Which Optic for my Colt?

[Slug870]

I am more into bolt guns so as I started my optics quest for AR's I really wanted to make the 1-4X work

Went with IOR, then Nightforce etc but the reality is short of a Schmidt Bender Short dot, found that on a AR for smacking gongs and a paper it was way slower

3.5 - 4X ACOGS

- its a love hate thing . If I could only have one style for AR plinking I would go with this . Gives you perfect magnification for smacking gongs at 500 yards
- I seldom shoot any targets closer than 50 yards with most of my AR's that wear ACOGS so for me, I think it works quick enough
- the key is get use to the BAC of most of the ACOGs ( shooting both eyes open )

Aimpoint
- I have a slew of Aimpoints . Just be careful what MOA dot you choose ( if you plan to run magnifier etc )
- fast but anyone who says its great for precision 500 yards is full off poop....think aboujt it , most aimpoint dots are 4MOA .
- 1MOA is about ( actually 1.047" @ 100yrds ) 1 inch, so a 4 MOA dot covers 20 inches at 500 yards !! .
- this is why the Trijicon chevron is a more precise aiming point . Even the horseshoe dot is only 2MOA
- if you plan to run magnifier get the 2MOA aimpoint

Only caution is if you have astigmatism it's annoying since the dot is not a round dot

As I developed astigmatism I just got use to the fuzzy dot.

Aimpoint with Magnifier

I actually love this setup . Surprisingly fast especially with Larue flip mount

The best part of this setup is I use this magnifier behind Eotech and Trijicon Tri Power and reflex so I can use it on multiple platforms

Eotech

If find that my astigmatism is not as noticeable with EOTECH

IMO Eotech is great sight, and works awesome with Aimpoint ( careful with mount heights ) and Eotech magnifier

Reality is since I started going down the ACOG path I have not bought another Eotech or Aimpoint

Magnified Optics

I have a couple of "bench" AR's that are far better mated to a magnified optic . If you are bench shooting or trying to hit small gongs at extended ranges these scopes are a much better choice

Obviously not shooting 55gr or 62gr plinking ammo but hand loaded 75Gr or 77Gr ( such as duplicating the MK262 load ....which BTW the military uses with SPR and 10X optics )

The whole purpose of the picatinny rail and mounts is you can move optics around with very good return to zero ( certainly good enough for a red dot ! )

I often take my Acog or red dot off and swap out a magnified optic all in the same range session

Excellent post, thank you very much for taking the time to put that together.

With the research I have done thus far, I am thinking that an Aimpoint will be the choice for me, preferably with a 2MOA dot. Given that I will be doing more of the CQB style shooting right off the hop with the rifle, I am thinking and Aimpoint Comp M4s or T1; I've just got to do a little more research on which one will best suit my needs. A maginifier will no doubt be in the near future, so compatibility will be something to look at as well. Mounting solutions will also have to be looked at given the fixed front sight on the rifle.

 

[greentips]

Regarding the debate between 2MOA and 4 MOA - there is a bit of thinking.

The general shooting public likes the 2MOA because it is smaller, so supposedly it can be used at a smaller target. This is true technically because the dot covers a small area.

On the other hand, if you think about ballistics and targetry, there is a merit for using 4MOA. The bullet drop between 100m and 200m is between 1.5MOA to a bit over 2MOA, depending on barrel length and bullet. For typical 50/200 close over zeroing, all the shoots within 250m will be within the 4MOA dot if your rifle is zeroed at 50/200 at the center of the dot.

In a pinch, most people will automatically put the center of the dot at the target. A 4MOA dot basically tell you right the way if your "cone of fire" ( borrowing it from MG terminology) will cover the target from 0 to 270m with a 14.5" carbine.

The tricky part comes with shooting 300m target. Now, if you think of the standard 18" torso width used for range estimation in ACOG, Elcan....etc, using a small dot actually makes it easier to under estimate range and causes the shooter to put in too little hold off, because the shooter won't be alarmed by the relative proportion of the dot to the target. With a 4MOA dot, the alarm rings when the dot is the same size as the target, ie, the target is getting too far.

In a way, it is actually a bit of a disadvantage to use 2MOA once the range has passed the 200m point and shoot range under field fire condition. Also, a bigger dot is better for close range and it is easier to pick up.

 

[Bolivar]

I personally prefer an optic that has adjustments to account for windage and distance. Holding off just does not work for me, I always go back to holding in the centre of the target. Some like and do well with ballistic reticules for that purpose but not me.

If you want to dial, they go with a low powered variable, 1-4, 1-5, 2-7, 3x or something along those lines. I actually have had good luck shooting SR and CQB with my OS3.0B Elcan and a 1.5-5x Falcon Menace.

I think a RDS or Holographic site is pretty limiting for SR. The top shooters are using magnified optics (usually they are soldiers shooting issued kit). The top CQB shooters seem to be shooting magnified optics too as far as I know. Not saying that magnified optics make them the top shooters, it's just that this is the choice they made for a sighting system. Many run the same rifle for both disciplines.