SHTF ACOG vs. Aimpoint dilemma, what's your take?

[Caeser25]

Acog, but, I would choose the TA33 over the TA31. Bigger eyebox and its easier to use at close distances.

[sevenhelmet]

The ACOG reticle is etched. You can still see it, even when the illumination is washed out by conditions, such as shooting from a covered bench into full sun.

Anyone ever used an ACOG without the tritium lamp? I'm curious whether the reticle would show up black or not (obviously the light pipe would have to be covered as well).

[cbx]

In shtf, you're going to want was much stand off distance as possible.

Something tough, that works without batteries. Unless you're planning night assaults.

Pray that it never gets that bad. The fudds will have the advantage. Lol...They'll have perimeters from hell with a 375 h&h fagnum magnun.

[KiraX105]

I'll go with the ACOG as well. Standoff and the ability to discriminate what I am looking at. I have both too, the TA31 and a comp M2. Both are getting around the 10year mark each. The ACOG is dimming a bit, but in sunlight the fiber tube glows quite well, otherwise its a black reticle just like my variable powered Leupolds. I keep a supply of those quirky batteries for the M2 on hand. With my astigmatism the ACOG looks cleaner than the red dot, but I still have no issues with the RDS as I know where the dot is and the rest of the bloom is just a nuisance. All the long guns have buis.

In a SHTF scenario, its really gonna depend which rifle I grab first.

[samuse]

I have a lot of rounds downrange with ACOGS and Aimpoints. I went to a Nightforce 1-4 and there is nothing I miss about an ACOG and will never go back.

If you're serious about SHTF and being prepared with the best you can get, forget the ACOG. It's a fixed 4X that suffers up close and the eye relief is PITA to live with.

Even after SHTF, you won't be able to see in the dark so you're going to need a couple of good Surefires and plenty of CR123s to keep those going. The light is more important than an illuminated reticle. The NXS 1-4 with the illumination off works really well at night with a good light. Dial it down to 1X and it's pretty damn close to Aimpoint in the dark.

I suggest a Nightforce NXS 1-4 and an Aimpoint T-1 or T2. Put both in LaRue or Bobro mounts to swap between the two. They're both super tough and use the same batteries so you could lay in a stash of CR2032s that would last you until you're dead, old, or had slain all of Allah's army single-handed.

[Rekkr870]

Another point, ACOG's have been field tested in combat since Operation Just Cause in 1989, according to Trijicon.

They seem to have worked very well for the guys over in Iraq and Afghanistan, too. I'd very well consider that a shit hit the fan situation.

[docsherm]

ACOG hands down. TA33 on both my SHTF carbines.

I have 14 years old TA 45 1.5x ACOG that ran out about a year ago and the fiber works great. Just need to send it in to recharge to get another 14 or so years out of it.

[titsonritz]

I chose a third option, that being a 1-4x or 1-6x with an illuminated etched reticle. The 1x w/ illumination give you the rapid acquisition of a red dot for close to mid range engagements with the ability to crank up the magnification for longer distance shots. No batteries left in the world, you still have a usable variable scope.

[WS6]

This is not just another ACOG vs. Aimpoint thread. I consider them both good-to-go; it's just a matter of preference.

*Both are built to withstand abuse
*Both have long element life/battery life
*Both have advantages and disadvantages as far as reticle pattern, eye relief, optical clarity, etc.

I have narrowed it down to a question of illumination serviceability, especially in a SHTF situation.

The premise is that for whatever reason, there has been some sort of catastrophe. You have an ACOG that's fairly new, but you don't know how new, and you can't send it off to have the element replaced, EVER, because of the SHTF situation. You also have an Aimpoint Comp M4s. For the Aimpoint, you purchased plenty of Energizer L91BP-8 Ultimate Lithium AA Batteries with a 20-year shelf life, but you're not sure if you would ever be able to resupply, again because of the SHTF situation.

So, it comes down to this:

Which do you prefer in a SHTF situation?

Please give some good reasons why you would pick one over the other. There are no right answers, just food for thought.

-I hate ACOG's. The eye relief sucks, and they aren't very useful up close. This is when "they are working". Nevermind the fantasy "tritium dead" situation.
-I love Aimpoints. Mine have always done right. That said, this is a fantasy question, and batteries can certainly die. Another, and more pressing issue, though, for me, is the PID factor. When searching for a target that I know is there, with contrasting lighting (say, a dark target in the shade at 150-200 yards), it can take me a bit WHEN I KNOW IT'S THERE!
-I have finally arrived at the Low Power Variable. I checked out most of them in the store, and owned a VCOG briefly. I finally have settled on the Nightforce 1-4 NXS. It is offered with bold reticles, and is tested to 1250g's impact (multiple angles), and 100 ft water-pressure, and handles both just fine. This is more abuse than ACOG's or Aimpoints are factory tested to. I feel confident that it is just as durable as anything else out there except a folded pair of irons maybe. Weight isn't bad at 17oz, and form factor is awesome with how short it is.

[WS6]

I've thought about this as well. My thinking leads me to believe that the ACOG would be the better optic for this circumstance for the following reasons:

1. If the tritium/fiber optic goes out at some point in time, you'll always have a very useful reticle at your disposal. If the Aimpoint dies, as in inoperable even with batteries, you'll have nothing more than a ghost ring sight.

2. Target identification with the ACOG is superior, no need for explanation.

3. Hypothetically speaking, if this catastrophe was an EMP, I'd still take my chances with the ACOG due to no electronics. This is all speculation at the moment. I wonder what Aimpoint has to say about the newer models being hardened against EMP.

This is just my opinion, I'd like to hear others opinion on this as well.

I was on the phone with AP for something unrelated to EMP, and asked them because...why not? They explained that the AP has a very small amount of "sail area" for the EMP waves to hit, and that it's sortof a Faraday cage, in a way, as well, so it would take a pretty darn strong/direct blast to knock one out. They did not give a more technical answer than that, but I found it sufficient.