All posts in Scopes

Tru Glow Red Dots, BSA Red Dots, Airsoft Optics, anyone have any suggestions?

BSA Red DotsIt’s kind of interesting how the airsoft market has been playing out, we get lots of kids showing up looking for Magpul accessories with their Mom’s, and right after that a SWAT guy will walk in and ask for the same thing.   Their’s nothing wrong with teenagers learning rifle skills and learning how to be a soldier and have fun doing it.   If you look through many of the origins of the paramilitary organizations from Boy Scouts, Sea Scouts and the Civil Air Patrol, learning to use a rifle was important.    If a Country has youth that know the basics in their mid teens, they can move on to military training quickly isn’t that a National Security asset?  There is so much cross over real world training that many Law Enforcement Departments are finding that this is far beyond blue gun training, and something they should consider putting into their training for Police Officers.   Even some of the private security companies are using airsoft.

I hear “better” things about airsoft guns as far as durability goes but a lot of bad things about various optics being used.   I have a hard time going too cheap,for red optics, but we have heard plenty of good things about BSA Red Dots for Airsoft as well as some of the TruGlow Sights.  I find the TruGlo 4 reticle and the BSA Red Dots called the Panaramic multi purpose  to be interesting because they seem to have a very light feel to them and wide field of view.   In real world situations I think a solid tube or housing is important but these seem to cut it for many.    Aimpoint recently came out with a slightly less expensive optic but not that much less than the Aimpoint Patrol Rifle Optic, if you’re 16yrs old and you want to move from airsoft to an AR15 ask your Mom for an Aimpoint Patrol Rifle Optics for Christmas and put it on your real gun when you’re older, but that’s just my opinion.     I’m also curious about the Vortex Red dots since they are a bout $200 and have a very good reputation on real firearms not airsoft.  I’m not much of a fan of the NCStar brand primarily because the whole Red Star thing. Any suggestions?

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Beware of the less expensive red dots, but you might find a good one and Aimpoint knows it

Aimpoint Red DotsWe get a large customer base from plinkers to Special Forces.   The airsoft industry has exploded and there are a lot of products that can crossover and have wide applications but ammunition, firearm maintenance and quality optics and a good operation with a good trigger finger are what win a fight.   You will not find me shooting Wolf 223 in any of  my AR15 rifles because even if that ammo is running in your firearm for now, there is so much crap that can build up over time that it’s not an “if” but a “when” it will cause a malfunction.   There is always something new coming out at SHOT Show each year and it’s almost like the seeing the Hasbro commercials for the new Star Wars or G.I. Joe toys.   They try to push an excited energy to you about how cool it is and you then ask your Mom to buy it.   That same mentality goes on in the Firearm Industry and from a retail standpoint it’s same thing every year.   Somebody comes in because they heard how great some new product was and we just sit back and see how well the product sells.

Complaints, returns and Warranties are what we factor in with the optics we sell, but recently we have been hearing  a lot of customers reference that various Red Dot optics they have been using have been performing well.   Everyone one of these AR15 optics companies has a marketing department and it certainly looks like Aimpoint Red Dots are going to have a new, less expensive optic on the market.   How expensive is it to make a zero magnification 2 MOA dot?   As much as like the Trijicon Solar/battery technological advancements, I think they pretty much priced themselves out of the red dot market because I have a hard time justifying any quality red dot costing more than $400-$600 and the Trijicon SRS sight is almost $1000.  The new Aimpoint Carbine Optic runs on one 3N  battery which should last for a year turned on (please turn it off and make it last longer)  but it looks like they took out the night vision ect.  I still haven’t gotten accurate info on the MAP pricing is going to be but we’ll be adding several  new Aimpoint products to our website shortly.

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Crosshairs for precision, but something different for speed Trijicon TA31F-G ACOG

Trijicon ReticlesTrijicon TA31F-GI have always been very picky about the optic reticles I choose.   I don’t like jumping back and forth because belonging to a 600yd gun club means, I am usually shooting from 100-600yds, and when you all of a sudden move from 100yds to 300yds and that fat crosshair line is covering your target, it is very annoying.  Sure you can learn hold overs but for competition sports and military applications, getting a good “hint” from your reticle is very helpful.  I’m a big fan of the Trijicon TA31F-G because it has all of the hints on bullet drop and I can still see my target within the Chevron out to 300yds. Trijicon clarity really shows on this optic especially compared to all the fuzz you see from Aimpoint red dots and Eotech Holographic sights.

 

People come into our store all the time looking at the Trijicon ACOGS because they are probable the most expensive fixed power combat optic but they have no idea which reticle to choose.   We’ve been selling a lot of the TA11H-G optics because the horseshoe is another non-Chevron optic which if used properly, has long range applications but also better eye relief and a very clear dot in the middle for CQB that crosshairs won’t have.  Getting back to the Trijicon TA31F-G ACOG, it’s not just about the reticle, it’s also about the color.  There are some really good closeouts on red reticle Trijicon optics because there is far more of a lean towards amber and green reticles.

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Eotech Sights still have an edge

Eotech SightsI personally can’t trash Eotech sights or Trijicon or Aimpoint.  There are a few other optics that I have personally worked with that are moving  up to that category, and that’s just my personl opinion about worthiness.   I haven’t spent time in the Canadian Military, Russian Military or Royal Forces to talk about what they are using, but durability means its going to last.   When I look at all of the internal technological changes that many of these optics have had, even a good design, when fielded, will have its weak points.   Just think about how much of an improvement the M14 was over the M1 Garand, but as soon as the M14 was fielded in Vietnam, the M14 stocks swelled and just didn’t hold up in that climate that changes needed to be made.   There are plenty of arguments about how bad the M16 did in Artic testing so don’t think desert warfare is the same as Artic.  Even snow speeders had trouble adapting to cold.

Remember that trying to have a perfect cheekweld in real world conditions isn’t always possible, cutting corners, climbing stairs and running full speed is something you might want to do, movement is important to survival and the Eotech Sights have a very unique holographic gun sight.   It’s not a dot that you can easily loose track of depending on it’s brightness and this was copied after the F16 fighter gun sight because they knew that with all of the ducking and weaving that a fighter pilot would be engaging in that it’s impossible to have  your head completely still.  Just moving a half inch back and forth with iron sights means not having a sight picture or losing your target.   The batteries don’t run as long as a Trijicon SRS sight or the Aimpoint Patrol Rifle Optic, but it might be the best and fastest sighting system for you.

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Trijicon Accupoint Rifle Scopes, you pay for clarity and engineering, but you also reap the rewards for being to apply it!

Trijicon Accupoint ScopesFor the number of hours i’ve spent on the firing line and the list of brand names and mishaps I see with equipment, I’ve pretty much learned that if you buy the less expensive stuff, and  you shoot a lot, it’s not going to last.  It might get the job done for 3000 rounds before the scope looses zero, or the mount screws will sheer or crack or you’ll discover all of the failing points.  I won’t give a blank statement saying that one brand is always better than another because the one thing we notices in this industry is there are plenty of manufacturers that are putting out decent optics for less month than some of the more well known companies and that’s simply due to the fact that engineering is improving.   I will always suggest you check out warranties on products and also check online about reviews, but make sure you have good bull shit meter when you read them because plenty of people complain about things that were their faults, or it’s all second hand knowledge.

Sometimes the people that cut the most corners with optics are people that are hunting and the truth of the matter is that hunting rifles tend to not have as many rounds through them as something like an AR15 or SKS rifle.   With Trijicon Accupoint Scopes you are getting a little bit more into a hunting optic that wasn’t previously around, a pole reticle so you are getting literally pin point accuracy if you sighted the gun in properly, illumination what rarely existed before and the option of a durable 1-4×24 Compact optic with a wide ocular lense (the back of the scope) and helps find your sight picture quickly.   The reticle illumination is adjustable by adjusting a rear closure and this is extremely important for sunny days when you gotta cut back on the illumination and in low light allow more illumination.

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Reticles it’s not always how you think it works, Trijicon RMR Options and circles, triangles and dots

Trijicon RMR Sights

I have noticed a trend towards the triangle reticles since some red dots can look real fuzzy and one thing that Trijicon Red Dots don’t have are blur.  Clarity is something that Trijicon can alway praised about.   Horeshoe reticles give you the ability to see through your aiming point and hold a target within the reticle as opposed to putting the red dot or crosshairs on the target.  Sometimes this is a faster way of engaging a target and it was probable some of the Elcan optics that I shot with that I originally started seeing “hollow” reticles.   If you have a triangle reticle like the Trijicon RMR08G, you can still have pin point precision by using the top of the triangle for your zero and holding the triangle over center mass.  It pays to look through optics to see what you feel comfortable with, one down side to the ACOG models are the eye relief but the larger TA11’s tend to much more friendly.  Either way, you might have to learn to adapt to the optic if  you have a certain expectation from it.

I am often learning how to use various optics because every manufacturer designs an optic a certain way, but so many people don’t read the manual or know the specs.   Some of the Trijicon ACOGS are designed for 55gr flying out of a 20inch barrel, some people won’t know the difference but anyone shooting steel plates at a distance are going to notice it.   The Trijicon TA01NSN is meant for an M4 with a 14.5 inch barrel with the 62gr SCBT round.   There are always variations with those bullet velocity due to the quality of the manufacturer but if you shoot something like M193 or American Eagle 55gr you’ll do well with what your ACOG was traditionally designed for.   If you know what your bullet is going to do at a certain distance you can always learn holder overs, but being able to do range estimations and fast shots isn’t going to be easy unless it’s designed into your reticle.   Just like some people start off with a zero magnification optic like Aimponts and Eotechs, you can buy an ACOG and get the mount for an RMR at a later time.  Like always, Trijicon RMR sights will cost you the same as most optics, but I can’t think of anyone that comes close with this dual platform.

 

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Eotech Sights and Eotech Magnifiers you are paying for 2 optics

Eotech SightsWe see a lot of cringing when people ask us about the cost of the Eotech Magnifiers because it’s sometimes more or as much as what the Eotech sight cost in the first place.   At some point there will be a combat optic that you can go from zero magnification to 50X at the flip of a switch, but right now there isn’t anything like that on the market.   Zero Magnification tends to be more practical for most situations because magnification will slow you down in target acquisition at close ranges although there is a certain amount of training you can do to offset that a little but it’s not going to be the same.   I would suggest that, especially if you are right handed and putting your Eotech sight on an AR15, that you get an Eotech model with the buttons on the left side, ergonomically this is going  to be easier to adjust with your left hand no matter what, and if you decide to put a magnifier on it later, you’ll be much happier.

Clarity is going to be very important when looking for a magnifier, I haven’t tested out the Mako Magnifiers but I hear about them a lot, there are optics out there like some Sightmark optics, but in all honesty, I am not the type of person to constantly look for the less expensive optics and hope it’s going to hold up.   My best frame of reference is what Police Departments and Military Personnel are using.   Durability means more to mean then just holding zero because all devices have their breaking point and the difference between someone that is using it on an airsoft gun, might put 500rds through and AR15 and someone that is taking a Carbine Course where he needs to bring 1000rds of 5.56 and 400rds of 9mm is the difference between making it through a Carbine Course without any failures and someone that will be the laughing stock in his class.   As much as I love my Mini 14 Carbines, when put through the rate of fire that an AR15 can handle, the Mini 14 just won’t cut it.   $400 for a good optic, Aimpoint, Eotech Sights, Meprolight M21, and possible a used Trijicon Reflex Sight are my personnel starting point, when shopping for a magnifier, don’t buy a cheap one.

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Optics and Killflashes on Aimpoint and Trijicon ACOGS

Trijicon ACOGSThere arguments about using flashlights as defense tools really apply to just about any situation, if you deploy something, it can be an announcement visually or psychologically.   If you use a flashlight  on someone hoping to blind them, they may only become irratatted and be confrontational, just because you think you have them paralyzed for even a second, you can’t be complacent.   If you are a hunter, I probable don’t need to explain this to you, but if your prey sees you, they may run or even attack you depending on what it is you are hunting.  Hog hunting is really what comes to mind because recently I got the low down from a friend that was using an ACOG for Hog hunting in Texas and told me about the horror stories and complacency that got people hurt.   Even with all of the camouflage on, one of the biggest giveaways you can have to your location is the flashlight mirror or objective lense on ANY of the optics you are using on your firearm.

I think it should be mandatory for anyone ACOG purchase for someone to get a killflash and considering the cost of the scope and a killflash, you aren’t really adding much to the cost.   Some of the Trijicon ACOGS actually come with these in a package and considering how nice the glass is on the rifle scopes, they really do give off a signature at 1000yds if you aren’t using a killflash.   Even in low light it’s a good idea to consider using a blue or red lense over your weapon mounted light as well is something to reduce your signature.    Recently we got to test out some of the Meprolite sights next to Aimpoint, all with their killflashes and it was hardly noticeable when looking through them.   The pros far outway the cons on this one.

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Adding 1 More optic to our product line that we can back, Meprolight M21 Optics

Meprolight M21 SightsThere are always trade offs with optics and it’s really hard to know for sure if something is right for you unless you’ve gotten good references from a friend and put some trigger time behind an optic.   We deal with the same issues our customers due when we are thinking about bringing in inventory, and since it’s our job to try to answer questions and point out option they should consider, we’re endlessly researching product based on what we find on the Internet in the form of, Blogs, Product Reviews, and Youtube.com. Since we have over 30,000 tactical store products, and the optics part of it is easily in the thousands if you lump the hunting optics in with the tactical rifle scopes and AR15 red dots and other Rifle and Handgun Optic systems.   Technology is always improving and there are always different generations that have production features or designs that can make or break it for what you want.

If you are considering a red dot, zero magnification combat optic, the Mako Meprolight M21 Optics have moved up on our AR15 and M4 Carbine stocking product line.   Look for Meprolight M21 Sights to be in our showroom this fall because not only are they in the same price as the Aimpoint Red Dot Sights, they have features that definitely give you “another option” with possible advantages over their competitors.  I recently watching a product review on the Eotech vs Aimpoint Vs Trijicon Reflex and the MSE  once the reviewing scored up all of the pros and cons between those 4 optics, they were all very similar but field of view, battery life or no battery needed were the differences.   Reticle options was a big one for me and I still always come back to Eotech until I got to check out and use the Meprolight M21 Optics with the Bullseye reticle.   I found this to be an easy transition from an Eotech and not needing a battery to run it was it a major selling point.  I still don’t know why Eotech still is survival on old technology but Meprolight M21  sales have been going up now that everyone is finding out about them.

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Should you drop the cash for a spotting scope? And do you really think its worth it?

I’ve cSpotting Scopesheck out spotting scopes for years and to this day, haven’t felt the need for a separate optic just for spotting, but I know plenty of people that got their money’s worth.   “The Mission Drives the gear” they say and you don’t need to spend money on things that add weight to your payload that you might not need.  In the military, optics are on most rifles these days and having 3x-4x can help you get plenty of range, but that’s not going to help you see pinpoint accuracy like whether or not you got a hit at 500yds or if  you missed the paper.   Some of these issues can easily be over come by using Shoot N C targets but depending on the caliber  you are using, it can still be difficult.   Another thing to be careful about is in hot weather, the mirage you get from grass and dirt will wreck  your ability to see at any range and magnification will just exacerbate the problem.   Two man sniper teams usually have a spotter that picks the targets and gives ranges but you can do much of that a good mil-dot rifle scope.

One thing to think about if you are thinking about getting a Leupold or a Bushnell, but if you can afford it, Leupold Optics tend to be some of the best optics out there and if you are an outdoorsmen, you can do a lot with these if you have a good tripod.    I’ve often found that the Tri-pod means just as much for Spotting Scopes as does clarity because even some cheap optics will work as long as it’s not low light, low light situations is where you find out how cheap your optic is because an optic that allows more light to go through it will cost you more.   Just like rifle bipods, you gotta be careful you get a mount that works with what you need because if it’s too tall or too short, it’s going to be very uncomfortable to get into good viewing positions.

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