First, Check Out This Video:
Mounting a red dot on your AR15 may seem difficult to a new shooter…
Believe me, I’ve been there…
You might be nervous about it falling off while you’re shooting or uncertain about where you should place it on your rail…
Regardless, by the end of this article, you’ll have all the information you need to mount any red dot like a pro…
…because I’m going to give you 3 simple tips that’ll help you mount them properly.
So, give me your full attention right now… take some notes if you have to because here they are…
Tip 1: Use Threadlocker On The Screws Of Your Mount…
When you fire your rifle, vibrations run along the body of your gun…
…and sometimes they can cause screws from your accessories to work their way loose.
Loose screws will cause your optic to shift when the rifle is being fired, and you’ll LOSE ZERO!
Now obviously, you don’t want that to happen because you’ll never be able to have consistent accuracy…
And luckily, there’s a simple solution to this problem…
All you have to do is apply a little bit of threadlocker to your screws when mounting your sight.
This will LOCK them solidly in place and you won’t have to worry about your optic wiggling its way loose as you make shots with your rifle.
I Recommend Using Blue Loctite…
I like to use Blue Loctite when I mount optics because…
…it holds your screws solidly in place without locking them in permanently.
You do want the ability to back out your screws easily… just in case you want to remove your optic from your firearm.
WARNING!
You need to STAY AWAY from the Red Loctite!
Red Loctite is for permanently locking screws in place, and you NEED to have the option of taking your sight off of your firearm for maintenance, cleaning, and several other reasons.
BONUS Tip!
I recommend you use Blue Loctite on the screws of ANY accessories you mount on your rifle…
This includes light mounts, Back Up Iron Sights (BUIS), Vertical Fore Grips, and anything else you want to attach to your firearm.
Tip 2: Push Your Sight Forward When Tightening It Down…
Here’s the deal, any accessories mounted to your rifle will try to work their way forward as you shoot.
The reason for this is simple…
When you fire your rifle, the gun jolts back under recoil… but your optic wants to remain stationary because of inertia.
At the same time, the slots on your rifle’s picatinny rail are a little bit wider than your mount’s screw that sits in them…
…and you should be a wiggle it forwards and back when the mount is not tightened down.
So Here’s What You Need To Do…
Before you tighten down your red dot’s mount, use that wiggle or play to push the whole optic forward.
Then, as you continue to push everything forward, tighten down your screw (which should have threadlocker on it because of tip number 1) until it’s snug.
Doing this will lock your optic into a position where it can’t be moved due to the recoil of your rifle.
Tip 3: Mount Your Red Dot On The Forward Half Of Your Top Rail…
I recommend you mount your optic in a more forward position on your rifle’s top rail.
You see, unlike with magnified scopes, red dot sights don’t have eye relief…
So, you can put your head as close or far from sight as you want…
…and you’ll still be able to see clearly through the optic.
I think this is one of the most significant benefits of using a red dot, and you can use this to set your sight up to gain several practical advantages, such as…
- A greater field of view.
- The ability to mount BUIS behind your optic.
- The ability to mount a magnifier behind your optic.
A Greater Field Of View…
When your sight is mounted further forward, you’re able to see a lot more of what’s going on down range as your shooting…
You can still see perfectly well through your optic…
…but at the same time, you can see what’s happening around the outside of your sight as well.
You’ll also be able to use your peripheral vision to have better situational awareness in general…
And you’ll be alert to what’s going on around you because your eye won’t be stuck trying to focus through a small tube.
This type of vision is extremely important if you’re trying to shoot with speed and to transition between multiple targets at a fast pace.
The Ability To Mount Back Up Iron Sights Behind Your Optic…
When you mount your optic more forward, you give yourself more rail space behind your sight.
Now, even the most reliable red dot sights still run on batteries… and we all know that batteries will eventually fail.
Aside from that, it’s possible your sight could take a physical hit and start to malfunction.
This all makes it a good idea to mount Back Up Iron Sights (BUIS) behind your optic…
That way if you try to take aim at something and for some reason your sight’s not working, you can just flip up your irons and go to work!
The Ability To Mount A Magnifier Behind Your Optic…
Here’s the deal, reflex sights are incredibly quick when shooting up close…
…but they can be limited when you’re trying to shoot at distance, and as I mentioned before, a forward mount gives you more rail space behind it…
So aside from back up iron sights, you can also mount a magnifier behind your red dot…
This can be a huge benefit because a magnifier will allow you to see better at distance so you can really zero in for precise shots.
How To Mount A Red Dot – Check List…
[ ] I used threadlocker (BLUE Loctite) on all of my screws. CHECK!
[ ] I pushed forward on my mount as I tightened it down. CHECK!
[ ] I mounted my optic on the forward half of my rifle’s top rail. CHECK!
That’s it! Your sight is mounted properly and you’re READY TO GO shooting!
Now, Remember…
…a red dot will make it easier to aim your rifle, but it’s not going to improve your marksmanship…
So if you’re looking for help to improve your shooting…
I highly recommend you check out my 100% FREE Guide below…
Farewell, and have fun at the range!
-Red Dot Shooters