Optics for Self Defense and CQB: My thoughts and experiences

[hoverp]

What are the sights being used by the Army boys and USMC for the TYPICAL (if there is such a thing) walking patrols in the desert citys? Is it TA01NSN?, Aimpoints, Eo techs?

Thanks

[Alaskapopo]

What are the sights being used by the Army boys and USMC for the TYPICAL (if there is such a thing) walking patrols in the desert citys? Is it TA01NSN?, Aimpoints, Eo techs?

Thanks

I am not in the military but from what I have read the Army issues Aimpoint M68. The Marines have started to Issue the TA31F Acog. It seems many units allow their soliders to use personally owned optics of all kinds like Eotechs, S&B short does you name it.
Pat

[ROADKING]

AIMPOINT for me.

[Failure2Stop]

What are the sights being used by the Army boys and USMC for the TYPICAL (if there is such a thing) walking patrols in the desert citys? Is it TA01NSN?, Aimpoints, Eo techs?

Thanks

What we want, what we need, and what we get can be 3 entirely seperate concepts.

The most commonly issued optics are the M68 (Aimpoint M2/M4), SU-231 (EoTech 553), TA-01 NSN ACOG, TA31 RCO-A4/M4, and TA31ECOS.

[snakedocter]

Everything is give and take. You have to give up one thing to gain another. I am NOT as fast with the Short Dot as I am with the Aimpoint. BUT....I am giving up a little speed on the low end so I can have the magnificiation.

If I wasn't kicking doors, I most likely have not purchased the Short Dot.

In my line of work 75% of the missions are CQB and the other 25% can range from permiter work, to overwatch on a VIP detail, to searching large warehouses or schools, etc.

SWAT missions can often be dynamic in nature. One minute you can find yourself on a permiter trying to see if the barricaded gunman standing in the window has a gun or a cell phone in his hand, and the next minute you're being picked up as part of the entry team. On other missions you may find yourself sitting across a large parking lot covering a buy / bust operation, the bad guy goes mobile and now your part of a vehicle take down.


100 hours is not all that great, BUT.....it's about give and take. I'll put up with the short but acceptable battery life in order to see the electronic red dot in all lighting conditions (bright sun light, white light, etc).


It all comes down to *your needs*. Target / threat identification is very important in my line of work. A guy who uses his rifle for self defense may not have the same as a Law Enforcement Officer / Military.




Semper Fi,
Jeff

I have sale my short dot gen. I ,because the blue color on the view was realy bad,this happen is result of the use with NVD,I have heard the gen. II is better but
I will switch to the NF NXS 1-4x with cristal clear view

the only easy day was yesterday

[maximus83]

In short for a civilian using the AR15 as a home defense gun, I would highly suggest iron sights with a large rear ghost ring style sight like the Same Plane Rear Appeture made by XS Sights and a large tritium front sight post like the Big Dot or simular front sight post also made by XS Sights and a quality white like.

The light should be ergonomically placed on the carbine where it is easy to access with the support hand on the handguards.

If an optic is desired I would go with a non-magnified electronic red dot like the Aimpoint or the EO Tech. My presonal preference is with the Aimpoint and it's what I've used on duty for the last 7 - 8 years.

Jeff, thanks for this great, common-sense post. I've read this whole thread through, and it really helped fill in some gaps, and helped avoid some costly "rabbit trails" in trying to purchase a good optic.

For someone who doesn't kick in doors professionally, but keeps a carbine set up for home defense, would I be a lot better off tactically if I upgraded to something like an Aimpoint M4 or T1? For several years time I've been using the original setup recommended in this thread, with tritium front/aperture rear irons, and a Surefire light.

But I do hear what some are saying, that with a red dot, you can be faster to acquire your target because you don't have to line up the front sight with the rear, they don't have to be in the same plane (so you can shoot quickly from less-than-perfect angles), etc. Do you think for an average HD user, that the addition of a red dot is going to make a significant difference in your effectiveness?

I have no problem getting something like an Aimpoint T1 if it'll have an impact, but if the difference it makes is likely to be only modest or marginal, I probably would just as soon keep my setup as it is with iron sights, saving the cost and keeping it simple.

Thanks again for the posts!

[USMC03]

Hits on target will always be faster and easier to acquire with a red dot sight (such as an Aimpoint) than with iron sights.




S/F,
Jeff

[maximus83]

Hits on target will always be faster and easier to acquire with a red dot sight (such as an Aimpoint) than with iron sights.

You also mentioned earlier that you liked the Aimpoint 3x magnifier. If I go ahead and run the T1 as my red dot, is the 3x + T1 be the best way to extend my range a bit? Or would I likely do better with say an ACOG + T1 in an offset mount?

[USMC03]

Aimpoint 3x magnifier is the way to go.

I can't even beging to wrap my head around why someone would want an ACOG on a home defense gun as a primary optic.


S/F,
Jeff

[maximus83]

Aimpoint 3x magnifier is the way to go.

I can't even beging to wrap my head around why someone would want an ACOG on a home defense gun as a primary optic.


S/F,
Jeff

The rifle gets used for more than HD.