Pros and Cons of ACOG

[9teeneleven]

I recently came by my first AR rifle, and now would like to get some optics for it. I am leaning toward the ACOG, but honestly would be buying without trying. What are some of the basic pros and cons of this setup. I will be shooting only paper.

[Rightwinger]

MONEY is the biggest drawback on them for me....I be the working poor.

If you want magnification, you have lots of options. The ACOGs only go up to 3 and 4x so your not getting a lot of zoom for your dollars. I'm talking about the original ACOG which have the tritium and fiber for lighting the reticles. They have many more options now with the reflex, etc. that are lower cost. A positive is you won't be putting batteries in those puppies!

If you want the best bang for your bucks as well as a whiz bang self defense optic, I still have to go with the Eotech. As long as you can see it and it's on your target, you'll hit it.

[TripleDigitRide]

ACOG's are cool, but all that money scared me away. I'm very happy with my EOTech. No magnification, but works well for a fun time at the range. Plus, if I really need/want one, I can buy the magnifier to go with it.

[Rightwinger]

I re read my post and jumped around a bit. If you want magnification, regular good quality scopes will mount on them so you can see out as far as you want. Again, you can spend lots of dollars and see out there to 20x but how far can you reliably shoot the AR? 300 yards is more than plenty and you can do it with iron sights if your good.

All that being said....If I had a grand laying around, I would probably have me one of them ACOGs. I never get to a grand as I can buy another gun or half of an AR every time I get up to 4 or 5 hundred:D

Rock River has about 650 tied up in a waiting game for me right now.

[Smith]

Everyone I have ever heard about that has one loves them, but I'll never have one... due to price. In my mind I could buy at least one if not more guns for the cost of one ACOG.

Now if I was going to war, absolutely!

[bteague2]

I've handled an Acog before and I really liked it. That being said I love shooting my room mates Eotech and then there are the Comp Aimpoints that are great too, and if you have the right mounts on them the magnifiers can be moved to the side quick and easy and are secure.

[willis68]

I say if you have the available funds, go for it. I have an Eotech 552 on my Rock River Arms pro series Government and I love it, I am building another AR, I wanted it a little different, mainly dark earth in color, a 1 in 7 twist barrel and I will be putting this http://www.opticsplanet.net/picture-1-trijicon-acog-4x32-ecos-dual-illum-scope-ta31-ecos.html on it, I have tried this model and they are well worth the money to me:)

Edited April 14, 2009 by willis68

[9teeneleven]

I say if you have the available funds, go for it. I have an Eotech 552 on my Rock River Arms pro series Government and I love it, I am building another AR, I wanted it a little different, mainly dark earth in color, a 1 in 7 twist barrel and I will be putting this Picture 1 for Trijicon ACOG 4x32 ECOS Scope TA31-ECOS - Dark Earth Brown with Red Dual Illumination Riflescope Rifle scope 4x32mm TA32 TA31-ECOS-KIT - TA31-ECOS-KIT2 on it, I have tried this model and they are well worth the money to me:)

Thanks for the input guys. I've read a couple of comments about the chevron not being great for target shooting, does anyone know anything about that?

Willis, that is the best of both worlds. I would love an ACOG with the red dot too, but that is too much $$ for me as I would be stretching to get the ACOG. I was looking at the 4X32 with BAC.

This will be going on an M&P 15 with a 16" barrel. Trijicon makes an ACOG for the 14.5" and 20" barrels, should I get the 14.5? I assume that the difference is the bullet drop indicator placements.

[Ropin4gold]

I had the TA01 ACOG on my work gun. I really liked it for distance shooting (50-250 yards). I did not like it for clearing buildings. I prefer zero magnification for that. I see the updated ACOG model (TA01 NSN) actually has a rifle sight on top of it or a provision for mounting a jpoint red dot sight above it. Might be the way to go if you have the coin. The model I had featured the illuminated crosshairs with BDC (which was right on) so I can't comment on the chevron. I ended up going with an EOTECH. My only complaint about the EOTECH is the battery life. Mine takes the N type batteries and the battery life is nothing to write home about. I tried a double A model but it was too big to run with my BUIS.

Another more cost effective option that a buddy of mine has and I have shot a few times is the trijicon reflex sight. It has a triangle recticle that did very good from (0-100 yards) for us. I think they are around $300 and no batteries. BTW I bought my ACOG on ar15.com for around $600.

[Magiccarpetrides]

I have a 3x Acog calibrated for a .308 and its awesome...I mean really awesome. But I also bought it back when I made a lot more money....at this point I would rather have my $800 lol. If shtf its the first thing I would go to...I like my Eotech a lot, but the Acog is probably the better choice. You can buy an Eotech now and get the chinese magnifier later or the factory version but if you do that you will have Acog money in it. I would not think the Acog would be the best for precision shooting...currently I have it on my FAL....if your wantin hardcore target optics I dont think its the best choice...its more minute of man.

[Guest HexHead]

Thanks for the input guys. I've read a couple of comments about the chevron not being great for target shooting, does anyone know anything about that?

Not the ACOG, but I have the Trijicon TriPower on my SIG 556. I bought specifically for the chevron. Yeah, it's fine for target work, as you can use the top point of the chevron for POA. It doesn't obscure the bullseye like a red dot does. I tried a red dot sight first and hated it. The smaller dot was too small and I had a hard time seeing it and the larger one just covered the whole bullseye so you couldn't accurately aim. I'm really happy with my TriPower.

[BimmerFreak]

Trijicon ACOG

(+)

Bombproof. (literally)

High quality equipment with lifetime warranty

Great for distance shooting (100m+)

No batteries to change

USA made

(-)

Cost

Not as well suited for tight work (I hate having fixed magnification on a CQB type rifle)

[DavidD]

...Not as well suited for tight work (I hate having fixed magnification on a CQB type rifle)

Never thought about that. Thanks Joe, you probably just saved me $500

[TNRobocop]

I have a ACOG TA01 NSN.

Great optic. Only two things wrong with it. One is the price, second is the short eye relief for it. Not very practical for guns other than AR systems.

I corrected this with the Larue Tactical offset mount which brings it back closer to the eye.

I got my ACOG about a year ago for $555 used on Ebay. Good luck nowadays finding one for a decent price used. New is around $1K for even a TA01 NSN.

[9teeneleven]

Thanks for the input guys. I went with the TA31RCO-M150CP: 4x32 Trijicon ACOG® Army Rifle Combat Optic (RCO).

I almost went with the red dot equipped ACOG, but would rather spend the extra $400 on ammo. I plan on mostly shooting paper between 50-500, so I don't see a pressing need for short range sights. I got the MOE M&P 15, so perhaps I will set up the ACOG for quick release, and keep the magpul flip up sights on.

[willis68]

Thanks for the input guys. I went with the TA31RCO-M150CP: 4x32 Trijicon ACOG® Army Rifle Combat Optic (RCO).

I almost went with the red dot equipped ACOG, but would rather spend the extra $400 on ammo. I plan on mostly shooting paper between 50-500, so I don't see a pressing need for short range sights. I got the MOE M&P 15, so perhaps I will set up the ACOG for quick release, and keep the magpul flip up sights on.

Congrats, I think you will be very happy with it

[Dobervol]

Magic, which "chinese magnifier"? I thought that the cheapest EOtech magnifier was the $500-600 version, which of course together with an EOtech holosight puts it in the price range of an ACOG, but I'm unaware of a chinese EOTech. Or were you talking another brand folks are familiar with. May not be a stupid question, but the inquisitor may be.

You can buy an Eotech now and get the chinese magnifier later or the factory version but if you do that you will have Acog money in it.

[Smith]

Magic, which "chinese magnifier"? I thought that the cheapest EOtech magnifier was the $500-600 version, which of course together with an EOtech holosight puts it in the price range of an ACOG, but I'm unaware of a chinese EOTech. Or were you talking another brand folks are familiar with. May not be a stupid question, but the inquisitor may be.

Mako has one. also try Larue's PoBoy special. It has the mount and everything.

Mako - Scopes, Sights, Night Vision and Red Dots: Mako Security, Inc.

Cheaper Than Dirt - America's Ultimate Shooting Sports Discounter

Larue - Optic and Mount Combos:Po Boy Special

[poak]

I got the MOE M&P 15

Sweeeeeeet

Where did you find the MOE M&P15?

[9teeneleven]

Sweeeeeeet

Where did you find the MOE M&P15?

It is the Dark Earth model. I found it on gunbroker for under $1200, though the deal has been a little sketchy so far. I may abandon ship on it if I don't hear back from the seller soon, and call some dealers in the region and see if any have the dark earth M&P in stock. Seems like a hard to find gun though.

[Magiccarpetrides]

Dobervol...see Smiths post above...also you can get knock off non eotech magnifiers that work with the Eotech...they pop up all the time on ebay.

Mrnick...I just put the MOE front handguard on my AR...its pretty freakin sweet(no rails as im tryin to keep it light as possible)...definitely improves the look and for the price is unbeatable. If you have a bad feeling about a GB deal I highly suggest you jump ship before it sinks with your money.

[Dobervol]

Thanks to you, Smith (and magic). Great links. Google sucks. I couldn't find any of this stuff. Then again, maybe it's just the "googler" who's not very good.

Mako has one. also try Larue's PoBoy special. It has the mount and everything.

Mako - Scopes, Sights, Night Vision and Red Dots: Mako Security, Inc.

Cheaper Than Dirt - America's Ultimate Shooting Sports Discounter

Larue - Optic and Mount Combos:Po Boy Special

[9teeneleven]

Well, the ACOG arrived today. I don't have the gun yet, so no chance to test it in action. Overall, a pretty cool piece of glass. Very clear.

The only downside (not a deal killer) is that there seems to be a dead zone when you are in low light aiming into brighter light. Or in medium light in general. When aiming into brighter light than the fiber optic is picking up, you cant find the reticule at all.

[Smith]

Well, the ACOG arrived today. I don't have the gun yet, so no chance to test it in action. Overall, a pretty cool piece of glass. Very clear.

The only downside (not a deal killer) is that there seems to be a dead zone when you are in low light aiming into brighter light. Or in medium light in general. When aiming into brighter light than the fiber optic is picking up, you cant find the reticule at all.

as a charitable act, I will gladly take the ACOG for testing on my AR until yours arrives. However, I can't promise it won't get "stolen" in the mean time.