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Trijicon VCOG review

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  • zackmars

    Free 1911 refinishing
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Nov 4, 2015
    5,609
    96
    Texas
    A quick little review.

    So the VCOG is Trijicon's top of the line LPVO. and you are paying for it. It is the most expensive optic i own, at just under $2000.

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    Is it any good? Yeah.

    It's a 1-8x optic, with a 34mm tube. Unlike any other LPVO, it has a forged aluminum (7075) body, and integral mount that takes ACOG bases. It's got a relatively simple crosshair reticle with a segmented circle in your choice of MRAD or MOA. (Mine is MOA). Turrets are capped and are dummy corded to the optic. Adjustment is 1/4 MOA clicks. Reticle is illuminated, and is powered by a AA battery. Brightness has 9 regular settings, and 2 night vision settings. In very dark settings, NV2 is just barely visible. The reticle is damn near daylight bright, but it's still no red dot. The brightness knob has half step intervals so you can keep your preferred setting just one click away.

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    Speaking of clicks, the VCOG's aren't very tactile. You can't hear them, and it's easy to overshoot your adjustment. This is not a big deal. This is designed to be zeroed, and for you to know and use holds. Keep in mind this is a combat optic.

    The glass is extremely clear, and you get very good light transmission. At 3-4x, it's almost on par with the TA11 and TA31 ACOG's, and at 8x it's better than any other LPVO I've looked through.

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    (This is at level 9)

    Eye relief is like most LPVO's, you're gonna need a cantilever mount if you want to have this sit on an AR15 comfortably. There are a few cantilever ACOG bases out there (including one made by Trijicon), but those must be purchased separately. The eyebox is quite good, even at 8x, but make no mistake it's still an LPVO at high magnification.

    Now some downsides. It's heavy. The entire package is 31oz, but it's worth noting that is counting the mount. Any good mount for an LPVO is going to weigh close to 10oz, and a comparable duty grade 1-8 (like a nightforce ATACR) already clocks in at 21oz, so it's not too bad, but 31oz is still 31oz.

    It's expensive. The MOA versions run about $1800, the USMC SCO versions clock in right at 2k. This is not an entry level optic, needless to say. If one wants to save some bucks, and doesn't mind loosing some durability, the CREDO 1-8 is usually around $600 less, but lacks an integral mount, and made in Japan, vs the US. For comparison, the aforementioned NF ATACR is like $2800...


    It's hard for me to recommend the VCOG. I feel that we have strayed too far from the original idea of LPVO's being small and lightweight general purpose optics. If one sees value in a 1-8 that is more durable than anything you can put it on, and can live with the weight and price, it's a fantastic choice. But if you want something durable, practical, and a little cheaper? Get an ACOG/RMR combo.

    It makes sense why the USMC chose this as their SCO. With the M16's, M4's, M27 IAR's, M110's, and M110A1's, and all the different ammo types they have, it'd be a mess with all the BDC's they'd need. But is it right for you? I don't know. It looks really cool on an AUG though.
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    Big Green

    In Christ Alone
    Rating - 100%
    5   0   0
    Mar 5, 2018
    4,641
    96
    College Station
    I’ve been eying those for a while, and saw some decent prices online today. I’d been considering the NX8 1-8 but that plus a mount is the same price as this. I have a tank of a carbine this would fit nicely on, everything would be overbuilt on that rifle.
     
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