Rifle Sight

How Widely Used Are Red Dot Sights In The US Military?

The US military took decades to adopt optical sights as standard on their rifles, following the lead set by Austria in the mid 1970s with their Steyr AUG and its 1.5x carrying handle optic. In attempting to determine which sights have been officially adopted it is as well to remember that purchases have also been made by units up to Divisional size as well by thousands of individual servicemen and women.

Having type classified both the Trijicon Reflex and the ECOS-N, an Aimpoint CompM2 model for their SOPMOD kit, SOCOM decided to replace both with the Eotech SU231/PEQ (see below).

The US Army and USAF lead the way in adopting reflex sights service-wide with their adoption of the Aimpoint CompM2 as their M68 CCO. This unit is still in use but is being replaced by the CompM4s (low battery housing model of the CompM4), confusingly also called the M68 CCO. There are also photos showing high-battery housing CompM4s in service, but these may well have been purchased by individuals or units.. Aimpoint’s tiny T-1 red dot sight is now being issued to units deploying to theatre along with the 3X flip to side magnifier, providing a combination that can cover a spectrum of engagement ranges.

The US Army adopted a variant of the Canadian Elcan – the ELCM145C, a battery illuminated 3.4X28 scope – for use on the M249 and M240 as its M145. The US Army version uses internal adjustments and a 1200 meter calibrated reticle rather than the problematic external adjuster on the original version. An 800 meter calibrated version is produced for the M4 carbine, but this had not achieved widespread use by US forces. The Block II SOPMOD kit now includes the Elcan SpecterDR; a sight which flips from 1X to 4X and is designated the SU230/PVS Articulated Telescope. SOCOM is replacing its SU-237 ACOGs with the SU-230/PVS which has already seen service in Iraq and Afghanistan. Like the ACOG it replaces it mounts a small red dot sight on top for very close range engagements.

SOCOM adopted a version of the Eotech Holographic Weapon Sight – the Model 553 – to replace the original Aimpoint ECOS-N and Trijicon reflex sight on the BlockII version of the M4 SOPMOD kit. SU-231/PEQ (Model 553 is the military designation for this unit. This unit is powered by two CR123s and featured quick release mounting via twin ARMS throw levers. It is rated to 66ft submersion depth – twice the rating of previous Eotech models. Individuals and units have purchased other Eotechs, including the 1st Stryker Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, 10th Mountain Division and USMC Force Recon. The 552.A65 and 552.XR308 have proven popular. Eotech recently won a US NSWC competition with their Enhanced Combat Optical Gunsight – Heavy. $6.6M worth of these units are to be purchased to mount on support weapons including those mounted on SOCOM’s surface craft.

Early this century SOCOM adopted the Trijicon ACOG TA01NSN for their SOPMOD kit. The TA01NSN came with peep and post battlesights, but was replaced circa 2006/7 by a version with a top mounted red dot CQB sight, designated TA01NSN-RMR by the Trijicon and SU-237 by SOCOM.

Early in the GWoT it became obvious that iron sights were putting Marines at a serious handicap. The USMC decided to rush the Trijicon TA31 ACOG into service as a ‘designated marksman’s’ magnifying sight. They then decided to go to universal issue of magnifying optical sights, specifying a Rifle Caliber Optic, or RCO in two versions. Eotech designate these the TA31RCO-A4CP (military designation AN/PVQ-31A) and the TA31RCO-M4CP (military designation AN/PVQ-31B) for the M16A4 rifle and M4 carbine respectively. The US Army followed by adopting its own version of the TA31 for use on its M16A4 rifles, the TA31RCO-M150CP, opting for a 300 meter parallax setting and designating it the M150. The Marines did not adopt the M145 for their SAWs  and M27s, instead recently purchasing another ACOG, this time a 3.5x model as their Squad Day Optic. This version also features a top mounted RMR red dot sight. The Marines also adopted a 6x ACOG designated the Medium Day Sight for use on their M240s.

How to Sight-In a Scoped Firearm

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