Co-witness

What is a Co-Witness red dot sight mount and what is it used for?

Co-Witness refers to a red dot sight mounting configuration in which the iron sights and the red dot sight are aligned along the same sighting axis. This allows the shooter to use both the red dot sight and traditional iron sights without having to remove the optic. If the red dot sight fails, the battery runs out, or the optic becomes damaged, the shooter can immediately continue aiming with the iron sights. The correct height is achieved by choosing a suitable mount, which determines how high the red dot sight sits above the RIS rail.

Absolute Co-Witness vs. Lower 1/3 Co-Witness

There are two most common configurations. Absolute Co-Witness means that the iron sights align directly through the center of the red dot sight window, with the aiming dot positioned directly above the front sight. In contrast, Lower 1/3 Co-Witness positions the red dot sight slightly higher, so the iron sights are visible only in the lower third of the field of view. This provides a cleaner sight picture during normal aiming while keeping the backup iron sights immediately available by slightly lowering the head. In airsoft, Co-Witness setups are particularly popular on AR-15 replicas and modern AK platforms equipped with optic mounts, where they improve both the realism and practicality of the setup. Red dot sights, mounts, and accessories for Absolute Co-Witness and Lower 1/3 Co-Witness configurations are in stock at ANAREUS CZ.

Absolute x 1/3 Co-Witness