Anyplce where you can try rifles with different optics?

[yonse]

Most of my shooting has been with a pistol or a shotgun. I have however used enough cheap rifle optics to know that I would like to get something better for an AR-15 that I am putting together. I am hoping to purchase a higher end optic later this year. I had been looking at EoTech's and Trijicon ACOG's, but now I'm a little curious about the offerings from Aimpoint and even Mepro as well.

Considering that none of the optics I am looking at are exactly cheap and each person has different opinions of what they think people should use I would like to get some "hands on" experience with an optic before I decide to purchase. I was wondering if anyone knew of a place that has rifles with different types of optics available for people to shoot. I know that that may be a long shot, but it could help me decide what I like. Another possibility is if someone has rifles of their own with a variety of optics that they would be willing to let me shoot at a range (I'd cover range fees & bring/buy my own ammo).

I've done some research on what is out there, but if you have strong feelings about a certain type of optic I will gladly welcome your input. Thanks in advance everyone!

[coltpython123]

Trijicons and eotechs are nice but if you buy an aimpoint the battery life is 5 years kept on continuous i have a 4-32 powered acog the 556 one with bullet drop compensator it is a nice scope and very user friendly the only thing i would suggest is to buy the arms mount it is around 250 dollars but if you take it off and put it back in the same spot the scope rezeros pretty awsome. i also have an eotech but it is pretty cumbersome and the battery life is kind of unexpectable were you know with the eotech if you have had the optic for 3 years you now you still have two more waiting ive kept mine on for 3 and a half years and it hasnt even dimmed.

[yonse]

Thanks for the quick reply. The upper that this would be for is optics ready, so I was planning on putting a set of folding backup sights on it (probably Troy, but that's not set in stone). I would like any optic I use to be able to co-witness with backup sights. Do you know if the Aimpoint is able to co-witness if you use the arms mount? I will admit that having a quick detach could be very handy, but at this point that is not a necessity for me. Thanks again!

[coltpython123]

yes if you buy the mount just like eotech

[Hmac]

In the red dot sight category of optics, Eotech, Aimpoint, and Trijicon are at the top of the heap, no question. The battery life of the Aimpoints is a convenience for many, but for me, in my use, it is just not an issue. Eotech battery life is fine. Plenty of warning if the battery is low, CR123's are cheap and readily available, and easy to store an extra or two in grip or stock.

Having said that, I think the Aimpoint PRO is an excellent optic. At $400 or less including mount it's probably the best deal going in an RDS by far. Standard XPS Eotechs will co-witness with your Troys in the exact center of the sight (absolute co-witness). An EXPS Eotech comes with a 7mm riser and will co-witness in the lower 1/3. The Aimpoint PRO with the supplied QRP mount will co-witness somewhere between the center an lower 1/3 (lower 5/12 ?)

Troy makes an excellent iron sight, no question. If you plan on shooting irons a lot, you can't go wrong. If, on the other hand, you're going to use them as backup sights only, the Magpul MBUS sights are really quite good and probably more cost-effective.

[coltpython123]

for the magnification an eotec can shoot out to 300 yards accuratly on a good gun i think if you wanted something multi purpose with magnification go with a trijicon and get the model with the doctor sight. some 4-32 come with irons sight on top though.

[jshuberg]

Read about ACOGs and the Bindon Aiming Concept. It works similar to an Occluded Eye Gunsight, but you don't have to close the front of the optic to get the effect due to the illumination level of the reticle.

Basically, how it works is that you shoot both eyes open, and learn to shift which eye your brain is favoring. Using this technique, you can shift between 4X magnification and no magnification by switching which eye your brain is using. When favoring your left eye, your brain will stitch the illuminated reticle being viewed with the right eye over your field of view, but will ignore the rest of the magnified image seen with the right eye. When favoring your right eye your brain will simply ignore the image seen by your left.

It takes some practice, but the benefit is that you can easily identify and track a target without magnification, bring your weapon up, and then shift eyes for 4X magnification for greater accuracy. Learning to shift between magnification levels using nothing but your brain is a powerful technique that most people don't fully understand.

[Hmac]

Read about ACOGs and the Bindon Aiming Concept. It works similar to an Occluded Eye Gunsight, but you don't have to close the front of the optic to get the effect due to the illumination level of the reticle.

Basically, how it works is that you shoot both eyes open, and learn to shift which eye your brain is favoring. Using this technique, you can shift between 4X magnification and no magnification by switching which eye your brain is using. When favoring your left eye, your brain will stitch the illuminated reticle being viewed with the right eye over your field of view, but will ignore the rest of the magnified image seen with the right eye. When favoring your right eye your brain will simply ignore the image seen by your left.

It takes some practice, but the benefit is that you can easily identify and track a target without magnification, bring your weapon up, and then shift eyes for 4X magnification for greater accuracy. Learning to shift between magnification levels using nothing but your brain is a powerful technique that most people don't fully understand.

Very interesting.

[yonse]

Thanks for everyone's input thus far! I do want to learn to shoot with both eyes open so I am partial to optics which have zero magnification.

[coltpython123]

Thanks for everyone's input thus far! I do want to learn to shoot with both eyes open so I am partial to optics which have zero magnification.

the easiest way to do this is to get one of the older trijicon reflex sights buy the dimmer adapter and black out the optic look through the sight and your non dominant eye will put the dot on the target and fire away. it is alot of fun and a good way to learn the older trijicon reflexes go anywhere from 300-400 i bought mine for 300 nice sight came with mount.

[JohnGageMN]

Thanks for everyone's input thus far! I do want to learn to shoot with both eyes open so I am partial to optics which have zero magnification.

the easiest way to do this is to get one of the older trijicon reflex sights buy the dimmer adapter and black out the optic look through the sight and your non dominant eye will put the dot on the target and fire away. it is alot of fun and a good way to learn the older trijicon reflexes go anywhere from 300-400 i bought mine for 300 nice sight came with mount.

You can do the same thing with an Aimpoint PRO by simply closing the front cover.

[JohnGageMN]

Yonse,

I have a PSA M4gery set up with an Aimpoint PRO if you want to try it out. I've been needing to get to the range anyways, it's been like 6 weeks so I'm getting itchy.

[Hmac]

Thanks for everyone's input thus far! I do want to learn to shoot with both eyes open so I am partial to optics which have zero magnification.

the easiest way to do this is to get one of the older trijicon reflex sights buy the dimmer adapter and black out the optic look through the sight and your non dominant eye will put the dot on the target and fire away. it is alot of fun and a good way to learn the older trijicon reflexes go anywhere from 300-400 i bought mine for 300 nice sight came with mount.

You can do the same thing with an Aimpoint PRO by simply closing the front cover.

Yeah, this. Close the cover or apply some tape or something over the downrange lens. There's no magnification so it's simpler than the Binden concept described above - you don't have to switch between eyes.

[yuppiejr]

I "discovered" this technique on accident while using a fixed 10x scope (stupid) deer hunting this fall... had a deer loping across a field about 150 yards out and was having trouble finding it in my scope until I popped open the other eye and suddenly realized I had both a magnified crosshair and a nice wide view of the entire field that I could use at the same time to get on target and take a clean shot... being left eye dominant and a right handed rifle shooter probably helped... If I had been thinking about it I probably would not have stumbled onto the technique but it was one of those "zen" shooting moments when a different part of your brain is simply processing what's happening and dealing with the situation using a combination of instinct and muscle memory almost like having an out of body experience.

While I've reconfigured my hunting rifles with more appropriate optics for that job I plan to continue practicing this technique for field shooting on all of my rifles with magnified optics.

[yonse]

Yonse,

I have a PSA M4gery set up with an Aimpoint PRO if you want to try it out. I've been needing to get to the range anyways, it's been like 6 weeks so I'm getting itchy.

Thanks! PM sent.