UPDATE:
So I've had it to the range not too long ago, and it was simple to get the sight zeroed. I zeroed for 50 yards instead of the 100 that the reticle is calibrated for because A) I prefer a 50 yard zero for an AR15, and B) because I was shooting FMJ and was limited to the 50 yard range at Elm Fork.
The reticle was easy to use and see. I tried it with both the red and green illumination and with the illumination switched off. On a bright sunny day with no cloud cover, the illuminated colors had to be turned up to the 3rd of 5 settings in order to be "fully on." The black reticle looked just fine, and truthfully, that is the one I would use most of the time unless the light were really low.
That said, I did find one thing that is moderately disturbing...... I was reading this month's issue (September 2012) of GunTests magazine, and they have a comparison between the Leupold VX-R, Hi-Lux CMR, and Millett DMS-1 patrol optics for AR15 carbines. All of these are 1-4X scopes with illuminated reticles, and one of the thing the article authors noted was that all three scopes betrayed a light signature down range when viewed from head on:
The three scopes showed a signature at night that was apparent downrange when viewed head on. A slight red glow could be seen from the Leupold’s and Millett’s objectives; we could see a green glow from the Hi-Lux.
http://www.gun-tests.com/issues/24_9/fe ... 981-1.html (you probably have to be logged in to read it....)
So, I decided to see if that might be an issue for MY scope, since it has an illuminated reticle, and took a couple of pictures. The pictures below were taken looking into the front end of scope. The rifle was unloaded, verified by visual and finger confirmation, locked open, with no magazine in place.
In the first picture, you can make out the black circle of the unlit reticle more or less in the center. In the second picture, you can see the red illuminated reticle. I didn't take a picture of the green one, but it is just as bright as the red one:
The object mounted on top of the scope is the Burris Fastfire, and in any CQB situation, that is what I would be using simply because the 5X power of this scope makes it difficult to use in that scenario. Obviously, in any hunting situation at night (hog hunting, predators, whatever), I would not let the reticle illumination go to waste. But if I engaged in some kind shoot-out over distance at night, I might hesitate to use the illuminated reticle unless I had very good reason to believe that my enemy could not see it.
I don't know if I would have made any different choice of an optic for this AR since it appears that any of the other choices I might have looked at have the same fault. But, it is worth noting for anyone that is looking at a magnifying optic with an illuminated reticle that does not function as a holographic sight like an EOTech that this is a consideration to be taken under advisement when making your choice.
“Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And, weak men create hard times.”
― G. Michael Hopf, "Those Who Remain"
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