I need help deciding on HD rifle.
- Thread starter EricG
- Start date
Completely depends. Are you talking strictly home defense? Like zero the gun then have it under the bed on standby for most of it's life? Or do you plan on training/competing with the thing?
If you have the choice of an optic for an HD gun pick up an aimpoint. No need for a 1-6 unless you are using it in a different role. If we are talking just a bedside gun on a budget I'd skip the optic all together, put a surefire light on an MOE forend and call it a day.
Rick
If you have the choice of an optic for an HD gun pick up an aimpoint. No need for a 1-6 unless you are using it in a different role. If we are talking just a bedside gun on a budget I'd skip the optic all together, put a surefire light on an MOE forend and call it a day.
Rick
EricG
Amateur
Its main role will be bedside gun but will be primary gun during natural disaster (River 20 yards behind my house). It will see a couple carbine classes a year. I imagine engaging targets beyond 100 yards during these courses but my vision is crap and a LVPO would help me here.
EricG
Amateur
I have a Scout light on order and I have a Slingster attached to another rifle.
The SVS 1-6 will cover all my needs for a reasonable engagement within the scope of HD and security during a natural disaster.
I have a Trijicon MRO on another rifle but I struggle IDing targets at distance.
I'm open to suggestions.
EricG
Amateur
The reticle isn't too busy for me and I'm seeing good reviews from a few SME's. I considered a Vortex Razor but the 34 mm tube on the SVS tilted the scale. I also considered a VX-R Patrol but I wanted something with a true 1x.
Ryan St.Jean
Regular Member
1- For a house gun you might occasionally shoot further what about a Aimpoint with a magnifier?
2- From a civilian US defensive angle it seems like you might have a really hard time justifying any shooting where magnification is going to be needed. Even in the nastiest experiences of Katrina, LA Riots, etc I don’t think people were shooting at any distance.
3- If you want it for fun or whatever that’s totally cool but from your stated needs this seems like a really expensive scope whose capabilities you don’t need.
2- From a civilian US defensive angle it seems like you might have a really hard time justifying any shooting where magnification is going to be needed. Even in the nastiest experiences of Katrina, LA Riots, etc I don’t think people were shooting at any distance.
3- If you want it for fun or whatever that’s totally cool but from your stated needs this seems like a really expensive scope whose capabilities you don’t need.
Dr. Cornwallis
Regular Member
If it’s a dedicated house gun, KAC SR-15 and a T1/2 or an Eotech EXPS 3.
I’m personally not ready to give my money to US Optics yet after the host of issues they’ve had in recent years.
An RDS optic is going to be easier to use at the extreme close ranges that will likely be encountered during a home defense shooting and will work very well out to ~100m. Past 100m an LPV is going to have a huge advantage but between 0-25 an RDS reigns king, between 25-100 an RDS and LPV are pretty equal, and past 100 an LPVO is going to have a distinct advantage, especially with PID.
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I’m personally not ready to give my money to US Optics yet after the host of issues they’ve had in recent years.
An RDS optic is going to be easier to use at the extreme close ranges that will likely be encountered during a home defense shooting and will work very well out to ~100m. Past 100m an LPV is going to have a huge advantage but between 0-25 an RDS reigns king, between 25-100 an RDS and LPV are pretty equal, and past 100 an LPVO is going to have a distinct advantage, especially with PID.
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JLL2013
Regular Member
What I use for this role:
HK upper, zero thinking about maintenance.
Surefire 1500lumen M600DF
Aimpoint T2, always on
40rd PMag.
You don't need to go balls to the wall but the generalities should be the same. Simplicity, quality, good light, red dot, intuitive, sufficient onboard ammo.
HK upper, zero thinking about maintenance.
Surefire 1500lumen M600DF
Aimpoint T2, always on
40rd PMag.
You don't need to go balls to the wall but the generalities should be the same. Simplicity, quality, good light, red dot, intuitive, sufficient onboard ammo.
Attachments
WUtah
Member
You can pick up a FN rifle with the new P-lock handguard and CHF barrel for about $1250ish. I'd also agree with the Aimpoint, you can change the battery every year with the smoke detectors. T2 or Comp M5S that runs AAA batteries because they have less tint/cleaner dot than the T1 models. Having said that, the Vortex Razor 1-6 seems to be the most popular LPVO due to it's quality and price point.
Are you concerned about durability? A 34 mm tube isn't going to get you anything optically and while USO is always nice glass I would definitely give the nod to the Razor as far as 1x usability. Larger tubes mean more adjustment range and being able to have a beefier tube, not more brightness. That being said, I'm not sure why you would ever want to dial an LPVO, especially a HD one, once it is zeroed and the Razor has a pretty solid track record for durability.
On top of all that an Aimpoint T-2 would be a far superior option for HD unless you truly see yourself taking PID shots out past 100m. You are comparing an always on 3ish oz red dot to a 21 to 25 oz LPVO depending on which one of the three mentioned you get. Make sure the weight is gaining you a capability that you truly need before trading away a lighter option that is always on and has infinite eye relief.
I would seriously look at an LE6920 or a BCM and putting a T-2, M600DF, and your choice of the common 2 point slings on and then just focus on feeding it rounds.
So the 34 or 35mm optic tubes when properly used have an advantage in terms of eye box- it’s the physics of optics that dictate that, I was asking to see if there were any other reasons in the choice.
HK is not maintenance free, I am issued one so I have seen the dirty little secrets.
And this sounds like an all purpose gun and he wants LVPO so rock on. I am still curious as to what thought process that lead to a proposed SVC or perceived advantages the US Optics scope has versus more commonly selected options.
HK is not maintenance free, I am issued one so I have seen the dirty little secrets.
And this sounds like an all purpose gun and he wants LVPO so rock on. I am still curious as to what thought process that lead to a proposed SVC or perceived advantages the US Optics scope has versus more commonly selected options.
In what way do the phyiscs of an optics dicate that the eye box would be better? It has been a long time since I have darkened the door of a physics classroom but to my understanding exit pupil is determined by the magnification and the objective diameter and FOV is fairly intrinsic the actual eye piece glass in the sense of the apparent field of view value. That being said, I am certainly not an optical engineer but I do know that the top dogs in eye box right now are 30 mm tubes and I don't believe that to because Kahles couldn't make a 34 mm tube.
So you are right: exit pupil is determined by magnification range and objective diameter. The tube diameter does help light transmission and looser tolerance on head placement.
The latter I got from the Nightforce rep who said the NX8 has a smaller eyebox than ATCR because the tube diameter allowes for larger lenses which helps with larger exit pupil, light transmission, and more front to back tolerance in head positioning.
The latter I got from the Nightforce rep who said the NX8 has a smaller eyebox than ATCR because the tube diameter allowes for larger lenses which helps with larger exit pupil, light transmission, and more front to back tolerance in head positioning.
Dr. Cornwallis
Regular Member
The eye box is more forgiving on the ATACR vs the NX8, that is true. Applying that same principal to two completely different optics by two different manufactures isn't a direct relationship. For every expert recommending the US Optics glass there are dozens more who use the Razor. I have no experience with the US Optics model (I know the owner and still haven't been able to get one for T&E), but hopefully someone will come long who does.
That said, it is relatively rarely mentioned in the LPVO game whereas the Razor has a long history of recommendations.
Rick