Soldiers 2

During my career in the military I was fortunate enough to use a wide variety of optics on the M-4 weapon system. While all of these generally performed well, each was built with a specific purpose and I routinely saw optics being mounted and employed incorrectly, and improper optic use quickly became a personal pet-peeve. Consequently, I’ve put together a list of considerations, tips, and TTPs (tactics, techniques, and procedures) to help you decide what kind of optic to place on your AR, and some things to keep in mind while you are training.

Purpose is paramount when deciding what type of optic to use, and most AR15 optics can be grouped into these two categories:

1. Reflexive sights (Red-Dot / Holographic / CQB)
2. Mid-Range Optics (ACOG / Loupold CQT)

For the purposes of this article I will give a quick rundown of the background, purpose, and correct employment of each optic, followed by a few tips, training TTPs (tactics, techniques, and procedures), and lessons learned from my experiences with these optics.

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