All posts tagged Leupold CQT

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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Making a rifle into a DMR

The term Designated Marksmen Rifle has been around for a long time, but in the last 8yrs it has really made a comeback.   When the United States invaded Iraq, there was more street fighting and urban engagements that in the first Persian Gulf War.   I remember making some comments to a few friends about what we will see evolved with the military now that we actually have boots on the ground.   We expected to see the M16 replaced by now, but according to many sources, the piston driven versions of the M16 are in service in Special Forces and some branches.  Even rumors that the H&K 416 was used to kill Osama Bin Laden.

You can make any rifle into a Designated Marksmen Rifle.    In my opinion it usually means putting a higher magnification optics like a Trijicon ACOG or  Leupold Rifle Scopes on them.   If you have a good enough operator behind a weapon the standard M16A2 can be a very leathal weapon out to 600yds, especially with the right type of ammo.   There are some really good rounds for longer engagements, but the .308 is probable a better choice.  There are many times where a bad guy sticks his head out and it’s too hard to get them with an M4 Carbine.   The LWRC REPR is probable the nicest .308 gun designed for this role that is actually a few pounds lighter than it’s predecessors.

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Updating a battle rifle with optics

I have on numerous occasions watched people try and turn their AR15 rifles into sniper rifles and long range shooting rifles.   The AR15 has become so modified that it’s really hard to say what it’s limitations are because their are many things that it can do if modified.    I remember when the M1A ruled competitions, but now it’s really hard to find them anymore.   There have been many long range shooting modifications that have made the AR15 a 1000yd rifle.  One thing the AR15 is really known for doing well is being accurate.  I jumped on that bandwagon a few years ago and enjoy the ones that I have.  One thing that the AR15 in .223 is also known for is lack of penetration on hard targets.   With the invasion of Iraq, there have been numerous stories of guys not  being able to shoot through concrete walls to get a BG that was just about a foot on the other side.   The AR15 with M855 or SS109 can penetrate steel at reasonable ranges, but when it comes to taking 300yd shots at hard walls, it is out of gas.

Considering what the M855 round can do as far as penetration, it’s no weakling when it comes to punching through targets, but that energy gets to be useless on anything other than flak jacket type armor.    The M1A or the .308 for that matter is an over kill at close ranges under 200yds and it’s going to do much more than what an AR15 or M16 can do, but when  you get out to 300yds + good rifles scopes, accurate rifles and a .308 are going to hit targets harder, punch through targets harder and save the guys carrying the M4 rifles a lot of ammo and get the job done.    Mounting optics and finding really good and fast bullet compensator on the glass shouldn’t slow you down and will help you get fast target acquisition at medium ranges.

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Having fun but having the right stuff

I would have to say that the vast majority of those that have anything more than a flashlight and optic on the M4 are probable putting something on our guns that we really don’t need, but just enjoy having on.   There’s nothing wrong with having an LWRCI upper with a quad rail or a MidWest quad rail if you think you can put it to use, but when we actually have to carry the Carbine for any real length of time, we’ll wish we could strip a few extra pounds of weight off the gun.  Many of our Staff have been attending competition shoots lately that have been really well run.   These events are everything from battle scenarios or even Zombie shoots.

Last  year in Pennsylvania we attended a Carbine shoot where the the attendees has to sign in at 8am and once they left the club house, they couldn’t drop off any gear and had to lug it all with them for the day.   All of the competitors were carrying M4 or AR15 variants and a few had AK rifles.    Ammunition loads were approximately 400rds of rifle and 100rds of handgun ammo.    I enjoy these events because we get too see some real hard use of tactical gear and tactical accessories.   We tend to not see things fail at these shoots because the competitors are in the higher class as far as skill and the types of firearms they use.   If you ever want to see what kind of optics work and which firearms and when things jam, go to a competition shoot at your gun club and sit back and watch.

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Short deployments and planning ahead

I prefer the Eotech optics for most fighting within 200yds.   I have yet to pick up one of the G23 FTS magnifiers because I am waiting to find out if there is going to be a 4x version coming out.  To me there is zero magnification and then there is 4x, and then I move up to 10x.   I really find there to be no real reason to do the 1-3x or anything between 5-8x.   The magnifer is an good idea for someone who already owns the Eotech and wishes they had an ACOG.   You may think that is a funny thing to say, but it’s true.   The Trijicon ACOG is a nice optic, but it does have it’s limitations in close up fighting and if you want to mount a red dot on top of the scope, you’ll be dealing with extremely high mounted optics for 30% more money.

 

I think there is a difference between what a SWAT Team should be planning to use as far as accessories and gear and what Military personal should expect.   I have had my fair share of experiences with combat Eotech rifle scopes optics and optics that I would just consider for hunting that were very durable.   I have never had a bad experience with an optic that cost me more than $200.   I’ve had some optics that have been on my hunting rifles  with 5000 or more rounds and I have never had a loss of zero.   Although we all know that there are differences in the types of optics, most of us won’t have issues if we mount them properly.  Most combat optics will come with a mount or already are a one piece unit like the Eotech rifle scopes.

 

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Finding your zero

rifle scopesOne of the most common issues I have seen with new Carbine students is their lack of knowledge about where their point of impact is at close ranges.   I spoke with a student who could shoot his M4 out to 600yds with his ACOG, but did not know where  his POI was at 50yds.    Just about every 5.56 gun is going to be capable of hitting a man size target at 600yds, but the Carbine is really meant for close quarters combat.    I’ve noticed a move away from magnification on many M4s because you really undermine your speed if you are relying on pin point accuracy from 100-600yds and don’t realize that you are completely missing a moving target that is 40yds away from  you because you can’t track it.

One thing I do not recommend for an M4 is magnification over 4x.    If you go hunting with your M4 and are fortunate enough to be able to do that in  your State, then go ahead and put a 3-9×40 scope on it, but that will be a hinderance in a combat situation under 100yds.   I still believe the best CQB combat optic is the Eotech, although I’d like to see a reticle that doesn’t fail when the batteries go dea.   The Leupold CQT is a nice optic, but the FOV is not as good at the Eotech rifle scopes.    I hear a lot of BS about people complaining about how the front posts on their rifles cover targets at close range, but I recommend that people keep a front post available.   There have been so many times that I have forgotten to flip up my rear sight and just used the Eotech glass as tool for getting a sight picture and just used the front sight post for targetting.    I did a test a  few years ago where I saw virtually zero change in accuracy between just used my Eotech and front sight post and using a flip up rear sight.

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backup options for combat optics

rifle scopesIt’s always up to the operator to determine which configuration works best for him, but with the reliance on battery operatored optics and high mounted optics, it’s really a good idea for a user to consider the what ifs.   What do you do with your Eotech if the batteries die?   What happens if the optics come loose ?   Scope mounts can come loose and even break,  I’ve seen this happen on M1A rifles, AK, FAL and AR15s on several ocassions.   Sometimes its a good idea to train  yourself to be able to  hit a target without even a rear sight.   There have been several times where I actually forgot to flip up my rear sights on my co-witness configuration and just used the sight picture from my Eotech optic and the front sight post.   I never missed what I was aiming at and it was actually good practice for me.

If you can get a good cheek weld, and you know approx. where your poi is, you should be able to hit a man size target out several hundred yards with just a front sight post.   I’m sure you’ll burn through a few more rounds to hit your target, but it is possible.    Many Trijicon ACOG rifle scopes are being used with red dots mounted on the top or have iron sights mounted on the top of the scope.   The TA01 NSN seems to be the popular configuration I am seeing around.  This will give you fast transition from CQB or long range engagements,   It also gives you more than one targeting system incase one goes down.

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You can’t hit what you can’t see

Leupold ScopesLike many novice shooters, we start out with whatever we can get our hands on.  There are a lot of cheap optics on the market that all fall in the under $100 market that may work fine for somebody just looking to plink or use for hunting once a year, but I’ve put enough lead downrange to know that serious shooters don’t want to be sitting on a firine line watching a reticle spin when they are trying to sight in.  Some gun owners will get those gun show specials only to find out that all of those cheap optics they bought won’t last a lifetime.Durability is only one part of the selection.  Hunting early in the morning or late in the afternoon can be a challege especially for those not equipment with quality optics.

The Xtended Twilight Lens System™ optimizes the transmission of low-light wavelengths, so you see the details of low-light scenes in greater, brighter detail than with any other riflescope availableLow-profile SpeeDial™ adjustments smoothly slide up and open for adjustment.The finger-adjustable ¼-MOA click adjustments are easy to zero.A more generous eyebox than you’ll find even in premium European optics.Blackened lens edges reduce light diffusion, so more usable light reaches the shooter’s eye, for a brighter image with higher resolution.If you want to know what I mean, next time you have the ability to compare various optics side to side, set the magnification on each to maximum and compare the brightness of each.  In most quality gun shops you’ll find a selection of Leupold Scopes and I challege you to list the manufacturers that are equal or better.

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Leupold Scopes

Leupold ScopesIt’s a decidedly American story: one century ago in 1907, a young German immigrant named Fred Leupold set up a one man shop at 5th and Oak Streets in Portland, Oregon, repairing optics for surveying equipment. Leupold & Stevens is still family owned, though our focus has turned from surveying to helping people all across the globe survey their environments with the innovative, high-performance sports optics and accessories.

A lot happened in between. Fred Leupold was joined by his brother-in-law, Adam Voelpel. Later, an ingenious and prolific inventor and consulting engineer named John Cyprian Stevens became a partner in the business. The small company survived the First World War and the Great Depression. But it was the Second World War that would change the company forever. Working with the U.S. Army on a riflescope and the Navy on Leuopold optics for use aboard ships, the engineers at Leupold learned the secrets of waterproofing and durable construction that would completely change the world of sports optics.

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