Wandering Ultradot

[Jas]

I shoot a M41 with an Ultradot Matchdot which I acquired a few months back. I have had to adjust the sight every few weeks or so. Two weeks back, it was shooting high and left, so it was 4 clicks to the right and 2 down. Yesterday it was high again, 2 down this time. Any idea why this is happening. The scope is tight in the rings which are also securely fixed to the gun. I have not changed bullets (CCI-SV).
Thanks
Jas

[canthit]

JAS
I was having the same problem, but it turned out the problem was me. I was changing my grip slightly without knowing I was. This also changed how much finger was on trigger. I quit adjusting red and would shot off rest and found point of impact was the same each time I thought red dot needed adjusted. Started paying attention to grip and things improved.

canthit

[Jas]

Thanks Canthit,
I thought so too, but when I shot it off a rest it had a different point of impact each time. Some of it could be me too!!
Jas

[Rover]

In spite of their popularity, the Ultradot is not really that terrific. If you really think you have a problem, send it in for repair. They'll probably just replace it.

[Isabel1130]

Make sure you keep the dot centered in the scope when you are shooting it and not just the dot on the point of impact you have chosen.

Parallax will cause being off by that much if the dot isn't at or near the center of the scope when you fire.

2-4 clicks is not a large adjustment and within the ballpark that most of us have to adjust with just a change of lighting between ranges.

I like the ultradots. They are easy to adjust, reliable, and give a balance to the gun that I find very comfortable.

I have a couple of aimpoints sitting on backup guns because I like them less than the ultradots.

[waxman]

Isabel- Kindly clarify. Isn't it true that the Aimpoint is "parallax-free", while Ultradots (as well as most others) have a parallax issue?

[penman53]

If the gun is shooting left and then right, please check your stance. My Marvel conversion with an Ultra Dot was doing the same exact thing. It wasn''t the dot, it was stance. Good luck.

[Freepistol]

Isabel- Kindly clarify. Isn't it true that the Aimpoint is "parallax-free", while Ultradots (as well as most others) have a parallax issue?

Interesting article says that parallax is "an issue" with all red dots:

http://www.bullseyepistol.com/dotsight.htm

[Isabel1130]

It is true that aimpoint has less parallax than an ultradot but there are other things about the scope that annoy. First of all the aimpoint dot is not as adjustable for size and brightness. Secondly the dot appears in a different part of the scope than the dot in an ultradot. You can get used to it but it is just another factor to deal with if you change guns. For me the ultradot is a better scope and so I want to use it consistantly throughout the match on both my 22 and 45:

[waxman]

Isabel- Another question- You said,

Secondly the dot appears in a different part of the scope than the dot in an ultradot.

Where does the dot appear in the Aimpoint?
Reason I'm asking is I'd like to trade in my Bushnell Trophy reddot for an Aimpoint, in the hopes of getting a sharper dot.
Any comments, pro or con, for the Aimpoint Micro R1 from anybody?

[Rover]

For a rounder red dot, you might take your glasses (or lack of them) into consideration. Astigmatism will cause the dot to appear not round in varying degrees.

I would look through both types before buying.

[Isabel1130]

What I am trying to say is that you learn to hold your pistol in a certain way and align the scope with your eye in a way that will naturally center the dot on the target when you bring the gun down on the target.
You will find yourself shifting either your grip or your head position to get the aimpoint dot to line up with the target once you are used to the ultradot. So for consistancies sake it is better not to have to make that adjustment when you change guns in a 2700.
I find that the longer tube of the ultradot as opposed to the micro makes the dot appear to bounce less which I like. When the dot looks more still I pull the trigger with more confidence.

[jackh]

The "tube" length of the ultradot (and others) vs the short new Aimpoint types seems to me like a long sight radius with irons. I even make the 30mm UD tubes look longer by screwing the extension to the rear end. On the black UD extension end, paint the back edge with a silver elmarko to add a visable ring ala Doc Wong's article. On the 1" UD paint the rear edge of the rubber cup.

[gulliver62]

I had a similar problem but more drastic.

I had to come up 20+ clicks one day.
Everything was fine for a few weeks then the same thing happened.

Sent it in for repair and they returned it with no information as to what if anything they did. it is now in my safe and I'm afraid to use it.

[TonyT]

I have not been impressed with the Ultradot. If it's mnot one problem it's another. I still use an old TASCO PROPOINT II BIG DOT. I liked it so much that I bought three of them. It does not have clicks for brightness but has worked unfailingly for almost 10 years.

[trulyapostolic]

I personally have found that 3 out of 4 of MY Ultradots had parallax issues when checked at 50 yards. I replaced all of them with Aimpoint Micros. Parallax can definitely cause the issue you've described above.

[Bob-Riegl]

Quite frankly when I order a new Ultradot or Millet---the first thing I do is add the battery and see if I have a dot or a smear (blur etc.)throughout the brightness range. Nine out of ten times you get a good one---if it's not satisfactory---it goes back to the merchant for replacement. The next is I test the adjustment screws to see that there are defined clicks (some Ultradots fail here). If it passes those tests it goes on the gun with the aser in the bore for primary benching. Usually I find most of the problems that exist before I shoot or mount on the gun, however some dots love to wander when they have been shot (specially slide mounted on .45's). As they say it can be a Crap Shoot with dots. ...."Doc"

[TonyT]

I have expereinced more problems with Ultra Dots than with my old Tasco ProPoint. The old Tasco ProPoint just keeps on chugging along while the UltraDot has disappearing dots and point of aim issues.