Small Game Hunting Red Dot - for 22lr & 20ga

[GuyMontag42]

A few quick questions you can hopefully school me on:

I carry a 22 pistol (mark iv lite) for small game (e.g. grouse, rabbit, squirrel) and I’d like to put a red dot on it. I can see this red dot also being used on my 20ga shotgun from time to time.

I hunt in extremely wet/thick country, and durability is very important.

I hear enclosed emitters are far better for my type of environment/abuse. Any practical reason to not go with an enclosed emitter?

Assuming enclosed emitter is the way to go, anyone have specific recommendations for one that would work well for small game hunting?

I’m new to all things red dots, but would like to buy/cry once to get a solid setup that I can rely enough on that I forget about it, if that makes sense.

Thank you!

 

[K9kodi]

Enclosed vs open. I’d say it really depends on what you’re trying to do and how often you practice w it.
Too many people use a red dog, especially a closed emitter like a scope and focus through the optic like a scope. A red dot is supposed to be looked through or past if that makes sense while you just superimpose the dot on the target. So closed emitter or open emitter is gonna be what’s easiest for you to realize that. A closed emitter does have the projector concealed so it can’t get dirt or water on it, but you can still get the dirt and water on the optic lenses.

If looking for a value priced optic look at holosun. I like the Leupold delta point.
Trijicon makes a really nice rmr and their closed emitter is nice as well.

The only other ones I have experience with are the aimpoint acro.

But you may have a hard time finding one that fits size wise the pistol and the shotgun, but if I’m running a red dot on a shotgun for birds, it would most likely be an open emitter.