ACOG Question

[Packy14]

Been discussed before ad-nauseum, but for the TLR crowd:
1. Bump in the night doesn't necessarily mean HD. Camping on BLM land near the Mexican border, for example. All it takes is one car's headlights sweeping by your camp sight to ruin your night vision.
2. Has weapon light, but I don't keep it constant on. Used for target ID, not moving around. Also, at night, even with the light on, the tritium-based ACOG reticle doesn't "pop" the way a red dot or laser does.
3. For HD use, I've done some pretty extensive ammunition testing against drywall and other relevant barriers that would match potential fire lanes near my home. I have a custom load recipe based on those findings to minimize overpenetration.

My bad, Rambo.

[sunborder]

My bad, Rambo.

Have you ever camped on BLM near the border? I'm not planning on doing it again anytime soon, but the Border Patrol has been known to roust people out if they were unarmed, as in "Do you guys have guns? OK. Good. Otherwise we'd have to tell you to leave for your own safety."

Even places further North like plaster city/ocotillo wells/etc can get pretty rough at night. Lot of creepy people out there sometimes. Most folks are pretty decent, but there are enough of the weirdos and coyotes that you'd be an idiot not to keep a loaded rifle on-hand in your camp site. The only problem is that there aren't really any other good places to camp and shoot on BLM land in SoCal.

The problem with a lot of these places in terms of night vision, is that anyone driving near your camp or worse, driving into your camp's parking area, is going to wipe out everyone's night vision just by virtue of the headlights they will need to navigate the "roads" out there. Try looking at a car's headlights directly, then look out into an unlit desert landscape. You won't see much of anything, which is not fun when you don't know who it is driving around your camp. I don't care to repeat that experience either. Since I can't realistically carry steel targets, stands, weapons, ammo, and camping equipment far enough off the beaten track to avoid all that (not to mention leaving your car unattended?), it's either don't go camping, or keep a rifle handy that can handle low light when your night vision is buggered.

Oh, and tritium-powered night sights will do you little good in that kind of situation.

[Packy14]

Have you ever camped on BLM near the border? I'm not planning on doing it again anytime soon, but the Border Patrol has been known to roust people out if they were unarmed, as in "Do you guys have guns? OK. Good. Otherwise we'd have to tell you to leave for your own safety."

Even places further North like plaster city/ocotillo wells/etc can get pretty rough at night. Lot of creepy people out there sometimes. Most folks are pretty decent, but there are enough of the weirdos and coyotes that you'd be an idiot not to keep a loaded rifle on-hand in your camp site. The only problem is that there aren't really any other good places to camp and shoot on BLM land in SoCal.

The problem with a lot of these places in terms of night vision, is that anyone driving near your camp or worse, driving into your camp's parking area, is going to wipe out everyone's night vision just by virtue of the headlights they will need to navigate the "roads" out there. Try looking at a car's headlights directly, then look out into an unlit desert landscape. You won't see much of anything, which is not fun when you don't know who it is driving around your camp. I don't care to repeat that experience either. Since I can't realistically carry steel targets, stands, weapons, ammo, and camping equipment far enough off the beaten track to avoid all that (not to mention leaving your car unattended?), it's either don't go camping, or keep a rifle handy that can handle low light when your night vision is buggered.

Oh, and tritium-powered night sights will do you little good in that kind of situation.

Nope. I know better than to kick it that close to the border, having lived near there for a long time.

[Packy14]

Have you ever camped on BLM near the border? I'm not planning on doing it again anytime soon, but the Border Patrol has been known to roust people out if they were unarmed, as in "Do you guys have guns? OK. Good. Otherwise we'd have to tell you to leave for your own safety."

Even places further North like plaster city/ocotillo wells/etc can get pretty rough at night. Lot of creepy people out there sometimes. Most folks are pretty decent, but there are enough of the weirdos and coyotes that you'd be an idiot not to keep a loaded rifle on-hand in your camp site. The only problem is that there aren't really any other good places to camp and shoot on BLM land in SoCal.

The problem with a lot of these places in terms of night vision, is that anyone driving near your camp or worse, driving into your camp's parking area, is going to wipe out everyone's night vision just by virtue of the headlights they will need to navigate the "roads" out there. Try looking at a car's headlights directly, then look out into an unlit desert landscape. You won't see much of anything, which is not fun when you don't know who it is driving around your camp. I don't care to repeat that experience either. Since I can't realistically carry steel targets, stands, weapons, ammo, and camping equipment far enough off the beaten track to avoid all that (not to mention leaving your car unattended?), it's either don't go camping, or keep a rifle handy that can handle low light when your night vision is buggered.

Oh, and tritium-powered night sights will do you little good in that kind of situation.

I agree out in the middle of nowhere, a rifle makes sense, but in the burbs not so much. This wasn't the OP's question.

[sunborder]

He was asking about low light. He didn't specify where. I was making an educated guess that since he was talking about an ACOG, that he wasn't using it for inside the house. I find it rather amazing that so many of you jumped to the opposite conclusion.

On the other hand, quite a few people use their ACOG with the front cap flipped close and BAC as a sort of red dot. That would do the job for close range/indoors, but I just didn't find the reticle bright enough, given the high potential for losing night vision or, more likely, not really having adequate night vision in the first place, due to light pollution from outside. The tritium is fine if you are out in the boonies for an extended period of time, but as soon as you fire the first round, kiss your night vision goodbye, anyway. I'd rather have a battery-powered optic.

In any case, I think the original question has been answered.

[Packy14]

He was asking about low light. He didn't specify where. I was making an educated guess that since he was talking about an ACOG, that he wasn't using it for inside the house. I find it rather amazing that so many of you jumped to the opposite conclusion.

On the other hand, quite a few people use their ACOG with the front cap flipped close and BAC as a sort of red dot. That would do the job for close range/indoors, but I just didn't find the reticle bright enough, given the high potential for losing night vision or, more likely, not really having adequate night vision in the first place, due to light pollution from outside. The tritium is fine if you are out in the boonies for an extended period of time, but as soon as you fire the first round, kiss your night vision goodbye, anyway. I'd rather have a battery-powered optic.

In any case, I think the original question has been answered.

Never heard of closing the front cap. I have 3 acogs and they work fine with both eyes open as a red dot. Definitely wouldn't cover up the front.

[Press Check]

I'd rather have a battery-powered optic.

I wouldn't have it any other way. I could never go back to a FO or tritium ACOG. Never.

[Packy14]

I wouldn't have it any other way. I could never go back to a FO or tritium ACOG. Never.

To each his own I guess.. I'd never rely on a battery powered optic.

[Packy14]

I wouldn't have it any other way. I could never go back to a FO or tritium ACOG. Never.

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?p=15353014#post15353014

Guess things changed in last day.

[sunborder]

Never heard of closing the front cap. I have 3 acogs and they work fine with both eyes open as a red dot. Definitely wouldn't cover up the front.

It's only meant to be used in close quarters. As long as you shoot with your dominant eye looking "through" the scope, it works just like an aimpoint. For a lot of people, using an ACOG at close quarters is disorienting because of the magnification. This is especially disorienting in darkness/low light. It may not bother you, but it's a fairly common practice for ACOG owners.

To each his own I guess.. I'd never rely on a battery powered optic.

If that's how you feel about it, take a look at the aimpoint micro. 5 year battery life, built like a tank, arguably more robust than an ACOG. *If* optic fails (pretty damn rare with an aimpoint), flip up your rear sight and use your weapon light. I use orange nail polish on the front sight post. Besides, do you really need magnification on a defensive rifle at night?

[Packy14]

It's only meant to be used in close quarters. As long as you shoot with your dominant eye looking "through" the scope, it works just like an aimpoint. For a lot of people, using an ACOG at close quarters is disorienting because of the magnification. This is especially disorienting in darkness/low light. It may not bother you, but it's a fairly common practice for ACOG owners.



If that's how you feel about it, take a look at the aimpoint micro. 5 year battery life, built like a tank, arguably more robust than an ACOG. *If* optic fails (pretty damn rare with an aimpoint), flip up your rear sight and use your weapon light. I use orange nail polish on the front sight post. Besides, do you really need magnification on a defensive rifle at night?

Aimpoints are good to go but I prefer acogs on my rifles... Just never felt the need for something else. Used to have an eotech but liked the flexibility to reach out and touch or use as a red dot. I shoot both eyes open long and shot range with it. But, there are many ways to skin a cat.

[thmpr]

BROWE optics is looking more and more attractive lately....

[JMP]

Camping on BLM land

Get a real NV scope for this--I don't think the Chinese are making these yet.
You cannot hit what you cannot see.

[Lightstrider]

If you put a piece of tape over the tritium tube except for the end it will brighten the color during the night or day

[teflondog]

If you put a piece of tape over the tritium tube except for the end it will brighten the color during the night or day

Can you explain further? The ACOG doesn't have an exposed tritium tube. The tube on top is fiber optic and it doesn't illuminate the reticle in the dark.