Thinking of getting away from holographic optics on my AR

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

ez bake

Sharpshooter
Special Hen
Joined
Sep 22, 2005
Messages
11,535
Reaction score
0
Location
Tulsa Area
I'm thinking of going back to an etched reticule for my AR since I mostly use it for hunting hogs anyways. I'd like to do a 3-gun with it at least once, or a carbine course maybe once (just for the experience), but its primary use is to kill hogs (and possibly deer in my son's hands).

Illuminated is nice, but I don't know that I want a holographic sight anymore. I like my EOTech, but its heavy and while the reticule was the biggest reason that I went to it over the Aimpoint - I don't know that the reticule is that effective at measuring for distance shots since its just a fuzzy piece of holographic light. I've tried to use it for hold-overs based on its measurements, but its just not sharp enough of a reticule to get exactly right no matter what brightness setting I use (or maybe its my eyes).

I was thinking of going over to an Aimpoint Comp ML3, but its non-magnified and just a dot, so no range-finding in the reticule (on the off-chance that I need to take a longer shot) is out and magnification for both this one and the EOTech are a pain (weight, cost, etc...).

I rarely see a hog more than 50yds away, so a non-magnified reticule has served me well, but I find myself more and more doing long-distance hiking when I hunt and it gets to where I want to grab the AR over my bolt-gun due to weight even for deer or coyotes (which tend to stay farther away from me than Hogs).

I don't have a problem deer hunting with it as I'm not the type to take a rushed shot and I'm typically using 75gr high-quality rounds so with even decent shot-placement, everything I've ever shot at has died quickly.


I was looking at going with a Leupold VX-I 1-4 Shotgun scope (or similar scope - the scout scope, the Mark AR, etc... are all pretty similar weight wise) on Optics Planet's Leupold Custom shop and changing the reticule to get either a Special Purpose, Mil-Dot, or Varmint Hunter just to give me enough of a reticule to take a 200yd shot (max I'd probably try to take when hunting with an AR is 200-250yds).

That reticule is expensive though, and I wonder if its worth it or should I just go with a duplex and adjust the knobs if I need to take a longer shot. I figure it would do well in the same type of scout mount that the Millet DMS-1 fits in, but I'd probably just do rings for now to keep the weight down.

I'm actually thinking of ditching Irons if I go this route, but I've honestly thought about going entirely the opposite way and ditching optics altogether to go with a light-weight setup of just irons. Problem is that I get no magnification that route and my eyes aren't getting any better as i get older so I'd probably be killing the possibility of any longer range shots at that point.

I don't know - just tossing this out there for conversation's sake I guess.
 

ez bake

Sharpshooter
Special Hen
Joined
Sep 22, 2005
Messages
11,535
Reaction score
0
Location
Tulsa Area
Sounds to me like an acog would fit the bill well, 3.5 or 4x, I had a 4x and loved it, super clear glass and the tritium illuminated reticle is amazing.

You know - I've actually thought more and more about looking into getting an Acog, but the full-sized are on the heavy side (well heavier than my EOTech). The full-sized models do come with a good reticule choice, but the compacts (nice and light weight) don't seem to offer the same reticule choices and they're limited to only 3x power. I'm not sure if I want to spend that kind of money and have to give up on weight, reticule or magnification.

Plus they're probably over-kill for what I'm going to be doing with them - don't get me wrong, when I win the lottery, I'll have several :D but until then... I'm not sure that its worth
 

sumoj275

Sharpshooter
Special Hen
Joined
Sep 5, 2005
Messages
4,451
Reaction score
199
Location
OKC
I had an ACOG until I lost some sight in my dominant eye. Now magnified optics are pretty much out, the EOTECH reticule is too busy, and the Aimpoint is what works besides the Iron Sights. Have you thought about getting a cheap magnifier for the Aimpoint and going that route?
 

Spiff

Sharpshooter
Special Hen
Joined
Jul 8, 2007
Messages
976
Reaction score
0
Location
Greenville, TX
Good luck finding a scope that's lighter than an EoTech.

Why are you trying to range-find out to 200-250 yards? If you sight in at 50 yards with 55 grainers, you're +/- 2 inches out to about 225 yards. 75gr is a little less flat to 300 yards, but after that the BC starts win over the 55's muzzle velocity.

Now if you're having trouble seeing the target and sight at 250 yards, that I can understand.
 

Lone Wolf '49

Sharpshooter
Special Hen
Joined
Jan 18, 2008
Messages
3,132
Reaction score
8
Location
Oklahoma City
I keep suggesting the Leupold Prismatic when people are asking here. Very precise, etched reticle (can illuminate it). Have one on SOCOM16 and one on an AR. I am sold on it, but we all have our preferences. One reason or actually three reasons I like it is I nailed three, 40 or so pounds, hogs on a dead run out of some woods across rolling pasture at about 60-70 yards within about five seconds. I don't believe I could have done it had I still been using EoTechs, and I am old and eyes aren't that sharp anymore. Just a thought.
 

ez bake

Sharpshooter
Special Hen
Joined
Sep 22, 2005
Messages
11,535
Reaction score
0
Location
Tulsa Area
Good luck finding a scope that's lighter than an EoTech.

Why are you trying to range-find out to 200-250 yards? If you sight in at 50 yards with 55 grainers, you're +/- 2 inches out to about 225 yards. 75gr is a little less flat to 300 yards, but after that the BC starts win over the 55's muzzle velocity.

Now if you're having trouble seeing the target and sight at 250 yards, that I can understand.

Nearly all the scopes I've looked at weigh less than the EOTech 553 I've got. It weighs 12oz and the Leupolds I'm looking at are anywhere from 7oz or so up to about 10oz. Even with the extra weight of Burris XTR Rings, I'm still either very close to or below my current weight and I've got a more solid reticule and magnification.

I can give up a lighted reticule for a more solid one with magnification.

Since I'm using this rifle for hunting, I like to be a little more precise about the shots I'm taking than guessing 2 inches (and like I said, I rarely use 55gr to hunt with - I'm usually using either 68gr for Hogs or 75gr for Deer, and its a little more than 2 inches at that point).
 

Josh-L

Sharpshooter
Supporting Member
Special Hen Supporter
Joined
Sep 11, 2005
Messages
4,893
Reaction score
144
Location
OKC
I don't have time to chime in with a full reply but will quickly say from what you stated I agree an ACOG is the answer. The new 3.5 compact with a chevron would be my pick. I believe the designation is TA44-5 but that's totally off the top of my head while sitting in the vet waiting room with my dog...
 

eby42

Sharpshooter
Special Hen
Joined
Jul 10, 2009
Messages
237
Reaction score
0
Location
Oklahoma City
I really like my Leupold Mark 4 MR/T 1.5-5x20mm. It's on a Sig 556 in a Larue mount.

It comes with the illuminated Special Purpose Reticule, so you won't have to modify it. As a bonus, you get variable magnification down close to 1x all at a lot less cost than an ACOG.

Since you're considering modifying lesser Leupold models, maybe that'd be a good way to go? I'm loving mine.
 

ez bake

Sharpshooter
Special Hen
Joined
Sep 22, 2005
Messages
11,535
Reaction score
0
Location
Tulsa Area
I don't have time to chime in with a full reply but will quickly say from what you stated I agree an ACOG is the answer. The new 3.5 compact with a chevron would be my pick. I believe the designation is TA44-5 but that's totally off the top of my head while sitting in the vet waiting room with my dog...

You talking about this one?

http://www.opticsplanet.net/trijicon-acog-3x30-dual-illum-scope-ta33.html

That's actually pretty nice - I've not seen one with that reticule before (I was mostly looking on SWFA to be fair.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom