Backup red dot for ACOG questions...

[Bolt_Overide]

So Im considering running an ACOG rather than a variable, and Ive seen a few pics around with various setups that have a piggy backed or offset mini red dot site.

Id like to hear your experiences with a particular setup, what you like and dont, and why. Would appreciate it if you could post pics to the setup youre referencing as well.

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

[El Pistolero]

Tag for replies. I'm interested in going this route myself, I have a TA01NSN that I'd like to put an RMR on top of.

[C4IGrant]

So Im considering running an ACOG rather than a variable, and Ive seen a few pics around with various setups that have a piggy backed or offset mini red dot site.

Id like to hear your experiences with a particular setup, what you like and dont, and why. Would appreciate it if you could post pics to the setup youre referencing as well.

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

Mounting a RDS on top of the ACOG is a horrible idea as your offsets are huge.

I would run run on say a DD offset mount. Pretty good setup I think.


C4

[Failure2Stop]

I hate having a piggybacked MRD on magnified optics, but it is the most usable of positions when shooting from unconventional or bilateral positions, which really is the primary job of the MRD if over an ACOG with a decent reticle.

For pure (strong side only) shooting I prefer an offset MRD. Member "Submariner" has been shooting an ACOG with an offset T1 for a while now (along with members of his family). I would recommend asking him about nuances to the combination.

Another member, "BooneGA", is a fan of piggybacked MRDs on ACOGs, so he might be able to give more favorable details.

Personally, I find that a good 1-4 does everything I need a GP AR to do, including unconventional positions, but I am not the final authority on the topic and have my biases.

[Bolt_Overide]

this weapon will be for serious training and god forbid, shtf type stuff. Ive looked at the offset stuff, and i like it, except for wondering if its usefull shooting offhand.

The mounts arent all that expensive, I suppose I can just try both, the optic is the spendy part.

[Belmont31R]

What makes you want to run two optics instead of one (IE 1-4X)?

[Bolt_Overide]

Two things.

First I already have a good acog, and Im fairly used to it.

Second, Ive looked into a few different 1-4's and the options either leave something lacking for me, or are far more than I have to spend.

All things being equal, Id love a short dot, but I just dont have short dot money at the moment, unless I want to sell off some guns.. Which I really do not want to do.

[ALCOAR]

There is no perfect secondary mounting solution given your primary optic takes up the ideal location on the rifle, you must pick the lesser of two evils, thus I recommend regardless of what primary optic your running a 45 degree offset mount for your secondary RDS. You will find that the 45 degree mounted RDS is far more useable than the piggyback mounted RDS in 9/10 situations you encounter when needing to use it.

http://i53.tinypic.com/28s22au.jpg

[El Pistolero]

TYou will find that the 45 degree mounted RDS is far more useable than the piggyback mounted RDS in 9/10 situations you encounter when needing to use it.

So is that 1/10 situations left-handed shooting if you're a righty and the mini-RDS is offset to the right side? Because that is my only concern with an offset RDS.

[Belmont31R]

Two things.

First I already have a good acog, and Im fairly used to it.

Second, Ive looked into a few different 1-4's and the options either leave something lacking for me, or are far more than I have to spend.

All things being equal, Id love a short dot, but I just dont have short dot money at the moment, unless I want to sell off some guns.. Which I really do not want to do.



Ive sold two short dots on here with the most expensive being 1650 with a LT mount. By the time you get an ACOG with mount, and an offset RDS with mount you would be over what Ive sold completely serviceable Short-Dot's on here for.


If you have patience and peruse the forums you could get a Short-Dot in a similar price range and have better optics all around with a better setup as far as not having to learn two cheek welds, buy two mounts, two optics, ect. Especially with the Short-Dot 1-8X coming out I would expect a lot of deals on 1-4X's...which is why I sold mine, and the 4X top end is perfectly capable with COM shots within the 5.56 range.

[Kchen986]

Piggyback MRD works for reflex shooting. Usually, height over bore isn't too big of an issue since you'll need to remember your holdovers with a standard red dot configuration too.

It's expensive.

Chin weld isn't a problem. You can remain heads up, then snap the carbine up and shoot at close range.

In awkward and unconventional positions the MRD won't work. That's the biggest drawback. If you start canting your carbine to make 50 yard hits, you'll have to use the ACOG (which can be difficult to get the right eye relief and sight picture.) In such a situation, the height over bore and large 7MOA dot of the MRD will be too inexact to get a hit.

At close range, it works though. I've been training with one as my primary rig.

I have no experience with a 45 degree offset rig or a 1-4x, so those may be better options.

I paid $1,125 for my used TA01 ECOS. YMMV. Hope this helps.

[Alaskapopo]

I prefer the Larue off set mount its at a angle more natural than the DD mount. I have tried both. Also its very fast to use an off set mount. The only down side is negotiating strong side corners.
I do prefer a 1-4 or 1-6 variable. But I have been playing with a back up red dot on my three gun rifle and now thing there is something to be said for a back up optic.
Pat

[Just a Jarhead]

We discussed this backin May. Here's the thread. You'll find links to pics on page 2 & 4. https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=80186

[lamarbrog]

I considered the RMR briefly when I was getting an ACOG, but decided against it. There are basically two reasons I can see someone desiring one of these; 1) As a CQB sight, due to the ACOG's magnification, and 2) as a back up in case the ACOG fails.

The first point was the primary reason I was considering getting the RMR, but after trying out the RMR mounted on top of an ACOG, I came to the conclusion that it was so unnatural to me that I'd be better off just canting the rifle and "point shooting" with the handguards/barrel as my reference/"sights".

Especially since I shoot both eyes open, and use a dual-illuminated ACOG, I am pretty comfortable with my abilities to make hits with the magnified optic.

A complaint I heard from some was that without a lot of practice with the RMR, many forget to transition to it for close range- they simply make due with the BAC capabilities of the dual illumination. You could certainly practice with the RMR more, but as a secondary sighting system, that's taking away from your practice with your primary sighting system.

#2 I decided was just absurd. There are no batteries to fail in an ACOG, so it isn't going to die on me. If you manage to break an ACOG, I don't really see how the RMR is going to be even close to intact. In fact, if you manage to break an ACOG, I'd question where or not the rifle is even intact. An ACOG housing is a machined 7075-T6 forging... it's like breaking your rifle's receiver.

There is, of course, the off chance that you somehow manage to damage the lenses by hitting the optic just right on some sort of extremely rigid and pointy object. (Run into a piece of reinforcing steel full speed ahead?) If you have such bad luck that this happens, though, you probably ought to put the whole rifle down before lightning strikes it and kills you. We're getting into things that are just too unlikely to even be worth considering.



That's just my take on it... YMMV