When I got my first AR, based mostly on what I had read in these forums, I chose the CompM4s believing that was pretty much a no-compromise choice. THEN, I found out about my astigmatism!
After struggling through a basic carbine class and looking forward to another one, I am considering selling the Aimpoint and buying one of the 1.5x ACOG’s.
Admittedly, the AR is mostly a toy to me but my inclination is to keep it “serious,” just in case.
Knowing everything is a compromise, what is the downside to swapping the CompM4s for a 1.5x ACOG?
That’s a great question. I’d love to hear other’s opintions that have more experience than me. My two cents…I have a decent astigmatism in both eyes and find that the toric contact lenses are useless when shooting (any tilt of the head rotated them), but with prescription shooting glasses (Rudy Project), I do not have the issue any longer.
With that said, the Aimpoint dot seems to be fine, once I got used to keeping it on the lowest setting. I personally do not use it for match target shooting, so missing the bullseye but getting a 3-4" group in near the center is more than acceptable for me.
I have tried the ACOG and I believe it is leaps and bound more clear than the aimpoint when it comes to the aiming dot, but I was not a fan of the 1.5x mag. My reason being is I am left eye dominant, but shoot righty (because that was the way I was taught). So when I shoot righty, my peripheral vision is tweaked because of the magnification, but is fine when I shoot lefty.
With that said, I did find the ACOG to be much cleaner, but prefer the aimpoint. Ask around the range to try it out before making the investment. It took me 3 months of going back and forth to side with the H-1 over the Comp3 and EOTech2.0
I would recommend a TR-24. I just sold mine (had too) to a guy with an astigmatism. Works well because you are looking at a real object, and not a projection of light. It is a rugged component that will give you more options than the ACOG.
I am open to all suggestions. I want a top-notch sight that is rugged and reliable. I would rather spend the money up-front and not be disappointed or aggravated later.
I wanted to cry when I sold mine. You cant go wrong there. I still have my T1 setup, so things are not so bad. As soon as life cools down a bit I am buying another.
I have astigmatism and while it isn’t an awful case of it, and there are worse, and it is different for everyone… your glasses and the red dot should be “good enough” for most work inside of 50 yards. Especially with the dot not turned on all the way, and focusing on the target in stead of the dot.
For anything else I would recommend the TR-24R or other 1-4x scope.
I wish the weight would come down on them, but otherwise they are great for us with less than perfect eyes.
I have the same issue with Aimpoints and astigmatism. I decided to try a ACOG TA44SR-10 based on information I read here. After using one, I’ve never looked back. For me, it’s just as fast and the .5 magnification is barely noticeable when shooting with both eyes open. In fact, it really helps for tight shots. Yes, when going from a dark to light area, the reticule darkens, but other than that, it’s good to go. One could always tape a light stick to the FO if they were going to be shooting in that situation frequently.
I used the legacy 1.5x and then the TA33 series for years due to astigmatism. Then I realized that for the distances I shoot the slight bloom is pretty much a non-issue with the RDS.
One of our shooters is currently using one of the 1.5x, sub-compact, green circle/dot reticule, ACOGs. Of all the ACOGs, this is the one I’m most anxious to try for myself as I think it’s the most likely to offer the widest flexibility, and the green should be the most visible of all the colors in low-light (an area where ACOGs of all varieties suffer IME). I wish there was a way to put a front lens cap on the sub-compacts as it does help with indoor brightness to use it as an OEG, and the accuracy shift that may occur is almost nill at close range.
I’m a big fan of my TR24. However, depending on your uses, realize that the 1.5 ACOG will be significantly lighter, as light as an EOTECH XPS (if not lighter). I’ve heard a lot of great things about them. If you’re not shooting anywhere where you think you’ll need the 4x capability of the TR24, then I would just save the weight.
I, however, don’t like the idea that you can’t adjust the intensity of the reticle on the ACOGs without resorting to electrical tape or one of those neoprene zipper contraptions I’ve seen.
I think this is another case of let your intended use drive your decision.
This is an interesting discussion, as I too have astigmatism. I’m building a rifle and was planning to put a RDS on it, most likely a T1. However, I know I’ll get the blooming effect many others experience with it. I just don’t know how bad it will be or how much it will bother me. On the BM I used to have I had a 1.5x ACOG, just like the one Rob S linked to above. I thought it was a nice optic, but I didn’t want to spend that kind of money on one again if I could find a suitable alternative.
Rob S, IIRC you posted somewhere a while back that you prefer a RDS with a 2 MOA dot instead of 4 due to your astigmatism. Could you post what kind of benefits you gained with the smaller dot? Is it as simple as less blooming?
I, however, don’t like the idea that you can’t adjust the intensity of the reticle on the ACOGs without resorting to electrical tape or one of those neoprene zipper contraptions I’ve seen.
With the small circle line width and 2moa dot, the TA44SR-10 doesn’t seem to bloom like other ACOG reticules. YMMV
My wife had a bad astigmatism. When I built her her carbine I mounted a T-1, no go. She said she saw bunch of grapes! I spoke with Grant and had a TA44 sent my way with a Larue mount. She went from horrendous with the carbine to a credible shooter. As a benefit I get to play with it and discovered I really like it. I still prefer my T-1’s but also bought a TA33 for one of my carbines. The TA44SG10 is a great optic. If I remember it’s only a couple of ounces heavier than the T-1.
The specific weakness of the 1.5x ACOG is indoors in low light, with or without a flashlight.
Without a flashlight, there isn’t quite enough visual reference to aim through the scope, so you end up defaulting to using it as an OEG, especially when you and/or the target is moving. Depending on your eyes, the point of impact disparity may be significant. For example, for me, the POI is off by 4 inches at 7 yards, which is unacceptable.
With a flashlight, the reticle gets washed out. If the target has light colored clothing, then it’s merely akin to using iron sights. Dark colored clothing, the reticle blends in a bit much.
