All posts tagged Mil Dot Reticles

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.

Top

Red Dots on ACOGS

I am really liking the RMR sights not because they look nice mounted on the top of a TA01 optic or a TA31, but because you can put them on just about anything.   The notion of putting a red dot on handguns is a much better idea than laser sights in my opinion because I do not think people will take as long to track a target with this sighting system.   Handguns are hard enough to shoot in tight groups a better sighting system than irons gives you something easy to see with old eyes and low light environments.   It will take less training to teach a novice to use a firearm with a sighting system like this.

If you really want to dress your M4 Carbine down and have a light and fast optic, the RMR system by itself might be good enough for you.  The RM01-33 can be mounted on a Picatinny rail system and the RM01-34 can be mounted on a Weaver system.  There are plenty  Trijicon rifle scopes  out there but don’t over look the simplicity of  a small and compact optic system that doesn’t add too much weight to your weapon.  The trend is towards lighter and faster firearms and optics are moving in that direction too.

Top

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.

Top

Optics that hold zero

There are a great many  things that I have learned over the years about what is a combat worthy firearm and what is a hobby type of firearm.   I have seen such huge variations in AR 15 rifles that I really can’t say that some manufacturers of direct impingement firearms are less reliable that gas piston guns.   There are some variations in the older design that have machine their parts so well that they really do run on less lubrication and have run in some tests off thousands and thousands of rounds with out failure.   I will say that gas piston guns will run cleaner, but are they more reliable than a high end AR15?   I don’t think most of us will really ever know the answer to that because there are always variables in how a firearm is maintained and in what climate and conditions it is subjected to.

If I had to issue handguns and rifles to relatives, I’d probable go with a gun that is easy to clean and easy to shoot, if I want a gun for myself, I’ll take the guns that work the best for me.   I know I put more effort into making sure every rifle I own has the right parts staked and loctited down.   I have broken a few Tasco and Simmons optics, but I have never had Leupold rifle scopes, Zeiss or Trijicon optic fail on me.   There are faulty mounts and scope rings out there, but even the less expensive ones will work if you use Loctite on them and don’t over torque them.   Over torque screws on firearms can mean broken screws and I have learned that the hard way with a DSArms SA58.   The FAL is not a very good gun for using optics, but it can work if you lock everything into place.  Cleaning the guns with this scope mounts is difficult, but the FAL can be made into a good DMR gun.

Top

Traditional optics and target shooting

Weaver Rifle Scopes

The Weaver Tac-3-15×50 is a serious optic.   Mil-Dots are used for range estimation and are still being used and taught in military sniper training.    An optic like this will help you estimate an object hundreds of yards away and depending on the operator, reaching out and touching your target with be easy with the 3-15x magnification and the wide 50mm objective lense.

Weaver rifle scopes have been around since the 1930s.   I still hear people highly recommend using them on carbines or small semi-autos like the Mini 14.    Weaver makes several types of rifle optics and some of them are applicable for long range shooting.   Long range optics don’t have to be high magnification, but clear and accurate.   With the proper scope rings, and the right kind of ammunition, your Weaver rifle scope will be capable of short and long range shooting.

 

Top
Page 1 of 1