SIGHTING DYNAMICS

摘要

For much of history the primary focus of infantry firearms has been on improvements to the weapon and/or its ammunition. How these weapons are aimed has remained relatively unchanged with militaries relying on 'iron sights' well into the 1980s. Optical sights were generally limited to specially trained and tasked snipers or a designated marksmen of rifle squad/ platoons. Still for most soldiers engaging a target was a skill learned through hours of training and practice on the range. The shift to intermediate calibres like the 5.56mm and 5.45mm optimised for engagements inside 400 meters coincided with the development of projected reticle 'reflex' sights (often referred to as Red Dot), reflecting the earliest designer Aimpoint. These non-magnified sights allow almost intuitive aiming with both eyes open. The shooter needs to merely place the dot in the sight onto the target and pull the trigger. They, and the similar holographic sights, allow faster target acquisition and engagement, particularly between 50-300m ranges, with minimal training. The reflex sight has been widely adopted by armies worldwide.