so rarely seen at 3gun matches? The variable power scopes dominate the sport, the magnifier with the flip mount for the Eotech/Aimpoint seems to me to be an excellent combination to accomodate the wide range of distances encountered. I am just wondering if there is a reason that people seem to prefer the variables?
My take on this;
- Better optical quality
- Ability to use an exact power based on the distance and preference of the shooter, i.e 2.5x or 3.5x for example.
- More reticle/illumination options
What are more popular are the mini red dot sights, combined with a variable power scope or ACOG for example.
The aimpoint and 3x mag are a great combo. I have used them very sucessfully in many 3gun matches. Are red dot is very fast and obviously daylight visible. I don’t know the range you are planning to shoot at your matches, but if they are 300 or less the combo will work well. The down sides to the combo is a small FOV and no stadia lines for shooting long range targets. I will be using my combo for all my match with targets under 300, and a variable powered optic for match over 300.
Matt
Also consider the price.
A 2MOA aimpoint plus a magnifier is on par with Acogs, and many of the lower power variables with good mounts. Depending on reticle and illumination, the low magnification variable of fixed power might offer a few more advantages and more precision in regards to the point of aim.
Note that two optics (e.g. ACOG + mini red dot) on your rifle will put you into “Open” class – putting you with shooters running high priced custom STI pistols with compensators & red dots, as well as Open shotguns loaded from sticks or custom tuned Saigas. Note a magnifier doesn’t count as a second optic.
Optics choice is driven pretty heavily by the courses of fire that you would expect to encounter in the 3-gun matches you intend to shoot. If you are hitting mostly local matches that don’t extend much past 200 yds, you’ll generally be fine with a red dot + 3x magnifier. You’ll probably have an advantage on short range “hoser” stages due to the speed of the RDS, and you’ll probably be at a slight disadvantage on longer range stages.
However, once you start competing in bigger 3-gun matches where you can have targets out to 375-400 yds and sometimes even beyond that (typically 8" or 10" steel flashers), there’s a clear advantage to have an optic that goes up to 4x (or more) with a reticle providing holdovers, compared to a red dot at 3x and no holdover points (and maybe even a 4 MOA dot totally covering your targets!). For instance, at 300 yds, a 4MOA dot = 12". The steel flasher target is 10" or less!
In my experience, it’s actually pretty rare to dial a magnification between the low & high end. I run a Meopta K-Dot on my 3-gun rifle and basically only use 1x or 4x.
Side note, as I mentioned 3-gun rules let you run an RDS + magnifier in tactical scoped class (i.e. doesn’t put you into open) but you are supposed to leave them both on the rifle the entire match.
Does a flip mount that allows me to put the magnifier out of my line of sight still count as “on the weapon?”
Buckaroo
Yep, that is perfectly fine… you’re just supposed to keep it on there for all of the stages. A flip mount is actually the way to go if you’re running an RDS + magnifier, there are often stages where you will switch magnification – e.g. COF with a bunch of close range paper followed by long range flashers. This is the reason you’ll often see “cat tails” on variable scopes.
That being said, I’ve seen guys attach magnifiers for long range stages & remove them for close range hoser stages and not get called out – but those are at local matches, competing for bragging rights not for a prize table! Also if your matches are pretty laid back they might not care either.
Like you said no way to range with them. So if you have targets passed 300 yards you are SOL. Also the field of view sucks and if you have Astigmatism like me you see a cluster and not a dot. I use micro red dots are short range sights only. (100 yards or less)
Pat
I would never allow guys to remove a magnifier at my matches. I am surprised any match director tolerates that.
Pat
I’ve seen it at local matches where after a shooter’s meeting, everyone heads out on their own in various squads. So unless someone in the squad complains about it, you might not even know. When I’ve seen it, I’ve advised the shooter about the rules, but I haven’t ratted them out… truth is that the guys I’ve seen running this set up at our local matches are not really in contention for placing high anyway…