I'd go with a good, old-fashioned scope with selectable magnification, like this one, at a reasonable price.

I hope, this was helpful

Edit to add:
If you want a sope with illuminated reticles for night time shooting, this scope here seems to be quite good at a nice price.


[edit on 21/10/2009 by Swordbeast]

reply to post by Swordbeast


You beat me to the punch. I was going to say the same thing almost verbatim. Color choice is based on environment mainly.

reply to post by LeaderOfProgress


How do they say: great minds think alike

There is a philosophy about light color and its effects on night/low light vision... it's long been held that a red light will help prevent night blindness.. Aviation is moving more to a certain wavelength of blue as better than red for combating night blindness. White for good vision under illumination and red or blue to prevent the cones from being "burned out" and preserve night vision.

if you take low light settings out of the equation then the choice is all about what ever makes you feel warm and fuzzy

Oh before someone asks... the reason Starlight scopes are green is because they use a cathode ray tub to produce the image... your looking at a tiny TV in essence

[edit on 21-10-2009 by DaddyBare]

Wow lots of good advise. Let me clarify a little. this is for a 20GA shot gun that occasionally throws slugs, but its main use is a squirrel/rabbit/bird gun, heavy on the squirrel use I hunt in thick wooded areas with lots of brush all hours in all kinds of weather.

Yes I know conventional wisdom says you don't put a scope on a shotty unless you have a slug barrel, which I don't. how ever due to failing eye sight and my desire to keep hunting and tons of talking with others Who have the same problem a wide view dot scope seems to be the answer.

Its just a matter now of red/green or yellow/green. Just not sure which would be better for the low light conditions the yellow or red.



[edit on 21-10-2009 by angryamerican]

reply to post by angryamerican


As DaddyBare said, in low light condition, you might want the red / green one. This should preserve your night vision better than the yellow one.

Originally posted by angryamerican
Its just a matter now of red/green or yellow/green. Just not sure which would be better for the low light conditions the yellow or red.

I answered this above... if low light... go with the red...that way when you take your eye away you still have your night vision in that eye

I second DaddyBear

In my own experince look at your scope in a dim lit room, use the front glass the 40-50 mm end, and look at its reflection and you can see the filter "color" used by the manufacturer, more often than not it'll be red.
This is not only for dotted scopes but all scopes.

I like to match a small colored LED to companion with my glass..
If you have a red filtered scope "like my leopold Vii"
I also use a cheap red LED head lamp, "Holy Snikey's"
Its not night vision ......but........its pretty good!
4x would be ok for a shotty but much more than that and you'll get a scope full of hair in close range..
Srry I'm not a fan of fiber dotted or batery dotted scopes..

Originally posted by DaddyBare

I answered this above... if low light... go with the red...that way when you take your eye away you still have your night vision in that eye

Ah so you did that's what I get for skimming my apologies and thanks for the advise.

I just ordered a 30mm RED/GREEN DOT SCOPE-SIGHT . Probably not the best quality around, it came from ebay but the price is right and it will be here before this week end.

Just curious DaddyBare how long were you in the Core? Don't have to answer if you don't want to. I spent 12 years in the Army. Been out a long time and I must say I miss it dearly. I find civilian life very undisciplined. Unfortunately when you have one to many asthma attacks with witnesses they tend to part ways with you.

Originally posted by Doc Holiday
I second DaddyBear

In my own experince look at your scope in a dim lit room, use the front glass the 40-50 mm end, and look at its reflection and you can see the filter "color" used by the manufacturer, more often than not it'll be red.
This is not only for dotted scopes but all scopes.

I like to match a small colored LED to companion with my glass..
If you have a red filtered scope "like my leopold Vii"
I also use a cheap red LED head lamp, "Holy Snikey's"
Its not night vision ......but........its pretty good!
4x would be ok for a shotty but much more than that and you'll get a scope full of hair in close range..
Srry I'm not a fan of fiber dotted or batery dotted scopes..

LOL I was about on the floor with that last part. That's a good point. Unfortuiently the only ones I could find in my price range were 1x or 2x I chose the 2 because of the whole eye sight thing mentioned above. Man aging sucks.

reply to post by angryamerican


I did my 20 then got called back to do another five... That last five as a training officer pretty sweet duty.... up my pay grade too Gunny to Top

Also let me add I'm an old guy, wear bifocals now... I mounted a scope on my 10/22 and even added a laser not to look cool but with my eyes I cant see that tiny front sight... even under the sun... I don't use shotgun's but if I did I'd have a quick point or some-such on it too... thats just me as old guy talking...

[edit on 21-10-2009 by DaddyBare]

I can't think of one advantage to using green or yellow dots.

Red is good, and you can vary the intensity of the dot by turning a turret switch.

reply to post by PSUSA


Green dot is for day time/bright light use. Red is for low light conditions. not sure what yellow is for tho. maybe just to for personal preference.

Originally posted by DaddyBare
Also let me add I'm an old guy, wear bifocals now...

Tried them that lasted all of a two days. They drove me nuts so I just carry around a loop for detailed work. My hats off to any body who can get use to those tortuous things.

I mounted a scope on my 10/22 and even added a laser not to look cool but with my eyes I cant see that tiny front sight... even under the sun...

Do you use a red laser or green and How do you like it. Ime considering one of those as well?

I don't use shotgun's but if I did I'd have a quick point or some-such on it too... thats just me as old guy talking...

I use to use the 10/22 but like you my eyes got to bad and I was missing to much game so I handed the gun down to the son and picked up the model 870 20GA I went from missing 3 out of 5 to hitting 5 out of 5 on average. that was 2 years ago. Lately things are slipping again so its time to do something about it. My ratio dropped from 5 of 5 back to 3 of 5 that to me is unexceptionable for a shot gun with 6 shot.

If I was you I would get myself a nice 410 to help increase your hit ratio. I was going to get the 410 originally but i couldn't pass up the sweet deal on the 870.

reply to post by angryamerican


I use a Simmons Prohunter 3-10X44 Wide Angle Rifle Scope I got on sale at Walmart
See here
While there in the same display rack I found a Red Laser Sight with Barrel Mount Kit they don't show the one I bought on their website...

Now in broad daylight obviously I don't need the laser... but when it gets to dark to clearly see the cross hairs man that bright red light is easy to pick out

I should add while my eye sight is not what it once was... my shooting skills are as sharp as ever... out to...maybe 75 yards...max... I can take a rabbit at full run, with my old 10.22... something smaller like a bird in flight I'm good to 50 yards... I picked the wide angle scope so I can better lead my targets

One last thing this a ruger problem... I just cant pick up that front sight... now I do have a Dan Wesson 6" .44 mag with a big bright yellow front blade and I can almost see that with my eyes closed...

[edit on 21-10-2009 by DaddyBare]

I use a Truglo red / green dot. Its a very inexpensive sight and definitely not close to the best there is, but if you want a dot sight and are strapped for cash this is a good inexpensive solution. I give a on this one because of the value for the money.

Truglo Red / Green dot.

I will say that the lens covers that come with it are very cheap but the sight itself is pretty nice actually.

I haven't really found any red dot sights with any real magnification. I think the highest I've found was like 4x. So you might be unlucky in that aspect but if you haven't used a dot sight yet you will find it pretty easy to hit a target from a good distance away.

[edit on 21-10-2009 by DaMod]

Originally posted by DaddyBare
One last thing this a ruger problem... I just cant pick up that front sight...
[edit on 21-10-2009 by DaddyBare]

I have a 303 British that had been cut down into a sport rifle. Who ever did the hack job picked a horrible front site. Even before my eyes got so bad that blade was impossible to see even in broad day light.

I had a friend who worked for the county and one of his jobs was painting road lines. He took home a little of the reflective paint and we put a dab on the front blade and that was the end of that problem. Now this thing glows beyond belief in the lowest of light conditions.

Using on a shotgun, I think a dot scope would be the choice of mine Brother. Not as restricting of a scope to look through, plus it does seem to allow for quicker target aquisition. This is of course, my opinion...

I used the red spot scopes in the D.O.C. and hated them at first, then noticed how to use them correctly, they kinda grew on me. but we were targeting against light and dark colors. I like the red because how often will your backdrop contain red? Especially in natural foliage.

[edit on 22-10-2009 by Jkd Up]