Red Dot vs Scope vs Iron Sights? Full disclosure, my 1st buff hunt is not until 2025. Still, I think I can comment with some competence on the question:
When I began the African hunting journey about a year ago, I began looking for a 416 Rigby. Instead I ended up with a FN Browning in 375HH. I have had several optics on it in attempts to find the perfect option. I first shot it with the irons but at my age I do not shoot them as well as I used to. A ghost ring iron sight does work very well for me and shoots about 3" at 100y. Keep in mind that the rifle does not know how you are sighting and aiming it and it shoots the same with irons, red dot or scope. But you as the shooter may be able to see better and thus shoot marginally better with on or the other. After the irons I mounted a lower end Leupold 1.5-4x on it and hunted deer last year with that optic on the rifle. I liked the scope but in lower light conditions I had a hard time seeing the reticle and the 4x was inadequate to judge the quality of deer at a distance. My 10x binocs do compensate for that some.
After hunting season I purchased two new scopes: Swarovski Z6i and Kahles K16. I love them both but liked the Kahles reticle and turrets best but when mounted on the rifle the bolt hits the ocular lens and gets fouled when the scope is dialed down to 1x. Not good. Yes, I could use taller rings but since the Swaro was in hand, I mounted it. It fits better, is a bit lighter, has some really nice features and at 1x with the red dot reticle turned on, it works just like a red dot, while providing some limited magnification for plains game. This will be my rig for this years PG hunt.
During the search for the perfect rifle, I did purchase a 458WM that came with a Swaro optic. Then I had the chance to get a CZ550 at a good price also in 458WM. I decided that I would put a red dot on the CZ since it was good mainly for Buffalo and Ele only. I liked the idea of not dealing with the risk of scope eye on such a hard recoil rifle. I got the red dot before I closed the deal on the CZ. Then the CZ deal fell thru !@#$%
Since I had the red dot, I mounted it onto a black rifle to use in an event planned for this summer. The sight works great! Love it. Just as accurate as the red dot Swarovski set to 1x. Again the rifle does not know. Recently finally found and acquired that 416 Rigby in the form of another CZ550. Either the Kahles or the Red Dot will find its way onto that rifle. Jury is still out. The main weakness of the red dot is you must use the binocs to assess the quarry unless it is very close. Battery life is quite long and it is both lighter and offers good eye clearance compared to a traditional scope sight. I think for me the red dot is only best when used on a rifle that recoils so hard that you would not want to or cannot mount a traditional scope. For me, I think the illuminated LPVO is a better choice but the good ones do cost much more.
