This guide provides a comparison piggyback red dot mount options for rifles.
While there are numerous pros to configuring rifles in this manner, this guide also addresses some cons.
Piggyback Red Dot Mount
The Piggyback red dot sight is positioned just above your primary sight, and the line of sight is slightly higher than the bore. This alignment ensures that the aiming point and the point of impact are more closely aligned, especially for long-distance shots.
Advantages
- Minimized lateral profile
- In line with bore
- Tall mount works for cross-eye dominant shooters
Disadvantages
- Lack cheek weld consistency
- Add neck strain when shooting prone
- High bore offset
Angled Offset VS Piggyback Red Dot
Angled offset mount is my favorite because it sits low. All you have to do is tilt the rifle and engage the target as you would with your primary optic.
There is no significant offset you need to compensate for. However, when aiming canted with the primary optic, there will be point of impact shifts if the barrel doesn't align with the optic's mounting position.
Advantages
- Offset red dot clears night vision gear on the head
- Flexible prone shooting and other positions as well
- Better recoil management when canted
- Shooting around covers
- Clears gas mask
- Works with center axis relock technique
- Much more natural transition
Disadvantages
- Might not align with bore on some rifles
- Zeroing at an angle creates POI offset
It's advisable to steer clear of offset scope ring adapters since they frequently lead to misalignment problems.
These issues can result in difficulties with zeroing and holdover, and they also tend to increase the vertical profile of the setup.