- Co-witnessing sights only works with red dots and holographics
- Absolute co-witness aligns the iron sights and the reticle
- 1/3 co-witness places the reticle above the iron sights
Choosing the right co-witness sights for your firearm is essential for accuracy if the optic malfunctions. Whether you're in the police force or the military, on the range or on a hunt, you need to be able to fire quickly and accurately, even if your optic isn't working properly. With these sights, you can switch over to a secondary sighting system more efficiently and make precise shots.
With the right selection, you can make co-witness sights work optimally for your firearm. To help you get started, we've put together this guide to walk you through how these sights work and which to choose based on your needs.
What Are Co-Witness Sights?
Co-witnessing refers to the relationship between a red dot/holographic sight and the iron sights of your firearm. When the reticle of the red dot aligns with the iron sights, the two work together as co-witness sights. AR-15 sights allow you to have a reference point for your optic, and they also give you a backup plan to use your iron sights if your optic stops working for any reason.
There are two main types of co-witness: absolute and 1/3. Also known as 100% co-witness and lower third, these two options are best suited for different situations. Which option works best for you may depend on what you find most convenient and comfortable for your shot
AR-15 Absolute Co-Witness
For AR-15 absolute co-witness sights, the optical sight mount is the same height as the iron sights. You have full visibility of the front and rear iron sights through the optic. The optical sight will be at standard mounting height, in direct alignment with the iron sights.
With this setup, you have consistency between the iron sights and the red dot, which means the height over bore is the same between the two for consistent aiming. If your optic loses power you can quickly transition to the iron sights without having to make realignments.
AR-15 1/3 Co-Witness
With AR-15 1/3 co-witness sights, the optical sight mount is slightly above the iron sights, you will have to drop your head a little to align the two. That means you'll see only the iron sights in the bottom third of the optic with your normal line of sight. The optic height is slight enough that it typically doesn't cause any problems for shooters.
When you use a 1/3 co-witness you'll have a less cluttered sight, giving you more visibility and target clarity. It makes identifying your target easier. It can also allow for more comfortable neck positioning and potentially reduced muscle strain.
How to Set up Co-Witness Sights
If you've decided to set up co-witness sights for your gun, there are a few considerations you'll want to keep in mind to begin. You'll need to zero your sights and then get them in alignment with each other.
Are you working with 1/3 co-witness and want to switch to absolute instead? You can use a riser mount to lower the optic to the standard iron sight height.
To get started, you can follow a few straightforward steps, but keep in mind that you can adjust them to fit your unique needs:
- Zero the iron sights: Start by zeroing them with the optic off.
- Confirm visibility: If you haven't already, install the optic and ensure you have the sight picture you want through it.
- Test your aim: To ensure that everything is ready and on target, try firing a few rounds downrange to check the accuracy of your zero.
- Align optics with iron sights: Once you're satisfied that everything is in order, get your preferred sight picture, turn on the red dot and align the reticle with the iron sights.
- Confirm and fire: Test-fire to confirm your zero with just the red dot, then make any necessary adjustments.
Choosing the Right Co-Witness Sights for You
Finding which sights work best for you depends on your needs. Your best option is mostly a matter of personal preference and shooting style, but it's also essential to match your co-witness sights to your firearm and usage.
For an AR-15 with flip-up iron sights, it's generally best to go with an absolute co-witness setup, as you can flip up your sights quickly when needed. If you have fixed iron sights, 1/3 co-witness sights are likely a better fit to give you more visibility. These aren't hard-and-fast rules, but they are useful guidelines to help you achieve a better sight picture for clean, precise shots.
If you are wondering how this works with magnified optics. The answer is it doesn’t. Using magnified optics like LVPOs or prism scopes does not transfer to iron sights like red dots or holographics do. Co-witnessing is exclusively tied to iron sights and non-magnified sights.
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