ACOG TA33 report
Sorry I don't remember what forum this came from but not this one. Some time ago I pasted this ACOG TA33 report to Word to keep for future reference. Hope I'm not overstepping my bounds by pasting it here w/o references that I no longer have but it may help answer a few questions raised here as to FOV, etc. Here it is:
"Alright....Jason from BigDawg Tactical hooked me up with this rig and it arrived today. I immediately took it to the range for some testin'.
First off I've owned TA31's, TA11's, Compact ACOG's, Aimpoints, EoTechs, and a few variable scopes in between. I recently decided to 'dumb down' my AR's to make them SHTF ready, rugged, and obnoxiously easy to use. Flip the safety to "fire" and go. Given the TA33R8's BDC feature, BAC feature, chevron reticule, and overall lightweight construction, THIS is the only magnified optic for me! It's like a TA31 hooked up with a TA50 one wild saucy night and conceived an illegitimate child!
Construction wise, it's built like any other ACOG is - rugged. The front portion of the ACOG is what looks to be an added component, but it dubbin' around with it - it's certainly far from fragile and looks to be fastened in a way that will allow the ACOG to uphold Trijicon's reputation for bombproof glass. The dials are easy to reach and adjust. The fiber optic tube is standard - no cracks. The Larue Mount is as you'd imagine the soulmate for ACOG's and this one's no different.
The eye relief on this scope is in my opinion the largest benefit. I shoot NTC and the smaller FOV (19.3 at 100) makes the BAC real easy to use. I also find the smaller FOV, eye relief, and overall small diameter of this ACOG to be REAL nice in keeping the sight picture concise and my surroundings unobstructed. Comparatively, the TA11 now seems WAY too heavy and the TA31 feels like my eyeball has to molest the scope from 1.5" out to maintain a sight picture. The small overall size and extra 0.4" of eye relief makes all the difference in the world. I'm now spoiled.
At first I was hesitant about the smaller FOV but now that I've tried it out - I completely get it. This scope is SO much easier and I can see myself being 'faster' with this ACOG than I could be with any other. Beyond that, I'm sure the BDC feature will prove itself useful and entertaining when time permits.
At 3X30, the magnification is supreme for Minute of Man shooting and my eyes adjust quickly using the BAC. The glass is perfect as you'd expect from Trijicon. For testing I used a different lower than pictured...one with a Geissele trigger so right off my 3 shot groups were 1.5MOA using 62gr SS109. This gun shoots 1/2 MOA easy so I just need to spend more than 1 box of ammo and practice some.
Other than that - I'm very thankful Trijicon made this scope. It's a perfect blend of precision and speed. It's eye relief, size, and FOV make for a fast & compact general purpose optic. For 10-300 yard shooting, this is in my opinion, the perfect ACOG. For shooting under 10 yards, it seems like it'd serve me well - I may toss some Bulter Creek Flip Caps on this one for an occluded option since the construction will allow for it! Plus, the caps will make the ACOG Scope Coat a thing of the past.
Something always kept me from hanging onto an ACOG. I feel the TA33R8 was made just for me!
If you're looking for an ACOG - don't overlook this guy. It is in my opinion the ultimate 10-300 yard SHTF ACOG for a 14.5"- 16" AR15. It's truly an amazing piece of glass."