ACOG & red dot sights are two of the most popular sights amongst gun lovers. Both sights have their own unique set of pros and cons. Choosing the wrong sight for your gun can significantly lower your accuracy, consistency, and confidence when pulling the trigger. In this post, we’ll help you choose between ACOG vs red dot sights depending on your specific needs!
ACOG vs Red Dot: Which Is The Best?
Like most things in life…it depends. If you are looking for a short to medium range option, the red dot is superior. In my experience, the majority of people use their weapon from inside 100 yards. For most people, the red dot sight is the way to go. If you want to explore your options, check out our post on the Best Red Dot Sight for AR-15s!
However, if you plan to shoot from longer distances, you should strongly consider an ACOG scope.
What Is An ACOG?
The ACOG, or ‘Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight’, is a prismatic sight made by Trijicon. It was very popular in military and law enforcement communities for years. In fact, it was originally designed for military use on their M4 & M16 rifles. Nowadays, Trijicon has moved on to making premium red dot sights like the SRO & RMR optics.
Technology
In nighttime conditions, ACOG scopes make use of their an illuminated reticle. This is done using a tritium phosphor, which emits a light. This allows the user to see the reticle in low-light conditions, such as at night. Some ACOG scopes use an LED reticle & are powered directly by battery.
In daytime conditions, ACOGs make use of a reticle or crosshair that is illuminated by a fiber optics light source. This allows the ACOG to be used in both low-light and daytime conditions.
ACOGs also typically have a bullet drop compensation feature, which allows shooters to take into account the effects of gravity on a bullet over long distances.
Pros & Cons
There are plenty of reasons to love your ACOG scope. Here are the main pros of using this scope.
- Great scope magnification – You’ll be able to see your target clearly from long distances.
- Durability – It’s made to withstand all sorts of weather conditions and rough terrain, so you don’t have to worry about it breaking at the worst time.
- Does not rely on battery power – You never have to worry about it running out of juice in the middle of a crucial shot.
- Bullet drop compensator – Allows a shooter to make quick adjustments for long range shots
ACOG scopes are often lauded for their features and benefits, but there are also a few potential drawbacks to consider.
- Price – Generally more expensive than other types of red dot & iron sights, so they may not be the best choice for budget-conscious shoppers.
- Size – Most ACOGs are larger and heavier than red dots, making them less suitable for use on lightweight firearms or tactical situations.
- Eye relief – ACOG scopes typically have poor eye relief, meaning that they must be mounted fairly close to the eye in order to be used effectively.
What Is A Red Dot Sight?
Red dot sights have become very popular with handguns, shotguns, and rifles. They are also used on many military and law enforcement weapons. Red dot optics are becoming increasingly popular with weekend shooters because they are so simple to use.
Technology
The technology of a red dot sight, such as the trijicon rmr vs deltapoint, is really quite simple. It relies on a spherical mirror that reflects light emitted from an LED. The reflector is coated with a material that absorbs all wavelengths of light except for red. This is what makes most red dot sights highly effective in both day and night.
The red dot reticle can come in a variety of sizes measured in MOA, or minute of angle. For most close to medium range I usually recommend choosing between 6 MOA & 3 MOA.
Pros & Cons
Here are some of the main benefits of using a red dot sight.
- Better sight picture – Allows you to shoot with both eyes open. This increases your awareness of the surrounding enviornment.
- Adjustability – Red dot sights like the Holosun 508t are very adjustable, which allows the user to customize the sight for their particular needs.
- Cheaper – Typically cheaper than ACOGs .
- Fast target aqcuistion – The red dot does not obstruct the shooters field of vision, which allows you to quickly lock onto tarets from short to medium range.
Red dot optics are great for many reasons, but they are not perfect. Here are some of the drawbacks to using this optic.
- Poor at long distance – Red dots are not great at long distance.
- Durablity – Not as durable as some other types of sights.
- Battery powered – The batteries in red dot topics can die relatively quickly.
Other Differences
Now you know the main pros and cons of ACOG vs red dot optics. But let’s dive into some more specific comparisons.
1) Target Acquisition
There’s no question that red dot sights are faster when it comes to target acquisition. With a red dot, you simply put the dot on your target and pull the trigger. Red dots offer a larger field of view.
With an ACOG, you have to line up the crosshairs with your target, which can be a bit more challenging (especially if you’re moving around a lot). In a close-quarters situation, the red dot is definitely the way to go.
2) Accuracy
ACOGs are better than red dot sights when it comes to long-range accuracy. ACOGs have fix magnification (usually 4x), making it easier to hit targets at a distance. They also have a crosshair reticle, which can be more precise than the red dot from a long range.
Red dot sights are better for close-range accuracy. The red dot is easier to see in low light conditions and the sight is not blocked by the gun’s iron sights.
3) Versatility
When it comes to overall versatility, there is no doubt that red dots take the prize. They can be used on just about any weapon, from pistols to rifles. In addition, red dot sights are much easier to use than ACOG sights, and they can be mounted in a variety of positions.
4) Zeroing Your Scope
Although some optics will claim to be “pre-zeroed” by the manufacturer, I always recommend sighting your own weapon. Both ACOG & red dots need to be zeroed.
A red dot sight should be sighted from 36-yards. ACOGS should be calibrated from longer distances.
5) Popularity
The red dot sight is considerably more popular than the ACOG scope with gun owners today. They are cheaper & easier to use, which makes them appeal to much large audience.
6) Weight & Size
The ACOG scope is larger and heavier than the average red dot. For many people, this is a deal breaker. Rifles are heavy enough, most shooters do not to add even an extra pound if it is not 100% necessary.
ACOG Mounted On Red Dot
To get the best of both worlds, some gun owners have mounted a red dot on top of their ACOG. In this situation, they can toggle their focus between the two sights to optimize their accuracy for short and long-distance shooting.
ACOG vs Holographic Sight
Holographic sights are actually a type of red dot sight. Essentially, this means they also have no magnification. Compared to the ACOG, they are much faster to acquire a target, which can be critical in a close-quarters situation.
Holographic sights also provide a wider field of view than ACOG sights. This is because the holographic reticle is projected onto the glass lens, rather than being etched into the sight itself.
FAQs – ACOG or Red Dot
What range is an ACOG good for?
ACOG scopes are good for long-range shooting, typically out to 800 meters. Now there is definitely a lot of skill that goes into hitting an 800-meter shot. So don’t expect to buy an ACOG scope and be shooting like Chris Kyle the next day!
ACOG scopes offer a combination of compactness, clear optics, and durability that make them a favorite among many shooters. By magnifying the target, the ACOG allows the shooter to more accurately place shots at longer ranges.
Does ACOG have red dot?
The ACOG sight uses an illuminated reticle that projects an image onto the target. More specifically, it uses a red crosshair aiming reticle. The ACOG scope reticle can be either green or red. This is especially important for people with eye conditions. They need to choose between green vs red dot Astigmatism.
Are ACOGS obsolete?
There is no doubt that ACOG sights are great optics and have served the military well for many years. However, with the advent of new technology, they are slowly being replaced by newer and more advanced sights. The bottom line is that ACOGs are outdated technology and their days are numbered. The creation of the red dot and holographic weapon sight has made ACOG sights far less common.
Can you use a magnifier with an ACOG?
It is not practical to use a magnifier with an ACOG sight. This is because ACOG sights are already magnified at fixed power settings. For example, the Trijicon ACOG is a 4x magnified optic.
When magnification is expressed as a number followed by “x”, it means that the target will appear that many times larger than what the naked eye sees. So if you have 4x magnification, the target will appear 4 times larger than what the naked eye sees.
Is a magnifier good for a red dot?
Magnifiers are great for use with red dot sights. The magnified optic gives you better accuracy from a longer range. Plus, you have the ability to quickly toggle the magnifier off & aim with only the red dot sight.
The Bottom Line
Now you are an expert on ACOG and red dot sights. As you can tell, these are two completely different optics that have different use cases. Depending on your specific needs, either scope can be right for you. Let us know which is better ACOG vs red dot in your own opinion or experience!
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