A moldy oldie review: The Singlepoint sight
"I don't know just what it is, but I'll let you have it cheap." So said the fellow at the gun show, and that is how I came to have this thing in my collection. The Singlepoint is an ancestor of today's red dot sights. It created a stir back in the seventies. It was discussed in the English Parliament. Its moment of fame came on the Son Tay raid in the Vietnam war. It even got writeups in Popular Mechanics and Popular Science, honors reserved for things that were maximally cool.
By modern standards, though, it's a pathetic gunsight. It was a good try for its time, no doubt. It is an occluded eye gunsight (OEG), meaning you can't see through it. When you look in the end you see a black field with a red dot floating in it. You look at the target with your other eye and your brain merges the two images into one. Thus, you see the red dot superimposed upon the target.
Well, sort of. It doesn't work perfectly. The effects of phoria make the dot wander off the target if you aim for any length of time. Obviously this makes slow deliberate aiming impossible. You must shoot quickly or not at all.
Another problem with this sight is the dot is a whopping 16 MOA across. That is much too big--bigger than many targets I'd want to aim at. I find it necessary to sight in so that my point of aim is at the top center of the dot, right at the 12 o'clock position. I then use the dot as if it were a bead sight, placing the target atop it to aim.
One problem the Singlepoint's design solved brilliantly was that of gaining sufficient contrast between the dot and the target. Because the dot is presented in a blacked out field, the eye looking into the sight sees plenty of contrast. Moreover, the Singlepoint needs no batteries. Enough ambient light to illuminate the dot is gathered by the small collector on the end. For a long while, see-through red dot sights needed to use polarizers to darken the target image so you could make out the dot, and they ate batteries like kids going through Crackerjacks
.
.
Dot sight technology has come a long way since the early days. Compared to the present day offerings of Aimpoint
, EoTech
, Trijicon
and others, the Singlepoint now seems pretty crude and backward. But we can credit the Singlepoint with helping to get the ball rolling on what has become one of the most significant shooting developments in this century.
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Update, 21 March 2013: I just discovered by accident (I was researching something else) that the occluded eye gunsight has been in existence for quite a long time. It was used in World War One artillery. So far as I know, the Singlepoint was the first commercially successful application to small arms. Reference:
Elementary optics and applications to fire control instruments: May, 1921, p. 84, By United States Army Ordnance Departmant
, EoTech, Trijicon and others, the Singlepoint now seems pretty crude and backward. But we can credit the Singlepoint with helping to get the ball rolling on what has become one of the most significant shooting developments in this century.---------------
Update, 21 March 2013: I just discovered by accident (I was researching something else) that the occluded eye gunsight has been in existence for quite a long time. It was used in World War One artillery. So far as I know, the Singlepoint was the first commercially successful application to small arms. Reference:
Elementary optics and applications to fire control instruments: May, 1921, p. 84, By United States Army Ordnance Departmant
It certainly did create a stir in the seventies.
ReplyDeleteI bought one of these when I was in the Army in Belfast in 1975 and walked the streets with it.
That was until the local paper ran a story on 'new weapon sights'.
We were told that we had to remove them as it gave us an unfair advantage over the paramilitaries.
PA gone mad even then eh!
Granted as you say the accuracy of this sight left a lot to be desired, but for a snap shot close quarter situation it was ideal.
Seeing it again after all these years brings back lots of memories.
There was a sight that I purchased in the late 70's that did what modern red dot sights do. Although it only had one rectical and only in red. It did not use batteries but like the single point used ambient sun light to illuminate the dot I used it for about 3 years on a M1 Carbine hunting jack rabbit and it worked quite well. I purchased it used at a gun show with no paperwork so I have no idea what it's MOA was but it was deadly on running jackrabbits. I traded that rifle and the sight went with it. To be clear it didn't use a blacked out field but was clear very much like a modern red dot.Over the years I have tried to find out more info on it but with no success. If I remember correctly it was called Cyclops.
DeleteThe one pictured above with the 16 MOA dot is for shotguns, There was a rifle model that I believe was 4 MOA dot. Most people have seen this sight and don't realize it, It's the sight used on Imperial blasters in Star Wars.
ReplyDeleteHaven't seen one like that myself. The similar Armson OEG has a nominally 4 MOA dot and would likely work better for rifle shooting than the 16 MOA basketball.
DeleteFunny that the Star Wars prop guys thought this futuristic looking; it's a crude early attempt at giving the shooter a heads up aiming pip. But, as our Brit pal points out above, it was pretty good for its time.
I have one I brought home from Vietnam in 1972...sn# 16126...combat tested since I carried on my Car-15/XM203 while doing recon missions for SOG and there was more than one night fight...MSG Kevin "Snake"Smith USSF (Ret)
DeleteKevin, I am writing a book about the Singlepoint and would love to talk to you about your experiences with the sight in Vietnam. Please contact me at papermaker82@gmail.com. Thanks mate
DeleteI bough one of these in the late 70's, I mounted it on my ar15. I still have them both. It may be outdated, but I don't worry about batteries. Na na na na na naaaaa.
ReplyDeleteWell... Okay. It may be said, in all fairness, that it works as well as it ever did. Furthermore it is rugged and therefore most likely will continue doing what it does.
DeleteI too like the no-batteries aspect, and the good contrast between the dot and its background. The OEG concept has a lot to recommend it. For me its biggest downside is the phoria problem. If both eyes cannot see the target, the alignment of one eye with the other soon starts to wander and your accuracy goes to pot.
There is a new sight on the market that uses the OEG principle and which may succeed in avoiding the phoria problem. It's the "See All Open SIght" and consists of the lower half of an OEG: You can see over the top of it to maintain visual orientation of both eyes. It's an intriguing concept but I don't know anything about how well it works, as yet. I hope to do a thorough review of it by and by.
Those sights aren't for scoring...they're for winning. I have I have an Armson on my Vietnam-era Colt, which my gunsmith son converted to 6.8 mm. I know you understand this, but most people fail to grasp the concept of instinctive shooting, which is what the OEG was designed for. In 197x you tended to "bump into" your enemy at 25 M or less. Thus, taking aim as people do (even in even 3-gun competition) often meant you lost. So...when we're at a gun range and I see people "taking aim" with lasers, I get worked up. My family keeps telling me 'Let It Go'. I don't. ����
DeleteI have one with a green dot. Maybe that was a later model? With a smaller MOA (one might hope)? Seems to me that if the dot's MOA is excessively large, it might still be very useful as a shotgun aiming device. What do you all think?
ReplyDeleteSome sources online suggest that there was a green dot version with a 12 MOA dot, which is an improvement, but that's still awful big. Covers a foot at 100 yards.
DeleteShotgun...I'm not so sure, for shotguns firing shot loads seem to do all right without optics.
Thanks Kendal. Yes, mine is definitely a 'green dot' model, but I cannot confirm the MOA. If it is 12 MOA, rather than 16, I'm satisfied. If 12 MOA covers a foot at 100 yards, that may be acceptable, for its intended purpose. What I really like about the Single Point is that it is not dependent on batteries. It seems to me that battery life, and other electronic issues, make electronic sights problematic. I agree that the shotgun probably doesn't need optics, although I do recall that Single Point did market a shotgun version.
DeleteAgain going on net buzz, not solid facts or firsthand knowledge, the shotgun model had a dot 42 MOA across!
DeleteMeasuring MOA is a handy do-it-yourself project. 1 MOA equals (nearly enough as to make no difference) a span of 1 inch at 100 yards, 1/2 inch at 50, 1/4 inch at 25... So you compare what you see to a grid, such as one of those targets ruled in 1 inch squares. Or measure the bricks in a brick wall and compare to that.
It would appear that whoever designed the Singlepoint liked really big dots. Anywhere from 2 to 5 MOA seems common in red dot rifle sights offered today.
I've been staring at one in 90% condition in a file cabinet next to my computer. Uncle bought it for a song and its sat here for years.... held it up today for a quick look and seems perfect with the smaller MOA dot for a rifle. This one resides in New Zealand!
ReplyDeleteiv just taken one of the small point rifle versions off my old webley vulcan air rifle to fit a scope, if fitted the single point in 1979 !!!
ReplyDeletethe clear plastic end has gone a bit cloudy but it still does what its sposed to do, its now going to retire as an interesting paper weight for my desk
I bought one of these in the early 1980s - I felt cheated 'cause the mount that came with it was hopeless. In the past year, I discovered that that original mount was for fitting it onto the M16 carrying handle. I don't half feel stupid having thrown it away - today, the original mount's reputedly collectable...
ReplyDeleteIt was my favourite sight. I strapped a small torch to the top, deflecting the light into the front "globe" using foil. Then I taped up the affair with electrical tape. A 5 minute improvisation that enabled me to use it at night - though it seemed really bright!
Hamish sounds like you tossed the SinglePoint sight and maybe the mount but just in case you kept the M16 mount I'd be interested in taking it off your hands.
DeleteI bought one in the 70's. They were marketed as a point and shoot for rapid target acquisition. The shooter had to be the person setting it up due to the difference in the parallax between different peoples eyes. It worked really well.
ReplyDeleteHello all, I am in the process on writing a book on these sights and other early red dot type sights and I am in the process of collecting both information on the sights as well as collecting examples to photograph.
ReplyDeleteIf anyone is selling Singlepoints, mounts, or original advertising for them, please let me know!
Also interested in hearing if you used these sights in military service or anything about where you bought them back in the day. Photos of any sights that you might have is also appreciated as there seem to be many different models of these made and I am trying to compile as complete a record of them as possible.
Please contact me at papermaker82@gmail.com.
Cheers
I have a singlepoint ao1869 still in the box
ReplyDeleteI have one of those singlepoints anyone interested in buying it
ReplyDeleteHuckt73@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteI also have a 16 MOA singlepoint, in the box with instruction manual (like the one pictured) if anyone is interested.
ReplyDeleteI would if its still available. papermaker82@gmail.com
DeleteOur platoon was chosen in 1970 to test out the red dot or single point scope. a few of us were sent back to the armory and had them installed.. Someone didn't do their homework on those sights. They glowed in the dark, which is bad news if you are out on an ambush as we often were in Vietnam. Had to convince a Colonel that they were a bad, bad, very bad idea to get them removed.
ReplyDeleteHello, I'd love to ask you a couple questions about your tests of these in Vietnam, if you are willing. I am writing a book on these and your insights and accounts would be extremely helpful. Please send me an email at papermaker82@gmail.com
DeleteI have one with the green dot (tritium), had it mounted on a Remington 660 for many years for deer and pig hunting. Occasionally put it on a Unique .22 SA for rabbit shooting, worked great for rabbits on the run. Great in low light, just had to keep both eyes open but you got used to that quickly.
ReplyDeleteHi- I have a Singlepoint, serial number 8664. It was used by Medal of Honor recipient Col Lewis Millett. My guess is that he used at it some point in Vietnam. I make this guess based upon having known him and his family. I was fortunate to be offered some of his equipment following his passing.
ReplyDeleteThe plastic dome is clouded, not transparent. It device appears to work. What is interesting to me is that all the pictures I've seen of these devices, most on ebay, is that the branding: "Singlepoint" is all one word and not "stacked", with the word "Single" atop the word "Point".
I urge you to look up Col Lewis L. Millett and read his story.
contact me: putrescence@yahoo.com
I have one that I have had since late '70s. I had a friend that worked producing them. He "acquired" me a sample. As already mentioned by others on here,, I was not allowed to fit it to my L1A1 in N.Ireland. There is much mentioned here, and other places, about the front cover getting cloudy over time. One of the models produced, mine is one of them, came new with a frosted front cover. I have it fitted to a Hatsan 150 .25 cal air rifle at the moment. It has been on all kinds of rifles in it history. From what I remember it was never intended to be a competition target sight but more for quick "snap" shooting at the center of mass in tight contact situations. Urban, jungle etc. For me its only drawback is the size of the dot. If that could be made smaller it would be perfect.
DeleteIt's been a while since I last posted, so thought I would say I'm still interested in researching the Singlepoint sight for a future book and/or article. If you have any particular knowledge of the sight back in the day, or used one in service, I would love to hear from you. Also, if you are interested in selling, or have questions about a particular sight in your possession, please do reach out, I'm always happy to help.
ReplyDeleteI can be reached at: papermaker82@gmail.com
A Marine buddy of mine gave me one just before he committed suicide on July 4th 1994, so I have one if you would like to possibly barrow it, but I’m not sure how I would guarantee it’s return?
DeleteIt has sentimental value and I was thinking to remember him I was going to put it on an Ak47.
Hi Abraham, sorry to hear about your mate! I probably would not need to borrow anything, but I would like to see some photos if you are willing. You can contact me at papermaker82@gmail.com
DeleteWhen I was a kid in the early 1980's I remember wanting one of these from the LLBaston catalog.
ReplyDeleteI own one as I have owned many of the things my young mind once drooled over in SOF and the Shotgun News.
I have used this sight as well as owning and using Aimpoints and Trijicon red dots.
My personal proclivity is that I dislike red dots under stress within buildings, and I would opt to just use the front sight as my aiming point accompanied with a light.
The modern red dot, makes me look through something and the dominant eye gets focused through it. I don't care for the visual constriction indoors.
The occluded sight adds an advantage to this, but I still prefer looking over the open front sight post, I feel like I have to process less information under stress.