I'VE BEEN USING AIMPOINTS ON FLAT TOP AR'S SINCE 1995. I DESIGNED THE PROTOTYPE OF THE MOUNT SOCOM FIRST ADOPTED, THE PRI. EACH GENERATION OF AIMPOINTS IS A QUANTUM LEAP BETTER THAN THE PREVIOUS ONE. YES, I AM A DIED-IN-THE-WOOL AIMPOINT FAN. ALWAYS WILL BE.
(OK, I ADMIT TO OWNING AND USING AN EOTECH, TOO.)
HOWEVER, AN OPERATOR OVERSEAS CONVINCED ME HE NEEDED A SHORT, CQB TYPE UPPER FOR MOUNTED USE, YET WITH AN OPTIC THAT PERMITTED BOTH MAGNIFICATION FOR IDENITIFYING A THREAT AS WELL AS PRECISION APPLICATION AT EXTENDED RANGES. THAT THE OPTIC WOULD HAVE TO BE CAPABLE OF CLOSE-RANGE USE IS A GIVEN. DOC GARY ROBERTS HAS ALSO POINTED OUT THIS NEED.
YES, I KNOW ALL ABOUT THE BALLISTIC DEFICIENCIES OF SBR'S IN 5.56MM BEYOND CERTAIN RANGES. THE OPERATORS THEMSELVES HAVE TO "RUN WHAT THEY BRUNG", AND WHAT THEY BRUNG IS SHORT 5.56MM UPPERS. SO THEY'RE GOING FOR SHOTS TO THE SNOT LOCKER. WHO WANTS TO EVEN BE HIT IN THE HEAD WITH AN UNDERPERFORMING, NON-FRAGMENTING 5.56MM PROJECTILE, EVEN WAAAY DOWNRANGE? NOT I.
THEIR CRITERIA IS NOT A WHOLE LOT DIFFERENT FROM YOURS - THE ABILITY TO PLACE A BULLET WELL AT A VARIETY OF RANGES.
I HAVE A GOOD PERSONAL SELECTION OF OPTICS FROM WHICH TO CHOOSE. ONE HAS REMAINED FOR YEARS UNDER-APPRECIATED. MSTN'S ASSOCIATION WITH OUR SPONSORED SHOOTER TARAN BUTLER, THREE TIME USPCA NATIONAL 3-GUN TACTICAL CHAMP, HAS GIVEN ME A NEW APPRECIATION FOR THE TA-11 AS PERHAPS THE BEST OPTIC FOR THIS ROLE.
10.5" 5.56MM:
12" 6.8 SPC:
NO TWO SETS OF EYES ARE THE SAME. IT'S JUST ANOTHER IDEA TO CONSIDER.
WES GRANT
M.S.T.N.