Skinner Red Dot Optic RDO 1-21
To a degree, Peep sights operate much the same as a dot optic. One aiming point to put on the target. The rear peep functions much like the Emitter and the front sight is the dot. Add a fiber optic front and its very much the same.
Red Dot optics have been around a LONG time. It's not the newest technology but its certainly becoming one of the newer trends. I remember Weaver's "Quick Point" that came out in the late 60's, perhaps early 70's. It was unique and billed as a combination Shotgun or Rifle sighting device. Instead of a battery, the Quick Point had a fiber optic contained in a clear plastic "nose" on the sight. The fiber optic gathered the light and the red dot was mirrored down onto a lens that the shooter would look through while aiming.
The dot was pretty clear, certainly reliable, but the whole affair was pretty clumsy.
When I started shooting Bullseye in the mid 80's, the big name in Dot Optics was AimPoint (who are still with us today and make excellent products) For the NRA Conventional class of bullseye pistol, a dot or scope was legal, and many shooters were transitioning from Iron Sights to Dots. The ability to focus on a single point while aiming at a target, as opposed to lining up a front and rear sight on the target, made a lot of sense. We used the many variations of tube type dot sights and watched the advent of open framed "holographic" sights which reflected the small dot from an emitter located in the rear of the sight onto a "Screen" type lens.
The dot could be adjusted which would move impact same as one would with a conventional scope.
The drawbacks? For use off the range, an open frame, non-enclosed emitter type sight could become contaminated with debris which would effectively render the sight useless. This is a "theory" to some who cling to their dots but is a reality to some who live life in the extreme outdoors where large "glops" of snow and a fair quantity of small leaves and foliage abound. (Think the wet willows of the Northwest creek bottoms or the Big Woods of the Northeast)
Another issue is the nature of anything battery operated. Seems like sometimes when the device is most needed, that battery (or the electronics themselves) can fail.
More recently, Enclosed Emitter type sights have become more available which are sealed from moisture and debris and feature longer lasting battery life, sometimes into the thousands of hours.
Recognizing the usefulness of these newer generation of RDO's (Red Dot Optics) I began looking for something that could be mounted LOW to the receiver, have longevity in battery life, and be sealed/rugged enough to endure the harsh elements we hunt and recreate in. After working with a manufacture for a year or so, I finally gave the thumbs up to the new Skinner 1X21 RDO.
This sight checks all the boxes on my list, has proven itself in the outdoors and on the range, and doesn't break the bank. Skinner Sights makes solid steel mounts that are LOW to the receiver (so a normal cheek weld can be attained) are repeatable in removal and replacement of the sight and can be seen over for Iron sight use with the sight removed.
Our lineup of mounts is ever growing, be sure to check our RDO page for a current list of offerings.
With a 4 hour ON window before auto shut off and a 30,000-hour battery (CR 2032) life, there is everything to like about this sleek, slick dot.
Try one out... It may not replace our rugged, simple, durable, reliable, accurate machined from solid steel bar stock peep sights but, it will give you some fun and usability more than you may have expected.
Andy