Have you ever been at the shooting range, lined up your shot, and suddenly noticed your red dot sight was acting up? Maybe it was flickering or seemed too dim to see clearly.
I've dealt with this issue myself, and I'm here to share some tips on how to fix it.
Common Dot Flickering Reasons
- Low battery
- Loose battery connection
- Dirty lens
- Faulty electronics
- Facing sunlight
Low Battery
The most common cause of a flickering or dim red dot is a low battery. While most red dot sights can last up to 50000 hours, but not all are. You will be surprised. I once left my sight on for almost 5 years, and eventually it's going to die, and it started to flicker after each shot trying to stay alive.
For this, just swap the battery to fix the issue. It's a simple fix that can save your day at the range.
Loose Battery Connection
Sometimes, the battery isn't dead - it's just not making good contact. This can happen if your gun recoils a lot or if you bump the sight against something. This is NOT an issue with a top loading optics
To fix this:
- Open the battery compartment.
- Take out the battery.
- Clean the battery and the contacts in the compartment with a cotton swab to remove any moisture if there is any.
- Put the battery back in.
- Close the compartment, making sure it's tight.
I once fixed a friend's flickering sight just by tightening the battery cap. It's always worth checking!
Dirty Lens
If your lens is dirty, it can make the red dot look dim or distorted. Dust, fingerprints, gun powder residue can all cause this problem especially on pistol optics.
To clean the lens:
- Use a soft, clean cloth or lens paper.
- Gently wipe the lens in a circular motion.
- If needed, use a small amount of lens cleaner.
- Be careful not to scratch the lens.
I keep a microfiber cloth in my range bag for quick cleanings. It's amazing how much brighter the dot can look after a good wipe-down!
Faulty Electronics
Sometimes, the problem is inside the sight itself. If none of the above fixes work, you might have a faulty unit. Or it was damaged due to water if it's not a fully sealed optic.
One time my Leupold LCO had this issue, and it was draining a brand-new battery in less than 2 days, so I sent it to Leupold to get it fixed under their warranty program.
To check for this:
- Try all the other fixes first.
- If the problem persists, contact the manufacturer.
- They might offer repairs or a replacement under warranty.
I had to send back a sight once because of internal problems. The company was great about replacing it, and the new one worked perfectly.