Hi, all.

I am planning to purchase a TA02 ACOG (LED illuminated) soon. I've been doing quite a bit of research on the various reticles available, and this video helped me immensely:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMJ1-b6CnRo

But that video also included distances much farther than 200 yards. My use case for the ACOG is in the 0-200 yard range, where I'd like a lightweight optic with some magnification for precise shots on small targets rather than distance.

I was originally thinking the horseshoe-dot reticle would be perfect, and kinda still do. But since I can't find *any* TA02 ACOG's with the red horseshoe-dot reticle in stock, I started thinking about the red chevron. Here's why:

Again, my use case is 0-200 yards, which means if I zero the ACOG at 50/200 yards, I can essentially use the tip of the chevron for the vast majority of my shooting. (I do realize that the BDC is meant for a 100 meter zero.)

Then for any needs inside of 50 yards, I could simply "put a hat on the POI" and shoot. Meaning, I could think of the chevron as a "hat", and make a head shot by putting a "hat" on the head and shoot.

What are your thoughts on this? I still like the horseshoe-dot reticle with the more precise dot in the center, but I'm thinking this reticle may be a bit more difficult to achieve this approach to shooting.

I appreciate your feedback!

Chris

You will want either the horseshoe dot or the illuminated crosshair.


I had a chevron TA33 and the size of the chevron was a weakness for exactly what you say you want, enhanced precision against smaller targets. It obscures too much of small targets at distances between which you are zeroed at (50/200 for example).

Although it’s not what you asked, and hopefully you won’t mind, but I must suggest the SAI Optics 1-6×24mm scope’s reticle.

I reviewed the scope here:
https://sigforum.com/eve/forum...480020194#7480020194

The problem I see with low power variable optics and shooting at small targets is the reticles most have. The common ones all have a central feature that’s designed to be easy to see and pick up rapidly, and many of those depend upon bright illumination to enhance being able to see them. Their size and sometimes the illumination make them unsuited for precision aiming, especially at small targets. A small central dot helps, but the usual presence of some sort of semicircle to ensure that the reticle can be seen tends to obscure part of the view.

The SAI reticle with its 30 degree pointers doesn’t have a lot of fans, but I believe that’s primarily because it’s not what reviewers are accustomed to. I didn’t give the reticle design a lot of thought before I bought the scope, but I really like it now, and recently purchased another scope. I don’t like the BDC feature for different cartridges, but it’s easy enough to ignore.

To address your question, though, the central cross of the type that’s most common on reticles intended for precision shooting performs that function very well. I recently participated in an event that included shooting at a regular 12-ounce soda can. At 150 yards I had no trouble centering the cross for a precise aim.

“But, but, doesn’t the center cross disappear at low, 1× power?” Yes, it does. But then the pointers and to a lesser degree the large horizontal and lower vertical bar permit gross centering on large, close targets just as the large central feature of other LPVOs does.

But of course the SAI isn’t an ACOG, so there’s that.

Added:
I keep forgetting that ACOG sights aren’t the more common variable optics, so much of what I referred to wouldn’t be applicable to them.

But if the question were mine, I’d choose a crosshair reticle over a chevron or horseshoe for the precision shooting purpose without a moment’s hesitation. I’d also prefer something with milliradian (or even MOA) subtensions over everybody’s favorite BDC reticles that don’t match anything exactly.

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