Red Dot Vs Green Dot | Does It Matter?

Why Would I Need an RDS?

• A pistol RDS can significantly improve target acquisition time.
• Do you have astigmatism or macular degeneration? A green dot sight is a perfect solution for those of us that need help optimizing our vision.
• Do you need help to reach targets past 50 yards with your pistol? An RDS or green dot sight is modern technology’s response to the ever-growing need to gain more range with your sidearm. 

How Is a Green Dot Different From a Red Dot?

According to The American Academy of Ophthalmology, cone cells in our eye register and support our color vision, whereas rods support low-light vision.

We have approximately 120 million rods in our retina to allow us to see in low light conditions such as dawn and dusk. The retina carries 1 of the 3 types of cones that make up the 6 million cones concentrated in our macula (inside the retina). 

Our color vision is broken down into 3 types: Red, Green, and Blue. Red-sensing cones make up most of our color vision at 60%, while Green makes up only 30% of our color vision and Blue tones make up the final 10%.

The Visible Light Spectrum Below is the wavelengths that represent how humans can see light. Anything beyond 740 and below 380 is outside the color vision for the human eye.

In fact, some people can’t see violet or indigo color tones due to damaged rods in their retinas. A red laser dot has a wavelength that is between 740-625 nanometers (nm), and green dots are visible at 520-565 nm. 

Besides green light being in the sweet spot for our color vision, green light has a higher frequency and energy output than red light. The green light has a frequency of 5.45 Hertz and the red light has a frequency of 4.29 Hertz. The green light has an Electronic Volt (EV) rating of 2.25, while a red light only has an EV rating of 1.77. In short, the green light is not only easier to see in daylight and low light conditions, but it’s also less straining on your eyes, has more power to reach longer ranges, and allows you to see more color tones, clarity, and crispness in your reticle dot.

I’m not an ophthalmologist, but I’m from my understanding, since the green light is a lower frequency, it allows us to see more shades of green than red and purple. Green makes up only 30% of our cones because we don’t need any help to see green. 60% of our retina’s cones are red-sensing because red is a harder color for the human eye to focus on. 

How far can you shoot with a red dot sight?

Crimson Trace RAD Pro

$205.09

at Amazon

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Prices accurate at time of writing

I wouldn’t use a laser with a red dot sight under any circumstance, but I understand everyone is different. It might surprise people I’m throwing away an up-sale opportunity, but I can’t promote a laser with an RDS.

First, if you have astigmatism, it’s often hard enough to see one dot clearly, let alone a solid laser sitting below your red dot.

Second, I’ve had a hard enough time getting used to an RDS on my pistol to know I don’t want the weight of a laser as well.

Third, having too many attachments to a pistol can be cumbersome and confuse you in a high-stress situation on which button to push or what reticle you want to focus on.

I was privileged enough to experience combat during OIF and I learned I function better under stress when I’m as minimalistic as possible with my guns. Finally, I use a CMR-208 Rail Master Universal Tactical Light along with my RDS.

If my RDS goes out, the CMR-208 gets up to 420 Lumens of LED white light to ensure I maintain a tactical advantage over my adversary. I apologize for the rant, but don’t put a laser on your pistol if it’s already equipped with an RDS.

Maybe it works for some people, but it sounds like people doing too much to look cool, instead of gaining a tactical advantage. 

The CT RAD Micro Pro (Rapid Aiming Dot) Electronic Sight is the best compact and subcompact optic for your CCW or EDC pistol.  This is by far my favorite green dot optic because of all the bells and whistles that it comes with.

For example, the RAD Micro Pro features an ambient light sensor called CT Radiant. CT Radiant is a light sensor that always adjusts the brightness of the reticle to the surrounding light conditions. Whether I’m shooting in low light conditions (dawn or dusk), or if the sun hits my lens directly, the CT Radiant changes the brightness of the reticle with no manual change needed. 

The CT Radiant ensures that regardless of the time of day or environmental conditions, my reticle will be clearly visible and ready to go as soon as I draw my pistol. The next outstanding feature is called the CT Motion. As soon as you pull your pistol up, the motion sensor in the CT Motion will turn it on.

CT called it their shake-to-wake sensor because if you hold the pistol and cant it in any direction or simply shake the pistol in your hand, the optic turns on to the appropriate brightness level for rapid target acquisition. 

The Green dot is my choice for a CCW because it puts less stress on my already tired eyes because of the lower wavelength. The green dot is can be visible for at least 70 yards in the right conditions and at least 50 yards under any condition. There are 8 brightness settings for daylight and 2 for night vision compatibility. I can run the green laser at a 3 or 4 brightness under most situations to conserve battery power. I have to run the red dot at a 6-7 most times because my eyes see green much easier. 

One thing to consider, however, is Crimson Trace offers free batteries for the life of your optic, so if your only hang up from a red dot over the green dot is battery life, I wouldn’t worry about it.

It’s a convenient thing because the green dot won’t have to be replaced as often, but either way, it won’t cost you any money for new batteries so run you don’t have to feel bad if you run your brightness at max level all the time. 

One of the most overlooked features is the construction of the CT optic. One thing CT did to separate themselves from companies like Vortex or Leupold is build their optic out of stronger, more durable steel. Most companies use 6061 aerospace aluminum, whereas CT uses 7075 aerospace aluminum for all RAD optics. 7075 Aluminum is used to make airplane wings and fuselage. 

It’s easy to understand the CT RAD Micro Pro can handle drops, scrapes, and the pressure of the recoil during firing. To make the RAD Micro Pro even better, the Multi-coated Extra Low-Density Glass lens is recessed into the housing to ensure that if you drop your pistol or hit the front of the optic, the 7075 Aluminum will take the hit and not the lens. 

I truly believe Crimson Trace has thought of everything in the development of their new RAD Micro Pro optic and is more than deserving of a chance to impress my fellow gun owners with its incredible performance and easy installation. 

Specs of CT RAD Micro Pro (Green Dot)

What is the Best Red Dot Sight For Compact & Subcompact Pistols?

We documented the difference between a red dot sight and green dot sight within this blog, but when would I choose a red dot over a green dot? Personally, I would use a red dot if I wanted to use my optic mainly at night or if I was still in the military. For example, as a soldier, a less conspicuous red dot is more beneficial to maintain light discipline and stealth during a CQB operation. 

A red dot sight is harder to see from an enemy standpoint and works better with NVGs than a green dot sight. Since the view in NVGs is green, having a green dot can be difficult to see if the brightness settings aren’t set properly.

The red dot is more affordable than the green dot because it takes less power to use a red dot than a green dot. I don’t worry about stealth as much now because anytime I pull my pistol out, I’m trying to be seen and heard. I want to gain instantaneous target acquisition if I ever have to pull my CCW because it will only be in self-defense. 

Specs

Which Guns Will Fit The CT RAD Micro Pro?

Most compact and subcompact pistols that are drilled and tapped can use the CT Footprint for installation. I list some of the most popular models below, but there are many more models that are compatible. We have a great relationship with Crimson Trace, but there are some questions they have to answer for you, such as pistol compatibility.