Baller on budget top picks red dot : holosun 515gm or 515t Prism optic : primary arms 1x slx micro prism, 3x micro prism , 5x micro( u can get a heromod red dot mount to securely run a ret dot above ) LVPO: …. Idk primary arms Magnifiers : primary arms 3x micro or full size Alternate : romeo juliet
I'm 54 years old, and my vision went from to perfect to not perfect in less than 10 years, but especially when it comes to red lights. I've found that a green dot is much better for me with my prescription glasses requirement. Also mount height matters with glasses since a higher mount height makes it less likely that my upper frame, or edge of the lens will obscure my view. Favored setup for an AR10 is a real scope with a top mounted green dot.
In the same club at 53, have problems shooting irons at 50yds these days, depressing. Good point that if you're gonna run a top or offst red then you might as well regular & skip the lvpo.
To know if your eyes are messed up or its the red dot - take a picture or look through the dot with your phone camera. Should come out crisp everytime on the phone unless the optic is messed up
It's safe just to assume it's your eyes. Or ask other people what they see when they look at your dot. I've never even heard of a DOT actually having a comet tail or starburst when viewed by someone without an astigmatism.
@@ColdGrapeDrink another thing, safety glasses can worsen the effect. I was having a hard time at one range with the lighting and my slight astigmatism, but when i looked thought without the glasses it was dramatically better. Either no glasses (not recommended) or better glasses can help.
I REAAALY get a kick out of shooting irons and the eye relief on the acog is what it is because how we learned to shoot irons. The other thing not mentioned is field of view which is why he runs the LPVO on 3 or 4x and a top mount, golly that sounds like an acog to me. I just enjoy the zen of shooting prone with irons. I need to take my time, breathe, work the trigger. Everything must be perfect to make a 400 yard shot on a 16" barrel. I love the feeling of getting everything right at once.
@@armstrong2052Because it's an art & takes skill, everything else is cheating. Had a buddy who didn't miss with his Leupold on his Mauser, couldn't hit at 50yds with irons with my Mauser, even my ex-girlfriend didn't miss at 50yds with my Mauser.
All of their comments shook any belief I had in their competence as subject matter experts tbqh. I’ll still probably buy some more of their spud pouches but they obviously don’t know what they are talking about in some categories
I ran all those setups ( except the lpvo/ rds combo) on my rifles during different combat deployments , and concurr with your take aways . I'm currently running a legacy S&B 1-4 on my 5.56 16" System and an 1-8 on my 7.62 in civillian life, very happy with both for what I think I'll need them for. Keeping a Zeroed aimpoint T1 for the 5.56 and a M4s for the 7.62 in Reserve.
@@BananarchOfTedKacistan that's what I'm explaining though my right eye is really bad that optic is perfect. On pistol draw my left eye is dominate now. On rifle I have no choice to use my right eye and the eye relief is perfect so is clarity.
Really solid video covering all the bases without a lot of biases. My general rules: 14+" = LPVO 12-13" = ACOG 11" and under = red dot (& magnifier optional)
I’m gonna bring up something that I feel is over looked with eotechs. I fell in love with the eotech after my horrible use with ccos in the army. Purely because I am color blind red/green so the encircled dot on the eotech ensures I never lose the dot on a green background.
@@KD-lb9bg you can be one of exactly 3 mos’s if color blind. However you do a dot test then a vivid red green test and if you fail the vivid red green it is a no go
On the topic of iron sights, Ive ran an acog on my go to rifle for a while now (looking at replacing it finally) and for most of the time ive owned ive simply used a rear sight with a large aperature and placed it in front of the acog much like an ak (learned how to shoot rifles on an ak go figure)
I have some professional experience in studying EMP effects, smaller electro optical units being affected is a bit of a misnomer but it’s also not entirely understood. Typically EMP is going to affect things that have decent lengths of wiring such as alternators and Ethernet/coax cables in structures. Smaller units will, generally speaking, be perfectly fine.
I like a dot with no eye relief on top good for under 50 yrs fast acquisition in close , on top of a 1x8 acss Arkin the acss has yard points w/ horizontal and vert reference windage, run out .This combination gives very good capability throughout the field close to far . However having different rifles set up for different purposes is also very nice, 11.5" 55-62 grn does great out to 200 with just a dot and 3x magnifier. Another one set up for long range only 75 grn with 4 x 16 Christmas tree moa for learning holds . Great video Guy's ❤ I'm always learning new things.
My 11.5" build you can go out to 200 without a magnifier no problem. Same with the 12 o clock mini red dot on my 5x Prism on my 16" build. I find I need magnification 300 plus. Got my 11.5" out to consistent 300 hits with a 4x magnifier. Looking to take my 5x Prism out to 500 & 600 yards to see how well it fairs.
A bit disappointed that fov wasnt mentioned about any of the options. The reason why the 4× acog has a shorter eye relief than an lpvo is that it has a considerably larger fov than the average lpvo.
For anyone with astigmatism who is stuck with a red dot, if you have iron sights flip up your rear sight and it helps to take away some of the distortion from the dot.
My main squeeze has a Romeo 4XT Pro on an Arisaka MK 2.26” and Scalarworks fixed iron sights. “SPR” build has KAC folding iron sights and a Badger Ordnance C1 1.70” w/ top mounted Romeo 4T Pro (also have 45° J-Arm). Plan to put a Nightforce 4-16 on it.
Primary arms LPVO Nova Reticle 1-6. He optic has a great crosshair reticle with a daylight illuminated dot when turned on. Simple dot makes near 1x very much like a red dot while not using a lot of battery. It has great battery life and battery is easy to change. Te optic has very good eye relief at 1x. I tried prisms and it was the least desirable for me. I thought long and hard about a Holosun HE530c red dot but the versatility coupled with much improved target recognition won me over. I lightened my AR-15 to help with the 24 oz optic and mount weight. Unloaded weights 7.8 lbs but has good balance. It's all about trade-offs. The variable magnification is useful even at less than 100yds. Anyway, that is where I needed up. The wide field of vision and light gathering of the optic on 1x is extremely useful.
I went with a 1-6x VCOG with horseshoe dot and BDC. The horseshoe is pretty small at 1x, but the border of the reticle really draws your eye to the center. With the illumination on, it becomes a large red dot that is easy to pick up, and the eye box is very forgiving. Also nice is that it runs on a AA battery, which you can find pretty much anywhere. I stuck it on a LaRue QD mount and still run BUIS.
DD V7 16, ACOG on Unity set back on rail, top dot. Both Powered by ☀️. MK18 T2 on Unity with Aimpoint mag on Unity. Dbal D2. Both with Surefire Turbos & YHM tk & T2 direct thread. 🤙🏽
I’m a big fan of my set up 5x primary arms prism with top dot. On a 13.7 pined rifle, set up for general purpose. I also use my dot as my primary but for the money I get much clearer glass from the prism than from an lpvo. You can’t out train glass clarity but you can out train eye relief. It works for me. I think the 5x on a prism is more useable than the 6x on a similarly priced lpvo.
For vehicle: carry handle fixed iron sights. for home defense: 1x prism. for end of world/apocalypse: lpvo with off set red dot. the primary arms nova lpvo has great illumination and their prism scopes are fantastic.
I see benefits to all the different styles of optics and use them all in one form or another. That said, my all around preference is ACOG/prism with top dot. More specifically the TA02 that mounts the dot forward on the ACOG. I prefer the simplicity and ruggedness of the ACOG. My duty rifle for security is setup with an Aimpoint T2 and QD 3x magnifier, as typically, engagement is expected well within 200 meters.
Having gone through dozens of different configurations. I settled on an Eotech exps3-4 with a G45 on a ftc. Battery life isn’t an issue for me as I use rechargeable batteries that get about 700 hours which last me months of daily use and being rechargeable, will last longer than the 2023 batteries in storage as long as I cycle them through properly. Also, I think that stateside, if you do not account for passive night vision aiming, you are setting yourself up for a crappy night. I’ve see/heard too many former mil dudes completely discount passive aiming simply because they never faced a near peer adversary in the shit.
Actual real world experience being given as advice on best setup. This is a great video!! Red dot with 3-5x flip up or away magnifier is the best initial setup. I also have a rifle with a 3-12x scope sighted out to 200yards with a 12 o’clock red dot sighted at 50 yards.
@@Heywoodthepeckerwood you do realize that a 200yd zero is also roughly a 50yd zero right? Everyone from the army to the marines has used/uses it and if you do use a 50yd zero you’re supposed to dial it in and confirm it at 200. It’s been a pretty common zero for years.
I bought the PST 1-6 because of the "red dot bright" performance of it and the Razor Gen II 1-6. I have since ended up not even using the illumination unless it dusk/dawn lol. I also never really see myself going all the way to 6x unless I'm prone or shooting off a barricade, and even then, its just because I have the time to do it. I think I could've been happy with a 1-4 lpvo, but I do love this PST 1-6.
Ya I love my pst as well. I also never use the dot in it unless it’s dusk. I enjoy the 6x a lot and have done double taps at 500 yards well. Any further than 500 yards I would like a more refined reticle and more magnification so I’d be looking at the plxc but for a standard rifle the pst does everything amazing considering the cost.
I have the PST 1-4 Gen1, love it, only beef is with the exposed turrets, but 4x is all I need with an AR, & it's lighter than most lvpo's at 16oz without a mount.
I think it's important to identify your highest priority first and find the best choice for that, short range/ longer range/ night vision, etc. There's always gonna be trade offs.
ACOG TA11 with RCR on top is what I have now and I love it. Less weight, more durable, and better eye relief than an LPVO with no need to turn a ring. Has a better sight picture than a dot or EOTech with magnifier and needs no batteries (aside from the RCR's 6 year battery life). And it leaves enough real estate for iron sights. Only downsides are 3.5x max power, 4.5" RCR height over bore, and.... price.
My 16-in has S&B 1-8 Dual CC and Troy BUIS. My 14.5 has an EoTech with a 5x magnifier along with Troy BUIS, and my 11.5s have EoTechs and Troy BUIS. For my M16A4 FN military series, I have an ACOG, and keep the BUIS & Allen key in the stock. I absolutely love the Troy BUIS with the HK style front sight. Bet I have 30 sets of them, lol.
For the dot plus LPVO combo conundrum, you can always just run an offset dot like an ACRO or T2 and then run a micro dot on piggyback. People will call it crazy but for under 5 ounces you can increase the capability of your offset and LPVO tenfold.
Absolutely brother. I am not a fan of passive aiming with my offset. Face is not shaped for that shit. But I also don’t like using a piggyback dot for RET because I loose my cheek weld. For a couple of ounces and strange looks from Fuds I get everything I need. Results may vary but it work for me!
I think there's an argument to be made for just graduating to an MPVO in that situation. There doesn't end up being a redundant 1X and you get the benefit of much greater eye relief at larger magnifications.
@@Thatdaltonagreed. The weight is the only reason I could see to stick with an LPVO. I am hoping that companies start making some more 2-10 and 2-12 optics with mil based tree reticles. We are slowly seeing them come out but for the most part they are geared towards hunters.
aimpoint T2, scalarworks 1.93. Backup mbus pro. Both sighted separately. After years of shooting, I barely see a point for backup irons, but they're there in case everything goes wrong and I just need something.
A red dot with a magnifier is more than good enough to get the job done. I have a Holosun 503C with a Holosun magnifier and I can get out to 300yds easily with that setup. Night vision and gas mask can cause problems but like anything else, training with your system is key.
Interesting video. Liked and subscribed One point to add if you have an astigmatism (which you mention in the video) get a green dot or green circle with a green dot in it and it will be super clear. I don't know exactly why but it does work and it's one of the reason night vision devices show as green to the user. Put simply (as I understand it) our eyes can see more on the green light spectrum (rods and cones) vs. any other color so green is your friend if you have eye issues. Now that said if you're shooting into green fields or green backgrounds continually disregard everything I said above. 😃
Ncstar 3x9 compact with red dot mounted on top. Illuminated reticle. Blue green red. QD mount. Gen 2 $100 bucks. Gen 3 $200 bucks. Outstanding optics for the price.
How long have you been using NC star? Do they hold up well and hold zero? The reason I ask is on some forums they tear them up for Quality Control Issues
I'm mostly running the T-2 on the rifles I use the most. I live in an urban area, so it has the best advantages for my needs; if I should have to use it.
I was surprised you guys only mentioned the trijicon acog and not more modern prisms like primary arms and why someone might want a prism optic even for 1x. If you have astigmatism a prism is the way to go. Even with an illuminated reticle it’s way better than a red dot. You get a clear sharp reticle and if the battery runs out you still have that etched reticle that’ll be picked up even at night if you illuminate your target with a white light. Also, the primary arms have much better eye relief and a diopter that are simple to use even if you’re on a crayon diet. Acogs are cool but they’re years behind current competitors especially for the price. You could get a 1x, 3x, and a 5x from PA for less than the price of 1 acog. You could even get a 5x and an rmr for less… There’s really no reason to get an acog today unless you just gotta scratch that nostalgic itch imo.
I am now considering this 3-5x & dot combo. I see benefits to each setup depending on use case, but this prism/dot combo seems to fit quite a few with better durability than the LPVO.
PA is a budget optics company and is not used by any serious organization. This is why your thought process falls short. PA has nice stuff, sure. But it's not at all the same as Trijicon.
@@Whiskey.Tango.Actual do you know if they’re submitting products for contracts? Because if not how would they even be considered? The military/oga’s have adopted a plethora of bad products throughout history and have passed on clearly better options for a multitude of reasons so if that’s your standard of quality I’d say that’s where your thought process falls short. They don’t simply choose the best product. I’m not even saying the acog is trash. I just don’t see the point of buying one in the civilian market at its price point compared to all of the other options. I’ll play devils advocate. Let’s say it is actually better. Is it 4x better in every aspect? The mount sucks. You gotta buy an aftermarket one or be a sadist. A lot of people use tape or buy an aftermarket cover to adjust the brightness. I mean come on lmao. You’re telling me trijicon can’t upgrade it to compete with the market without losing its durability? Or they won’t bother because they made their money and Uncle Sam said “good nuff”?
@@xi-deadshot-ix5838 I thought primary arms prisms were just as good as ACOGs until I was just shooting with my PA 3X prism on the range and the prism shattered inside the tube. Never had that happen with an ACOG lol 😂
Running a Razor Gen 2 1 x 6 power on my duty rifle with iron (metal) back up sights. My irons are zeroed but never use them for general shooting. Just emergency backup if the scope ever gets knocked of the gun.
The one pro to the ACOG/RDS vs ELCAN set on 4X/RDS is if your RDS went down, you can instantly switch to 1X on the ELCAN. With the ACOG your stuck with the BINDON aiming concept at bad breath distances and most know how great that works out especially when a partial precision shot is needed. As far as weight the ACOG @ 15oz and the ELCAN @ 23oz
Currently rocking an A2 dissipator as my HD rifle. I live on 6 acres in the woods and with this East Texas heat/humidity, my optics fog up when I go outside, even with CatCrap applied. I know that optics are better, but until it cools down and doesn’t fog everything up, it’s irons for HD.
27:46 100% yes, metal sights! For a duty/defense wpn system. However, for a gamer gun, something I don’t do, maybe not. If I’m in a position my Troy BUIS break, I’ve got bigger problems to deal with.
Illumination on 1x if the Illuminated reticle is a simple dot in center is ideal!! Cross hairs or other things lit up, makes no difference to me, but if its a single dot, on 1x your shooting is enhanced similar to that of RDS
Given my budget (yes, I'm a poor with a bunch of kids/future kommandos), I've found the combo of best sfp lpvo I can afford plus offset fixed irons is quite satisfying.
I have to point out when speaking in terms of a battery being a negative due to a possible EMP. EMPs effect and disrupt communicative waves in the area and will shut down things like radio waves and cell phone communication but it won’t effect local devices powered by batteries. So no need to worry about your battery powered optic going limp if your area gets hit by an EMP. Furthermore, the only real emp is known as a HEMP which is when a nuclear weapon is detonated in high altitude and at that point, your red dot not working is the least of your worries.
Fixed irons all day long. Good luck listening to these buffoons.
You sound poor
You sound
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Kevin was my favorite character in Sicario
He’s the cutest barista ❤
😂😂😂
Serious? Matt’s buddy? Love Sicario.
I mounted the Hubble telescope on my 9mm pcc. Works great
No you didn’t
Don’t need a BDC in space
@@Heywoodthepeckerwoodthank you captain obvious
@@masterqui-gonjinn90 you’re welcome, just doin my part to keep people honest on the internet…👮🏻♂️
be careful you might shoot someone in alpha centauri and then you'll be a wanted fugitive in that sector
Baller on budget top picks
red dot : holosun 515gm or 515t
Prism optic : primary arms 1x slx micro prism, 3x micro prism , 5x micro( u can get a heromod red dot mount to securely run a ret dot above )
LVPO: …. Idk primary arms
Magnifiers : primary arms 3x micro or full size
Alternate : romeo juliet
If you're interested in Prism optics Primary Arms has some, and are about to release a new line that's a but more slim than their Gen2's.
yep, overall similar profile but without the illumination knob.
Kevin did great in the movies Tombstone and Sicario. 10/10 would sling gun again
I would love to hear Kevin talking about his experience with prescription glasses with fire arms, that would be neat video
I'm 54 years old, and my vision went from to perfect to not perfect in less than 10 years, but especially when it comes to red lights. I've found that a green dot is much better for me with my prescription glasses requirement. Also mount height matters with glasses since a higher mount height makes it less likely that my upper frame, or edge of the lens will obscure my view. Favored setup for an AR10 is a real scope with a top mounted green dot.
In the same club at 53, have problems shooting irons at 50yds these days, depressing. Good point that if you're gonna run a top or offst red then you might as well regular & skip the lvpo.
Green dots are better for those with aging eyes. Good choice.
To know if your eyes are messed up or its the red dot - take a picture or look through the dot with your phone camera. Should come out crisp everytime on the phone unless the optic is messed up
You can also just rotate it. If the smear rotates with the optic, it might be a bad dot. If it stays in line with your eye, your eye is the problem.
may cameras have a hard time giving a realistic view through an optic.
@@mtnbound2764 possible. Probably depends on the camera and type of issue.
It's safe just to assume it's your eyes. Or ask other people what they see when they look at your dot. I've never even heard of a DOT actually having a comet tail or starburst when viewed by someone without an astigmatism.
@@ColdGrapeDrink another thing, safety glasses can worsen the effect. I was having a hard time at one range with the lighting and my slight astigmatism, but when i looked thought without the glasses it was dramatically better. Either no glasses (not recommended) or better glasses can help.
Thank your for the information and the presentation of said information. Spiritus Systems is truly one of the best on the platform.
They said a bunch of stuff that’s just plain wrong and made themselves look dumb by saying it. Hope nobody uses this video as their baseline
I REAAALY get a kick out of shooting irons and the eye relief on the acog is what it is because how we learned to shoot irons. The other thing not mentioned is field of view which is why he runs the LPVO on 3 or 4x and a top mount, golly that sounds like an acog to me.
I just enjoy the zen of shooting prone with irons. I need to take my time, breathe, work the trigger. Everything must be perfect to make a 400 yard shot on a 16" barrel. I love the feeling of getting everything right at once.
I probably have 4-5 dd irons and a couple troy fixed sets. Love irons. I don't know why 😅
Simo Hayha stacked a lot if bodies with irons, head low in the snow...
@@armstrong2052Because it's an art & takes skill, everything else is cheating. Had a buddy who didn't miss with his Leupold on his Mauser, couldn't hit at 50yds with irons with my Mauser, even my ex-girlfriend didn't miss at 50yds with my Mauser.
All of their comments shook any belief I had in their competence as subject matter experts tbqh. I’ll still probably buy some more of their spud pouches but they obviously don’t know what they are talking about in some categories
@@BotNard there's gaps in all people's knowledge. It's
TA02. Great vibe from these guys. Spiritus is stepping it up
Thank you for the very informative video. Taking your time with each device and a clear explanation. Great video!
it's a good day when I get to watch a spiritus systems video!
I ran all those setups ( except the lpvo/ rds combo) on my rifles during different combat deployments , and concurr with your take aways . I'm currently running a legacy S&B 1-4 on my 5.56 16" System and an 1-8 on my 7.62 in civillian life, very happy with both for what I think I'll need them for. Keeping a Zeroed aimpoint T1 for the 5.56 and a M4s for the 7.62 in Reserve.
Where’d you go? Texas? South Dakota?
3x micro prism primary arms is a perfect optic for all your needs. If you need more range get the 5x micro prism.
But eye relief can be a concern for some of us, which is why LPVOs are also a very valid choice.
@@BananarchOfTedKacistan that's what I'm explaining though my right eye is really bad that optic is perfect. On pistol draw my left eye is dominate now. On rifle I have no choice to use my right eye and the eye relief is perfect so is clarity.
Really solid video covering all the bases without a lot of biases.
My general rules:
14+" = LPVO
12-13" = ACOG
11" and under = red dot (& magnifier optional)
I’m gonna bring up something that I feel is over looked with eotechs. I fell in love with the eotech after my horrible use with ccos in the army. Purely because I am color blind red/green so the encircled dot on the eotech ensures I never lose the dot on a green background.
@@Turtletrosity Weird, when I joined the service they specifically tested for red/green color blindness and if you failed you were a No-Go.
@@KD-lb9bg you can be one of exactly 3 mos’s if color blind. However you do a dot test then a vivid red green test and if you fail the vivid red green it is a no go
@@Turtletrosity 👍🏻
Yo who ever is working your media team is doing a killer job. That match cut on the rail guard was beautiful.
I really think the prism optic is the common man's optic. Cheaper than an LPVO, more durable, but a little more magnification than the red dot.
Yeah and the eye relief is pretty much solved with modern cantilever mounts like those from adm
@@jacobmoore6214 I love the cantilever mount. Honestly I think it looks cool with a sci fi aesthetic too.
The ACOG, not prisms. I've broke many PA prisms.
@@boygonewhoopdataZZ how? My pa prism has been great.
No doubt the PA prisms are a great option for some people. They’re not nearly as tough as ACOG’s tho.
On the topic of iron sights, Ive ran an acog on my go to rifle for a while now (looking at replacing it finally) and for most of the time ive owned ive simply used a rear sight with a large aperature and placed it in front of the acog much like an ak (learned how to shoot rifles on an ak go figure)
I have really been enjoying the prism's, I have several GPR's that have LPVO's but in some situations the prism really feels right.
I have some professional experience in studying EMP effects, smaller electro optical units being affected is a bit of a misnomer but it’s also not entirely understood. Typically EMP is going to affect things that have decent lengths of wiring such as alternators and Ethernet/coax cables in structures. Smaller units will, generally speaking, be perfectly fine.
I’ve heard this before, seems the thought that every electronic is fucked is incorrect. Would love some literature on it if you got it.
I like a dot with no eye relief on top good for under 50 yrs fast acquisition in close , on top of a 1x8 acss Arkin the acss has yard points w/ horizontal and vert reference windage, run out .This combination gives very good capability throughout the field close to far . However having different rifles set up for different purposes is also very nice, 11.5" 55-62 grn does great out to 200 with just a dot and 3x magnifier. Another one set up for long range only 75 grn with 4 x 16 Christmas tree moa for learning holds . Great video Guy's ❤ I'm always learning new things.
My 11.5" build you can go out to 200 without a magnifier no problem. Same with the 12 o clock mini red dot on my 5x Prism on my 16" build. I find I need magnification 300 plus. Got my 11.5" out to consistent 300 hits with a 4x magnifier. Looking to take my 5x Prism out to 500 & 600 yards to see how well it fairs.
A bit disappointed that fov wasnt mentioned about any of the options. The reason why the 4× acog has a shorter eye relief than an lpvo is that it has a considerably larger fov than the average lpvo.
That’s always been one of the main reasons people love the Acog too, def worth discussing
My favorite setup is definitely an eotech + magnifier or just a T2 on its own. But I do have LPVOs on some rifles and I absolutely love my ACOGs
Great content! I learned something about the relationship between eye relief and length of pull for LPVOs.
For anyone with astigmatism who is stuck with a red dot, if you have iron sights flip up your rear sight and it helps to take away some of the distortion from the dot.
Outstanding overview
This is way better than T Rex Arms' video. Way more detailed and the info is more sound than just one guy talking. Keep it up Spiritus Systems!
My main squeeze has a Romeo 4XT Pro on an Arisaka MK 2.26” and Scalarworks fixed iron sights. “SPR” build has KAC folding iron sights and a Badger Ordnance C1 1.70” w/ top mounted Romeo 4T Pro (also have 45° J-Arm). Plan to put a Nightforce 4-16 on it.
I love those rifle setups
Primary arms LPVO Nova Reticle 1-6. He optic has a great crosshair reticle with a daylight illuminated dot when turned on. Simple dot makes near 1x very much like a red dot while not using a lot of battery. It has great battery life and battery is easy to change. Te optic has very good eye relief at 1x. I tried prisms and it was the least desirable for me. I thought long and hard about a Holosun HE530c red dot but the versatility coupled with much improved target recognition won me over. I lightened my AR-15 to help with the 24 oz optic and mount weight. Unloaded weights 7.8 lbs but has good balance. It's all about trade-offs. The variable magnification is useful even at less than 100yds. Anyway, that is where I needed up. The wide field of vision and light gathering of the optic on 1x is extremely useful.
I went with a 1-6x VCOG with horseshoe dot and BDC. The horseshoe is pretty small at 1x, but the border of the reticle really draws your eye to the center. With the illumination on, it becomes a large red dot that is easy to pick up, and the eye box is very forgiving. Also nice is that it runs on a AA battery, which you can find pretty much anywhere.
I stuck it on a LaRue QD mount and still run BUIS.
Very good video, boys. Thank you!
DD V7 16, ACOG on Unity set back on rail, top dot. Both Powered by ☀️. MK18 T2 on Unity with Aimpoint mag on Unity. Dbal D2. Both with Surefire Turbos & YHM tk & T2 direct thread. 🤙🏽
I’m a big fan of my set up 5x primary arms prism with top dot. On a 13.7 pined rifle, set up for general purpose. I also use my dot as my primary but for the money I get much clearer glass from the prism than from an lpvo.
You can’t out train glass clarity but you can out train eye relief. It works for me.
I think the 5x on a prism is more useable than the 6x on a similarly priced lpvo.
Aimpoint Comp M4 & Trijicon MRO Patrol are my 2 favorites!
For vehicle: carry handle fixed iron sights.
for home defense: 1x prism.
for end of world/apocalypse: lpvo with off set red dot.
the primary arms nova lpvo has great illumination and their prism scopes are fantastic.
Love lpvo and hybrid setups think depending on what you want your rifle to do you can easily decide which you want I think both have there places
ACOG gang rise up
🙋🫡 love it have it with the rmr on top
Yea these guys are bias . Acog is by far the best combat optic
I can love the ACOG and still concede that they are right
ACOG FTW
😂😂😂😂😂
I see benefits to all the different styles of optics and use them all in one form or another. That said, my all around preference is ACOG/prism with top dot. More specifically the TA02 that mounts the dot forward on the ACOG. I prefer the simplicity and ruggedness of the ACOG.
My duty rifle for security is setup with an Aimpoint T2 and QD 3x magnifier, as typically, engagement is expected well within 200 meters.
I myself, use a 1-8 power Vortex Strike Eagle 3rd Gen, and it has a fast throw lever.
Having gone through dozens of different configurations. I settled on an Eotech exps3-4 with a G45 on a ftc.
Battery life isn’t an issue for me as I use rechargeable batteries that get about 700 hours which last me months of daily use and being rechargeable, will last longer than the 2023 batteries in storage as long as I cycle them through properly.
Also, I think that stateside, if you do not account for passive night vision aiming, you are setting yourself up for a crappy night. I’ve see/heard too many former mil dudes completely discount passive aiming simply because they never faced a near peer adversary in the shit.
Actual real world experience being given as advice on best setup.
This is a great video!!
Red dot with 3-5x flip up or away magnifier is the best initial setup.
I also have a rifle with a 3-12x scope sighted out to 200yards with a 12 o’clock red dot sighted at 50 yards.
Why on earth would you do a 200 yard zero?
You like doing hold unders AND hold overs?
@@Heywoodthepeckerwood Because that’s the longest range I have in my area.
I’m trying to plan a trip to a range that has longer distances.
@@roundrock63 so are you doped out to 200 yards? Or zeroed out to 200?
@@Heywoodthepeckerwood Zeroed
@@Heywoodthepeckerwood you do realize that a 200yd zero is also roughly a 50yd zero right? Everyone from the army to the marines has used/uses it and if you do use a 50yd zero you’re supposed to dial it in and confirm it at 200. It’s been a pretty common zero for years.
Awesome video. Hit the minutia without fully needing out. Appreciate yall!
I bought the PST 1-6 because of the "red dot bright" performance of it and the Razor Gen II 1-6. I have since ended up not even using the illumination unless it dusk/dawn lol. I also never really see myself going all the way to 6x unless I'm prone or shooting off a barricade, and even then, its just because I have the time to do it. I think I could've been happy with a 1-4 lpvo, but I do love this PST 1-6.
Ya I love my pst as well. I also never use the dot in it unless it’s dusk. I enjoy the 6x a lot and have done double taps at 500 yards well. Any further than 500 yards I would like a more refined reticle and more magnification so I’d be looking at the plxc but for a standard rifle the pst does everything amazing considering the cost.
I have the PST 1-4 Gen1, love it, only beef is with the exposed turrets, but 4x is all I need with an AR, & it's lighter than most lvpo's at 16oz without a mount.
For my "GP" rifle I settled on a red dot with a drop reticle + a 6x magnifier. Total system weight
I think it's important to identify your highest priority first and find the best choice for that, short range/ longer range/ night vision, etc. There's always gonna be trade offs.
ACOG TA11 with RCR on top is what I have now and I love it. Less weight, more durable, and better eye relief than an LPVO with no need to turn a ring. Has a better sight picture than a dot or EOTech with magnifier and needs no batteries (aside from the RCR's 6 year battery life). And it leaves enough real estate for iron sights. Only downsides are 3.5x max power, 4.5" RCR height over bore, and.... price.
TA11 is prob best ACOG. Weighs less than a eotech and mag combo or a decent lpvo, and all cost about the same when you find a good sale.
I use my iron sights as back up. And run a sig romeo5 it's on point at 300 yards, and I can hit out to 500, 600 yards with it.
Another great video gentlemen. Those LPVOs seem to be the sweet spot especially with that "backup" red dot.
Thanks for all the info.
Nate
Great video! Would love to see the same concept going over NVG options. Clip on, digital, wp tubes, ect....
Very good video, fellas. I was drooling at all the loadouts in the background the whole time 🤤
I use an RMR red dot on my EDC pistol but I love my holographic EOTech on my home defense shotgun.
My 16-in has S&B 1-8 Dual CC and Troy BUIS. My 14.5 has an EoTech with a 5x magnifier along with Troy BUIS, and my 11.5s have EoTechs and Troy BUIS. For my M16A4 FN military series, I have an ACOG, and keep the BUIS & Allen key in the stock. I absolutely love the Troy BUIS with the HK style front sight. Bet I have 30 sets of them, lol.
I'm really digging my 1-6 razor hd with a top mounted t2
For the dot plus LPVO combo conundrum, you can always just run an offset dot like an ACRO or T2 and then run a micro dot on piggyback. People will call it crazy but for under 5 ounces you can increase the capability of your offset and LPVO tenfold.
tenfold huh?
Absolutely brother. I am not a fan of passive aiming with my offset. Face is not shaped for that shit. But I also don’t like using a piggyback dot for RET because I loose my cheek weld. For a couple of ounces and strange looks from Fuds I get everything I need. Results may vary but it work for me!
I think there's an argument to be made for just graduating to an MPVO in that situation. There doesn't end up being a redundant 1X and you get the benefit of much greater eye relief at larger magnifications.
@@Thatdaltonagreed. The weight is the only reason I could see to stick with an LPVO. I am hoping that companies start making some more 2-10 and 2-12 optics with mil based tree reticles. We are slowly seeing them come out but for the most part they are geared towards hunters.
Ta31rco with red dot on top is tough and good past 5.56 range. No fancy buttons and knobs it just works.
Great video! Very thorough. Subscribed!
aimpoint T2, scalarworks 1.93. Backup mbus pro. Both sighted separately. After years of shooting, I barely see a point for backup irons, but they're there in case everything goes wrong and I just need something.
Why t2 tho
@@Token_Black_Guybecause you get to say, “I run an aimpoint”.
A red dot with a magnifier is more than good enough to get the job done. I have a Holosun 503C with a Holosun magnifier and I can get out to 300yds easily with that setup. Night vision and gas mask can cause problems but like anything else, training with your system is key.
12:27 A quality made LPVO today 1X is on par or 85% with a 1X optic system like a red dot or HWO. Try the vudu, voodoo, razor Gen 2.
Interesting video. Liked and subscribed One point to add if you have an astigmatism (which you mention in the video) get a green dot or green circle with a green dot in it and it will be super clear. I don't know exactly why but it does work and it's one of the reason night vision devices show as green to the user. Put simply (as I understand it) our eyes can see more on the green light spectrum (rods and cones) vs. any other color so green is your friend if you have eye issues.
Now that said if you're shooting into green fields or green backgrounds continually disregard everything I said above. 😃
Ncstar 3x9 compact with red dot mounted on top. Illuminated reticle. Blue green red.
QD mount.
Gen 2 $100 bucks. Gen 3 $200 bucks. Outstanding optics for the price.
How long have you been using NC star?
Do they hold up well and hold zero?
The reason I ask is on some forums they tear them up for Quality Control Issues
I'm mostly running the T-2 on the rifles I use the most. I live in an urban area, so it has the best advantages for my needs; if I should have to use it.
I was surprised you guys only mentioned the trijicon acog and not more modern prisms like primary arms and why someone might want a prism optic even for 1x. If you have astigmatism a prism is the way to go. Even with an illuminated reticle it’s way better than a red dot. You get a clear sharp reticle and if the battery runs out you still have that etched reticle that’ll be picked up even at night if you illuminate your target with a white light. Also, the primary arms have much better eye relief and a diopter that are simple to use even if you’re on a crayon diet. Acogs are cool but they’re years behind current competitors especially for the price. You could get a 1x, 3x, and a 5x from PA for less than the price of 1 acog. You could even get a 5x and an rmr for less… There’s really no reason to get an acog today unless you just gotta scratch that nostalgic itch imo.
I am now considering this 3-5x & dot combo. I see benefits to each setup depending on use case, but this prism/dot combo seems to fit quite a few with better durability than the LPVO.
PA is a budget optics company and is not used by any serious organization. This is why your thought process falls short. PA has nice stuff, sure. But it's not at all the same as Trijicon.
@@Whiskey.Tango.Actual do you know if they’re submitting products for contracts? Because if not how would they even be considered? The military/oga’s have adopted a plethora of bad products throughout history and have passed on clearly better options for a multitude of reasons so if that’s your standard of quality I’d say that’s where your thought process falls short. They don’t simply choose the best product. I’m not even saying the acog is trash. I just don’t see the point of buying one in the civilian market at its price point compared to all of the other options. I’ll play devils advocate. Let’s say it is actually better. Is it 4x better in every aspect? The mount sucks. You gotta buy an aftermarket one or be a sadist. A lot of people use tape or buy an aftermarket cover to adjust the brightness. I mean come on lmao. You’re telling me trijicon can’t upgrade it to compete with the market without losing its durability? Or they won’t bother because they made their money and Uncle Sam said “good nuff”?
@@xi-deadshot-ix5838 I thought primary arms prisms were just as good as ACOGs until I was just shooting with my PA 3X prism on the range and the prism shattered inside the tube. Never had that happen with an ACOG lol 😂
Bc they are not American and not duty/field ready
Running a Razor Gen 2 1 x 6 power on my duty rifle with iron (metal) back up sights. My irons are zeroed but never use them for general shooting. Just emergency backup if the scope ever gets knocked of the gun.
Currently running a Troy flip up rear sight with fixed A2 front sight and Sig Romeo 5 lower 1/3 .
I like them all. Have them all. If I had to choose just one? Acog with top dot.
Currently running a romeo5 mounted to carry handle with fixed irons 16" mid lenght gas
The one pro to the ACOG/RDS vs ELCAN set on 4X/RDS is if your RDS went down, you can instantly switch to 1X on the ELCAN. With the ACOG your stuck with the BINDON aiming concept at bad breath distances and most know how great that works out especially when a partial precision shot is needed. As far as weight the ACOG @ 15oz and the ELCAN @ 23oz
Honest and genuine info thanks again
Outstanding content gentleman.
Fantastic video, thank tou
Wonderful video.
4 or 5x prism offset dot from PA or swamp fox for the win
Excellent comparison video. You guys rock!
that Omega on Braxton tho, holy molly
Top dot is also great to get on target with higher magnification.
Currently rocking an A2 dissipator as my HD rifle. I live on 6 acres in the woods and with this East Texas heat/humidity, my optics fog up when I go outside, even with CatCrap applied.
I know that optics are better, but until it cools down and doesn’t fog everything up, it’s irons for HD.
Absolutely love my Romeo 4t pro
27:46 100% yes, metal sights! For a duty/defense wpn system. However, for a gamer gun, something I don’t do, maybe not.
If I’m in a position my Troy BUIS break, I’ve got bigger problems to deal with.
This is why the 2-3 different AR setups makes sense. Different tools for different jobs !
22:02 yep, this is how I do it as well. 70ish meters and in I’m using the piggy backed dot.
At the end of the day doesn’t matter what you run if you don’t train. Train with what you got and become proficient.
Not true at all. You are far better off just buying new gear all the time based on the recommendation of others.
@@Heywoodthepeckerwood 😂
I don’t know man, I’m way cooler now and I wouldn’t want to face me with a poverty pony 😎😮💨 you’ll lose to the drip before I ever have to take a shot
I use paper straws.
@@cameron3525 you heard the man, get proficient brother
This was a great video! Thanks!
Well done !! G. Speight
Illumination on 1x if the Illuminated reticle is a simple dot in center is ideal!! Cross hairs or other things lit up, makes no difference to me, but if its a single dot, on 1x your shooting is enhanced similar to that of RDS
Very helpful. Thank you for your time on that one.
For “general use” a 1-8 or 1-10 lpvo with backpack red dot seems like the best move for me. Lot more utility with that build. Everything a wigga need
exps 3-2, and vortex 6x. run the mavbifier back as far as possible. best. pop off magnifier at night, can use it with head mounted nvgs
I intend to build a CQB/NV upper eventually with a dot, but the TA31 in my 14.5 will be my baby nonetheless.
Great video btw
Given my budget (yes, I'm a poor with a bunch of kids/future kommandos), I've found the combo of best sfp lpvo I can afford plus offset fixed irons is quite satisfying.
True. They don't fog up but they can gunk up.
I like irons as backup and a red dot 😊
awsome vid. love the tony anderson music in the backgrount from his nuit album. legit
I have to point out when speaking in terms of a battery being a negative due to a possible EMP. EMPs effect and disrupt communicative waves in the area and will shut down things like radio waves and cell phone communication but it won’t effect local devices powered by batteries. So no need to worry about your battery powered optic going limp if your area gets hit by an EMP.
Furthermore, the only real emp is known as a HEMP which is when a nuclear weapon is detonated in high altitude and at that point, your red dot not working is the least of your worries.
Great info as usual guys.