All posts tagged Hunting Scopes

Changes in hunting optics and Trijicon Accupoint optics

Trijicon Accupoint ScopesI have done a lot of hunting and I can’t believe some of the guns I have in my collection have been there for over 25yrs.   I didn’t get into hunting as early as some of you probable did but small game and deer was where it all started.   The first time I went hunting I was using a Winchester Model 70 with a redfield scope that my uncle had on it.   I was warned that it does fog up and boy did it fog up on day 1.   Going from a warm cabin to a cold 5am mountain hike instantly caused the scope reticle to haze over.   I almost wished I had iron sights on that trip.  Since then I’ve actually switched to using a lever action rifle with iron sights because it was the most comfortable rifle I could have to hike with.   The my Marlin 35 Remington is my primary deer rifle.

If I want to get back into mounting a scope on my hunting rifles, I probable could do it with my Marlin 35 remington but I’d have to take it to my gunsmith.   Trijicon is famous for their military optics but the Trijicon Accupoint scopes are very popular in the hunting community.   The illuminated reticles really held out in not losing your sights on the target in low light, and in all honesty, that probable how all of my deer were taking.   There are varying colors of reticles from, Red, Green, Amber and yellow.   Green reticles have really become popular and there is a noticeable difference in certain hunting environments to have

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Leupold AR optics

Along with defensive ammunition improvements, one of the largest improvements we have seen in the industry is with combat optics. 20yrs ago there were only a handful of optics that could hold up to the abuse that real hunting and shooting gave them. With the advent of military rifles being issue with scope rails, more and more of our soldiers are getting the most out of the M16 and with the re introduction of the designated marksmen, Leupold rifle scopes are even today being used for combat duty. We are seeing M16A4 being used with Leupold 3-9×40 optics just because the troops are familiar with their hunting skills in America and know that Leupold scopes are dependable. For long range and medium range shooting, there are a great many options on the table.

Our favorite things to come from Leupold are with their close quarters. medium range and extended range rifle scopes. These aren’t your fathers hunting scopes, the compact  Leupold rifle scopes aren’t the high profile optics that will force you to adjust your cheek weld and the close quarters CQT won’t have a disappearing reticle if the batteries go out. With the now growing number of .308 AR showing up, Leupold medium range optics with Mil-dot and medium magnifications won’t slow down your designated marksmen. The Leupold AR riflescopes are specifically designed for the AR15 owner that may be doing varmint work in his backyard. While the .223 seems to be over looked by many in the varmint community for the 22-250, with the correct platform, the AR15 can be a DMR or Varmint option.

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Understanding optics and reticles

There is so much back and forth behavior when it comes to accessorizing AR15 guns and and the optics that go on them.  Luckily I was not in the category of people that spent $1000 on optics and then switched to something else later.  I was smart enough and had enough life experience and also a very small amount of money in a bank account so I started off with an AR15A2.   I still believe that after starting a new shooter out on a 22lr rifle preferable a  bolt action, once a shooter can handle a 22lr gun, the AR15A2 is the next best step.

When it comes to not having a  lot of money to spend but you know you want serious equipment, it really comes down to Trijicon, Aimpoint and Eotech.   There are pros and cons of each but none of them will do everything.  Trijicon Rifle Scopes and give you a very wide range of optics for hunting and combat but to this day the Eotech still holds its own for close up fighting and fast shooting.   In close range fighting zero magnification is the best but there are some options like the TA26 which is 1.5x magnification and gives you a light edge over zero mag.   This may mean the difference between identifying a weapon from a cell phone at reasonable close ranges.

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Hottest Seller for the M4 Carbine from Trijicon

Sometimes we get a new product from a company that just flat out blows away the previous production line, but recently we have noticed that our most consistent selling M4 Optic is the Trijicon TA01NSN ACOG.   This is probable the most practical setup without over complicating the system and putting higher mounted parts on the already high sitting combat optic.   The Trijicon TA01NSN has backup iron sights for close up fighting.   For those trained with iron sights, nothing gets you back to the basics and away from glass optics that those metal or composite posts.

One of the best things about the ACOG system is the optics come already mounted.  We have all witness some shooters have a really difficult time with long range shooting because the optics they are deploying are not leveled properly.  The Trijicon TA01NSN like it’s fellow ACOGS can come on a carry handle or it’s only mount.  Nothing to adjust with the optic like you have to with scope rings, these optics are already leveled and once they are sighted in they can be removed and should remained zeroed.

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Changes in combat optics are around the horizon

There have been many changes in recent years away from the tradition long tube rifle scopes.   There has been a steady trend away from magnification and most combat optics are now either zero magnification or less than 4x.    There are many things that I wish they made, but technology is not there yet, but it soon will be.  I love the Eotech gun sights, but the dependency on batteries is a major drawback.   The Eotech magnifier is so popular that many are using them with Aimpoint optics.   The wide object and fighter plane combat gun sight really make the Eotech a great close up fighting optic.

There are a lot of preferences  out there and it’s another one one those age old debates, but it’s really all about what you are going to  use a combat optics for which makes it worth the price.  Trijicon ACOGS have had many changes and I often have to refer to the Trijicon catalog to remember all of the changes.   I’ve heard rumblings that the ACOG DOC sights aren’t being made anymore or they are going to be modified because they keep getting sheered off.  It kind of reminds me of the guys bitching about Blackhawk Serpa holsters that got sheered off during a police chase.

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Ruger 10/22 range day and scope options

I’m brainstorming with this blog post so give me some of your advice if you have any on what to put on my Ruger 10/22 rifle.   This is a standard 10/22 and not a tricked out barrel or trigger.   I purchased all of my 22lr for new shooters to learn on and didn’t want to get too fancy with optics in the beginning.   After picking up a Marlin Model 980 bolt action and having the rear sight replaced with an adjustable elevation like the standard 10/22,  I haven’t had the urge to buy another optic for this gun.   Many bolt actions are capable of shooting quarter size groups at 100yds with the right kind of ammo, but even though my bolt action has that capability, I still wanted it for novice introduction to firearms.

My ruger 10/22 was a training gun, but after recently doing some aggressive testing between the two, there was no comparison in accuracy.   The bolt action was shooting dime size groups at 50ft and the Ruger was shooting 2 inch groups with the same ammo.   I’m thinking about picking up a rifle scope for this gun that is either a fixed power or a red dot.   I have a Butler Creek 25 round magazine that I have yet to test out, but it could be a good close quarters combat training tool for wiping out soda cans and other carbonated reactive targets.   I had an Eotech 552 on a Ruger Mini 14 and had fun with it, but went back to a 3-9x40mm scope because it just seemed more practical.

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Hunting overkills this Fall

For most of the Northeast, hunting will start in about 6 weeks for archery and then small game begins.   Archery has gained a  lot of ground in this region because so much of the good hunting areas are populated and it’s hard to safely manage deer populations if areas where it’s not really safe to use a firearm.   I still don’t know why so many people go with monsterous optics that when put under any kind of realistic hunting test, will always slow you down.   Whenever I ask people what they are doing with a 50mm objective on a gun that is really meant for something that weights 800lbs and they are out hunting white tail, they usually say they are afraid of making bad shots.

From my own personal experience in the military and law enforcement community, I think hunting with a red dot is probable more practical than any optic that magnifies more than 5xs.   For small game I’d recommend against using a red dot, but there have been times I’ve been tempted to just bring a Mini 14 with an Eotech out for while tails just because the speed I get with that configuration is better than any lever action or 7mm bolt action.   Whenever you are thinking about doing long range shooting, go ahead with magnification, but wheneve you are thinking about rifle scopes for hunting applications, do a realistic gauge of how good your eyes are and what kind of opportunities you may expect when out in the field, and don’t slow yourself down with too much magnification or an optic that has an eye relief inhibits your mobility.

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Combat optics something else to consider

rifle scopesI’m so old that I can tell you about the day I was on a firing line and saw my first Trijicon ACOG.    The first time I saw it I thought it was some kind of toy.   The bright neon strand stood out that I just couldn’t understand why a combat optic was so visible.    I guess I read too many sniper stories where optics gave away a snipers position due to sun glare, and it was always something I thought about even when hunting.   I’ve spotted other hunters before just by see that split second flash from the tree line and I can completely understand how patience can be the key to winning a sniper battle.

Trijicon optics are a tool for modern day fighting, I still prefer the Eotech combat sights for close up fighting,  but the battery issue is a big problem for longer operations.   Trijicon rifle scopes have become more diversified and aren’t just meant for being mounted on an A2 carry handle anymore.    There are red dot and close up fighting optics and reticles now and the accupoint rifle scopes are very practical for hunting.   One thing to seriously consider for combat optics is along with giving you pin point accuracy, the objective lenses that are showing up on standard issue rifles these days make it real hard to hide in shadows.   If you put a flashlight and optic on your gun, those two tools can be a dead giveaway in even the lowest light.   I strongly recommend putting a kill flash or removeable scope cover, flip up covers are fine.

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M4 Configurations and reticles

rifle scopesIt seems that the M4 AR15 variant is hands down the most popular carbine in existance in the United States.   There are plenty of AK and European military style rifles out there, but the accessorized M4 is king.    When I first stepped into the high speed tactical carbine school, I was going there from previously owning only Kalashnikov variant rifles.   The biggest promotion I heard from all of those owning an AR15 was how accurate they were.   It is true that the M4 and AR15 family of rifles ARE the most accurate combat rifles, but that doesn’t make them the most effective.   Ever since the Iraq invasion, the notion of just sending in a group of guys with M4 Carbines or M16s without a 7.62 DMR is not common.   There was a lot of hype about the military digging up M14s and giving them this role, but now that several years have passed, the military has been working with newer models of 7.62 rifles to eventually fill that role.
Along with the return of pistol driven guns, the 5.56 is being put in its place and other caliber rifles are being deployed.  The 5.56 and 50 Caliber rifles are doing their jobs quite well, but is some environments the 50 caliber is an over kill and something in between 7.62 and 50 Cal was needed.   The 338 Lapua seems to be filling that role very well.   The combat optic has also been evolving due to the fact that engaging enemies from 100-600yds is not very common and many of these rifle scopes are too much magnification for close quarters combat.    Eotech has a mangnification scope that allows you to go from 3x to zero magnification with the slip of a switch.    Trijicon ACOGs are hands down the #1 combat rifle optic, but red dots and various color and configurations of reticles are being used.   Each has it’s given purpose and it’s up to the operator to determine which application is best for them.

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Magnification from 0-20x

Trijicon ACOGOne problem that any hunter already knew was using too much magnification meant slow target acquisition, especially at close ranges.   Field of view is even more important in combat than in hunting.   In Combat you may be looking at a bad guys face with your reticle right on him, but 6ft to his right is a guy with his sights right on you that you can’t see.  I’d have to say that I belive that 3x-4x is probable the best of both worlds.   Trijicon knew that even an optic with zero magnification like the Eotech had an edge in some situations so now they have Trijicon ECOS which has a red dot optic which sits on top of the scope.  This will eliminate the problem of magnification in close quarters situations.

As The United States has been engaged in military operations since Sept 11th, there have been major changes in gear and combat optic for the Infantryman.   Most M16 rifles had iron sights on them, but now the vast majority of rifles being used are using some kind of Trijicon ACOGs  on them.   I still see the occassional hunting scope from Leupold and Designated Marksmen are common in every team.   The Eotech is still an extremely popular close quarters combat fighting optic due to its zero magnification and easy to track gun sight, but there are drawbacks, namely the battery operation.   Magnification has helped our men and women identify targets, wires, explosives ect. from safe distances and give the ability to put fast followup shots by using bullet calibration on their Trijicon ACOGs.

 

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