All posts tagged ACOGS

Firearms and accessories can just be about preference, not quality

Those arguments about which gun is better and which firearms optic is better is not much of an argument since Aimpoint, Eotech and Trijicon optics  have all earned their way into the military durable optics.   There have been some minor changes in these optics and we expect that all of the above mentioned companies will product new and better optics at some point in the future.  Red dots are getting smaller and more precise and at some point in the near future there will be no battery usage in these optics and everything will be rechargeable or solar powered.   Green reticles have outsold red reticles for the Trijicon ACOGS in 2012 and we don’t see that changing anytime soon.

The reality about the ACOG is that it is a fine medium range combat optic but there are always short comings in it’s usage.  The TA01NSN is a fine ACOG that has built in iron sights for close range unlike optics like the Trijicon TA11H-G which is a DMR or SAW optics or even better a really good competition shooting optic.  The Horse shoe reticle is a preference and for some people it works, others prefer the skinny and precise crosshairs that the TA01 ACOGS have.   The TA11 has a much longer range reticle and hold overs with this optic are very accurate at 800-1000yds with correct ammunition.

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Red vs Green reticles

Last fall i picked up my first crossbow which was a Horton Vision Crossbow.  I got it at Cabelas for about $850 as a Combo with a nice optic with an illuminated reticle and bolt compensator.   This was a very unique crossbow and definitely the most quiet.    At first the illuminated reticle seemed to be secondary to me, but it had an option to be green or red.   I didn’t understand the level of thought put into the optic until I started using it in the woods.   The green reticle was probable the best one in the brown and yellow woods I was in and I stuck with that for the entire day.

The newest and probable best selling optic we have right now is the Trijicon 1.5×16 ACOG.  This is a Mini ACOG and will can be used with traditional ACOG mounts, but there is a smaller more appropriate mount for it.   Trijicon ACOGS tend to be a medium range optic, but these 1.5×16 give you a minimal amount of magnification, but zero battery use.  There are other reticles available besides the red ring and the green ring, but the green ring reticles are now the most popular selling although many of our LEO are still using the red reticles.

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Dots, Chevrons, Crosshairs and horse shoes

Rifle scopes  and gun optics have gotten easier to use in some regards, but the diversity of the reticles from various manufacturers is something that is starting to give me a headache.   Things were much simpler when it was about a thin crosshair a duplex, European reticle with a pole, illuminated reticle, dot or Eotech gun sight.   Its far more complicated now, but somebody finally realized that not all rifles are designed for the same thing.   When ACOGS started getting a lot of notice and showing up on a firing range I was in awe, but then I realized that the eye relief on them was a limiting factor in close range fighting and you really might want to keep those iron sights on the gun just incase.

I really don’t like deviating from thin crosshairs on a rifle scope because I’ve already seen one too many time that many reticles can obscure your target and what is the point of not being able to see an enemies head pop out behind a tree at 200yds  because your red dot is blocking the entire target.   If you get a CQB optic you may be limiting your rifle scopes ability to see further out and now you’ve got a problem with medium to longer range targets.   The TA01NSN will always be my favorite Trijicon ACOG just because you can quickly transition from glass to iron sights with very little movement.  Mechanical devices like the Eotech magnifier are nice but that is one more thing that can break or come loose on your gun when a simpler approach might be a better option.

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Urban Combat at Zero Magnification

Trijicon ACOGI have a friend that was in Iraq that mentioned that magnification was what helped them identify IED wires at a distance where guys with irons and Eotechs couldn’t seem them.   I’d have to say that the ACOG is still an advanced combat sight, but they are expensive.   The thing that makes the ACOG work so well is having the right ammo matched up to the bullet comp.  Once you figure out where the hold overs are, this optic is fast.  At rifle competitions at my club, I always notice that the guys that could nail target the fastest all had Acogs.

 

There is much to think about when selecting an optic or sighting system for your Carbine.   For Close Quarters Combat, zero magnification is usually your best option because it can be a problem if there is a need for seeing beyond 100yds or more.   When someone comes with a Trijicon ACOG that has variable magnifications that goes from zero to 20X that’ll be a big step forward.   Unfortunately it’s hard to really say what you have on your gun because there are so many variables.   Eotech has a magnification option for their sighting system, but it adds considerable weight and limites where you put backup irons on the gun.

 

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