Quote:
Originally Posted by RichL025
What are your opinions? RL
|
Rich:
I would try the Leupold MR/T M2 or the Nightforce 1 - 4X 24 NXS with the NP-1 reticle pattern. I believe both of the above are more dependable than the issued ACOG but not as durable in terms of pure abuse.
I opt for any optic that has external elevation and windage knobs. Aside from the fogging issue with the ACOGs, it saves a huge amount of time in zeroing to simply turn a knob. Too many times Joe has lost the little aluminum cap for an ACOG and or its gasket and or has cross threaded it due to the very fine threads. And too many times the 'up' / 'right' arrows on the ACOGs have just disappeared from multiple guys adjusting elevation or windage. When the ACOG loses its tactile clicks, it becomes problematic when adjusting elevation or windage. Downside for the Leupold or Nightforce is that Joe can strip the threads on the screws holding the knobs when slipping them. Or lose the screws.
Joe will be much more tempted to adjust zero given ease of doing so -- despite the potential drawbacks of 'chasing spotters' so to speak. I have seen too many good Riflemen get tired of incessantly having to screw with ACOGs and try to depend on holds because they didn't want to mess with the elevation or windage adjustments anymore. This is due to the little caps and the inability of ACOGs to track. This doesn't hold up when that good rifleman gets put under stress where he must hold and then hold more or less because his zero is off. He would rather have had a good zero than try to hold and hold again. They won't say this to anyone in an AAR so don't expect to see this fact appear anywhere.
You can adjust elevation and windage from position with the dials. You can't with an ACOG. Does it matter? After a few years of DM work among other marksmanship things, it does matter. Having to break position to adjust zero breaks mental focus and takes too much time.
I go with a BDC for DM's and the use of one elevation and holds. I love MOA adjustments myself but reality states otherwise so I go with what Joe will use instead of what he may not have confidence to use. I would rather Joe actually put '300' on his carbine or rifle than have him not be sure in terms of MOA adjustments. He will be more confident with the former than the latter and confidence equates to higher hit probabilities. If he is in an area where he will be shooting at 100 or less -- he can crank the thing down to 100. If he is working an area where he needs 300, he can put on 3 and hold over for 5 or under if he cares. If he thinks he needs 500, he can put on 5 and blast away. That is the end of it for a carbine with issued ball ammo in terms of distances and hit probabilities simply due to mean radius of dispersion.
Not sure if the Nightforce optic has a BDC or not but it should if they expect to sell any to the Army. Blasphemy for my competitive side but reality for Joe.
I like the reticle pattern of the Nightforce NP-1 more than that of the Leupold. Why Leupold put tick marks at ten mil intervals is beyond me. They should have put one tick five minutes left, right, high, and low, and left it at that. The NP-1 has 4 minutes low, left, and right of center to the duplex. Good enough for hasty estimation of range and holds. Not what I want but what they offer. Left to right, 4 into 20" is 5 hundred. That is it for the issued carbine and issued ball ammo so why more lines? Also, I have yet to meet a DM or sniper who used either the mil dot reticle or the stadia lines on an ACOG to estimate range unless they were under absolutely no stress what so ever. In other words, every single one of them put a elevation on their rifle before the mission and used a hold if they thought they needed one. Not one I interviewed following their deployment ever adjusted an elevation knob or windage knob while in contact. Not one. Period.
Sorry for those who think that more lines, dots, or tick marks are cool. More lines, dots, or tick marks means you have to break your focus to figure out what line, dot, or tick mark to use.
Not sure what folks think an SDM can do with what he has or the training he gets. They are very good Riflemen with the advantage of a optic that has magnification so they can see better. They will be far more effective when they have fewer visual stimulus (lines, tick marks, dots), and when they can trust their equipment will maintain a zero. IMHO the ACOG offers nothing but problems to everything I just said so I go with something else.
Fifty dollars please per person who reads this. I accept Pay Pal.
Gene