I'm looking to buy one!  Which do you like best!  I want to add a poll, but the website isn't allowing me to do so:

Here's the choices:

TA31F
TA01NSN
Compact 1.5X16

Rifle/Usage summary:

My shooting is always <200 yards, mostly 100 - 50 yards. I'd like to use it for everything from <25 to the occasional 200 yard paper plate. My rifle is a totally sweet 16" A3 preban set-up and this is the final piece to my project.  

So many great choices!  I've got a Leupold Vari-X III 3X9 with an Armalite 1-piece mount, but I'm in the mood for an ACOG.  It'll make me want a nice 20-24" AR setup to accomodate the scope and bipod!

TA01NSN

... like this guys

Love 'em all, but I'd vote for (may I have the envelope please?) .....

Compact 2X20.

I've got a TA47-2 on my M4 and I'm glad I chose it over the 1.5X16. The two are the same compact size but while up-close (under 75 yards) the BAC makes them equal, out past 100 yards the 2X beats the 1.5 hands-down for precision shots. YMMV.

If you insist on one of the three listed above, though, I'd pick the Compact 1.5X16.

Nice Pic!

TA-11 better than the TA-31 close up but not as good at a distance.  If you are shooting under 200 yards then TA-11 is the best scope for you if you dont mind the weight and price.

I suggest you go to a gunshow and look through both the TA31 and TA11 and make a decision AFTER you can see the difference.  Dont base your selection off what anyone else has to say.  Use our help to find the products to go look at then go see for yourself which you prefer.

Last year I did a lot of research on ACOGs and communicated with Trijicon many times to find the "best" ACOG. The TA31F (chevron reticle) was the best, because you could still see the target underneath the chevron, which looked like this: red: /\ or amber: /\

It still had the bullet drop, as well as the BAC (Bindon Aiming Concept), which gives a bright (red or amber) tritium (night) or fiber-optic (day) chevron for quick acquisition using both eyes open, while "zooming" with one eye...

PS: the width of the chevron was also the width of a person (19") at 300 meters, for estimating distances.

OK why is a TA31 better than a TA11?  YOU said it was the BEST.  How so?  Both the TA31 and TA11 can have the circle or chevron reticles. And they (TA11) have an amber chevron option too.

Perhaps I am missing something but the TA31 scopes DO NOT have amber reticles available.  Where did you get this information from?  Is there some new TA31 I have not seen yet that is not on Trijicons website or for sale at any of the vendors?  Id really like to know.

ACOGS are all nice , but look at the Elcan also. IMHO the Elcan is better , I have owned most.

Quoted: OK why is a TA31 better than a TA11?  YOU said it was the BEST.  How so?  Both the TA31 and TA11 can have the circle or chevron reticles. And they (TA11) have an amber chevron option too. Perhaps I am missing something but the TA31 scopes DO NOT have amber reticles available.  Where did you get this information from?  Is there some new TA31 I have not seen yet that is not on Trijicons website or for sale at any of the vendors?  Id really like to know.

Back when I was talking to Trijicon, the chevron was their new thing... As for an Amber TA31F: I was told (by Trijicon) that you can order it either way from Trijicon since its just a matter of changing the colors... (looks like they added a new one within the last year-- the TA11F-A for Amber)

4x vs. 3.5x-- 4x is better in my opinion.

Gonna have to side with DevL:

TA11..

Tried the TA01, TA01NSN, and TA31 but just had too much trouble using them due to the short eye relief.

Too many head and neck contortions required to get a good sight picture. By contrast, the TA11 is a dream to use.

Seems odd that something as small as an extra inch of eye relief would make such a difference, but for me it does.

I personally prefer the doughnut, it seems a lot brighter and more well defined. The triangle appears much dimmer and more of a pink than red in a dark environment.

Of course, YMMV.

-

Does the 4X32 magnification really complicate things when shooting under 50 yards?

Bottom line is 4X32 really worth it between 25-100 yards?  Maybe the 1.5X16 or 2X20 would be better suited for that?

Another question:

The 1.5X16 Compact ACOG with the amber triangle, how is that different from the Reflex sight?  The 0.5 magnification aside...

Is it the BAC?

TA11 with a flattop adapter.

The magnification DOES NOT MATTER for the BAC use in CQB.  It can be 1.5x or 200x and it makes no difference.  The eye relief however does.  The scope is used like an occluded gunsight when using BAC so you dont look through the scope, you only see the reticle and the image from your non dominant eye.

The issue with the TA31 vs TA11 is how much of your field of view is covered by the "occluded" scope view in front of you.

Try this.  Hold a Coke can pointng away from you 2" in front of your right eye with both eyes open.  See how the can only covers up a little of your view (the blacked out blob) as your brain merges your right and left eyes view?  The can looks like a ghost image with only some of the can being "black"  Now move it out a couple more inches.  See how the "ghost" circle of the can and the dark "occluded" area gets smaller?  That allows you to see more of the un magnified world in front of you.  That is why eye relief is important for BAC.  

Now on the flip side with shorter eye relief the "field of view" is wider so you can see more inside the scope but less outside the scope.  The shorter eye relief scopes also have greater magnification.  That makes them better suited for longer range shots.

I prefer the TA11 because its better for CQB because of the longer eye relief.  Its easier to use in its magnified role because I hate short eye relief scopes.  To me its worth it to have a larger scope and pay more because it works better for me.  You have to weigh those factors out for yourself to see whats best for you.

But like I alwys say you MUST look through these optics for yourself before purchasing and not be swayed by what we say on this forum.  We can only tell you "what to look for" when you are testing them out.  You must decide what works best for you.  There is no single "best" optic.

As for the TA31F with amber reticle.  Its not on trijicons sight.  They state changing the reticle costs more than replacing the scope and if you order direct from them it costs about $200 extra for the scope.  I prefer the red circle anyway.

In conclusion:

TA11 red circle - better at CQB - faster - easier to use

TA31 red chevron - better at a distance - more precise - lighter weight

TA-11 all the way...donut reticle, yes! Longer eye relief, yes! But: "the TA-31 better at long range" (because the 'more precise' triangle over the donut reticle)...NO WAY! The two scopes have the exact same (black range bars) reticles for 400 to 800 meter ranges...THE EXACT SAME RETICLE! NO DIFFERANCE! NONE! Ipso facto I have used logic to clear up this misunderstanding...

TA-31 is more precise in the under 200 yard shots the poster discussed with the chevron and the TA31 has .5 more magnification.  It IS better at long range because of those two things.

^^^