Optics – Part 2

For the most part I use iron sights. For the AR-15 platform, I did install red dots.

I do have a single pistol with a red dot.

I never intended to get into scoped optics, but I was sort of forced into it.

Many years ago I made my first firearm purchases. The requirement was to have multiple firearms in calibers that would be easy to resupply after the inevitable fall. To me, at the time, this meant 5.56×45, 7.62×51 NATO, 9mm parabellum, .45ACP, and 7.62×39.

The 5.56 was relatively easy; it was an AR-15 platform. Unfortunately, this was the height of the AWB, and that required some strange design choices. Regardless, it is still a beautiful safe queen.

The 9mm was a Glock, and the .45ACP was a Kimber. After shooting the Glock, the Glock was supplemented with an H&K which I could actually hit my target with.

The 7.62×39 was an AK-47 of some sort, long since traded for other stuff. I was required to take out a box of trash for the price a paid. Can you imagine my surprise when that box of trash included 3 30-round magazines and some furniture to restore that AWB abomination into something that actually looked like an AK? The things people throw away.

This left the 7.62×51 NATO. My platform of choice was a Remington 700. Fully bedded, just a beautiful rifle.

I was excited to get to the range, a difficult thing to do in Maryland. I finally got there, setup, put my beautiful rifle on its bipod, got ready to take my first shot, and noticed something.

No iron sights. Nothing. Smooth as a baby’s behind.

I still sent a few rounds “that way” because I refused to pack up and not take a shot.

Back to my LGS to laugh. I ended up getting some Nikon glass. Gorgeous. My LGS mounted the scope and bore sighted it. I then took it to the range and dialed it in.

I can remember punching primers out of shotgun shells at 100 yards.

Great then. Great now?

I took my first deer with that rifle. It was a long shot. I put the crosshairs right where his heart was, then slowly elevated the sight until the crosshair was about 6 inches above his spine and pressed the trigger.

He got about 50 yards from where he was hit. The entry wound was a little high, going through both lungs.

I had no idea of the range; it was just a guess. I had no idea of the ballistics of that round; it was just a guess. I had no idea how much elevation I was putting on; it was just a guess. I got lucky.

The simple crosshair is good, but there are better reticles today.

The glass on that old scope is likely better than any scope I can purchase for under $2k today. But the reticles make a difference.

Vortex EBR-7C(MOA)

The scope I picked is very nice. 5-25 with a much more complex reticle.

It has a built in BDC. I’m sure it can be used for finding distances. It is going to take me a bit to understand everything it does, but it will eliminate much of the guesswork in allowing for distance and windage.

I’m at that stage where I don’t know what I don’t know.

Range time coming up soon!