Anyone use an ACOG for Service Rifle matches?

If so, what reticle do you recommend? Chevron, horseshoe, donut, crosshair?

I'm thinking the crosshair would be more precise for Slow Prone and Offhand, but the donut or horseshoe might be better for the rapid fire stages.

If I decide to go back to iron sights, the ACOG will migrate to one of my SHTF rifles, so I have to take that into account also.

NOBODY who is posting decent scores is using ACOG on their primary highpower competition rifle.

Your time spent on the range is the reason you use the best tool for the job.

The ACOG excels as a set-it-and-forget-it aiming device for rough handling, and poor light conditions.

FPNI

To excel in high power you have to dial precise wind calls and elevation for every single shot. Using a reticle to hold offsets is not precise enough.
You can hit the target with an ACOG but you won’t be winning matches.

Winning matches is something I never have to worry about.

I've been using the same rifle and same barrel and same iron sights for ten years of high power.

Instead of getting a new barrel (all I really need), I though about getting a whole new flattop upper. Hence the ruminations on a 4X optic.

Everybody else on the firing line is using an LPVO. Maybe I should do the same.

Time to move into the 21st century

Trijicon's ".223" BDC (55gr @ 3000fps) matches up well with Mk262 through 16" barrels. 20" need a .308 BDC. I favor the chevron.

Hmm, yes, 4-point-5 power scopes with crappy or no BDC options besides dialing.

Trijicon offered external adjustment knobs for the ACOG a long time ago but they weren't popular and were dropped/discontinued.

A simple 1-4.5X Vortex or Leupold Fire Dot can get you started through Distinguished and the President's.

1-4x LPVOs with target reticles and exposed turrets don’t make much sense outside of service rifle competition. An ACOG with a piggyback red dot is a far “better” system than most any SR oriented optic even if you won’t score as high. There are some decently functional 1-4 variables like the TR24 but they suffer the same “flaws” as the ACOG from an SR match perspective. Buy an optic you can enjoy on its own merits, regardless of match scores. The “Service rifle” competition scopes are somewhere between neutered bastardizations of proper DMR optics and bulkier alternatives to combat oriented prism or variable scopes. You’ll be much happier with a combat oriented LPVO, even if it puts you in the “match rifle” category with higher magnification, or an ACOG. If you’re not interested in piggybacking a red dot on the ACOG, the former are worth considering. Chevron reticle all the way if you are going for an ACOG.


I say all this having participated in many SR matches, most of them with iron sights on a Rock River NMA2. I’m currently in the process of turning that rifle into a more conventional M16A2 analog because the match features are an annoyance. I may shoot lower scores once it’s finished, but it will be a more enjoyable weapon to own. I have also used my 16” midlength “fighting rifle” with the ACOG in some matches with no sling support or jacket, with predictably low scores, but I had a lot of fun doing it.

I speak from experience when I allege that creating a “weapon system” around a specific style of competition can leave you feeling unsatisfied with its general characteristics. Put together whatever you think will give you the greatest enjoyment, and take the match scores as they come. No matter your place on the scoreboard or equipment, your marksmanship skills should improve at a reasonable rate with each match you shoot, and that’s ultimately what’s important.

You know how the matches work and how to shoot a match. Good sighting equipment will help your scores a lot. The Athlon SR scope is pretty decent and will help see the target clearly. Not very expensive for what you get.