Explain to me the use of a Red Dot scope or T-Dot scope.
 

I have had 3 different types on my S&W M&P 15-22 and my AR. I hate em. Is it just me or is there some damn trick to pinpoint accuracy out of one of these. With a cheap Simmons 4X12X50 I can actually shoot soft air pellets off golf Ts with the AR. With a Bushnell T-Dot I can not hit the broad side of a barn, 3 inch groups would be a welcome thing.
I have given up on em and can not see spending over a grand on a ACOG if I can not get the hang of a cheapy!!!

Look forward to your wisdom and info.

Personally, I don't see dot sights as "target optics". I view them as fast acquisition sights for center-mass targeting. For USBR targets, or dimes at 100 yards, I use scopes. I have a Match Dot, made by UltraDot, that is pretty precise, but lacking any magnification, it's still not up to quality scope performance.

My personal opinion.

Ive used aimpoints and acogs in the past and i dont find them anymore accurate or faster than iron sights. For fast target shooting just looking ove the top of iron sights not thru em will land MOG (minute of goblin) hits at 100yds all day.

Its just a matter of how you train. Use irons a lot and it will become a natural thing for you just like training with a dot scope will become natural over time.

One of the big issues with cheaper optics of any sort is parralax and getting a solid repeatable return to eye relief each time. The advantage acogs and aimpoints bring is they are extremely forgiving in that area as the makers spent a ton of money developing those devices to eliminate the parralax issue as much as possible.

You are right, a red dot is ment to be a fast acquisition sight with in room distance out to 300 meters or yards which ever you fancy. They are not ment for pin point shooting but instead for hits on the center mass of a target to take it out of action fast. The ACOG is made to be a intermediate scope for urban ranges, block to block. That being said with a ACOG they can be a little tricky to sight in and get use to depending on the type of reticle, what i found worked for me best was ignoring the book recommendation and sighting it in on my own how i thought it would work best and it did very very well for me, i was using the T triangle version with the point of the triangle being point of impact at 25 meters.

When your dot is usually several MOA wide you can't expect pinpoint accuracy from a red dot. As has been said they are meant for fast target acquisition at moderate distances. The ACOG is a great battle proven sight, built like a brick outhouse.

Thank you for the info. Suspected the answer to be as stated. With zero expierence with this type of scope before, I thought why not ask.
Again thank you all for your time and explanations.
Dave

The answer to your OP is in their design use. As well put as the replies above are, I'd like to add my take.

Scopes are made for one thing, precision placement. They are "one eye" instruments made to focus the shooters attention on the target. In a military setting, the spotter has the situational awareness responsibility.

A red dot/holographic sight is a "two eye" instrument. They are a dynamic instrument that provides the shooter with combat accuracy of minute-of-bad guy while allowing the shooter to maintain his situational awareness responsibility solo.

A 1 X sight with a 4 MOA dot is by definition not a precision aiming device. It will allow the shooter, in a dynamic setting, to acquire the target rapidly and get the shot off fast producing combat accuracy.

For me it is but one reason (fast acquisition) most of them don`t magnify like a scope & can use most them with both eyes open.