What is the fascination with a LPVO on an AR?

[Voodoo_Man]

A while back I wrote up an article on this topic, specifit PID (positive identification) which is a very real world consideration.

http://www.vdmsr.com/2016/06/optics-...-distance.html

I'd rather have the ability to PID and make shots at distance instead of waiting until I can PID via non-magnifcation and have a closer engagement distance.

[Nocalsocal]

Does anyone have any long term use with the Leupold Patrol 1.25x4? Although I've had mine for a year or so and quite honestly, I haven't had the funds/time to really to really wring it out.
Just wanted to know if there is anything I should look out for.
I LOVE the clarity and weight. And its daylight bright firedot with auto on. Don't really care for the exposed dials and the minimum 1.25 magnification. But I wanted something to get my foot in the door of LPVO and will work with my astigmatism.
I know its older design. Just looking for someone with any experience regarding its durability.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

[Nocalsocal]

Great read. I've been debating on keeping my Leupold Patrol on my AR pistol and the article is swaying me keep it on there. Thanks for the work!

A while back I wrote up an article on this topic, specifit PID (positive identification) which is a very real world consideration.

http://www.vdmsr.com/2016/06/optics-...-distance.html

I'd rather have the ability to PID and make shots at distance instead of waiting until I can PID via non-magnifcation and have a closer engagement distance.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

[Doc Safari]

I need convincing too.

Full disclosure: I had been bitten by the LPVO bug for a time, too. I developed glaucoma and now the eye that I was using for shooting can't see well enough to use an LPVO. Since I had to switch to the other eye, I just don't seem to be able to line things up properly and quickly enough to make it a viable optic for anything but slow precise long-range shots.

I much prefer a red dot or reflex sight now.

I went to the range with my Leupold one day using my one good eye, and couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. Point being: it's going to require lots of ammo and practice for me to use a LPVO now. I took to the Meprolight reflex sight immediately with my remaining good eye.

I realize I'm a special case but it illustrated to me how under stress one might not be able to use a LPVO quickly enough without lots of practice.

I just don't have the time to devote to "gettting good with it." I can use the Meprolight with my off eye RIGHT NOW.

[markm]

I'm not a fan of the LPVO on any platform. I think Pappabear has ONE on a gun that I don't completely hate. But I'd never buy or run one.

Something with that low of power, but that much bulk on top of the gun just doesn't work for me. No hate if it works for other guys... just zero appeal to me.

[shadow93]

I don't think they are superior for an urban police officer or home defense. With the exception of SWAT, police officers don't engage at 300 yards and God help the home defender who pops a criminal at that range.

Andy

I fully and completely disagree with that statement. I'm not sure if you are LE or not but SWAT is rarely an option and the response time is usually measured in an hour to two not minutes. And you do realize the distances an urban patrol officer has to deal with still correct? Ever been in a Walmart or a distibution warehouse? You are easily talking about 100/200/300 yard distances easily and their are TONS of scenarios where a regular beat officer could have to make a confrontation at that distance when their is not time to wait for SWAT to be deployed or even at much shorter distances where having the ability to take a precise shot is necessary.

[markm]

You are easily talking about 100/200/300 yard distances easily and their are TONS of scenarios where a regular beat officer could have to make a confrontation at that distance when their is not time to wait for SWAT to be deployed or even at much shorter distances where having the ability to take a precise shot is necessary.

If there's a threat at 2 or 3 hunnit, It would likely be an "active shooter" where a patrol guy could easily identify the situation. That said, any rifleman worth his ass can make that shot with irons or an RDS.

Pappabear and I shot next to a SWAT sniper team last summer. Not one round was fired outside of 100M. Overhearing their conversations lead me to learn that they are very concerned about POI of specific ammo lots out of their guns, and the ability/confidence they'd have taking a head shot, etc. at real world 50-100M distances.

(just my opinions from shooting long range, and watching the PD swat do their thing)

[Doc Safari]

If there's a threat at 2 or 3 hunnit, It would likely be an "active shooter" where a patrol guy could easily identify the situation. That said, any rifleman worth his ass can make that shot with irons or an RDS.

Pappabear and I shot next to a SWAT sniper team last summer. Not one round was fired outside of 100M. Overhearing their conversations lead me to learn that they are very concerned about POI of specific ammo lots out of their guns, and the ability/confidence they'd have taking a head shot, etc. at real world 50-100M distances.

(just my opinions from shooting long range, and watching the PD swat do their thing)

I live on a ranch with plenty of opportunities to see potential threats at 300+ yards. The thing is, I'm not sure at that distance I could determine definitively if someone is a threat of immediate bodily harm or just "a lost hunter". Granted, on the two-way range in a war or something one would almost assume a distant individual is a threat--but that's not due to the utility of the optic but the ongoing tactical situation no matter what optic is employed.

[shadow93]

If there's a threat at 2 or 3 hunnit, It would likely be an "active shooter" where a patrol guy could easily identify the situation. That said, any rifleman worth his ass can make that shot with irons or an RDS.

Pappabear and I shot next to a SWAT sniper team last summer. Not one round was fired outside of 100M. Overhearing their conversations lead me to learn that they are very concerned about POI of specific ammo lots out of their guns, and the ability/confidence they'd have taking a head shot, etc. at real world 50-100M distances.

(just my opinions from shooting long range, and watching the PD swat do their thing)

For sure it would most likely be an active shooter. I'm not saying you can't make that shot with a RDS or irons but if you can make that shot more precise thanks to a LPVO why would you not? Same thing with taking a shorter distance, say 50 yards, hostage shot on demand. Can you do it with a RDS? Sure, but if I want that shot to be as precise as possible and crank my LPVO up to 2-3x where as with other options I only have fixed magnification options I want to be able to do that.

What about a rolling domestic where the suspect has a gun and the vehicle is seen stopping in Aisle X of the local Walmart parking lot? You can clear down the aisle with the rifle on 1x and zoom it as you get closer to cover the vehicle or take the shot as necessary.

Personally, I'd rather have the options of being able to zoom. At least with the LPVO the weight is centered where as the weight with a flip up magnifier is off to the side which I find awkward. Also, the whole I keep my magnifier in my kit thing I've heard is stupid, where is that kit with the magnifier at when you grab your rifle and go? Not with the rifle.

[MistWolf]

Does anyone have any long term use with the Leupold Patrol 1.25x4? Although I've had mine for a year or so and quite honestly, I haven't had the funds/time to really to really wring it out.
Just wanted to know if there is anything I should look out for.
I LOVE the clarity and weight. And its daylight bright firedot with auto on. Don't really care for the exposed dials and the minimum 1.25 magnification. But I wanted something to get my foot in the door of LPVO and will work with my astigmatism.
I know its older design. Just looking for someone with any experience regarding its durability.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

I don't have much time behind the Leupold 1.25x4x Patrol, but I have been using Leupold scopes for decades. Generally, Leupold offers the best balance of weight, ruggedness, optical clarity and price of any scope I've looked at. I compared the 1.25-4x to other LPVs and I feel it's the best value, especially in it's price range. One thing I really like about the Patrol is it's optical clarity and that the field of view fills the ocular lens better than anything else. That is, the circular "frame" around the picture you see in the scope is much thinner than most of the other brands.

I had concerns that the 1.25x would be too much of a handicap at in-your-face ranges, but so far, that hasn't been the case. Maybe not quite as fast as an RDS inside say, ten yards. But it's easier and faster than iron sights. Keep in mind that I've only had the scope a couple of months and am still running it through the wringer. So far, I'm impressed, especially since I got the scope and Leupold mount for just a little over $500. I really like that the dot turns itself off to preserve the battery, but comes on at the slightest touch.

I haven't any worries about the ruggedness of the Patrol. I don't think it would survive the torture Larry Vickers put the Aimpoint mounted the DD carbine through. But my Leupolds have survived decades of riding around in a Jeep in the backcountry, falling down mountains, hot deserts, winter hunts, rain, snow and several household moves without losing zero, fogging, denting or loss of optical clarity. I think your Patrol will serve you well.