MAINTENENACE

CLEANING

Taking care of your Red Dot or Scope is easy and only requires a little bit of routine maintenance. Every so often, the exterior lenses should be cleaned by wiping off with a soft, dry cloth. It's important to also consider what kind of products you're using on coated optical lenses; Lens Pen and Fog Free Cleaning Kits are two tools that were specifically designed for use on such lenses. As an added measure, make sure all dust or grit is blown away before gently wiping down the lenses itself. 

Using your breath, a very small amount of water or pure alcohol can be incredibly effective in removing stubborn stains such as dried water spots. 

LUBRICATION

Ensuring your Red Dot is working at optimum efficiency requires a mindful approach to its lubrication. While all the key components of the Red Dot come pre-lubricated, no additional lubricant should be applied to them. This is critical as any tampering could invalidate the warranty, or even worse, cause irreparable damage. By following the manufacturer’s guidelines and keeping track of maintenance cycles, users of the Red Dot can enjoy worry-free use over time while also maximizing its performance.

STORAGE 

When not in use, it is important to take proper care of your optic. To help preserve the lenses, you should always use the included lens cover when storing it away. Additionally, make sure to remove the battery before putting away for extended periods. Extreme temperatures can damage both the lenses and battery, so try to keep your device in an area not too hot or cold – direct sunlight or cold locations are to be avoided. With proper storage and use, you can ensure you enjoy long-lasting performance from your optic.

TROUBLESHOOTING

Before warrantying your Atibal product in for service, please review the following trouble shooting tips and customer questions.

RED DOTS

Are you having difficulty getting a clear red dot?

The answer to this problem might lie in astigmatism. When our eyes are perceiving the reflection of an LED inside the red dot, it can cause a distortion, making it appear misshapen and causing it to be difficult to see. Most people have some degree of natural astigmatism, and understanding how this affects your sight can help you determine whether the issue lies within your viewing ability or with the optic itself. Here are some tips:

All you have to do is take a photo with your phone pointed at the red dot in front of a plain, dark background. Then, adjust the illumination level so that it’s suitable for the environment – indoor settings will require lower illumination settings than outdoor settings. Finally, compare what the camera sees to what your eye sees – if the shape looks different in either image then you might have a problem with your red dot! 

With a simple test, you can assess whether or not your vision may be impacted by the astigmatism. All you have to do is look through the dot with both eyes! If the dot changes shape from one eye to the other, it is likely that astigmatism is causing a distorted dot. 

To help you accurately assess your red dot sight, simply by looking through it and rotating the scope on its optical axis. If an irregular shape appears and seems to be static, there’s no issue with your eyesight - but if that shape shifts when you rotate the optic, it implies a potential problem with your vision.

NOTE: The starburst effect may be caused by having the brightness illumination set too for the lighting condition that you are in. Increasing the illumination up to the maximum brightness while indoors or in low light can cause the dot or reticle to bleed or look distorted, regardless of whether or not you have an astigmatism. Turning down the illumination will help the dot look crisper.

 Red dot will not power on, flickering, or is dim.

1. Change the battery

2. Make sure it is properly installed with the battery cap fully tighten.

3. Make sure you are not in NV mode.

4. Not seeing the dot? Increase the illumination.

5. Still no power? Contact us for warranty.

Why won't my red dot turn off?

1. Ensure that your red dot does not "shake awake" feature.  To turn off the shake awake feature depress the power or plus button until red dot is turned off.  To re-activate the shake awake feature, hold the power or plus button until the red dot appears.

2. If the red dot will not turnoff manually, you may need to contact us for warranty.

Why does the dot appear bigger and have a halo effect?

1. If your illumination is set too high, you may need to dim down the illumination for the proper lighting condition your in.

2. Ensure that you are using two eyes open while shooting with your red dot.

RIFLE SCOPES

Having issues zeroing your optic?

1. Installing rings and bases properly is extremely important in the rifle shooting experience, as even a small misalignment can have a big effect on target shooting accuracy. We recommend that most ring sets be installed with 15-18in. pounds of torque, but we are happy to answer any individual questions you may have regarding your specific rings. When using rings and bases, remember to always adjust them correctly and securely - if you require assistance, please feel free to contact us so we can help guide you through the process.

2. If your scope has to run out of windage/elevation adjustment or the ring set has already been used up entirely then there may be a misalignment in either the barrel/action or receiver. In this case we suggest installing an adjustable ring/base set or canted base and we are also more than happy to provide further support via our friendly customer service team

3. When mounting a riflescope to your rifle, it's incredibly important to ensure that the scope base is properly aligned. This helps to avoid impingement of the tube, as well as slipping of the scope rings in the base. For 2-piece bases, checking for alignment with alignment bars and lapping them into proper alignment is essential if any misalignment has occurred. It may seem like an extra step, but it will pay off in the long run by reducing stress on both your scope tube and scope rings.

4. If the scope is sliding in the rings or mount, ensure that you have the correct size.

5. If your riflescope's main tube has been bent, it can certainly throw off your shooting. This can happen with hard impact or uneven force being applied to the scope tube, which is why we recommend giving us a call if you suspect that this has happened. You can easily tell if the scope is bent by rolling the scope in the bottom ring halves; if it’s bent, the scope will appear to lift out of the rings rather than staying flat while rotating in place. If you do need to replace your riflescope, we are always happy to help assist you and make sure you have everything needed for successful shooting trips.

Why is my reticle canted?

1. When your tools are all properly aligned and the reticle inside the scope looks perfect, yet you still get an odd feeling when shouldering the rifle, chances are you are not positioned at the ideal angle. Most common among right-handed shooters is a sensation of the reticle canted to the left, or counter-clockwise – but no need to worry! Lefties will experience this slightly differently, experiencing the perception of a canted reticle shifted to the right or clockwise. To get the best visual performance out of your equipment, strive to make sure you’re in a solid shooting position where your chin is resting flush with the buttstock – this will keep your angle as perfect in line with your scope/reticle as possible, providing exacting precision aim for maximum accuracy.

2. When shooting at an uneven surface or from the ground, a strange canted appearance of the reticle may be noticed in the scope. This could easily be mistaken for a faulty reticle; however, it is important to remember that this can simply be caused by the degree of un-levelness of your environment. Moving to even ground and ensuring proper alignment is key. Fortunately, this doesn't require professional equipment. Simply by taking time to get into a comfortable position behind the rifle can help you identify any issues with alignment and rid yourself of the canted reticle issue.

3. While a bubble level is often used as an easy way to determine if a rifle scope is level, it can lead to inaccurate results. Because it sits on top of the turret cap, it can be canted and cause the scope to show that it is level when it isn’t. In order to achieve the most accurate reading, try using the inner turret post top or feeler gauges placed on the bottom of the scope rather than relying solely on the bubble level. This will ensure that your readings are accurate, and you get an exact measure of where your scope needs to be adjusted in order to obtain a proper zero.

4. To determine if your bubble level is accurate, the easiest way to test it is to place it on a flat surface such as a table or counter. Once you have positioned the level, take note of where the bubble is located. Then, spin the level 180 degrees so that its orientation is flipped and observe whether the bubble has shifted position or not. If it has moved even slightly, then your level is not as accurate as you need it to be - perfect accuracy will place the bubble in exactly the same spot before and after turning it over.

5. Reticle cant is an uncommon, yet possible occurrence and can be a tricky problem to diagnose. Thankfully, if you suspect your rifle has this issue there are a few steps you can take to diagnose it yourself. By carefully aiming your reticle at any straight line and then adjusting the turret up and down, you'll be able to observe whether the reticle moves in unison or not. If the reticle fails to follow the movement of the turret, it is likely that your reticle is canted. Should that be the case, don't worry; our Technical Support team is more than capable of assisting you in any trouble-shooting endeavors your scope might require.

Why does my scope look blurry?

1. Mount the optic to your rifle first, as you may not have the proper cheek weld, eye relief, or stable platform to properly look through the scope.

2. If your riflescope isn't properly focusing on a particular target, it is important to assess the distance of the target and adjust your parallax to that distance. Different models may vary considerably; some are fixed at 100 yards, while others may have a 15-yard to infinity range. If your target is too close, you could experience noticeable distortion due to an inability to properly focus. Therefore, understanding and accounting for your particular model's parallax will ensure that you can accurately hit targets no matter what the distance.

3. Mirage has always been a nuisance to long-range shooters, as it causes target images to shimmer and distort. With miraging, temperature differences between the air masses in front of and behind the shooter cause light waves to bend like curves on a highway. When magnified through a riflescope, these images can become extremely distorted making it difficult to accurately focus on the target. Most shooters know that backing off the magnification can help somewhat with this issue, however many times the only viable solution is simply to wait until conditions improve. With modern technology advancements such as premium optics with advanced coatings, managing mirage has become slightly easier for precision shooters; but it still remains one of the most underestimated difficulties encountered when attempting long range shots.

4. Barrel or Suppressor Mirage can be a nuisance when shooting, as it may cause targets to appear lower than they actually are because of the optical illusion. This mirage is caused by the heat generated from firing multiple rounds through your rifle – if the barrel or suppressor has heated up, the shooter may be fooled by what they see downrange. While this can often be alleviated with a simple cooldown period, installing an anti-mirage suppressor shield or barrel mirage band can work even better in order to prevent mirage from ever appearing. These devices help limit heat transfer and reduce distortion at the far end, making them ideal for precision shooters who need consistent accuracy shot after shot.

How do you adjust the clarity/focus of the reticle?

1. Adjust the reticle focus. The reticle focus is located closest your eye.  Find a blank background and look through your scope and adjust the reticle focus until the reticle is nice and clear.

2. When it comes to rings and parallax cells, tension can make a big difference in performance. Over-tightening the rings can lead to a rigid and unresponsive parallax knob that makes it impossible to adjust the focus on your image. To prevent this from happening, we recommend tightening every ring in a set to between 15-18 inch pounds of torque. However, if you're unsure about how much tension your specific rings require, don't hesitate to call our knowledgeable advisors--they'll be happy to help.

Why are my windage and elevation markings "backwards"?

1. Dialing your turrets correctly is critical for accurate shooting. It can be confusing, however, because you actually have to think in reverse. In this case, when you need to adjust elevation and dial 'up', the reticle will move downward which sounds counterintuitive, but it's actually the right way to go. The reason is that, by turning 'up', you want to move the bullet's point of impact higher instead of focusing on aiming with the reticle; moving the barrel up brings your point of impact 'up' on target while keeping your aim consistent. This may seem strange at first during bore sighting and cold bore shooting, but once you get used to thinking in terms of impacting rather than aiming, it will become easier.