I’m sick of using the flip covers for my ML3, but am a little sketchy about leaving them off all of the time. I’m thinking about getting a set of the clears and nipping the pull tabs off. Has anyone had any problems with clarity while using these clear covers?
I’ve been using them for almost a year, I guess. They’ve been to a few classes. The clarity isn’t as good as the glass and they’re not made out of very strong plastic (the rear lens cover got slightly gouged when it got flipped up and hit the top adjustment knob housing). They’re useful at keeping crud off of the glass and you can see through them for most purposes even when they’re crudded up - I do like the option to pick up the rifle and go without worrying about flipping up lens covers. I flip them up when using them at the range or in a class. The glass is clearer, cleaner and the lens covers cut down on your field of view some, to about the equivalent of a Micro. For my uses (fun and HD, in that order) they work fine up or down.
I would not hesitate to recommend them but would recommend against nipping off the tabs. Why not keep the option of flipping them up? You can ignore the tabs if you want to.
I have them on a M4S all the time. I haven’t noticed any distortion while shooting. The only time I had to flip them up, is to clean off some oil residue, just once or twice, in the two years I’ve had them. Wish someone would make them for the H-1/T-1 series.
I guess the tabs don’t have to come off, I think it may make them less prone to getting knocked open though. I hear you on the aperture thing. The back one seems a little small. Thanks for the input.
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Same here! The M4’s we use at my agency have the clear see-thru caps and it’s nice to have them. Keeps the lenses safe from minor/modest bumps and keeps the dust off of them. Wish they made them for the T1/H1.
I don’t use them on my ML3, but that’s just 'cuz. Never noticed any significant distortion when using them except when I was attempting longer-range shots (300m+, unmagnified).
They’re meant to be sacrificial, so they are sorta designed to take damage, not resist it. Be prepared to replace them if you use them.
i’m getting an comp M4s soon, and was thinking about the same thing.
would you say the normal (non-clear) flip-ups are somewhat more durable than the clear ones?
and (sry for OT) is the m4S or the normal m4 better suited for use with magnifiers? without having used it till now, i’d say the m4 would be easier to operate with the magnifier in front of it…
I have a M4s with a magnifier and clear flip caps.
The objective lense cover is a real bitch to get on. I finally resorted to using a little assy lube (soapy water) to get it to seat. If you are comparing them to Butler Creek, there is no comparison. The Aimpoint caps are much more durable (I didn’t break it getting it on that objective lense:sarcastic:)
One thing that I don’t like about them, is that you have to remove the cap to replace the battery. (Or to put it in if you didn’t do it before you put on the flip caps:blink:) And it is as much of a bitch to get off, as it was to get on…
I put my caps on so the open to the bottom, that doesn’t work well with the magnifier in place :suicide:. When I finally build up enough strength to try it again, I’ll try to rotate the front cap.:lazy:
I much prefer the clear ones to the black ones. Mine stays under the bed most of the time and having those in place keeps dust off the lenses but lets me snatch it up and point it at a threat without trying to flip open covers.
I wouldn’t worry about durability, I would look at functionality foremost.
Like Mr. Santoro said, they are sacrificial, better to replace a $25 scope cover than the lense on a $750 optic.
Somewhat, but still sacrificial in terms of damage control. They’re not much more than Tupperware lids put in place to keep the lenses fresh by keeping out particulate matter until you’re ready to use the device, as stated above.
Only difference between them is the location of the battery compartment; I don’t see what would make you think that has an impact one way or another.
thanks for your answers, i was just thinking about how to operate the power knob on the M4s when the magnifier is in front of it.
i imagine it would be more difficult to reach it, compared to the higher position on the M4.
btw having to get the covers off when replacing the battery is kind of a not 100% thought through design, isn’t it?
I figure by the time I have to replace the battery, I will have to replace the cover.:laugh:
lol, good thinking! :dirol: