Prisms + magnifiers

[sbo80]

Someone help me out. I have a 1x prism (Primary Arms) who advertises that you can run a magnifier behind it. I see some magnifier descriptions specifically say "will not work with prism scope". Do they really mean "won't work with an already magnified prism" or just in general? I'm not sure what would cause incompatibility, unless the said magnifier just doesn't have any focus diopter. But I'm new to these setups.

[Ki6vsm]

The problem is, even if it were possible, it's just not practical IMO. Think about it. Unlike RDS and Holo sights, prisms have an eye relief limitation. To use a magnifier with one, you would have to place your Cyclops? really far forward on the receiver to make room for the magnifier and its eye relief. So far forward that you cannot use the Cyclops without a magnifier. Your Cyclops would be 6-8" or more away from your eye? No good.

You'd end up having to use the prism+magnifier as a permanent setup. Therefore you'd be much better off just swapping to a single 3x prism. BTW, this is actually my current setup. I have a rifle that runs either a Cyclops or a PA 3x prism. I change them as needed.

[HKAllTheThings]

Both the prism and magnifiers have eye relief and diopters so no go using them together. It'd be like putting 2 scopes together.

Red dots have neither so you can do it there.

[sbo80]

So I understand the concerns mentioned. I already have my 1x pretty far forward, it looks like there's plenty of space for one of the micro magnifiers like from Eotech or Vortex (now eye relief is still a concern of course). But it is curious then that the description of the Cyclops explicitly mentions use with a magnifier. So Primary Arms doesn't think it's "no go". Making it into a permanent setup would be silly and defeat the point, I'd only go this route to use with a flip-to side, otherwise I'd just get an ACOG.

[Ki6vsm]

So I understand the concerns mentioned. I already have my 1x pretty far forward, it looks like there's plenty of space for one of the micro magnifiers like from Eotech or Vortex (now eye relief is still a concern of course). But it is curious then that the description of the Cyclops explicitly mentions use with a magnifier. So Primary Arms doesn't think it's "no go". Making it into a permanent setup would be silly and defeat the point, I'd only go this route to use with a flip-to side, otherwise I'd just get an ACOG.

Well, I think you'll just have to buy one and try it for yourself. There might be enough room on your receiver to mount the magnifier if your Cyclops' all the way forward. And you could adjust the diopters to find their "sweet spots" and get it to work.

FWIW, I have my Cyclops (and 3x prism) mounted really far back on the AR receiver, so far that I put the rear BUIS at the front of the receiver. Sems weird, but I like the huge window when it's closer to my eye.

As an experiment, I just pulled my BUIS off the receiver and mounted the Cyclops as far forward as it will go (without overhanging the handguard). Works fine there too I guess. I was not sure. It just has a much smaller viewing window than when close to the eye. Seems more like a mini-RDS in that respect.