What is the fascination with a LPVO on an AR?

[ABNAK]

You know, the Nightforces, the Razors, etc. I can see it on a dedicated long-range gun but on an M4-ish platform? Isn't there already the ACOG?

My personal favorite reticle is the EOTech, but given the DoD shenanigans from a few years back, the shifting POI (my biggest grievance), and the battery life I have adorned my AR's with Aimpoint T-1's or T-2's. Two ACOGs also.

Look, not throwing stones, genuinely want to know the interest in the LPVO. I have never shot a weapon with one on it, and a more "traditional" looking optic than a RDS just asks to be bumped out of zero (thinking of a hunting rifle and if it's bumped/dropped you're SOL on the zero). They are also large and I suspect heavier than a RDS or even an ACOG.





My biggest fear? This thread will cause me to spend $$$.

[C-grunt]

I was a bit skeptical but decided to give it a try since my astigmatism gives me a squiggly line instead of a dot with Aimpoints. Im sold on them.

Note... Im basing this off of a Steiner P4Xi as that's what Ive been using on my work rifle.

On 1 power it's almost as fast as an Aimpoint. The eye box is very forgiving and I havent had issues with getting a good sight picture even running it on barricades, through ports, and under vehicles. The increased magnification helps on everything past about 30 yards. From 30-75ish yards I keep the scope on 2-2.5 power. Eye box is still very forgiving and the slight magnification gives me a little finer aiming point. At 100 yards and above the 4 power works really well, just like an ACOG.

Durability depends on the quality of the optic. Just like cheap red dots don't hold up the same as an Aimpoint. My Steiner hasn't lost zero riding around in the back of my patrol vehicle for about a year now. Its gone through 20+ hours of training which included barricade work, vehicle work, and running and gunning.

[ggammell]

You have to try it for yourself. ACOG is a quality optic but it’s fixed magnification. Also consider the crosshairs reticle combined with a red dot in the middle. As an eotech shooter I wasn’t sure. But then I tried it. I’m thinking of dumping Eotech entirely and going LPVO.

I took my P4xi out to the range and burned down some up close stuff hen walked back to distance and was making shots standing that I might have had to go at least kneeling to hit.

[MegademiC]

You know, the Nightforces, the Razors, etc. I can see it on a dedicated long-range gun but on an M4-ish platform? Isn't there already the ACOG?

My personal favorite reticle is the EOTech, but given the DoD shenanigans from a few years back, the shifting POI (my biggest grievance), and the battery life I have adorned my AR's with Aimpoint T-1's or T-2's. Two ACOGs also.

Look, not throwing stones, genuinely want to know the interest in the LPVO. I have never shot a weapon with one on it, and a more "traditional" looking optic than a RDS just asks to be bumped out of zero (thinking of a hunting rifle and if it's bumped/dropped you're SOL on the zero). They are also large and I suspect heavier than a RDS or even an ACOG.





My biggest fear? This thread will cause me to spend $$$.

I have a vx-r patrol 1.25-4.
Is it as robust as an aimpoint or acog, probably not.
At 1.25x i have a fast sight. Almost rds fast. I can also zoom in for hunting (which is more likely than HD) or target ID.
Past that I dont know. If you have the money, khales looks good, but a lot of the “reasonable” options (vortex 1-6) are pigs. I need to get hands on, but on paper, you can have a 2.5-10 and rds for the same weight. 1-4 is good, 1-6 I cant justify the weight, but again- based on specs only.
A vortex 1-6 is 24oz. My optic is half that.

For lpvo
Good up close eye box
Good long range clarity/reticle
Light weight
Cost

Pick 2, maybe 3 depending on optic.

Best thing to do is define your situation and let people offer advice.

[vicious_cb]

You know, the Nightforces, the Razors, etc. I can see it on a dedicated long-range gun but on an M4-ish platform? Isn't there already the ACOG?

My personal favorite reticle is the EOTech, but given the DoD shenanigans from a few years back, the shifting POI (my biggest grievance), and the battery life I have adorned my AR's with Aimpoint T-1's or T-2's. Two ACOGs also.

Look, not throwing stones, genuinely want to know the interest in the LPVO. I have never shot a weapon with one on it, and a more "traditional" looking optic than a RDS just asks to be bumped out of zero (thinking of a hunting rifle and if it's bumped/dropped you're SOL on the zero). They are also large and I suspect heavier than a RDS or even an ACOG.





My biggest fear? This thread will cause me to spend $$$.

Fixed power optics like the ACOG are obsolescent. Good LPVOs give you 90-95% the capability of a RDS while giving you better a magnified sight picture than an ACOG.

LPVO = a slightly less forgiving RDS + low magnification scope

[kwelz]

Fixed power optics like the ACOG are obsolescent.

Not sure if I agree with this.

LPVO, as much as I love them, are still nowhere near as durable as an ACOG.

[vicious_cb]

Not sure if I agree with this.

LPVO, as much as I love them, are still nowhere near as durable as an ACOG.

ACOGs have pretty much been phased out in the SOF community.

[militarymoron]

I've been a long-time user of the Aimpoint Comp and T-series RDS. As I grow older, my eyesight is also getting worse, and target identification becomes an issue. Even discerning a small bullseye at 50 yards is more difficult than it used to be. Combined with my astigmatism, trying out a LPVO made sense. My Steiner P4Xi cost less with mount than my T1's and has a diopter adjustment to sharpen the image. A bit slower at distances under 25 yards, but much more versatile out to 300 yds than an unmagnified RDS. Again, if I have trouble seeing the target, I have trouble aiming at it and hitting it. The LPVO helps me see the target better, and that translates to better hits. If I have to pick ONE optic for a 'do it all' AR, it'd have a LPVO on it.

[Doc Safari]

I've been a long-time user of the Aimpoint Comp and T-series RDS. As I grow older, my eyesight is also getting worse, and target identification becomes an issue. Even discerning a small bullseye at 50 yards is more difficult than it used to be. Combined with my astigmatism, trying out a LPVO made sense. My Steiner P4Xi cost less with mount than my T1's and has a diopter adjustment to sharpen the image. A bit slower at distances under 25 yards, but much more versatile out to 300 yds than an unmagnified RDS. Again, if I have trouble seeing the target, I have trouble aiming at it and hitting it. The LPVO helps me see the target better, and that translates to better hits. If I have to pick ONE optic for a 'do it all' AR, it'd have a LPVO on it.

I do see your logic. I too am suffering from aging eyes.

Here's my thought process:

1. The target gets harder to identify at longer ranges as one's vision gets older
2. The rifle gets harder to hold steadier due to the "wobbly" quality of one's steadiness at higher magnification
3. For home defense, center of mass seems to be the "standard", and not tiny bullseyes on paper targets
4. RDS's and reflex sights have a larger, more forgiving window, eye relief, eye box, etc., than an LPVO
5. Speed and reaction time are already slowing due to age, and are even slower with a magnified optic

Conclusion: For me at least, as I get older I'm more concerned with keeping an accuracy standard of "minute of torso" (or worse, "minute of human") rather than trying to hit a small bullseye.

Advantage: red dot or reflex sight.

YMMV

[Iraqgunz]

We just had an officer here recently use his Steiner equipped Colt 6920 to shoot and kill an armed suspect. Suspect was about 35 yards away and there is little doubt that the optic was a benefit in delivering precision shots.

I've been a long-time user of the Aimpoint Comp and T-series RDS. As I grow older, my eyesight is also getting worse, and target identification becomes an issue. Even discerning a small bullseye at 50 yards is more difficult than it used to be. Combined with my astigmatism, trying out a LPVO made sense. My Steiner P4Xi cost less with mount than my T1's and has a diopter adjustment to sharpen the image. A bit slower at distances under 25 yards, but much more versatile out to 300 yds than an unmagnified RDS. Again, if I have trouble seeing the target, I have trouble aiming at it and hitting it. The LPVO helps me see the target better, and that translates to better hits. If I have to pick ONE optic for a 'do it all' AR, it'd have a LPVO on it.