Question about red dot sights

[Ruark]

I've been looking at red dot sights, and notice there are basically two different kinds. One is tubular, like a short rifle scope. The other is more of a flat, squarish lens that juts up perpendicular to the barrel. I don't know what you call it.

What's the difference? When is one better than the other?

[DRT]

In the tube style the projection lamp and lens is internal and with the "halo" sight it's external. The tube style tend to have a crisper image of the recticle be it dot, cross hairs or circle and you have to be lined up with the scope a little better to zero in and due to the tube it limits your field of view in the scope. The tube type also (at least for me and I have both styles) seem to be more difficult to use in a close up scenario with both eyes open. For me the holographic style gives me quicker target acquisition, easier tracking on moving targets and a full (normal sized) field of view.

[Ruark]

In the tube style the projection lamp and lens is internal and with the "halo" sight it's external. The tube style tend to have a crisper image of the recticle be it dot, cross hairs or circle and you have to be lined up with the scope a little better to zero in and due to the tube it limits your field of view in the scope. The tube type also (at least for me and I have both styles) seem to be more difficult to use in a close up scenario with both eyes open. For me the holographic style gives me quicker target acquisition, easier tracking on moving targets and a full (normal sized) field of view.

Wow, nice answer, thanks! Although I've never used either one, my assumption was just what you stated. In the lumpy, brushy terrain on my place, most shots are going to be, say, 20-40 yards, so fast acquisition is really important. That halo type looks like it would be MUCH easier in that respect, and the full field of view would be hard to beat. So I was wondering if there were some big negative to them that counterbalances these positives, like more parallax error at short ranges, or diminished performance in bright sunlight, something like that.

[dclifton]

Halo would be ideal for your application it sounds like.

[DRT]

I have both and prefer the halo style.