sight

How Telescopic Sights Work

Telescopic sights, commonly referred to as “scopes,” use a system of lenses to magnify the appearance of a target from a distance. Not surprisingly, this magnification effect on the user’s field of vision is beneficial for styles of shooting that require precision from a distance. While distance shots, to some degree, are capable with mere iron sights, adding a scope reduces some of the challenge involved.

What Rifle Sights Work for You? Part 2: Telescopic Sights - TheArmsGuide.com — Surprisingly complicated, no? Then again, geometry was never one of my strong suits. Image courtesy of wikipedia.org

How They Work

Telescopic sights generally have a combination of curved lenses and reflective surfaces within metal sleeve. The shooter looks through the ocular lens (smaller, and of lower magnification), and the objective lens at the scope’s far end increases magnification. Some telescopic sights are fixed in the amount of magnification they can provide. Others are variable. The “power” of the magnification of any particular scope is usually denoted like so: optical magnification x obejctive lens diameter (for fixed magnification optics), or minimum magnification – maximum magnification x objective lens diameter. For example, the Leupold scope shown below is denoted 2-12×42. Which means the lowest magnification is 2x larger than naked eye, minimum, with a maximum of 12x, and the objective lens is 42mm in diameter (lenses are often measured in metrics, rather than the US customary units).

Lens Features

Having a larger objective lens diameter is a benefit as well as a disadvantage. The larger the objective lens, the more light can enter through the end of the telescopic sight. More light provides a brighter image. However, having a large optic means the profile is larger. If one wishes to put their rifle through heavy use, the delicate glass within their optic may not survive potential impacts. And, the more glass on the scope’s end, the more surface there is to try to keep clean and free from scratches – both of which could impede vision through the implement temporarily or permanently. However, if one is gentle enough with their scope use and storage, these issues can be avoided.

Another notable feature of telescopic sights which could contribute to whether or not they suit your rifle’s purpose is the visual phenomenon of field of vision that is necessarily altered. The magnification that telescopic sights provide is limited to the expanse of the lens. Therefore, an additional benefit to having a scope with a wide objective lens allows for a larger field of view when looking down the scope. When one is shooting from a fixed vantage, or other position that requires little movement, having a limited field of view is not as significant of a detriment as to those who may wish to change shooting location frequently in one sitting, or for someone who wishes to shoot while on the move.

Configuration Options

There is a vast range of telescopic sights available, not only with varying levels of magnification and lens diameter, but also differing coatings for the glass (both to protect the glass itself, and to alter the way the light enters the optic, which could improve clarity and color, levels of adjustment for windage and elevation, and there are even some scopes that include electronic elements that assist in ballistics calculations. There is also a wide array of reticles of varying sight pictures and materials (many are made of thin wire located on the first focal plane within the scope, while others are etched glass plates fixed in the same location).

If shooting from a fixed position with a need for precise shots aimed at a distant target, the quality of the telescopic optics one uses could be as important, if not more important, than the rifle upon which the scope is mounted. However, if your rifle is better suited to close quarter combat, or short range target engagements, a reflector or reflex sight may be a better bet for your shooting experience.

by Destinee

Destinee is also a vlogger. She publishes videos on weapons, gear, and fitness on her YouTube channel every Tuesday and Thursday.

Photo courtesy of Graham Baates

Sight Picture Theories - TheArmsGuide.com

Improve Your Shooting: Sight Picture Theory

Managing sight picture is one firearms fundamental that contributes to shooting accurately. Grip, stance, trigger pull, and even the way you breathe all play important parts in repeatable, accurate shooting. However, the point of this post is to focus on sight picture and a few of the prevailing theories on how to use it effectively to become a more accurate marksman (or markswoman, if you prefer).

This article was written with newer shooters in mind; my goal here is to help people explore some of the popular methodologies on sight picture with the hopes that it’ll get a new shooter pointed to a theory that works for them. If you’re a seasoned marksman, feel free to share this information with those less experienced.

Sights

Before we get into proper alignment, let’s talk about the sights themselves. There are several styles of sights, ranging from a notched rear sight and blade front sight, to three dot systems (two on the rear sights and one on the front sight), dot and post, adjustable target sights, to low profile bumps, and more. Aligning the front and rear sight of the pistol depends on the particular picture presented by the firearm being examined, but the general idea is fairly intuitive: line up the rear sight markers (whether dots, lines, notch, etc.) with the front sight marker.

Sight Picture Theories

Flash Front Sight

Some schools of thought follow the instruction of firearms instructor and former Marine Jeff Cooper’s recommendation to focus on the pistol’s front sight and place it over the target. Cooper explained this technique, “flash front sight,” allows the shooter to aim as quickly as possible while maintaining accuracy as it is easier for the eye to focus on objects at a close distance (i.e., the distance from the eye to the hand(s) in which the pistol is held) rather than further away (i.e., the distance away from the assailant).

No Sight Shooting

Others maintain that, while accuracy is important, in self defense situations, it is more likely that the person defending themselves won’t have time to aim and would therefore be best advised to train for “no sight shooting.” This idea, taught by another former soldier and firearms instructor, Rob Pincus, teaches students to track the threat and use the pistol to “point” at it. Pincus’ reasoning is that a “pointing” gesture naturally follows the line of sight and will, for the most part, allow for accurate shot placement while still allowing the person defending themselves to keep their eyes on their assailant(s) even while moving.

6 o’clock Hold vs. Combat Hold

There is an extension of the sight picture theory discussion that focuses on target alignment. One concept, often called a “6 o’clock” hold, aligns the sights at the base of the bullseye. Some call it the “pumpkin on a post” method, with the target as the pumpkin on the post of the front sight. However, there is another alignment preference, commonly referred to as a “combat” hold, in which the shooter aligns the sights directly over the bullseye. In this theory, point of aim is equivalent to point of impact. Some firearms are configured from the factory in such a way that favors one of these methods over the other. If the sights on your pistol are adjustable, however, you can tweak them to work with whichever method you prefer.

Sight Picture During Sustained Fire

Whether you’re training at the range, or running a competition shooting stage, there will certainly be times when you want to fire several rounds in a row. How do you maintain sight picture when your muzzle rises each shot, interrupting your ideal sight alignment? Depending on who you ask, you may discover several solutions to combat this issue. One method I’ve learned is simple, and works well with Cooper’s flash front sight method. Set up the first shot while focusing on the front sight. While shooting, keep your eye on the front sight. Watch its pattern of rising and falling between shots. As your muzzle falls after a shot, fire as soon as the front sight dips far enough to align with the rear sights. This does take some practice to develop a feel for where your pistol moves while you’re shooting.

After several hundred rounds of practice, you’ll develop a degree of muscle memory for all the minute adjustments your aim requires to accomplish accurate shots. It’s similar to learning to drive. When you start, every tiny correction you make with the steering wheel is the result of active decision. Stiffly perched in your seat, you perpetually remind yourself to check your mirrors, to watch the other drivers around you, and keep your speed safe—and legal. However, after years of experience behind the wheel, your body and mind become accustomed to the adjustments that need to be made. Driving becomes almost second nature. None of the demands that driving has on your focus have changed, but after a while, the new driver evolves into a seasoned roadster who can change the radio station, sip a drink, and chat with a passenger while traveling through traffic at highway speeds. Learning to maintain sight picture during sustained fire feels much like that. It may seem drawn out and deliberate at first, but with more practice, it happens almost without thinking about it.

Final Thoughts

Test drive a few different techniques. Figure out with what style of sight picture methodology you shoot most consistently, and practice it regularly. Which sight picture theory is best is, to some degree, subjective. Some of it may have to do with how your sights are configured, but the rest is personal. After all, not all accurate shooters follow the same sight picture techniques. What sight picture alignment works best for you?

by Destinee

Destinee is also a vlogger. She publishes videos on weapons, gear, and fitness on her YouTube channel every Tuesday and Thursday.

Galloway Precision appendix carry and compact holster review with the Sig Sauer P320

The Kydex holster market is fairly crowded and I am regularly searching for new features and better value in my holster options. Generally, the perfect holster comes down to personal preferences such as fit and flexibility, clips and mounting options, and possibly most importantly – cost. I have found that those carrying pistols with a reflex site – like me – are not able to walk into a local firearms store and grab one off the shelf. Folks like us have to scour the Internet for a custom Kydex option that will hopefully work like we hope it will. Galloway Precision is an American company I found that offers a great product for an excellent value. I picked up a few of their holster options that are compatible with my favorite pistol – the Sig Sauer P320 Compact RX.

While considering price as a driving factor, Galloway Precision stood out as one of the more affordable product manufacturers out there. They also offered great features that I hadn’t personally used before, such as their Cordura cloth backing on their appendix carry holsters. Other products I have used before have leather or bare-Kydex backings which can cause some uncomfortable sweatiness. Along with their cleanly made Kydex holsters, they feature familiar accessories such as UltiClips and FabriClips to secure the holsters to your waistline. I also acquired a TDI/Magazine combo holster (pictured in the featured image), but that will be featured in a separate review. Below are some of my observations and favorite features for the following Galloway Precision products.

Do All Appendix Carry Holster with UltiClip (P320C)

First off – this is a very cleanly made and sturdy holster. As mentioned earlier, for appendix carry the Cordura cloth backing makes using this holster very comfortable by reducing sweat and friction. The cant for the pistol and spare magazine are angled just right, although they are contained in a solid Kydex frame that does not offer any flexibility. In spite of the rigidity, the contours of the holster are very comfortable, so it ended up being a comfortable holster selection for me personally. The UltiClips were a feature that I hadn’t used previously, and I was happy with their ease-of-use. The retention ability of the UltiClips is very impressive. At $72 on the Galloway Precision website, I think it is priced nicely for a do all option.

Compact Holster with UltiClip (P320C)

My favorite feature on this holster aside from the low-profile is the ability to reverse the UltiClip depending on where you prefer to carry it. I configured mine for a right-handed draw from the 6 o’clock position. It held my P320 a little higher on my waistline, which I liked. With a rigid belt like the one I have it worked out well instead of sagging down into my pocket area. This is now an invaluable part of my everyday carry for my P320 because I generally prefer to carry in this configuration as opposed to appendix carry. Their Compact Holster is offered in seven available colors (mine is shown in Coyote Brown) and is available for $49 on the Galloway Precision website.

Do All Appendix Carry Holster with FabriClip (P320C)

The key difference between this holster and the previous do all holster above is that this one utilizes the FabriClip instead of the UltiClip. I’ll be honest, the FabriClip took some getting used to by me. For those not familiar with it, it is a flexible polymer system that utilizes fabric from your pocket or pant legs to secure the tabs into place. Holster features are otherwise identical to the do all holster above. For me, this would be a great option if appendix carrying in pants or shorts without a belt or with a non-gun belt. The FabriClips can largely compensate by keeping the holster deeply secured to the fabric without a belt present – although I’d still highly recommend a belt when possible. Price on the Galloway Precision site is $80.

Often times, you’ve got to buy before you try when it comes to holsters, but I can comfortably say that Galloway Precision is a solid option without breaking the bank. Their customer support was very responsive and easy to work with, so if you have any questions about purchases or customization they will be able to get you taken care of.

Trijicon Ruggedized Miniature Reflex Sight: First Impression

Trijicon Ruggedized Miniature Reflex: Tough Enough for Duty Carry

The Trijicon RMR (Ruggedized Miniature Reflex) sight is the most rugged miniature red-dot sight available. It is made from 7075-T6 aluminum to MIL-spec standards and has a patented shape that absorbs impacts and diverts stresses away from the lens, increasing durability. Available in LED, adjustable LED, or dual-illuminated versions, and with dot sizes ranging from 3.25 MOA to 13 MOA, you are sure to find what fits your needs. The RMR is a versatile sight that illuminates in any lighting condition.

I used the RMR with the Rogers Red Dot Glock Slide. I have been using it for six months and have not been disappointed. It has been on constantly and has worked as advertised. It is fast and accurate.

Red-dot sights like the Trijicon RMR allow you to focus on the target and see the sights in the same focal plane. The result is fast and intuitive. You can shoot with both eyes open, focused on the target, and track the dot through recoil, and from one target to the next. Older shooters will find the dot much easier to use than iron sights because the eyes can adjust to target focus. Closing one eye is okay for stationary target shooters, but if you are moving or scanning for threats, you are going to need both eyes for depth perception and field of view. The RMR will let you keep those eyes open.

The Trijicon RMR is available in three models with different reticle patterns. The first RMR model is the LED version. This is available with a 3.25 MOA red-dot (RM01) or an 8.0 MOA red-dot (RM02). The second RMR model is the dual-illuminated version. There are currently four reticles available for this model: a 13.0 MOA amber dot (RM03), a 7.0 MOA amber dot (RM04), a 9.0 MOA amber dot (RM05), and a 12.9 MOA amber triangle (RM08). The last model available is the adjustable LED version. This comes in a 3.25 MOA red dot (RM06) and a 6.5 MOA red dot (RM07).

The RM03, RM04, RM05 and RM08 are battery-free. The illumination sources for the reticles inside the dual-illuminated RMR are tritium and fiber optics.

The adjustable LED RM06 and RM07 battery should last four years of continual use at brightness setting #4. When left on at the brightest setting (brightness setting #8), the battery should last around 25 days.

The LED RM01 and RM02 models are rated at two years typical use.

Unlike other designs, the low profile of the sights makes them useful for concealed carry, too.

Features:

Dual-illuminated RMR

LED RMR

Adjustable LED RMR

Unique patented housing shape

Versatile sight

Easy adjustable windage/elevation

True-color multi-coated lenses

Parallax-free

Waterproof to 20 meters (66 ft.)

The Trijicon RMR is covered by a limited lifetime factory warranty.

The RM03 7.0 MOA version can be purchased on Amazon.com.

(Featured image courtesy of costaludus.com)

Aimpoint Micro H-2 | The last red dot you’ll ever need

During the majority of my military service with the 2nd Ranger Battalion, I used an Aimpoint M68/Comp M2. While I also used an ACOG at times, the trusty Comp M2 rode with me on nearly every mission during my 5 combat deployments. Never one hiccup, never one failure. Aimpoint (of Sweden) earned a great deal of respect from me, but that was nowhere near the pinnacle of their efforts or abilities. Enter the Aimpoint Micro H-2.

Imagine if you will, that I had been issued an optic the day I took my oath of enlistment. Turning it on, imaginary me put it in a box and went along my way. Upon completion of my 4 year enlistment, that red dot would still be turned on, with enough battery life to last more than another year. When we’re talking about the Micro H-2‘s 50,000 battery life, that’s the kind of longevity Aimpoint wrings out of the ACET diode circuitry. Fifty. Thousand. Hours. On one 3v CR2032 battery! There are 12 brightness settings on the 2 or 4 MOA dot, with the brightest being more than sufficient even on a sunny day.

The H-2 is a svelte little minx, weighing in at 93 grams without mount and 136 grams with the mount and flip-up lens covers. The H-2 is barely over 2.5″ long and is under 2″ tall. Not at all a show pony, this optic is tough as well. Waterproof to 15 feet, impervious to humidity, shockproof and capable of operating in temperature swings from -113°F to 160° F. All that in a little anodized aluminum body.

My H-2 came with clear scope caps, allowing me to shoot even if I “oops” and keep the caps down due to rain. Windage and elevation are adjusted using one of the scope caps which has two little nipples on the exterior. Said nipples fit into two female divots within the top of the scope turrets, allowing them to be spun. Herein lies what might be my only gripe about the H-2: only one cap has both the adjustment nipples on the outside and the directional arrows printed on the inside of the cap. The other cap is flat on the outside and contains no directional arrows on the inside. So, if you’re needing to make vertical adjustments but the one capable scope cap is on the horizontal adjustment turret, be prepared to remove both. Yes it’s a small complaint, but it’s one easily remedied by discontinuing the use of the flat/bare cap. These turret caps are easy enough to lose as it is, no need to remove both if you only need to make adjustments in one direction.

My first range trip went very well: I tossed the H-2 onto my SBR and was shredding pieces of shattered clay pigeons at 50 yards with no adjustments. When I took the SBR/H-2 combo out to 100 yards on a zero target, I did need to make a few clicks worth of adjusting to center my group on the bullseye. What started out as light rain turned into a torrential downpour as Graham Baates and I did a lengthy and time-consuming workup for a rifle from Ranger Proof Arms. The H-2 spent the entire time out in the rain but honestly, does anyone expect me to say there was a problem? There was of course none. Aimpoint’s reputation for durability is long-established and with good reason.

One reason I liked my issued Comp M-2 (as well as this H-2 and my personal Comp C-3) is that Aimpoint‘s dots appear to be better defined and have less bloom than lesser quality red-dot sights. This is of course in addition to a ridiculously long battery life, extreme resistance to the elements and rock-solid mounts. Using the 2 MOA dot on a 1″ circle at 100 yards should prove challenging, yes? Turn down the intensity a little further than normal, keep both eyes open and let your brain transpose the red dot onto the black. You’ll be able to see both and still sling lead. I was able to print a 1″ group using Barnes T-TSX rounds before the rain got too heavy. I’ll get back out to the range to repeat the feat and post the results.

With more than 1,000,000 M68’s in use with the US military, Aimpoint has established a huge presence in the red-dot market. With massive success after massive success, they have continually built upon their legacy to the point where the missteps and QC issues that seem to plague Aimpoint’s competitors feel all but impossible for Aimpoint to stumble into. The Micro H-2, released in 2015, is yet another stepping stone on Aimpoint’s path to perfection. Buy one and rest assured, it may just be the last red-dot you’ll ever need to buy. The Micro H-2 retails for around $700 and has a 10 year warranty for personal use. Check it out!

-Rex Nanorum

Vortex Venom 3 MOA Red Dot optic

While some guns deserve iron sights: the majority of rifles, shotguns (and even a number of handguns) benefit from the use of optics. There is a red dot or scope for every application. With every base covered, how do manufacturers keep pushing the market forward? Well, usually by making their optics lighter, tougher, more power-efficient or more versatile. Enter the Vortex Venom.

Before we get too deep in the conversation, let’s cover the tech specs as provided by Vortex.

Magnification: 1x
Eye Relief: Unlimited
Dot Size: 3 MOA
Adjustment Graduation: 1 MOA
Max Elevation Adjustment: 130 MOA
Max Windage Adjustment: 100 MOA
Parralax Free
Length: 1.9″
Weight 1.1 oz
10 Brightness Settings
14 Hour Auto-Shutoff
Up To 30,000 Hour Battery Life On Lowest Setting

Equally at home on a rifle, subgun, shotgun or handgun, the Venom fits the bill for versatility. I’ve used it on my ultra-light AR build, a Zenith Z-5P (HK Mp5-K clone) and in an upcoming article covering Battle Werx‘ Glock slide mods. Weighing in at 1.1 oz (the QR riser mount is 2.7 oz), this RDS (red dot sight) adds so little weight, it’s just about virtually unnoticeable.

The aluminum body houses the top-load and o-ring sealed battery compartment. This allows for easy battery replacement without breaking your zero. The glass has multiple anti-glare coatings and provides a larger-than-expected window through which to acquire your target. Despite mounting the Venom on multiple platforms and zeroing it on each, this little dot has tracked well and held zero despite the abuse I’ve thrown at it. You can’t ask more from an optic that weighs about as much as three rounds of .223.

Shooting with the Venom thus far has been a pain-free experience. Mounting was easy, the controls are simple and the whole package feels well-built. The 10 brightness levels provide enough juice so the dot is visible even in bright sunlight, ensuring the dot is, and remains, easy for the eye to pick up. Shooting with the Venom is as fast as it ought to be and it performs as reliably as you would hope.

While I still have big plans to use the Vortex Venom in upcoming articles, I’ve had enough time with it (on enough platforms) to say that this RDS holds up its end of the bargain: providing a fast shooting optic in a durable, light-weight package. While the MSRP is $329.99, street price is commonly 2/3 that amount.

Check it out!