Red dot or scope for new Micro 335

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LoneWolf45
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Red dot or scope for new Micro 335

Post by LoneWolf45 »

Hello all,

Brand new to the forum. Recently picked up a Micro 335. Will be hunting whitetail deer with it in eastern Wisconsin (fairly wooded environment). Shots will be within 40 yards easily, the average likely 20 to 25 yards.

The Octane scope that comes stock is currenly on the crossbow.

What is the recommendation for sight: red dot, better scope, or keep the existing stock scope because it will work just fine?

I am leaning on going red dot. As far as red dots (which always appeal to me; I just never used one on a crossbow), would a Bushnell TRS-25 be a good fit?
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Re: Red dot or scope for new Micro 335

Post by bubba »

Can't really say anything about the red dot, just not familiar with them, but would get an upgrade to the scope,if you like the lighted reticle The Tach zone is decent, the hawke xb-30 is excellent and the xb-1 is very good. If the lights are not that important to you, The Nikon Bolt is very good..But its really want you want... The by far best way is go to a big box store and look down as many as you can. Let your own eye decide... Good Luck...
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JUSTANUFF
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Re: Red dot or scope for new Micro 335

Post by JUSTANUFF »

I have not become familiar with the Octane scope yet,,,I am shooting the Cub with an upgraded Matrix string shooting 297 fps,,,I had a Tru Glo 3 dot on it and was not comfortable with it beyond 20 yards,,,I purchased the TacZone scope from Wyverns with rings for $99.00 TMD,,,Nice scope for the money,,I feel alot more comfortable/confident with it,,the red and green illuminated feature is a plus,,,,YOU may be comfortable with a red dot since your Micro is so much more flatter shooting,,the thing I really liked about the red dot is that I could aim with both eyes open,,,GOOD LUCK in your desicion :wink:
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Re: Red dot or scope for new Micro 335

Post by foofoo »

ive used the Bushy trs 25. super light weight, small, and very good in its price range. youd have to figure out if a single dot is for you. you could always sight in at 25 yards and deal with the in between and over distances.
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galamb
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Re: Red dot or scope for new Micro 335

Post by galamb »

I am a huge red dot fan, hunt similar "woods" in Eastern Ontario.

In my pre-Excalibur days I had a Horton Legacy with their 3 dot/red dot sight - should have kept that when I sold the bow, really loved that sight.

Bought my Vixen II as a bare bow so I could but whatever bells/whistles I chose.

After trying a couple of red dots I settled on an NCSTAR DB4, 4 reticle, Reflexive red/green dot.

I did look at the Bushnell but preferred the view and the profile of the reflexive scope (waaaay back Bushnell brought out a "hollow sight" for shotguns, may have been one of the very first red dots in the hunting market - it cost a truckload of money but it was super cool - the current reflexive scopes are close to the experience I had with that).

I also found, that at my shooting velocities, if I used the star pattern reticle I got three distinct aim points (15/25/33 yards), the main feature I liked with the 3 dot style.

Red dot's are either a love it or hate it thing. I see no purpose to putting a "magnified" scope on my bow - plus with my crappy eyesight, the unlimited (focal length) of the reflexive dot allows me to shoot with my glasses on AND both eyes open - helpful in dense bush when you are waiting for bambi to get "clear" of brush/trees etc.

Anyhow, here is what I'm shooting. Was about 100 bucks when I bought mine but have come down to about half that (or less) now that they have been on the market for a few years.

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Re: Red dot or scope for new Micro 335

Post by racking up points »

I'd say hunt with what you have and see what you works and doesn't work for you in the woods.

Personally, I don't think a red dot scope is the way to go due to their limitations, namely light gathering, magnification and the ability to get accurate holdovers at extended ranges. I find cheap red dots blur your target at last light because they flood your eye with light; they can't be dimmed down enough. I have used a Pheonix with a single red dot scope and there was a considerable amount of Kentucky windage at 40y, more than I'd feel confident with an animal in my sights. But that's just my experience.
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Re: Red dot or scope for new Micro 335

Post by Trigger1212 »

First of all let me say I'm a HUGE fan of QUALITY red dot sights, on FIREARMS. The older I get the harder the irons are to see. The vast majority of my firearms have scopes or red dots on them and I can hit waay better that way. From a quality standpoint I started with Tascos on the low end and now have Aim Point units, expensive as hell but gooood!

Having said all that I'm with Racking Up Points on the use of Red Dots on my cross bows. To me if I have a red dot, I want a red dot not circles and dots, for ME, I don't like using parts of circles as aiming points, personnaly that is just asking for me to make a mistake at the "moment of truth" when I'm excited as hell! Even the best red dots are much "darker" in the last twilight than most mid-level scopes. This is critical to me, that is when the deer come out and when your optics need to be at their best. Another PITA is with most red dots you will need to adjust the intensity of your dot for light conditions. Forget to do this as it gets dark and when Mr. Big comes out, good chance you might not be able to make the shot as all you will see is a huge glaring red ball. Lastly, while most of your hunting shots may be at 20-25 yards (or less) when you practice don't you like to back up and shoot at longer distances? Praticing long makes shooting short like shooting fish in a barrel. I like a multi-aiming point scope so I can aim exactly where I want at distances out to 100 yrds, if I was feeling spunky enough to do it on the range (not at deer).

I upgraded to the Hawke XB-30, LOVE it, decent optics, not great but very good for the price, multiple cross-hair type aiming points, adjustable for any speed bow AND most importantly it has a lighted reticle. For me a scope is a must and it MUST have illuminated reticle. Just my 2 cents worth. Let us know what you decide and how you like it in actual use!
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Re: Red dot or scope for new Micro 335

Post by luckymike »

check out the Burris Fastfire 3.put one on my sons xbow this spring and like it a lot.getting a lot of good reviews on other hunting sites.will be putting it to the test this fall
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LoneWolf45
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Re: Red dot or scope for new Micro 335

Post by LoneWolf45 »

Thanks all. Great responses. Still leaning towards red dot, but the interest in illuminated reticles some of you mentioned got me thinking...

So after some searching, I came across this yesterday:
http://www.amazon.com/Monstrum-Tactical ... B00WXN0WF0

This sight appeals to me because it is illuminated, and similar to a red dot, but can be used without illumination. It's also 1X so it will be a both eyes open type of sighting (which I prefer and do use for deer hunting with a lever action rifle and a scout scope)

The company also makes a slightly larger 3X version with red and green illumination, but I'm shying away from that much magnification. I don't see adding 5 more ounces as a benefit to 3X magnification.

Thoughts?
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Re: Red dot or scope for new Micro 335

Post by racking up points »

If you're interested in a single aim point, illuminated and ligthweight sighting system then look up the "See-All Open Sight." It doesn't take batteries, unlimited eye releief, no parallax and you can shoot with both eyes open at around $99. I have though about trying one on a scattergun.
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LoneWolf45
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Re: Red dot or scope for new Micro 335

Post by LoneWolf45 »

Ooooo, I like this See All Open Sight! I just am curious if the Micro 335 is a flat enough shooter to get by with the single aiming point.
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Re: Red dot or scope for new Micro 335

Post by awshucks »

LoneWolf45 wrote:Ooooo, I like this See All Open Sight! I just am curious if the Micro 335 is a flat enough shooter to get by with the single aiming point.
Not really. The guy who posted the pic of the rets [4] in the NCStar has your red dot answer. I've had/used the same sight.

I'd look for a used Vari-zone if I were in your shoes........ :mrgreen:
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Re: Red dot or scope for new Micro 335

Post by vixenmaster »

I have owned n used red dots fer many yrs. Get a quality model, like Ultra dot or Zeiss or the E tech sumpin. I never used mine in the evenin dusk, jus morning's as the light of day lit up the world. If'en you plan on alot of late afternoon dusk hunting go wid a scope
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Re: Red dot or scope for new Micro 335

Post by wildcatter »

Love the Burris Fast Fire on my Micro!! 25 yard zero, 15 to 20 yards the arrow hits the 12 O'clock position on the dot, 25 I hold dead on, and at 40 I will hold the top of the dot just touching the top of the back. I shoot both eyes open, and can shoot it from my lap if a deer comes in unexpected and I cant't raise the bow without getting busted with it's unlimited eye relief and the widest field of view. I practice with it at 20 yards at 10 O'clock at night and have excellent results in the night light with both eyes open and the auto dimming dot, always perfect for the surrounding light conditions, even when my target is no more than a dark silhouette!!

The main thing that makes this perfect for me on the Micro is the fact it is almost unnoticed in size and weight, it adds a total of 1.3 oz to the weight of the bow. I can't find one thing it gives up to a scope for hunting, my shots where I will use the micro will be inside 30, but I am prepared for out to 40 if it happens!!
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LoneWolf45
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Re: Red dot or scope for new Micro 335

Post by LoneWolf45 »

Well, I ended up going with the Octane scope that came with it. I actually love it. Here's why.

I bought that Monstrum prism scope. I actually loved it. I loved that it was illuminated and 1X like a red dot, but still useable with no battery power to. But, adjusting the scope was a bit exciting... 1/2 MOA at 100 yards, so I had to think about it at 20 yards... Next, there was no real holdover for 30 or more yards. I had to use "Kentucky elevation". 30 yards was not too bad, but my 40 yard groups were not tight at all. To the point that my confidence for 40 yard shots was quite shaken...

So, frustrated, I went back to the stock scope. I set the speed ring to 330 FPS, zeroed it at 20 yards, and dropped back to 30. Boom! Dead on with the 30-yard chevron. Then at 40. Boom! Dead on again with the 40. Wow. Plus that bit of magnification really helps at 40 yards. My Micro is now as accurate as I can shoot it. I was impressed.

Next, I plan to take a to-scale cardboard cutout of a whitetail buck and observe how it looks bracketed between the crosshairs and the holdover chevrons at various ranges. I can then draw out what it looks like in the scope. It will serve as a crude range-finding system that should really work well.

Lesson learned. Don't give up on the stock equipment that came from the manufacturer unless it gives you a reason to go to something else. The prism scope will go to a 10/22 or something I have laying around...

What a great scope that comes with that Micro!
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