BrigandTwoFour
05-17-15, 09:35
There isn't a lot of info out there on this one, so I wanted to put up a review. This is the short version, the long version, with more and bigger pictures, is found here (https://www.everydaymarksman.co/equipment/elcan-specteros-4x-product-review/).
Elcan SpecterOS 4X
https://everydaymarksman.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/quarter1.jpg?w=584&h=397
Not a lot of people know of the SpecterOS 4x. Many have, however, heard of its heavier and more expensive brother, the SpecterDR. The DR model has a military designation as SU-230/PVS-C, and is notable for its throw lever, cam, and prism system that allow the shooter switch quickly between 1x and 4x. The SpecterOS is essentially the same optic, but fixed at 4x without the prism and throw lever mechanism (or the associated cost and weight).
I purchased the optic with my own funds from MidwayUSA for $1,224, which is the MSRP minus a $30 coupon code. That is about a $1,000 savings over the SpecterDR model. The savings in the OS model come from the lack of prism and cam system of the DR model. The optic arrived in a nondescript white cardboard box that also included a user manual, anti-reflective device (ARD), and a Duracell DL 1/3N battery. I’m not one to be too picky about packaging, but I will give props to Trijicon for using nice hard sided Pelican cases to package their optics
https://everydaymarksman.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/ardquarter1.jpg?w=584
The optic itself is 6″ long. Despite its rather diminutive size, it is still a rather weighty 17.4 oz including the integral mount. I believe some of the extra weight stems from the relatively large optical surfaces, forged aluminum housing, and the nearly full-length integral ARMS base. A weight 17.4 oz puts it slightly heavier than a TA-31 with mount, and about the same weight as a TA-11 with mount, so it’s a wash there.
The front objective is 32mm, and the rear ocular is a generous 34mm. A 32mm objective with 4x magnification calculates out to a 8mm exit pupil, which is large enough that there should be zero issued when shooting in low light, as the human eye typically dilates up about 6 or 7mm. The optic came with the ARD already threaded into the front of the housing, but I removed it simply because I do not require it for the type of shooting I do.
There are provisions for a battery cap lanyard via a small stud next to the illumination switch/battery cap and a lip around the battery cap door; however, no lanyard was included. From what I have seen of the user manuals, the lanyard only comes with the SpecterDR and British military versions of the SpecterOS. Regardless, I found it easy to quickly fashion my own out of an inner thread from a short piece of paracord (I later removed it, reasoning that I’m not jumping out of airplanes or facing other conditions where retention is important).
https://everydaymarksman.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/caplanyard.jpg?w=584
Improvised Battery Cap Lanyard
Reticle
I purchased the crosshair reticle model. I believe this style reticle is more applicable to my practical shooting methods, as it provides a nice crisp aiming point to quarter a target with. There is also a chevron reticle available. The center crosshair is between 3 and 4 MOA wide and tall (I don’t have an exact measurement, as all of my attempts at contacting Armament Technologies to get the specs have been unsuccessful). The center of the crosshair is meant to be zeroed at 100 meters, and serve as the point of aim (POA) for up to 200 meters. Below this center crosshair, there are stadia lines for 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, and 800 meters. The reticle is calibrated for a 16″ barrel firing 62gr 5.56 (again, I don’t have the exact MOA drops, so I can’t tell what velocity and ballistic coefficient were used).
https://everydaymarksman.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/elcan_specter_os4x_absehen.jpg
As far as ranging capability, there are two options on this reticle. Each horizontal stadia line represents a 19″ width at the stated range, which is roughly equivalent to the average man’s chest width. Anyone who has used an ACOG before will be familiar with this scheme. On the lower left corner of the reticle is ELCAN’s VSOR vertical ranging system, where each bracket represents 30″ of height (the average height of a man’s torso) at each stated range. This rangefinding system is user friendly, and does not clutter the sight picture unnecessarily.
Illumination
On the left side of the optic is the illumination switch and battery cap. The cap threads itself into the switch, and is not easy to unscrew by accident when rotating the illumination rheostat. There are a total of ten illumination settings: five daylight and five low-light, with the “OFF” position being in the middle. There is only one OFF position rather than having one between each of the illumination settings, a la my Vortex PST. Some people prefer to have the off position between each setting, so it is easier to click right on to the normal desired setting, but with only five settings either way and a relatively large and easy to turn knob, I don’t think it would be of any extra benefit, and may in fact only add undesirable complication.
https://everydaymarksman.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/batterycap.jpg?w=584
Rotating the switch forward activates the daytime illumination, which illuminates the center crosshair only. The first two are designed for night vision, but I can still see them in the evening. I consider the maximum setting to be bright daylight capable, but more for providing contrast than really drawing in the eye. In full sun, aiming at bright objects like a sand dune or light colored house, the illumination is more difficult to see. In such cases, the etched reticle is still quite visible as a heavy black crosshair. I believe that, in full sun, the ACOG’s fiber optics are going to appear brighter to most people when outside. However, the LED power of the SpecterOS walks all over the ACOG when used indoors for what could best be described as CQB application. Indoors, the center crosshair glows quite brilliantly and rivals every RDS I’ve ever handled. ELCAN's own documentation emphasizes the CQB application of this system over trying to compete with Trijicon's BAC.
Rotating the illumination knob to the rear of the optic activates the low-light setting, which illuminates the entire reticle. The manual states that the battery is good for between 600 and 3000 hours, depending on the setting used.
https://everydaymarksman.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/dayret.jpg?w=584
Daylight/CQB Illumination at full afternoon sun outdoors
https://everydaymarksman.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/img_0362.jpg?w=584&h=589
Daylight/CQB Illumination at 7:30 PM outside
https://everydaymarksman.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/img_0363.jpg?w=584&h=621
Low-Light Illumination, same house at 7:30 PM
Optical/Mechanical Performance
The optical quality of the glass is the biggest selling point of the ELCAN for me. Nearly every review I had found talked about the optic “stomping” on the ACOG or other competing designs in the price bracket. I have not been disappointed. The optical quality is outstanding. On my second range trip, where I wanted to stretch out the legs and see what the BDC could do, I was able to spot my own hits and corrections at 700 yards. I could see every little kicked up dust cloud and walk myself in at that range. With a 4x optic, I found that to be pretty impressive. The clarity, resolution, and color transmission are absolutely outstanding, better than any ACOG I've handled.
I believe that a contributing factor to that optical clarity is actually the mount and external adjustment system. Not a lot of people are aware that optics will perform at their best with regards to resolution and clarity when the optical elements are mechanically aligned and centered inside the housing. Every bit of adjustment of an optic away from mechanical center degrades the performance of the glass just a bit. The farther from mechanical zero, the worse the performance gets.
The ELCAN glass and housing are one fixed piece that is locked into mechanical center. The zeroing of the SpecterOS is done via external adjustments that actually move the entire housing relative to the base. This guarantees that the optical elements themselves are always aligned and producing the best image possible. Having all of the internals fixed in place also makes the optic extremely tough. ELCAN rates the optic to withstand up to 450 Gs of acceleration, and claims water resistant for up to 2 hours at 66 feet.
Adjusting windage is done at the front of the mount via a flat head screw, or a coin, in front of the objective. Each click is ½ MOA. Elevation is done via a wheel at the rear of the mount, under the ocular. To adjust the elevation, the shooter uses a pointy object (such as a bullet) to lift a mechanical “catch” that locks the wheel in place. Once lifted, the wheel is adjusted in a similar manner to a M-16 rear sight drum. Again, each click represents ½ MOA.
https://everydaymarksman.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/windage.jpg?w=584
https://everydaymarksman.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/elevation.jpg?w=584
The SpecterOS is advertised as having 70mm of eye relief, or roughly 2.75 inches. I have seen a few a few people complain about the eye relief of the Specter series, which seemed odd to me given the stated eye relief compared to other optics in the same category. Measuring it myself, I found the stated eye relief to be about right from the lens to the best focal point, and about 2.6 inches from the focal point to the optic housing, with a little bit of fudge room in there.
https://everydaymarksman.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/eyerelief.jpg?w=584
What I have found, however, is that I still have to get my face pretty far up the stock and shoot nose to charging handle (NTCH) if I want to keep the back up sight. This is not explicitly the optic’s fault; it has the advertised longer eye relief. Rather, it is the fault of the mount. Due to the external adjustments, the mount runs nearly the full length of the optic, which doesn’t leave a lot of room behind it. On similar optics, such as the ACOG, the mount is nearly completely under the objective end of the scope, leaving a significant amount of space under the ocular to fold a backup sight. There is much less space on the ELCAN, meaning you have to push the optic farther forward on the top rail in order to accommodate a backup sight. Obviously, this eats into the available eye relief.
The SpecterOS 4x has a 6 degree field of view, which amounts to a respectable 34.2 feet at 100 yards. That is more than most any other comparable optic in this category, except for the TA31 and the Zeiss ZO 4x30i. When playing with eye relief, I’ve found that I can still move about a quarter inch behind the sweet spot and not really lose much field of view. The optic seems pretty lenient as far as eye relief and any distracting shadowing. There were times where I brought it up to my eye and didn’t even realize I wasn’t looking at the full field of view until I happened to scoot my face closer to the ocular and saw the reticle’s label etched across the very top. The usable eye box is quite good.
The Mount
The optic’s ARMS mount is integral. I have to admit this was probably my biggest concern before purchasing the optic. ARMS has a less than stellar reputation among AR enthusiasts. The mount itself certainly feels solid. However, the attachment system is rather simplistic and certainly dated when compared to newer designs like American Defense Manufacturing and Bobro Engineering. That said, it still works…if your rail is in spec.
On three of my four uppers (two M4-marked BCMs, and a Tactical Machining TM-10), it locked up just fine. The fourth, a well-worn Spikes Tactical, had a lot of movement; the optic freely slides back and forth within the picatinny slot. The mount appears to latch onto the underside of the picatinny rail’s “lip.” If this lip is too thin, the mount will have trouble clamping down on it. An improvised solution I’ve seen is to shim it with some aluminum foil. It seems to be a workable solution; but for an optic in this price range, we shouldn’t have to resort to improvised fixes like that.
ARMS has since recognized the fault with their lever design, and released the MK II levers, which are adjustable for tension via a locking wheel. I purchased a set for about $40, in hopes that it would improve the fit. Installing the levers would be no more than a 10 minute job with proper documentation and pictures; but the lack of pictures in the instructions meant that it ended up taking me about 40 minutes. Once installed and adjusted, the new MK II levers did provide a significant improvement in tension on the three uppers that it already fit, but the problem on the Spikes receiver persisted.
Looking at the shape and design of the ELCAN’s base, it would appear to be a simple enough task for another scope base manufacturer (Larue, ADM, Bobro, GDI, etc) to come up with an aftermarket design. All it would take to swap them out is a “key” to remove the attachment screws from the elevation and windage adjustments. The only two reasons that I think this hasn’t already happened is the cost of doing so, due to increased material usage and relatively low sales volume, or that ARMS is jealously guarding the rights to be the sole-source for the base and does not want competition.
Conclusion
I really like this optic. I’ll be honest, though, it took me a few range trips to get there. In my mind, I had it built up to be absolutely better in nearly every way when compared to the ACOGs I was looking at (primarily the TA11 series). At first, I was almost panicking that I had spent so much on an optic that I might not end up liking. Thankfully, that phase passed. Here’s how I have things broken down…
In the definite PRO column:
Outstanding optical clarity
Great field of view
Nice compact size
Common battery with good life
Good (but not outstanding) illumination
Easy to use BDC and ranging system
Built tough enough for armed conflict
In the Take-It-Or-Leave-It column:
The eye relief is good on paper, but in practice it may feel shorter than it actually is if you plan to mount a back up sight behind it
The illumination is not quite as bright as fiber optic competitors when outdoors in bright sunlight; but it does work brilliantly indoors or in less intense sunlight, performing far better in CQB applications than the fiber optic competitor, and is every bit as bright as a RDS
At 17.4 oz of weight all together with mount, it’s honestly kind of a middleweight. It’s more than a TA31 or compact ACOG like the TA33, about the same as a full sized TA11 with mount, but less than quality variables.
The Definite Cons
The ARMS mount will probably be fine for 99% of users, but when you start spending this much on optics, you want things to just work right. This would be completely solved by another manufacturer jumping into the pool to design a competing base
Who should buy this?
The Specter truly is an outstanding optic by most measures. If I had to pick one category that really separates it from the pack, it would be the quality of the glass and its compact size. But it is not without drawbacks. Depending on your situation and needs, those drawbacks may point you elsewhere.
If you are looking for a combat-tough optic with outstanding glass, fixed magnification (for simplicity), battery powered illumination (for economics and versatility), and attention-grabbing looks– I strongly suggest checking out the ELCAN SpecterOS 4x.
If you are concerned that your upper receiver rail is not machined to military spec, and therefore will not fit right with the mount; or if you need retina-searing brightness during daylight, then you should probably pass. If you absolutely need to keep a folding backup sight behind your optic, and you absolutely cannot shoot any other way than having your nose an inch or more behind the charging handle, then you should probably pass.
Int his price category, this optic is not too far in price and weight from some truly outstanding variables like the Nightforce NXS compacts, or Vortex Razor HD II. The appearance of Trijicon's new Accupoints and Accupowers are also quite interesting. Whether or not you feel that the era of low power fixed magnification is over will determine is these options better meet your needs.
That’s all I’ve got, thanks for reading.
More photos:
https://everydaymarksman.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/rearquarter1.jpg?w=584
https://everydaymarksman.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/sidepose1.jpg?w=584
https://everydaymarksman.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/sideshot.jpg?w=584
https://everydaymarksman.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/frontshot.jpg?w=584
https://everydaymarksman.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/ocular1.jpg?w=584
Elcan SpecterOS 4X
https://everydaymarksman.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/quarter1.jpg?w=584&h=397
Not a lot of people know of the SpecterOS 4x. Many have, however, heard of its heavier and more expensive brother, the SpecterDR. The DR model has a military designation as SU-230/PVS-C, and is notable for its throw lever, cam, and prism system that allow the shooter switch quickly between 1x and 4x. The SpecterOS is essentially the same optic, but fixed at 4x without the prism and throw lever mechanism (or the associated cost and weight).
I purchased the optic with my own funds from MidwayUSA for $1,224, which is the MSRP minus a $30 coupon code. That is about a $1,000 savings over the SpecterDR model. The savings in the OS model come from the lack of prism and cam system of the DR model. The optic arrived in a nondescript white cardboard box that also included a user manual, anti-reflective device (ARD), and a Duracell DL 1/3N battery. I’m not one to be too picky about packaging, but I will give props to Trijicon for using nice hard sided Pelican cases to package their optics
https://everydaymarksman.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/ardquarter1.jpg?w=584
The optic itself is 6″ long. Despite its rather diminutive size, it is still a rather weighty 17.4 oz including the integral mount. I believe some of the extra weight stems from the relatively large optical surfaces, forged aluminum housing, and the nearly full-length integral ARMS base. A weight 17.4 oz puts it slightly heavier than a TA-31 with mount, and about the same weight as a TA-11 with mount, so it’s a wash there.
The front objective is 32mm, and the rear ocular is a generous 34mm. A 32mm objective with 4x magnification calculates out to a 8mm exit pupil, which is large enough that there should be zero issued when shooting in low light, as the human eye typically dilates up about 6 or 7mm. The optic came with the ARD already threaded into the front of the housing, but I removed it simply because I do not require it for the type of shooting I do.
There are provisions for a battery cap lanyard via a small stud next to the illumination switch/battery cap and a lip around the battery cap door; however, no lanyard was included. From what I have seen of the user manuals, the lanyard only comes with the SpecterDR and British military versions of the SpecterOS. Regardless, I found it easy to quickly fashion my own out of an inner thread from a short piece of paracord (I later removed it, reasoning that I’m not jumping out of airplanes or facing other conditions where retention is important).
https://everydaymarksman.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/caplanyard.jpg?w=584
Improvised Battery Cap Lanyard
Reticle
I purchased the crosshair reticle model. I believe this style reticle is more applicable to my practical shooting methods, as it provides a nice crisp aiming point to quarter a target with. There is also a chevron reticle available. The center crosshair is between 3 and 4 MOA wide and tall (I don’t have an exact measurement, as all of my attempts at contacting Armament Technologies to get the specs have been unsuccessful). The center of the crosshair is meant to be zeroed at 100 meters, and serve as the point of aim (POA) for up to 200 meters. Below this center crosshair, there are stadia lines for 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, and 800 meters. The reticle is calibrated for a 16″ barrel firing 62gr 5.56 (again, I don’t have the exact MOA drops, so I can’t tell what velocity and ballistic coefficient were used).
https://everydaymarksman.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/elcan_specter_os4x_absehen.jpg
As far as ranging capability, there are two options on this reticle. Each horizontal stadia line represents a 19″ width at the stated range, which is roughly equivalent to the average man’s chest width. Anyone who has used an ACOG before will be familiar with this scheme. On the lower left corner of the reticle is ELCAN’s VSOR vertical ranging system, where each bracket represents 30″ of height (the average height of a man’s torso) at each stated range. This rangefinding system is user friendly, and does not clutter the sight picture unnecessarily.
Illumination
On the left side of the optic is the illumination switch and battery cap. The cap threads itself into the switch, and is not easy to unscrew by accident when rotating the illumination rheostat. There are a total of ten illumination settings: five daylight and five low-light, with the “OFF” position being in the middle. There is only one OFF position rather than having one between each of the illumination settings, a la my Vortex PST. Some people prefer to have the off position between each setting, so it is easier to click right on to the normal desired setting, but with only five settings either way and a relatively large and easy to turn knob, I don’t think it would be of any extra benefit, and may in fact only add undesirable complication.
https://everydaymarksman.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/batterycap.jpg?w=584
Rotating the switch forward activates the daytime illumination, which illuminates the center crosshair only. The first two are designed for night vision, but I can still see them in the evening. I consider the maximum setting to be bright daylight capable, but more for providing contrast than really drawing in the eye. In full sun, aiming at bright objects like a sand dune or light colored house, the illumination is more difficult to see. In such cases, the etched reticle is still quite visible as a heavy black crosshair. I believe that, in full sun, the ACOG’s fiber optics are going to appear brighter to most people when outside. However, the LED power of the SpecterOS walks all over the ACOG when used indoors for what could best be described as CQB application. Indoors, the center crosshair glows quite brilliantly and rivals every RDS I’ve ever handled. ELCAN's own documentation emphasizes the CQB application of this system over trying to compete with Trijicon's BAC.
Rotating the illumination knob to the rear of the optic activates the low-light setting, which illuminates the entire reticle. The manual states that the battery is good for between 600 and 3000 hours, depending on the setting used.
https://everydaymarksman.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/dayret.jpg?w=584
Daylight/CQB Illumination at full afternoon sun outdoors
https://everydaymarksman.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/img_0362.jpg?w=584&h=589
Daylight/CQB Illumination at 7:30 PM outside
https://everydaymarksman.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/img_0363.jpg?w=584&h=621
Low-Light Illumination, same house at 7:30 PM
Optical/Mechanical Performance
The optical quality of the glass is the biggest selling point of the ELCAN for me. Nearly every review I had found talked about the optic “stomping” on the ACOG or other competing designs in the price bracket. I have not been disappointed. The optical quality is outstanding. On my second range trip, where I wanted to stretch out the legs and see what the BDC could do, I was able to spot my own hits and corrections at 700 yards. I could see every little kicked up dust cloud and walk myself in at that range. With a 4x optic, I found that to be pretty impressive. The clarity, resolution, and color transmission are absolutely outstanding, better than any ACOG I've handled.
I believe that a contributing factor to that optical clarity is actually the mount and external adjustment system. Not a lot of people are aware that optics will perform at their best with regards to resolution and clarity when the optical elements are mechanically aligned and centered inside the housing. Every bit of adjustment of an optic away from mechanical center degrades the performance of the glass just a bit. The farther from mechanical zero, the worse the performance gets.
The ELCAN glass and housing are one fixed piece that is locked into mechanical center. The zeroing of the SpecterOS is done via external adjustments that actually move the entire housing relative to the base. This guarantees that the optical elements themselves are always aligned and producing the best image possible. Having all of the internals fixed in place also makes the optic extremely tough. ELCAN rates the optic to withstand up to 450 Gs of acceleration, and claims water resistant for up to 2 hours at 66 feet.
Adjusting windage is done at the front of the mount via a flat head screw, or a coin, in front of the objective. Each click is ½ MOA. Elevation is done via a wheel at the rear of the mount, under the ocular. To adjust the elevation, the shooter uses a pointy object (such as a bullet) to lift a mechanical “catch” that locks the wheel in place. Once lifted, the wheel is adjusted in a similar manner to a M-16 rear sight drum. Again, each click represents ½ MOA.
https://everydaymarksman.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/windage.jpg?w=584
https://everydaymarksman.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/elevation.jpg?w=584
The SpecterOS is advertised as having 70mm of eye relief, or roughly 2.75 inches. I have seen a few a few people complain about the eye relief of the Specter series, which seemed odd to me given the stated eye relief compared to other optics in the same category. Measuring it myself, I found the stated eye relief to be about right from the lens to the best focal point, and about 2.6 inches from the focal point to the optic housing, with a little bit of fudge room in there.
https://everydaymarksman.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/eyerelief.jpg?w=584
What I have found, however, is that I still have to get my face pretty far up the stock and shoot nose to charging handle (NTCH) if I want to keep the back up sight. This is not explicitly the optic’s fault; it has the advertised longer eye relief. Rather, it is the fault of the mount. Due to the external adjustments, the mount runs nearly the full length of the optic, which doesn’t leave a lot of room behind it. On similar optics, such as the ACOG, the mount is nearly completely under the objective end of the scope, leaving a significant amount of space under the ocular to fold a backup sight. There is much less space on the ELCAN, meaning you have to push the optic farther forward on the top rail in order to accommodate a backup sight. Obviously, this eats into the available eye relief.
The SpecterOS 4x has a 6 degree field of view, which amounts to a respectable 34.2 feet at 100 yards. That is more than most any other comparable optic in this category, except for the TA31 and the Zeiss ZO 4x30i. When playing with eye relief, I’ve found that I can still move about a quarter inch behind the sweet spot and not really lose much field of view. The optic seems pretty lenient as far as eye relief and any distracting shadowing. There were times where I brought it up to my eye and didn’t even realize I wasn’t looking at the full field of view until I happened to scoot my face closer to the ocular and saw the reticle’s label etched across the very top. The usable eye box is quite good.
The Mount
The optic’s ARMS mount is integral. I have to admit this was probably my biggest concern before purchasing the optic. ARMS has a less than stellar reputation among AR enthusiasts. The mount itself certainly feels solid. However, the attachment system is rather simplistic and certainly dated when compared to newer designs like American Defense Manufacturing and Bobro Engineering. That said, it still works…if your rail is in spec.
On three of my four uppers (two M4-marked BCMs, and a Tactical Machining TM-10), it locked up just fine. The fourth, a well-worn Spikes Tactical, had a lot of movement; the optic freely slides back and forth within the picatinny slot. The mount appears to latch onto the underside of the picatinny rail’s “lip.” If this lip is too thin, the mount will have trouble clamping down on it. An improvised solution I’ve seen is to shim it with some aluminum foil. It seems to be a workable solution; but for an optic in this price range, we shouldn’t have to resort to improvised fixes like that.
ARMS has since recognized the fault with their lever design, and released the MK II levers, which are adjustable for tension via a locking wheel. I purchased a set for about $40, in hopes that it would improve the fit. Installing the levers would be no more than a 10 minute job with proper documentation and pictures; but the lack of pictures in the instructions meant that it ended up taking me about 40 minutes. Once installed and adjusted, the new MK II levers did provide a significant improvement in tension on the three uppers that it already fit, but the problem on the Spikes receiver persisted.
Looking at the shape and design of the ELCAN’s base, it would appear to be a simple enough task for another scope base manufacturer (Larue, ADM, Bobro, GDI, etc) to come up with an aftermarket design. All it would take to swap them out is a “key” to remove the attachment screws from the elevation and windage adjustments. The only two reasons that I think this hasn’t already happened is the cost of doing so, due to increased material usage and relatively low sales volume, or that ARMS is jealously guarding the rights to be the sole-source for the base and does not want competition.
Conclusion
I really like this optic. I’ll be honest, though, it took me a few range trips to get there. In my mind, I had it built up to be absolutely better in nearly every way when compared to the ACOGs I was looking at (primarily the TA11 series). At first, I was almost panicking that I had spent so much on an optic that I might not end up liking. Thankfully, that phase passed. Here’s how I have things broken down…
In the definite PRO column:
Outstanding optical clarity
Great field of view
Nice compact size
Common battery with good life
Good (but not outstanding) illumination
Easy to use BDC and ranging system
Built tough enough for armed conflict
In the Take-It-Or-Leave-It column:
The eye relief is good on paper, but in practice it may feel shorter than it actually is if you plan to mount a back up sight behind it
The illumination is not quite as bright as fiber optic competitors when outdoors in bright sunlight; but it does work brilliantly indoors or in less intense sunlight, performing far better in CQB applications than the fiber optic competitor, and is every bit as bright as a RDS
At 17.4 oz of weight all together with mount, it’s honestly kind of a middleweight. It’s more than a TA31 or compact ACOG like the TA33, about the same as a full sized TA11 with mount, but less than quality variables.
The Definite Cons
The ARMS mount will probably be fine for 99% of users, but when you start spending this much on optics, you want things to just work right. This would be completely solved by another manufacturer jumping into the pool to design a competing base
Who should buy this?
The Specter truly is an outstanding optic by most measures. If I had to pick one category that really separates it from the pack, it would be the quality of the glass and its compact size. But it is not without drawbacks. Depending on your situation and needs, those drawbacks may point you elsewhere.
If you are looking for a combat-tough optic with outstanding glass, fixed magnification (for simplicity), battery powered illumination (for economics and versatility), and attention-grabbing looks– I strongly suggest checking out the ELCAN SpecterOS 4x.
If you are concerned that your upper receiver rail is not machined to military spec, and therefore will not fit right with the mount; or if you need retina-searing brightness during daylight, then you should probably pass. If you absolutely need to keep a folding backup sight behind your optic, and you absolutely cannot shoot any other way than having your nose an inch or more behind the charging handle, then you should probably pass.
Int his price category, this optic is not too far in price and weight from some truly outstanding variables like the Nightforce NXS compacts, or Vortex Razor HD II. The appearance of Trijicon's new Accupoints and Accupowers are also quite interesting. Whether or not you feel that the era of low power fixed magnification is over will determine is these options better meet your needs.
That’s all I’ve got, thanks for reading.
More photos:
https://everydaymarksman.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/rearquarter1.jpg?w=584
https://everydaymarksman.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/sidepose1.jpg?w=584
https://everydaymarksman.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/sideshot.jpg?w=584
https://everydaymarksman.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/frontshot.jpg?w=584
https://everydaymarksman.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/ocular1.jpg?w=584