I was checking out a new lower I just got and noticed some tiny "cracks" in the clear part of my TA-31's fiber optic housing. I can't feel them but there are very easy to see. I bought it brand new about 5 weeks go and I've used it about 3 times (700 rounds or so).

It's not a problem with insect repellent (the DEET thing mentioned in the ACOG manual). I did check some sunblock I bring to range and it does not contain insect repellent. The only cleaning products I use on my AR are Shooter's Choice for the bore and FP-10 for everything else.

I'm going to contact Trijicon about it but I was curious if anyone else had run into this problem before. I didn't find any info on this subject on the boards.

TIA.

Common, and Trijicon states it has no effect on performance or durability, and if I recall, willl replace it if you want, but it'll just happen again.

Dont sweat it.

Nah, you're toying with me Lumpy...seriously?

Does anyone have any idea what causes it? That thing is supposed to be made with the same material used for astronaut helmet visors.

BTW, nice to see the Travis Bickle avatar back though it's not quite as cool as my avatar of a monkey with a riding crop, monicle and kaiser helmet :)

Same thing with one of my compacts. It really has no effect on performance. I must have banged it somewhere. It's been "cracked" for about 18 months now and still works fine.

Steve.

Dude, I could never tell WHAT your avitar was

LOL

Its a tube covering a fiber optic tube.  The cracks dont extend all the way to the inner part of the tube, they are surface only.

Cool, then I will rest well this night....and behold, my avatar in all its hi-res glory!!!

[img]http://home.insightbb.com/~toneboy2000/images/schultz_large_avatar.jpg[/img]

Aw man, we were hoping for some kinda porn thing :P

Seriously though, I just got my TA31 and it CAME with a tiny crack on the fiber housing. Works fine and I thought maybe they came that way sooooo....I didn't think twice about it.

I thought it was just randomly developing the cracks but then noticed that every time I put it in the rack that the ACOG was contacting a small metal bar in the back and most of the "cracks" were in the same location.

Near as I can tell, it it just relatively easy to put small surface scratches in the plastic tube; but it hasn't affected function yet.