As a result of my “vintage gun advertisements” topics, I went digging in my “old gear” box and came across a few things I had forgotten I even own. And I figured they might be of interest to the members here to see how some of the current gear got it’s start.
I specifically did not put this in the Optics and Mounts forum because I felt it to be too obsolete to be a relevant discussion topic in that forum. But if any moderator or staff member feels it would be more appropriate there, please feel free to move it.
In any case, it was either late 1983 or early 1984 when I got my first red dot scope. It was an Aimpoint Mark III.
I can’t begin to describe how new and revolutionary, to say nothing of expensive, such a device was in 83/84. For the average civilian shooter this sort of thing bordered on science fiction. Try and keep in mind that at the time projected red dot laser sights were considered compact if they were the size of a mag light. So to have a similar application in a compact red dot scope was very high speed indeed for the time. So of course I had to have one.
It also came with a magnifier which I think is a 3x for long range applications.
I remember the purchase because it coincided with was at the time the single biggest purchase I had made in my life. In addition to the Aimpoint, I bought a HK91 and a HK93. I got them for $350 each (which would be about $800 in today’s money) which was quite a substantial purchase given my part time job as a kid in high school.
If memory serves the Aimpoint was almost as much as each rifle so I was in for about $1000 or so. Suffice to say it was my only significant purchase for about a 12 month period.
This is a direct result of reading way too many issues of SOF and shooting with some of my fathers friends who were honest to goodness Green Berets and hearing them discuss these items in positive terms.
I should mention that I already owned an AR15 SP1 and CAR15 carbine.
So there I was headed out of the small town Iowa gunshop with two rifles and one red dot scope and lighter by about a grand. And I of course felt like I paid way too much for what I had in hand. I think AR15s were going for about $250 at the time.
At any rate, I had the uber tactical setup.
Let’s pretend that isn’t a Bsquare mount. I was in high school and it is what I could afford at the time.
Budget mounts aside I was feeling pretty James Bond. I remember going to the range that weekend and practicing all the “fast sight” target acquisition drills I had been shown by adults far more knowledgeable than I.
I remember thinking how revolutionary this setup was. I remember thinking how it would change the way people shoot forever.
Now I look at it and I’m amazed at how almost useless it actually is.
:laugh:
Thank god red dots have come a long way. Oh well, money well spent to feel like a tactical god for a brief period of time. At least I didn’t buy night vision back then.
