All posts tagged best M4 Carbine optics

The Importance of contrast for combat optics

Many believe that illuminated reticles means engaging targets in low light, not always but sometimes.   In recent years there have been some pretty exotic optics and many  of them are pricey.   You’ll be lucky if you can find a combat worth optics for less than $500 although there is a good used market.    I have started out with many of the Eotech gun sights and have been very happy with them.   The only down side to them is the fact that they need to be turned on.  I know several people that have used them  in Iraq and were quite happy with them but I personally do not like the idea of a long deployment and the notion that my if I run out of batteries my optic is basically useless.

Aimpoint makes some good stuff although I really don’t have much use for red dots.   Red Dot optics can obscure a target and I have been more and more a fan of the new and smaller Trijicon ACOGS like the TA26SR.   The green reticle ACOGS are out selling the red  optics by about 4/1 and its becoming more and more common to see green lasers and optics.  The TA26 in my opinion pretty much voids the use of a red dot and has a targeting circle that is on par with the Eotech gun sight.   The clarity is superb and there is no haze that some red dots have.

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Combat and Defensive experiences with the Trijicon optics

A few years ago I witnessed a shoot out in Iraq where a few of our troops took fire from an individual that was shooting wildly after our guys just finished clearing out another building.   At first there was confusion on whether or not we were being shot at or just hearing something going on a few miles away.  When the bullets started hitting us, it took a few seconds to realize that it was just across the street that an idiot with an AK was just spraying gunfire at us.   Most of the guys on our team had ACOGS and could positively identify him and returned fire, but I did hear an individual running a red dot optic call out that he had no shot.

It’s kind of odd to hear something like that with modern weaponry but some of the best close quarters fighting optics are terrible at medium range engagements.   On the flip side some of the Trijicon rifle scopes that are geared to close up fighting like the Trijicon Reflex sights are outstanding for close up engagements.  There are always tradeoffs to combat optics and until they get a zero magnification optic that can zoom in on targets at 600yds reliable, there won’t be a do it all optic.   Pick your guns and gear for the appropriate mission.

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