What is the most popular/in-use combat optic used by special forces? [Archive]

Tacti-square

03-06-14, 02:58

Is there one brand that operators trust most? Not just in the US, but abroad. If not, is there at least an agreed upon magnification for overall combat effectiveness? Is it fixed zoom, variable zoom or 1x? What is considered the preferred optic when bad guys are shooting at you and the environment is sporadic?

HD1911

03-06-14, 05:35

Leupold, NF, S&B, Premier, USO and probably others I'm missing, are all being fielded, or have been.

You just asked a Super Broad question. There is no short answer. Mission dictates.

CRAMBONE

03-06-14, 06:03

"They" don't use optics. "They" are so good "they" can shoot with their eyes closed and make hits with every round.

munch520

03-06-14, 07:19

Leupold, NF, S&B, Premier, USO and probably others I'm missing, are all being fielded, or have been.

You just asked a Super Broad question. There is no short answer. Mission dictates.

This.

Get what works for you OP

Bolt_Overide

03-06-14, 09:17

Putting anything on your rifle, be it optics, white lights, lasers, or what have you, simply because you hear the cag devgru marsoc ninjas use it is ridiculous.

No piece of equipment is going to magically make you as good as men who have dedicated themselves completely to armed conflict. There are plenty of optics out there that will serve your needs well, and some of them do in fact get deployed with such men. Just because a piece of kit is not being used currently by SOF personnel does not mean it isn't worthy.

Koshinn

03-06-14, 09:25

Is there one brand that operators trust most? Not just in the US, but abroad. If not, is there at least an agreed upon magnification for overall combat effectiveness? Is it fixed zoom, variable zoom or 1x? What is considered the preferred optic when bad guys are shooting at you and the environment is sporadic?

Get an Aimpoint T-1 and be done with it. If you find you need magnification later, swap your T-1 mount to an offset mount.

RIDE

03-06-14, 09:25

"They" use different optics, lights, and lasers for different situations, so for maximum effectiveness, and to replicate true Special Forces ability, and to be looked up to by others, might I suggest the below setup.

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k73/JohnWagnerIII/tacticoolAR15.jpg

Failure2Stop

03-06-14, 09:47

To answer the question directly:
Leupold
Aimpoint
EoTech
NightForce
Trijicon

Long game: what they use and why is probably irrelevant to the non-military user. Identify YOUR needs and YOUR budget and get what best fits.

Sent from my VS980 4G using Tapatalk

Doc Safari

03-06-14, 10:38

I'll cut to the chase and reduce it to what I "think" the OP is asking: "What is the most combat-proof optic?"

I would have to say if you saw the TacTV episodes where LAV torture-tested a Daniel Defense M4 with an Aimpoint T1 installed, you would have your answer.

After dropping in sand, mud, dragging behind a truck, dunking in water, freezing, and setting off explosives next to it, the Aimpoint T1 has to be the most bomb-proof (literally) optic available to civilians at a decent price. Long after the rifle was damaged in LAV's torture test, the Aimpoint T1 was still working. I started to laugh every time he'd say, "And the Aimpoint is still on" after another torture test.

There may be other optics just as good, but at least that torture test shows you unequivocally you can trust the Aimpoint.

payj

03-06-14, 13:16

Totally depends on the situation. There are half a dozen or more brands that are all trusted - most already mentioned. However one brand may be used over another, not so much because the brand itself is supperior but because that brand offers a product that is better suited for the particular mission or purpose of the rifle build.

Sent On The Fly

Linkscoach

03-06-14, 13:45

ACOG and aim point are probably used most often. There are others though depending on what the mission dictates.

Outlander Systems

03-08-14, 11:03

I wouldn't get hung up on what door kickers are issued.

For instance, the SU-231/peq is, and was, a total ****ing turd.

TAZ

03-08-14, 17:52

That's a very broad question. YOUR intended use will drive the type of optic not someone else's intended use or government contracting choices. Answer the question of what you need to do with the rifle and someone here will be able to give you some good suggestions on where to start. Even then, there are no guarantees that what works for me will work for you.

Also, don't get wrapped around the axle with what equipment your favorite bad asses use. They aren't bad asses due to equipment, but training and dedication. Pretty sure if you gave LAV a dilapidated SKS and gave me the latest whizz bang piece of kit I'd still get my ass handed to me.

Buy a piece of kit that meets your needs from a reputable manufacturer and then train the even living shit out of yourself and the hardware.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Frailer

03-08-14, 17:57

... if you saw the TacTV episodes where LAV torture-tested a Daniel Defense M4 with an Aimpoint T1 installed...

If I were Aimpoint's CEO those two episodes would have earned LAV free optics for life.

I was considering buying a different micro red dot for a project, but after seeing the final "test" where the car was blown over the berm, the receiver extension was bent, and the T-1 was sheared from its mount...and was still working...I just bought another Aimpoint instead.

lunchbox

03-08-14, 19:05

Buy light for rifle, become proficient with irons, then later on if you decide to get a optic get a T1.

Tacti-square

03-09-14, 03:09

You know, nowhere in my OP did I mention the desire to purchase said optic. Truth be told, I'm not in the market for anything right now. I was simply curious as to what people were using in the field right now. My personal needs have absolutely nothing to do with my question as it was clearly directed towards warfighters. I'm a college student majoring in music education (emphasis percussion) who studies the defense industry as a hobby. I shoot when I can, but my needs never call for more than BUIS.

Koshinn

03-09-14, 04:23

You know, nowhere in my OP did I mention the desire to purchase said optic. Truth be told, I'm not in the market for anything right now. I was simply curious as to what people were using in the field right now. My personal needs have absolutely nothing to do with my question as it was clearly directed towards warfighters. I'm a college student majoring in music education (emphasis percussion) who studies the defense industry as a hobby. I shoot when I can, but my needs never call for more than BUIS.

If your buis are your primary sighting system, they aren't buis anymore ;)

As much as I dislike TOS, they do have a huge amount of threads dedicated to building clones based off of real world weapons. I'd consider checking out some of those threads.

From what I've seen personally*, most SOF end users run a Eotech 553 for close range optics and leupold for long range. The Aimpoint Comp M2 labelled as the M68 CCO is general issue to Army and USAF, although they are gradually being phased out for Aimpoint Comp M4 sights. I had a M4 on my M4 in 2012. It handled getting in and out of Ford Explorers like a champ. Trijicon TA31 ACOGs are often issued to Soldiers and Marines as well, but Airmen get TA01 ACOGs instead (different reticle, no fiber optics, small iron sights on top).

I've seen elcans issued as well with some having a mrds up top.

If you're curious because you want to know what's the best and most combat proven, looking at what unit level purchases go through isn't the best indicator, neither is what tier 1 units use. Honestly, the "best" is determined by mission and other factors... But a T1 is pretty much perfect and if you don't use it as your primary, you can use it as a secondary optic via 45° mount. Many AFSOC personnel run T1s btw.

*take my experience with a grain/bag of salt, I lived next to cjsotf and soccent personnel, but I am not a member of any sof organization... Hell I'm not even what the Army would call combat arms.

I however did take a picture of a chick in civvies with a 10.5" 416 with a M4-2000 on it at a Green Bean when I was passing through Bagram once.

CRAMBONE

03-09-14, 05:39

You know, nowhere in my OP did I mention the desire to purchase said optic. Truth be told, I'm not in the market for anything right now. I was simply curious as to what people were using in the field right now. My personal needs have absolutely nothing to do with my question as it was clearly directed towards warfighters. I'm a college student majoring in music education (emphasis percussion) who studies the defense industry as a hobby. I shoot when I can, but my needs never call for more than BUIS.

I didn't get that from your OP. I assumed you were an air softer who wanted to look cool in pictures on facebaok.

patriot_man

03-09-14, 07:38

Eotech seems prevalent. Don't tell the aimpoint fan boys.

p.s. I own both.

El Cid

03-09-14, 10:53

You know, nowhere in my OP did I mention the desire to purchase said optic. Truth be told, I'm not in the market for anything right now. I was simply curious as to what people were using in the field right now. My personal needs have absolutely nothing to do with my question as it was clearly directed towards warfighters. I'm a college student majoring in music education (emphasis percussion) who studies the defense industry as a hobby. I shoot when I can, but my needs never call for more than BUIS.

And yet we see a (now relocated) thread you started titled, "Most badass crosshair reticle?"

militarymoron

03-09-14, 11:10

Moved to GD. this is not a technical topic.

RIDE

03-09-14, 11:26

Don't forget his thread titled "What's your favorite 'EYE-CANDY' AR?" (https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?148802-What-s-your-favorite-quot-Eye-Candy-quot-AR) How exactly is that part of your said "research". lol OP, overcoming denial is the first step in recovering from your problem.

ETA: Here's a GREAT "most popular", "Special forces", "Combat" "Eye-Candy" "Bad Ass Reticle" AR for ya!!!

http://i543.photobucket.com/albums/gg478/pokersamurai/tacticality_zps5fc53407.jpg

polymorpheous

03-09-14, 11:38