Comments on: Do It All?

By: Chris Rhines

Chris Rhines — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 02:13:57 +0000

The difficulties in shooting a low-power magnified optic, up close, have been GREATLY exaggerated. At my most recent carbine class, several shooters (and the instructor) did very well inside 50 yards with a wide variety of low-power variable optics. Some optics fit this task better than others (I like the Meopta Meostar 1-4x22KD if I’m spending my own money, and the Swarovski Z6i-BRT if I’m spending someone elses) but in general, I think that a low-power variable optic with a daylight-visible illuminated reticle gives you a great deal more flexibility than a RDO.

Jeff – you’ve had some good advice on rifle and support equipment selection, but have you signed up for a carbine shooting course, and budgeted enough ammo for regular sustainment practice?

-C

By: B Dubya

B Dubya — Sun, 12 Aug 2012 23:37:44 +0000

A minor quibble.
Bullet drop does not increase as a result of loss of velocity.
The bullet is always subjected to the acelleration of gravity, from the time it leaves the muzzle until impact, provided that it is not acted on by other forces (elastic or inelastic collisions, gyroscopic effects, and the like.)

By: Jeff

Jeff — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 17:27:30 +0000

Sure. Not optimal, obviously. I was just noting the capability, should the outlying situation arise. The rifle can be considerably shortened and still fire, and if you can put a dot on the target, more power to you. That’s just another notch in the “what if” bedpost, as far as I’m concerned.

By: TomcatTCH

TomcatTCH — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 16:58:59 +0000

I know you can fire it folded. But I’m seeing you getting hits with it outside of point shooting it, and that’s fairly iffy if you never practice point shooting it.

I’ve always thought of shooting a rifle with the stock folded in the same way as bump fire, it might be fun, but I don’t see it being all that useful.

By: HL

HL — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 16:53:59 +0000

I think you made a great choice. If the meteor was coming, and I could only grab one gun, it would be my SCAR 17. I run it with a 1-4×24 IR Scope and a FFII mounted on top of the P.E.P.R. If the optics fail, I can QD dump the whole rig and go to iron PDQ.

As over kill, I have a litle laser. One can def pull off some short range shots with the stock folded using the laser, from the hip even if you want to be like American Movie Guy, John Rambo.

I may upgrade to a 1-6 scope.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 16:30:25 +0000

TomcatTCH-- I just meant that the stock folded makes it easier to get into or out of tight places, by obstacles, in and out of cars, through small openings, etc. But yes, you can fire with the stock folded, should you need to engage immediately in those certain situations. I imagine that might prove useful with a red dot or laser. There exist a few youtube vids of people shooting with the stock folded. Incidentally, for those interested, here's a review of the prototype of that scope mentioned here, first by John Hardin, who must have been typing when I was.

By: TomcatTCH

TomcatTCH — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 15:11:20 +0000

I don’t understand something that Jeff said.
“SCAR because of the folding stock for CQB”

I understand that a folded stock makes a rifle shorter, but how in the hell would you use it folded for CQB??

By: Nolan

Nolan — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 08:34:06 +0000

The one thing I’d say is not quite right about this article is the magnifier increasing the size of the dot. MOA is a measure of angles, and if you increase the size of the dot, yes it does increase what MOA the dot is… But if you also increase the size of the area around the dot by the same factor it doesn’t increase in MOA, since the angles have also been increased. The reason that a dedicated magnified optic doesn’t have this problem is that it was designed to be used at longer distances, and so what is used to aim is made accordingly. Adding a magnifier to a red dot is kind of like making a “do it all” rifle: you’re trying to get your optic to be something it’s not. The only difference there is that if the magnifier can flip to the side it’s only temporary, and not an ar-10 that has been made “CQB worthy”.

TL;DR version: a 2MOA dot only appears larger to the naked eye, but it’s relative size to the target does not change.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 03:19:35 +0000

Spoke to the former SF guy who designed the reticule for the 1-6×24. I think for a battle rifle to become as close to a do-it-all rifle as one can get, this is the scope I’m leaning toward.

By: Beaumont

Beaumont — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 01:54:35 +0000

As far as AR10-style rifles go, I would suggest avoiding those with short gas tubes. The most common AR10 rifle I see is the DPMS, usually fitted with a 16″ barrel and a short gas tube, like an M4 on steroids.

Such evidence as there is, that I consider reliable, suggests that AR10s are better, more reliable guns when fitted with longer gas systems & barrels of 18″ or longer. Now, some high-end companies, like LaRue, do make shorty AR10s that appear to work well; still, my preference would be as stated above.