LPVOs in 2023 and beyond

[HeavyDuty]

Sounds an awful lot like a micro red dot with a magnifier....

Possibly. I have messed a little with the concept before, and should again. But I’m more interested with keeping things 1x until magnification is needed, and that’s not a RDS + magnifier’s strength.

Try the Steiner. It isn't all that bulky or heavy.

That’s what I’m doing right now. The jury is still out, it may end up where I originally intended - on my LaRue 16” carbine replacing a PA 3x prism. That prism would be good on the 12” except for something I really hate - no good lens cover solution. Everything I’ve tried has been a kludge.

[Noah]

Possibly. I have messed a little with the concept before, and should again. But I’m more interested with keeping things 1x until magnification is needed, and that’s not a RDS + magnifier’s strength.

To be sure I understand you, you're wanting to prioritize the 1x, and then have magnification available if you need it?

I'm more of an LPVO guy myself, but I think what you're describing IS the exact strength of an RDS and magnifier. It prioritizes 1x far more heavily than an LPVO, and offers less in magnification and optical performance.

You can even have the magnifier as a QD, and just take it off at times. When I have run guns with a dot and mag, I leave the magnifier off when the rifle is just staged in a lockbox in the house, and the magnifier collects dust with my rainy day kit.

[HeavyDuty]

To be sure I understand you, you're wanting to prioritize the 1x, and then have magnification available if you need it?

I'm more of an LPVO guy myself, but I think what you're describing IS the exact strength of an RDS and magnifier. It prioritizes 1x far more heavily than an LPVO, and offers less in magnification and optical performance.

You can even have the magnifier as a QD, and just take it off at times. When I have run guns with a dot and mag, I leave the magnifier off when the rifle is just staged in a lockbox in the house, and the magnifier collects dust with my rainy day kit.

I tend to run the magnifier flipped over to the side most of the time, and that makes for a bulky configuration.

[breakingtime91]

So I have spent the last 12 years of my shooting life thinking red dots never look perfect. While I bought a magnifier and found out that magnified red dots look like a bunch of grapes to me. Can't even tell which of the eight dots is the 2 moa dot. I figure this makes sense, I prefer 6 moa pistol red dots because it actually looks like a dot to me. That has me wondering about the arrangement I want on my 13.9.. I do not want to run only a rds, the area that I live in is wide open and heavily foilaged so you need some type of magnification usually to figure out what you are looking at.


So, I have come to the conclusion that I either need to set this rifle up with an acog and rds (like my 16 inch), set it up with a lpvo and rds, or try the 6 moa h2 and a magnifier.. hmm

[Noah]

So I have spent the last 12 years of my shooting life thinking red dots never look perfect. While I bought a magnifier and found out that magnified red dots look like a bunch of grapes to me. Can't even tell which of the eight dots is the 2 moa dot. I figure this makes sense, I prefer 6 moa pistol red dots because it actually looks like a dot to me. That has me wondering about the arrangement I want on my 13.9.. I do not want to run only a rds, the area that I live in is wide open and heavily foilaged so you need some type of magnification usually to figure out what you are looking at.


So, I have come to the conclusion that I either need to set this rifle up with an acog and rds (like my 16 inch), set it up with a lpvo and rds, or try the 6 moa h2 and a magnifier.. hmm

Im a no one who's had one AR for the last 7 or so years. But I've probably switched optics setups on it every 6 months- year and change. Dot and mag, LPVO, ACOG and dot, other prism and dot, different LPVO.... the grass is always greener. With my level of rifle practice (low vs pistol) I found that angled and piggybacked dots are better on paper than in practice for me. I've "settled" for now on the PA Nova for a fairly lightweight, truly daylight bright LPVO because it gives me a centerline 1x solution (like a dot) but also works as a range toy on the occasion i get to shoot medium range at 300-600 once or twice a year.

Between dot and mag, dot and prism, just a prism, LPVO, LPVO and dot, or MPVO and dot.... it's totally personal and situational. I find whatever I dont currently have often seems best

[breakingtime91]

Im a no one who's had one AR for the last 7 or so years. But I've probably switched optics setups on it every 6 months- year and change. Dot and mag, LPVO, ACOG and dot, other prism and dot, different LPVO.... the grass is always greener. With my level of rifle practice (low vs pistol) I found that angled and piggybacked dots are better on paper than in practice for me. I've "settled" for now on the PA Nova for a fairly lightweight, truly daylight bright LPVO because it gives me a centerline 1x solution (like a dot) but also works as a range toy on the occasion i get to shoot medium range at 300-600 once or twice a year.

Between dot and mag, dot and prism, just a prism, LPVO, LPVO and dot, or MPVO and dot.... it's totally personal and situational. I find whatever I dont currently have often seems best

I'm the same way... I'm grabbing one of these to try with my acog instead of the offset arisaka I currently have.

https://www.forwardcontrolsdesign.co...ount-acog.html


I really wish a red dot and 3x magnifier worked for me. The range bays at my outdoor range are about 60 yards so I don't get to shoot distance often. So having the option to flip over for 3x would be great to have on those occasions I need to PID or shoot at greater distance (300-500)

[davisj]

In terms of dot quality, I’ve been most impressed with the Sig Romeo 4XT Pro. Most dots look like a cluster of grapes to me, not this one though. I now have two. One is paired with a PA 3X Micro magnifier, the other will be soon. Paired with the ranging Pegasus magnifier version it has worked well in the short time I’ve used it.

As a bonus, the “all in” price of the combo isn’t much more than a T2. Of course, YMMV.

[theJanitor]

I tend to run the magnifier flipped over to the side most of the time, and that makes for a bulky configuration.

I'm running the unity mounts with the magnifier that flips to center. there's nothing hanging off the side, but it's tall

[HCM]

I tend to run the magnifier flipped over to the side most of the time, and that makes for a bulky configuration.

It sounds like you either need one of the unity magnifier mounts or you just need a quick detach Magnifier mounts with witness marking so you can throw the magnifier on when you need it.

Because Noah is spot on about your state use being the strong suite of RDS/magnifier combos.

No LPVO is going to give 1x performance comparable to an RDS. You can get very close if you put in enough dry practice but there’s no free lunch.

[SecondsCount]

It sounds like you either need one of the unity magnifier mounts or you just need a quick detach Magnifier mounts with witness marking so you can throw the magnifier on when you need it.

Because Noah is spot on about your state use being the strong suite of RDS/magnifier combos.

No LPVO is going to give 1x performance comparable to an RDS. You can get very close if you put in enough dry practice but there’s no free lunch.

No it isn't, and I don't understand why it keeps coming up in the LPVO conversation because it can get really close. The LPVO does so many great things including improving accuracy, target acquisition, having a good reticle for different distances, and less exposed mechanicals to deal with.