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36 yard zero on an ACOG?
- Thread starter Nico9283
- Start date
What I would do is sight it for whatever range it makes sense for my use.
I tend to sight things for the range I will use the most and have minimal drop.
The most recent caliber I sighted was 6.5cm. I sighted for 200, because at 100 it will be 1.7" high, at 50 it will be 1.5" high, at 150 it will be 1" high, at 250 it will be 1.1" low and at 300 2.4" low.
Basically, I can shoot from 50 to 250 without adjusting anything. If the target is big enough, I can go out to 300 without touching it.
Learn your caliber.
Also, for BDC to work, you would need to match your speed and bullet BC to the one in the test. Too much work, this is why I dont give a sh*t about BDC. But I am sure it works for some people.
However, BDC can be used, you can see where the bullet impacts at those marks and memorize them, maybe put them in a tiny tag on your scope.
So, I support zeroing for whatever range works for your needs.
Last edited:
cathouse01
NES Member
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If you just want a rugged red dot with tritium night illumination, why not a Mepro M21? I have one on my Tavor and am very happy with it. I have it with the triangle reticle, teamed with the Mepro MX3 magnifier. The triangle with the magnifier makes it a decent 300 yard solution. By itself the M21 is half the price of an ACOG. Teamed with the MX3, the total price is about what you'd pay for an ACOG. If you're not in a hurry, Meprolight has some pretty good sales two or three times a year.
www.meprolight.com
Mepro M21 Red Dot Day/Night Self-Illuminated Reflex Sight
Mepro M21 represents the best of Meprolight® tritium technology and remains on active duty for the militaries & law enforcement worldwide.
www.meprolight.com
I prefer 3.14159 yards.
Nico9283
NES Member
I want to address this.
I’m not singling you out here, so don’t take this as an attack on you specifically .. this is something I’ve seen posted at minimum 500 times by people saying an acog isn’t better than red dots for their “shtf” rifle.
Just for gits and shiggles I’d like to make a counter argument as to why I don’t think it’s relevant to bring up the half life of tritium. Let me know how I do and feel free to punch holes in my theories
I’ve seen claims about Trijicons tritium lasting anywhere from 8-20 years. For arguments sake, let’s say more like 11-12 years on average. Ok, so in 11-12 years, my acog won’t have an illuminated reticle when I’m in the dark. But I’ll still have an illuminated reticle during the daylight essentially forever, or until my fiber optic becomes damaged to the point it falls out. And even then, I would still have an etched reticle that will be very visible during the day, and useable until dusk.
Red dots on the other hand, become a paperweight as soon as any available replacement batteries have exceeded their useable life, or have expired on the shelf.
I know we’re getting into fantasy land, but hear me out lol. If a shtf scenario strikes.. society needs to start making batteries again before the current ones go bad, otherwise all things battery related become useless. An acog on the other hand, could in theory remain useable during the daylight for a thousand years or until it’s damaged beyond use (most likely meaning the rifle is also damaged beyond use).
So.. if batteries become scarce, that also means no batteries for weapon mounted lights. And without flashlights, how is anyone using ANY optics in the dark? NODS? Let’s not talk battery life if we’re talking about any systems that allow thermal or night vision… you’d be out of batteries in less than a year.
Other than shooting by moonlight, which really can’t be done at beyond 50 yards, no optic is going to be able to be used after nightfall once there’s no batteries, so you won’t need tritium to illuminate a reticle anyways since the reticle is all you’d even be able to see through a black lens in the dark.
All that said, this is why I believe the acog is the absolute most reliable optic that has ever existed, and is why I feel like I NEEDS TO HAVE IT
If I zero it at 36 and essentially just use it as a point-and-shoot, slightly magnified, overpriced red dot with a secondary ability to use it as a rangefinder up to 800 yards… then so be it, I’ll have the most durable and reliable red dot on the planet
On no buddy boy, you started this thread, you can ride it out just fine without my help.
Don’t forget about just taping a chemlight to your ACOG once the Tritium dies out. See, still no batteries needed. Wut? lol
I’m so glad the military follows the KISS rule because I’m a f***ing rock compared to some of you guys with all this figuring out numbers and stuff, I think it was @DarthRevan that already said it, this isn’t rocket science. It’s an ACOG for God sake, it is what it is. Battle site zero it and just shoot the f*** out of it, that’s where you’ll learn more. Or just get a RDS and a magnifier and keep it simple. Yep, I said it too.
TLDR; don’t mind f*** yourself dude. Just shoot and test things out while you’re shooting more.
Mesatchornug
NES Member
You can feel confident that not only does this not feel like an attack on me - even if it were, I wouldn't care. This is the internet; nobody can say meaner things to/about me that I already do.
But thank you for looking out for my fee-fees
If we're talking about a "SHTF rifle," we're LARPing. To claim otherwise is to deny reality. Once we're LARPing, the only right answer is to do whatever makes us happy.
Your theory presupposes that you will personally survive whatever scenario we're imagining long enough to be in a world where batteries are no longer available and/or expired. Batteries regularly have a shelf life of approx. 10 years - conveniently on par with tritium.Just for gits and shiggles I’d like to make a counter argument as to why I don’t think it’s relevant to bring up the half life of tritium. Let me know how I do and feel free to punch holes in my theories
[...]
I know we’re getting into fantasy land, but hear me out lol. If a shtf scenario strikes.. society needs to start making batteries again before the current ones go bad, otherwise all things battery related become useless. An acog on the other hand, could in theory remain useable during the daylight for a thousand years or until it’s damaged beyond use (most likely meaning the rifle is also damaged beyond use).
Flavor Aid it is. Now that we've admitted this is all a LARP fantasy, rock out with your bad self, spend thousands of dollars on gear, have a great time.All that said, this is why I believe the acog is the absolute most reliable optic that has ever existed, and is why I feel like I NEEDS TO HAVE IT
But don't be big mad when @Mountain pops you in the nuts with a 10/22 during the apocalypse. If it helps any, you'll know you found my body when you crawl over the Mad Max-looking dude with the guyliner - gotsta look good, even in death.
Wait ... why would it stop illuminating at night after 8-12 years?I want to address this.
I’m not singling you out here, so don’t take this as an attack on you specifically .. this is something I’ve seen posted at minimum 500 times by people saying an acog isn’t better than red dots for their “shtf” rifle.
Just for gits and shiggles I’d like to make a counter argument as to why I don’t think it’s relevant to bring up the half life of tritium. Let me know how I do and feel free to punch holes in my theories
I’ve seen claims about Trijicons tritium lasting anywhere from 8-20 years. For arguments sake, let’s say more like 11-12 years on average. Ok, so in 11-12 years, my acog won’t have an illuminated reticle when I’m in the dark. But I’ll still have an illuminated reticle during the daylight essentially forever, or until my fiber optic becomes damaged to the point it falls out. And even then, I would still have an etched reticle that will be very visible during the day, and useable until dusk.
Red dots on the other hand, become a paperweight as soon as any available replacement batteries have exceeded their useable life, or have expired on the shelf.
I know we’re getting into fantasy land, but hear me out lol. If a shtf scenario strikes.. society needs to start making batteries again before the current ones go bad, otherwise all things battery related become useless. An acog on the other hand, could in theory remain useable during the daylight for a thousand years or until it’s damaged beyond use (most likely meaning the rifle is also damaged beyond use).
So.. if batteries become scarce, that also means no batteries for weapon mounted lights. And without flashlights, how is anyone using ANY optics in the dark? NODS? Let’s not talk battery life if we’re talking about any systems that allow thermal or night vision… you’d be out of batteries in less than a year.
Other than shooting by moonlight, which really can’t be done at beyond 50 yards, no optic is going to be able to be used after nightfall once there’s no batteries, so you won’t need tritium to illuminate a reticle anyways since the reticle is all you’d even be able to see through a black lens in the dark.
All that said, this is why I believe the acog is the absolute most reliable optic that has ever existed, and is why I feel like I NEEDS TO HAVE IT
If I zero it at 36 and essentially just use it as a point-and-shoot, slightly magnified, overpriced red dot with a secondary ability to use it as a rangefinder up to 800 yards… then so be it, I’ll have the most durable and reliable red dot on the planet
In summary, this another one of those threads where the op asks for opinions to make a decision but they’ve really already decided.
And discussing things like battery/tritium life is stupid. If shtf, almost all of us will probably die in less than a month from something stupid like starvation, dehydration or just turning a corner and getting stabbed.
And discussing things like battery/tritium life is stupid. If shtf, almost all of us will probably die in less than a month from something stupid like starvation, dehydration or just turning a corner and getting stabbed.
Mesatchornug
NES Member
when the tritium core stops glowing
except that's not even really what happens.
it grows continually less bright as the radioactive material decays. initially, you won't even notice. at some point, you'll start to say "this used to be easier to see." eventually, you'll be all "am I really that blind?" Then, one day, you'll go "that's right! the illuminator must've died."
none of this even accounts for the fact that the illumination in your optic doesn't allow you to safely shoot at night - because the brightest reticle in the world doesn't change the fact that your target is in darkness
Nico9283
NES Member
I’ll admit there’s a larp fantasy factor, however I don’t feel it’s ONLY larping. Personally I feel the acog has fantastic practical uses (and I feel like I’ll be able to better practice the BAC use of it once I zero it for a more point-shoot application) it’s just a bonus that it also aids in into the shtf fantasy.
It’s because I don’t have thousands of dollar to spend on gear that I feel like it’s such a great choice for covering multiple uses.
I could even spend a day at the range figuring out how many elevation clicks it takes to switch back and forth from a 36 yard and a 100 meter zero, then I’d be able to use the bdc for actual hunting purposes should I want to.
Ok, I just Googled the half life. Weak, bro!when the tritium core stops glowing
except that's not even really what happens.
it grows continually less bright as the radioactive material decays. initially, you won't even notice. at some point, you'll start to say "this used to be easier to see." eventually, you'll be all "am I really that blind?" Then, one day, you'll go "that's right! the illuminator must've died."
none of this even accounts for the fact that the illumination in your optic doesn't allow you to safely shoot at night - because the brightest reticle in the world doesn't change the fact that your target is in darkness
I thought it would have been like 1K years. The ACOG really is a POS. Get some Uranium in that sh*t.
Tritium emits BETA particles. F*cking betas. Uranium emits ALPHA.
ACOG, the .40 of sights. Betas.
Mr. Brownstone
NES Member
Mine is 37. Because 37 is bigger than 36.
allen-1
NES Member
We don’t expect educators to think. Just clap the erasers and pick up the chalk
Mesatchornug
NES Member
when you really learn how to zero a rifle, you'll learn another thing, too. You don't need to memorize the number of elevation clicks - you just have to re-zero the rifle.
while we're all FAP'ing over the end of the world, have you leaned to make your own 0.224" projectiles and primers, or will you be banking on surviving 10+ years on the 4000 rds/caliber that you've stored in your bunker?
Nico9283
NES Member
It can be, but it can also be fun. I wonder if when John Moses browning was constantly trying to improve his many prototypes prior to finalizing the 1911A1 if anyone was like “bro what are you doing, the 1900-1910 models all work just fine.. quit tweaking sh*t”
allen-1
NES Member
I will use a pitchfork and a flaming torch - just as my ancestors did for years.I want to address this.
I’m not singling you out here, so don’t take this as an attack on you specifically .. this is something I’ve seen posted at minimum 500 times by people saying an acog isn’t better than red dots for their “shtf” rifle.
Just for gits and shiggles I’d like to make a counter argument as to why I don’t think it’s relevant to bring up the half life of tritium. Let me know how I do and feel free to punch holes in my theories
I’ve seen claims about Trijicons tritium lasting anywhere from 8-20 years. For arguments sake, let’s say more like 11-12 years on average. Ok, so in 11-12 years, my acog won’t have an illuminated reticle when I’m in the dark. But I’ll still have an illuminated reticle during the daylight essentially forever, or until my fiber optic becomes damaged to the point it falls out. And even then, I would still have an etched reticle that will be very visible during the day, and useable until dusk.
Red dots on the other hand, become a paperweight as soon as any available replacement batteries have exceeded their useable life, or have expired on the shelf.
I know we’re getting into fantasy land, but hear me out lol. If a shtf scenario strikes.. society needs to start making batteries again before the current ones go bad, otherwise all things battery related become useless. An acog on the other hand, could in theory remain useable during the daylight for a thousand years or until it’s damaged beyond use (most likely meaning the rifle is also damaged beyond use).
So.. if batteries become scarce, that also means no batteries for weapon mounted lights. And without flashlights, how is anyone using ANY optics in the dark? NODS? Let’s not talk battery life if we’re talking about any systems that allow thermal or night vision… you’d be out of batteries in less than a year.
Other than shooting by moonlight, which really can’t be done at beyond 50 yards, no optic is going to be able to be used after nightfall once there’s no batteries, so you won’t need tritium to illuminate a reticle anyways since the reticle is all you’d even be able to see through a black lens in the dark.
All that said, this is why I believe the acog is the absolute most reliable optic that has ever existed, and is why I feel like I NEEDS TO HAVE IT
If I zero it at 36 and essentially just use it as a point-and-shoot, slightly magnified, overpriced red dot with a secondary ability to use it as a rangefinder up to 800 yards… then so be it, I’ll have the most durable and reliable red dot on the planet
Then i wil take your pos acog off my newly acquired firearm and trade it for something useful - perhaps a couple mres
Mesatchornug
NES Member
Somebody doesn't know the history of the 1911...or JMB's particular method for doing "design release."
Mesatchornug
NES Member
Anyone know where to get Unicorn Droppings (primers) for non ass rape pricing?
Well, the first primer thread lasted 55 pages, until people couldn't follow the rules, which seem pretty simple. Let's try this again. Mods, if you feel this is an exercise in futility, please delete. If the first wife couldn't hurt my feelings, neither can you. DO NOT POST THE NAME OF...
www.northeastshooters.com
Nico9283
NES Member
Why would anyone read an established thread when they can create a new one asking the exact same questions and piss everyone off?
Anyone know where to get Unicorn Droppings (primers) for non ass rape pricing?
Well, the first primer thread lasted 55 pages, until people couldn't follow the rules, which seem pretty simple. Let's try this again. Mods, if you feel this is an exercise in futility, please delete. If the first wife couldn't hurt my feelings, neither can you. DO NOT POST THE NAME OF...
Ps the title of that thread alone deserves an award
