Just looking for input from people that might have this set up and what their opinion is of the ACOGs (TA31DOC, TA31RMR) with red dots on top. Is the red dot mounted too high??? I like the fact that you have the best of both worlds, But I seem to hear mixed reviews on the combo.
Running the MRD offset to one side ahead of the ACOG is a better solution. Instead of trying to achieve an impossible cheekweld, you cant the rifle slightly.
We find the community is split among lot’s of users that includes MIL and LE. Some like the 12:00 O’clock high position especially for those wearing a respirator while others like a slight cant of the weapon to use an offset RDS while maintaining a tight cheek weld. For us we went one step further and did an offset RDS along with a removal light with our Multi-Use Rail & Light Mount (MURLM). Others such as Larue and Daniel Defense also have offset rail mounting RDS systems as well. All in all it comes down to personal taste and what ones mission may dictate. Either way, training is paramount no matter what system is decided to be employed. Hope this helps.
Vic
I didn’t want to pitch in until some of the more experienced guys gave their .02.
I don’t think it’s too high. As Victor pointed out, training and familiarity is paramount. I run the TA01-ECOS on my primary and do pretty well with the RDS up close. From 3-75 yards, the RDS will get you COM shots, although there is a good bit of hold-over for precise close up shots (3" or so).
I have tried a Aimpoint Comp M4 with a FTS 3x magnifier, and I find myself preferring the ACOG/TRD, although that may be attributable to training.
As always, YMMV and I hope this helped.
Iron sights are 2.5" over the bore. A current-model 4x ACOG on a flat-top upper sits at 2.755" over bore, and a mini-RDS on top of that gives you another 1" to 1.25", model-dependent. I think that that’s too damned high, though to say that it doesn’t work would be a lie. The height-to-bore difference can be dealt with through training. It definitely can work for somebody who doesn’t mind letting their face perch on the stock by the point of their chin. I’m not one of those, but I know folks that use that configuration with great effectiveness.
My main gripe is the snag hazard it represents. If you do a lot of running, jumping, and climbing of trees with it, there’s a very real chance that you’re going to snag it on a piece of your own kit and rip it right off. I’ve seen that happen five times in the last three years, and it makes me distinctly leery of that arrangement. If the shooting you do doesn’t involve rolling around on the ground, leaping low walls while wearing an assault load and whatnot, you’re probably fine. If you do very active shooting while wearing full kit, then a shroud is something one should consider, as it seems to mitigate the possibility of snags. All the instances I saw were mini-RDSs without shrouds.
I’ve actually ran the backup optic thing both ways.
I started out with a J point atop a KAC plate on the ACOG and liked it pretty well. Then I started following a thread sometime last year where most members seemed to not care for it up there.
So when LaRue came out with the offset T1 mount I purchased one as soon as they hit their site and ran it. I just couldn’t get comfortable with it. Functionally it was just fine. It was purely a comfort thing for me. I wound up selling the mount to Submariner here on these boards. Hopefully he’ll see this thread and comment on how he’s liked in in the months since he got it. I’d really like to see how it’s worked out for him.
Subsequently I went back to the J Point atop the ACOG and that’s where I’m at today. I’m very happy with it and while many have expressed the opinion that it didn’t perform well in whatever rifle class they have taken this combo has worked exceptionally well for me in all of our patrol rifle qualifications. I’ve never scored less than 100%.
When I transition I treat it solely as a heads up display and never entertain the idea of a cheek weld. I keep it zero’d at about 25 yds and can easily work it with offset within that distance to the ten yards we do the closest drill at.
The only complaint I have is that sometimes, in really bright sunlight, the J Point can be hard to pick up.