06July05

Mounting Optics on Serious Rifles:

Every sedulous rifleman needs to know how to use iron sights effectively, both Western style (peep rear) and Soviet style (open rear). However, opti cal sights do offer advantages which may be critical under some circumstances.

Battery power, excessive bulk, and frailty are among the inherent disadvantages.

For serious purposes, my favorites are the EOTech, Aimpoint, ACOG, and the Leupold Scout Scope. Others may be fine too, but these four stand out as having the fewest disadvantages.

Here are the most common problems/mistakes with rifle optics:

1) Optic mounted too high. Common on AR-15s, the optic sits atop the =9C carrying handle." For most users, this makes a useable and consiste nt cheek weld impossible. In fact, the shooter's head usually just hangs in spac e, hovering above the stock. A consistent cheek weld is important, indeed, cr itical, to fast and effective shooting. Without one, critical time is squandered " fishing" for the sights.

2) Optic mounted too close to the shooter's eye. Close eye relief m ay be fine for hunting non-dangerous game, but it dangerously restricts overall v iew on ostensibly serious rifles. With the optic within a few centimeters of your eye, you will be tempted to "live in your scope." In s o doing, you'll fail to notice danger to the sides. Living in your scope grievously limits your field of view, even with the EOTech. It is like sitting in traffic directl y behind a large truck! There is just too much you can't see. Serio us optics need to be forward-mounted, rendering eye relief of at least fifteen centimeters. That way, you can look AROUND your optic, without surrenderin g your cheek weld. Cantilevered mounts I've seen do not hold the optic so lidly enough. Even mild hand pressure from the side will move the scope several millimeters left or right.

3) Flimsy mounts. Anyone mounting optics on a serious rifle, upon which lives may depend, needs to understand the task. Even good optics on flimsy

mounts routinely get knocked off or knocked out of zero when the rifle sees heavy use and it, and its user, participate in rigorous fighting. La Rue mounts

are among the best, but even they can be installed poorly by someone who doesn't understand what he is doing.

4) Inability to rapidly default to iron sights. When your optic breaks, dies, fogs up, is knocked out of zero, or is otherwise rendered incompetent , you need to be able to default to iron sights without delay. In my opinion, yo u need to be able to get the entire optic off the gun quickly, without tools. "Co-witness" rear iron sights are fine, but the ones I =99ve seen stick dangerously high into the air behind the optic. A modest palm heel strike would break most of them off at the base.

5) Too much magnification. On utility rifles, optic magnification should not exceed 2.5X. High-magnification scopes will always be out of focus at close range. Without a sharp image through the scope, making adjustments t o the point of bullet impact is an exercise in futility. In addition, high-magnification presents a jolt to your brain as your eye tries to adjus t coming in and out of the scope. You tend to lose orientation at a time when you desperately need it.

/John