All posts tagged M4 Carbine optics

MBUS Sights, Cowitnessing optics, red dots and magnification

RMR08G-7SIf you are unsure of any of those questions when doing your next AR15 build, you need to spend a few days on youtube.com and learn about each individual trade off and asset.   I had to force myself several years ago when I was working on a new M4 selection, that I wanted a close quarters optic that gave me speed and a wide field of view.  I started out with a Bushmaster XM15E2 which is as basic as you can get with an AR15.  No muzzle brake, just two apertures to choose from and with the right kind of ammo for a 1-9 barrel twist, getting MOA is easy.  That was back in the day of carry handle ACOGS and heavy barrels.  Now the trend has been towards lighter and stronger.

I always felt that the AR15 was a great training tool and even youth can learn marksmenship on it, which in my opinion kind of gets lost when you teach with a scoped rifle.  I have taken some of Ruger 10/22 out with red dots on them, but it’s nice to use the Trijicon RMR sights for sale that we get in and let kids shoot balloons and just have fun.   If engagements on targets are under 50yds, iron iron sights or red dots are just fine.  Some law enforcement officers want some type of magnification even if its just a pair of compact binoculars.  It amazed at the number of people that still revert back to those, but sometimes you need it and sometimes you don’t.   If you got the money, there are some nice multitask combat optics from Trijicon that make good use of magnification and red dots.

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Optics reacting to indoor and outdoor lighting

Trijicon reflex sights We recently did some tests between various red dot optics and even the Eotech 516 as well as the Trijicon Reflex sights.  I don’t quite put the new Trijicon SRS sight in the same category as RX30A-51 because they just don’t seem like the same animal.   There is some wash out with the Trijicon fiber optic cables when you go from outdoors to indoors so this is something you will have to train for.   We did some tests with the Trijicon SRS sight to see if there were any noticeable changes when going from the solar powered lighting environment to total darkness and we were impressed with this part of it.  I do have to say there are plenty of critical comments out there about the SRS sight and the Diod image that shows up in certain lighting conditions.  I’ve had some people say that you need a flash kill for this sight and in all honesty, from what I see, yes you do.

There are Eotech sights that are MOA red dots but there is definitely a clarity difference between the SRS sight and even Aimpoint sights.   The new addition to the Trijicon Reflex sights are the Trijicon SRS01 and the SRS02.  These are the same optic but different mounting systems.   I don’t know why anyone wouldn’t want the bobro mount because they just make so much sense.  I am running an SRS sight on my LWRC M6A2 and it is a very fast sight not just because it’s zero magnification but the red dot is more like star light than a hazy.  The cost of the SRS sights are about $300-$400 more than the Aimpoint red dots but if you are competition shooters or you want to be the first in  your group to get it, you’ll be able to figure out the advantages of this optic.

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Are Eotech sights out dated?

eotech sightsWe have had a ton of people stop in our store and ask us if we sell Aimpoint but unfortunately the distributor that we use to deal with no longer is carrying them.  If we wanted to be a direct dealer for them, we’d probable not get product for another 6 months or more considering the craze that is going on in  the Country.   Aimpoints are probable the best price combat durable red dot optics but I am not a big fan of them.  My eyes tend to track the Eotech sights or a Circle dot reticle like the TA44 from Trijicon better than a red dot.   Lasers and Red dots seem to race around on targets and they also can obscure targets depending on the size of the dots.  Trijicon does  have a 1.75 MOA dot that is very nice but there are still some issues with that optic that I recently have found at fault.

After all of these optics are tested out, many of our customers still go back to the Eotech sights.  Primarily because they are zero magnification and you can keep both eyes  open when using Eotech sights which is very important if  there are close quarters engagements which statistically occurs for Law Enforcement.   I have been running the Eotech 512 for about 8yrs and only a battery contact came loose on it.  I do have the Gen 2 Magnifier on it but I could probable be better off if I was running the Eotech 516 or the EXPS2-0 which have the buttons on the left side which is what you have to think about if you are thinking about adding on the Magnifier later on.

 

 

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Trijicon SRS sights for sale!

Trijicon SRS sights for saleLet’s start off talking about close quarter combat optics and why they are meant for close quarters.   First of all, you are going to want a zero magnification optic with the widest field of view or probable not more than 2x even though the majority are rarely more than 1.5x.   Everyone has different eyes and not everyone picks up colors the same so these opinions are mine and not something to be taken as a rule, but understanding the reasons why low or zero powered optics are good for close up fighting is important because fancy accurate optics don’t mean anything at 50yds and under in determining who gets a hit and who doesn’t.   You can probable blind fold someone and let them hip shoot at those ranges and they might be able get more hits on paper in a faster time period than someone actually aiming.

Quick detach mounts is probable the way to go for any optic especially one being used for self defense.   A broken optic is something you don’t want in the heat of a fight and the Trijicon SRS sights for sale like the SRS02 is the best configuration.   Some  people want laser sights on their guns and others just want a red dot.  4 MOA red dots seem to be very common but a dot that sizes is 12inches at 300yds and that is not going to be a practical optic for any medium range engagements.  The Trijicon SRS quick detach SRS02 as well as the SRS01 have a 1.75 inch red dot which makes medium range and more precision shooting.  With 1 AA battery this solar powered AR15 combat optic might give you up to 5yrs depending on how much you use it in available light.   This very precise red dot has a shorter housing than any of the Aimpoint optics

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Crosshairs and reticles, precision or speed?

Trijicon TA01NSN for saleSometimes you can have almost all of that in one package but you’ll probable end  up dropping about $2000  or more on an optic.  If I could afford it I would  have an ACOG with the RMR mounted on top but that is too expensive of a package for me when I’m running it on a $600 gun.   For combat and if you are in the military, that is a great weapon, but there are still pros and cons  of using a mounting system like this.  One of the most common things I’ve seen with ACOGS in Iraq is that many of them actually got shot.  Considering that this optic is something that mounts so high on a carry handle or the RMR configuration on a flat top, you will have to think about getting a cheek riser of  you want to be proficient with this system.

The RMR is a really nice red dot that isn’t b ig and bulky like an Aimpoint or Trijicon SRS sight.  IF you get a sighting system like that, it’s a full blown optic, but Trijicon TA01NSN for sale are probable the next step down but with basically the same benefits.   I always have iron sights on my guns because I  have know all too well that optics can break, shatter or get shot and if you want to get it off you better have a backup sighting system.   I’ve shot guns that didn’t have rear sights and it is very difficult to hit anything.   If you want speed a red dot optic is good but if you want precision, a Chevron or crosshair reticle, especially a thin crosshair one like the TA01.

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Optics, batteries, tritium and fiber optics!

There are huge differences in the types and applications of various combat optics.   When many people think about red dot optics there are big differences in the way that they are setup.  Some come with mounts, quick detach ones or thumb screw.  The differences between Aimpoints, Bushnells and C-more red dots are considerable and it’s not just the quality of the optics.   I am very picky about clarity of reticles and it’s kind of funny that the more I use Trijicon optics, the less I like red dots and Eotechs.   The thing that always hits me are the costs of Eotech sights, but the TA26 or TA44 scopes are so clean and crisp compared to the Eotech or C-more optics.

When do you really want an ACOG?  Trijicon ACOGS are really a medium range optics, optics like the Trijicon TA31F-G for saleTrijicon TA31F-G for sale are just simple that.  Sure you can nail targets out past 600 yards with them, but if you want close range engagement you will probable want a different setup.  The RMR sights that are mounted at the top of an ACOG will cost more, but it really all depends on what you want to do with the sight.   Optics that take batteries are going to be around for a long time, as a matter of fact The TA02 is a new battery powered optic, but the new thing is going to be rechargeable and solar powered optics.

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Some feedback about the Trijicon SRS

Trijicon Reflex Sights We’ve only been selling the Trijicon SRS sights for a few months and finally got some good feed back about why people wanted them.   The number one reason people like this sight is it’s something different and has a slight advantage over the Aimpoint red dot sights.  The solar battery powered SRS sight gives you years of battery life from just one AA battery.  We have done side by side comparisons between the Eotech XPS sights and the Aimpoint and if you want a compact optic, and you want the most rail space available to you, the SRS and the Eotech XPS or EXPS sights are the way to go.  Not all of our customers really cared about the battery life which was actually surprising.

Some of our customers really wanted the Eotech just for the wide visibility and that famous gunsight reticle.   The one thing we learned when we brought in the Trijicon Reflex sights were the that it was more compact than an ACOG and really good clean red dot unlike some less expensive brands.   Being able to have a crisp dot and the multiple power settings  and a great low maintenance optic is something the Eotech bashers wanted.   I personally am not a huge fan of red dots because I prefer more precision but the SRS red dot is the smallers red dot optic we sell.

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Trijicon M4 Optics what bullet weight?

You do have to be careful who you listen to when you shop around for optics for your M4 carbine.  In recent years it is not that uncommon for people to be using 75gr or 77gr ammuntion in their M4 Carbines, and if you change the bullet weight of  your round, you can void the purpose and  uses of your bullet compensator.  I know several people that think there is no difference between the M855 and the M193 round when  you sighting in  with a Trijicon ACOG, but this is not the case.  If you are using something like the Trijicon TA01NSN optics and you want to engage a target at 400yds, there is going to be a big difference in where you hit.  If you pay attention the ballistics of the ammunition you are using and you use the good stuff, you should be dead on with your Trijicon sighting system.

I use an LWRC M6A1 with a Trijicon TA01NS which is my favorite optics, primarily because I can never really adjust to anything but crosshairs on my reticle.  I have used  the TA31F-G on occassion but the Trijicon TA01NSN is still my favorite optic.   The iron sights are an added feature which do sit high, but an easy transition from medium range to close quarters combat shooting if need be.   You also have a night sight on the front sight.   You can always swap out the iron sights for one of the RMR sights if you want to.

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All those gun sights and no idea what you want until you pick it up and loo through it

As a retailer of Trijicon rifle and handgun sights, we hear it all the time that customers had no idea what the products were like until they looked through them.   There are so many variables with the Trijicon ACOGS and the differences between each, even though not much to an experienced shooter, can be some what overwelming when  you have no idea what the lines are.  I had to have a meeting with my Trijicon Sales Rep to find out what all of the specs were and how some of these were sighted in and aimed.   Those simple X crosshairs are somewhat a thing of the past and what use to be the M16 gunsight on the Eotech is now a low tech combat optic.
Low tech might be the way you want to go with your optic but chosing between having optics that are battery operated and fiber optics can also be a hard one.  Many people have moved away from 4x optics on their guns because they don’t do you all that good in close up fighting, the Trijicon Reflex sights for sale are a good competition to red dot and Eotech sights.  You can get a wide field of view from the Trijicon RX30A-51 which we have in stock in our store with the amber dot.  This gives you a defined illuminated dot that does not haze or look blurred like red dots.  You get a similar field of view as the Eotech 512.

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Moving away from battery reliant optics?

I remember when Eotech sights and red dots were showing up on gun ranges about 15yrs ago and how high tech they were.  They were because you were basically getting an F16 gun sight on a Carbine and it was so easy to see targets and engage them quickly.   I have good eye sight for my age but there have been many times I have taken friends and family members as well as students to the range and people had trouble looking through optics.  The best thing about low magnification optics is that is less of a problem for them.  Aimpoint is still probable the king of the red dots but Trijicon has the SRS red dot out now and we have a few of them inbound.

Having AA batteries around for your firearm optic is easy and it’s a very common battery to find.  There have been design changes to Eotech sights because it was common for the gun sight to have issues with the battery contacts when the batteries were put in forward in relation to the firearm.  I assume it had something to do with barrel harmonics but I have witnessed this first hand.  The smaller CR123 batter is being used more than the AA batteries and you’ll get a shorter smaller optic.  There are always trade offs with firearm optics and even trijicon is moving towards battery powered optics.

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