Zak Smith
Member
Sure they are, if the shooter and rifle are up to it.
Educate me on ACOGs
- Thread starter Eightball
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ny32182
Member
My .02, as the owner of a TA31RCO A4, the exact model issued by the Marines for use on 20" rifles:
First, the clarity of the optics is amazing. I'm ever amazed by the level of detail I can see through this scope even though it is only 4x.
The tritium, I wouldn't worry about. If you are getting a model with the fiber optic collector, you aren't going to be using the tritium anyway. If you go in a pitch black room and let your eyes adjust, and then look through the scope, you can see a faint Chevron. If there is *any* ambient light at all, it is being collected and adding to the chevron's brightness. The only conceivable situation I can think of where the tritium is actually being used would be if you are shooting from a pitch black location, onto a distant, but somewhat lit target. If the whole place is black, you can't see the target anyway. Bottom line, in 99.99% of all shooting situations, you won't have the slightest clue if the tritium is alive or dead. You've got to look through the scope in a pitch black room to answer that question.
I have found that in brilliant, direct sunlight directly on the light collector, the edges of the chevron can start to get a little fuzzy from being too bright. However, I wouldn't think it enough of an issue to have an effect for the level of accuracy for which the scope was intended, and as noted, there are easy ways to fix this if it bothers you. And the chevron comes to a very fine point at the top. At 100 yards at least, I would think it childs play to shoot sub 1" groups with a capable rifle and ammo, of course.
Also of note, I find the reticle to be plenty easy to use when shooting from a shaded location into a target in direct sunlight on a very sunny day.
Overall, the nicest feature I find about the whole thing (and the optic clarity is a very, very close second) is that it really does self adjust the recticle brightness instantly for shooting in any light. With no batteries. It works, and works so well that it suddenly seems like a major PITA to have to adjust the brightness on an Aimpoint. In fact, its got me considering a Tripower for my next CCO type optic purchase.
First, the clarity of the optics is amazing. I'm ever amazed by the level of detail I can see through this scope even though it is only 4x.
The tritium, I wouldn't worry about. If you are getting a model with the fiber optic collector, you aren't going to be using the tritium anyway. If you go in a pitch black room and let your eyes adjust, and then look through the scope, you can see a faint Chevron. If there is *any* ambient light at all, it is being collected and adding to the chevron's brightness. The only conceivable situation I can think of where the tritium is actually being used would be if you are shooting from a pitch black location, onto a distant, but somewhat lit target. If the whole place is black, you can't see the target anyway. Bottom line, in 99.99% of all shooting situations, you won't have the slightest clue if the tritium is alive or dead. You've got to look through the scope in a pitch black room to answer that question.
I have found that in brilliant, direct sunlight directly on the light collector, the edges of the chevron can start to get a little fuzzy from being too bright. However, I wouldn't think it enough of an issue to have an effect for the level of accuracy for which the scope was intended, and as noted, there are easy ways to fix this if it bothers you. And the chevron comes to a very fine point at the top. At 100 yards at least, I would think it childs play to shoot sub 1" groups with a capable rifle and ammo, of course.
Also of note, I find the reticle to be plenty easy to use when shooting from a shaded location into a target in direct sunlight on a very sunny day.
Overall, the nicest feature I find about the whole thing (and the optic clarity is a very, very close second) is that it really does self adjust the recticle brightness instantly for shooting in any light. With no batteries. It works, and works so well that it suddenly seems like a major PITA to have to adjust the brightness on an Aimpoint. In fact, its got me considering a Tripower for my next CCO type optic purchase.
ny32182
Member
One more note on the eye relief; if I have a gripe about the scope, this is it. It is listed at 1.5" on mine, and I think that is just about accurate if I want to see the whole field of view. I do wish it was a little longer, and I mount the scope as far back as possible as-is. If I back off to more than 1.5", I have a clear image and the scope is still very useable; I just start to lose the outside portions of the FOV.
As mentioned, you can get versions with the eye relief listed at more than 1.5".
As mentioned, you can get versions with the eye relief listed at more than 1.5".
Bartholomew Roberts
Member
The TA11 and TA33 are really ideal for eye relief in my mind. They are much more generous on exit pupil and eye relief and so easier to shoot in dynamic shooting where movement or snap shots are a factor.
Zak Smith
Member
The TA11 has 2.4" eye relief and a larger exit pupil than the TA31, These two attributes together make it much easier to use on the move and from improvised shoot positions, also faster to acquire a sight picture.
Don't Tread On Me
Member
I just measured the eye relief on a TA31RCO ..I got about 1-3/4" - 1-7/8" at the most while still getting the complete FOV..that's the width of an object I was able to put between my eyebrow and the ocular.
Still, more than the stated 1.5" ..but not as big of a difference as the TA33 that lists 1.9, but really has over 3"
I guess you just have to check them out yourself.
I have to agree with Zak, the TA11 is really the bread and butter, it's a touch over 28ft of FOV while still maintaining good eye relief and is right between a 3x and a 4x. TA33 suffers at 19' fov but has longer eye relief. The TA31's have a whopping 36.8' for a 4x which is a very large FOV. My IOR 4x had 29something feet and that was very good compared to most fixed 4x hunting scopes with 24-26ft.
Eye relief is important, since you cannot always be in the perfect nose-to-charginghandle position, say during action shooting from odd positions. The larger exit pupil and longer eye relief helps a lot in this regard.
If I knew I'd be shooting from a static position with the luxury of shouldering the weapon the way I want, the 4x ACOG's with 36' FOV would be a better choice. On the move, the 3.5 is better. Some of the mini-ACOGs have even larger exit pupil and more eye relief, but are lower magnification and iffy on the FOV. They try to bridge the gap with reddots. That's another subject in itself.
Still, more than the stated 1.5" ..but not as big of a difference as the TA33 that lists 1.9, but really has over 3"
I guess you just have to check them out yourself.
I have to agree with Zak, the TA11 is really the bread and butter, it's a touch over 28ft of FOV while still maintaining good eye relief and is right between a 3x and a 4x. TA33 suffers at 19' fov but has longer eye relief. The TA31's have a whopping 36.8' for a 4x which is a very large FOV. My IOR 4x had 29something feet and that was very good compared to most fixed 4x hunting scopes with 24-26ft.
Eye relief is important, since you cannot always be in the perfect nose-to-charginghandle position, say during action shooting from odd positions. The larger exit pupil and longer eye relief helps a lot in this regard.
If I knew I'd be shooting from a static position with the luxury of shouldering the weapon the way I want, the 4x ACOG's with 36' FOV would be a better choice. On the move, the 3.5 is better. Some of the mini-ACOGs have even larger exit pupil and more eye relief, but are lower magnification and iffy on the FOV. They try to bridge the gap with reddots. That's another subject in itself.
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