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Illuminated reticle

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Reticle illumination is getting more common in modern rifle scopes. There are, however, two groups of illuminated reticles, meant for two different uses. In both cases, illumination of the reticle substantially increases effectiveness of such rifle scopes. Reticle illumination systems are divided to:

  • Twilight illuminated reticles
  • Daytime illuminated reticles

Twilight illumination is used for better reticle recognition in low light situations, when non-illuminated reticle would be hard to see. Such illumination systems must offer fine adjustable intensity, since over illumination of the reticle will cause problems seeing the target behind it. This is especially important when hunting in low light, where fine-tuning of illumination intensity level is one of the main parameters on which rifle scopes are judged. Preferably, such rifle scopes have only the central dot in the reticle illuminated. Some have their entire range of intensity adjustment so dim that illumination cannot be seen during the daytime. 

Daytime illumination of reticle serves a different purpose than twilight illumination, and in such rifle scopes, high intensity levels are a necessity. In such rifle scopes, the illumination of the reticle is meant for rapid target acquisition, since a bright red dot is the best possible aiming point. Shooters’ eyes are instinctively drawn to a bright red dot in the center of the field of view. Such strong illumination is feasible only in rifle scopes with magnification lower than 1.5x or ideally 1.0x. Such wide-angle rifle scopes with a real 1.0x magnification and daytime bright illumination of the reticle can even be used with both eyes open, similar to reflex/red dot sights.

Since almost all illuminated reticles are battery powered, an automatic switch off is a usable feature that can significantly prolong battery life and operation time of such systems. Most advance reticle illumination systems even include a motion sensor that turns off the illumination (and saves battery life), when the scope is in non-shooting position (90 degrees sideways or in vertical position).

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General features

As the name suggests, these riflescopes are incredibly compact, measuring up to 33 centimeters in length. They weigh below 1000 grams and have a lens diameter of somewhere between 32 and 50 mm.

As these fall into this category, they are equipped with tactical turrets and an FFP reticle (there are some exceptions). Commonly, they feature a MIL/MIL configuration. Even though these riflescopes are small and light, they are packed with tactical capabilities.

Models of firearms compact tactical riflescopes are mounted on

This type of riflescopes are often paired with two distinct groups of rifles:

  • Semi-auto rifles, chambered in .308 Win., 6.5 Creedmoor or similar
  • Light tactical bolt action rifles, chambered in .308 Win., 6.5 Creedmoor or similar

It is important to keep the weight at a minimum, which is why these rifles are compact and light. With such rifles, one can expect to shoot at a medium range. Shooting beyond 1000 meters is rare.

Even though riflescopes designed for these rifles fall into the same category, they are not all the same. There are two major groups that we will discuss below.

Compact tactical riflescopes for semi-auto rifles, chambered in .308 Win. or related products

Certain optical devices in this category are designed with the DMR field of use in mind. DMR stands for Designated Marksman Rifle. Unlike sniper rifles, DMRs are almost always semi-automatic rifles with a high rate of fire. A designated marksman (DM) usually covers a distance of 50–800 m. Several riflescopes in this category are designed with the DM's objectives in mind. A wide field of view is important since engaging targets at a close range is common. Since this type of shooting takes place during the day, having a daytime bright illumination is a must. Some are partially designed for the tactical concept called CQB (Close-Quarters Battle) – the lowest magnification of such riflescopes is often 2x or even lower. Some devices feature an adjustable parallax, others do not. It is not uncommon for a shooter to use a compact-tactical riflescope both on a semi-auto rifle chambered in .308 Win. and on an AR-type rifle chambered in .223. Even though not a rule, a MIL/MIL configuration is popular. FFP reticles are much more common than SFP ones.

Compact tactical riflescopes for tactical bolt action rifles

Some optics in this category are designed for certain light bolt-action rifles, predominantly chambered in .308 Win. or 6.5 Creedmoor and packed with tactical features (Remington 700 Police is a great example of such a rifle). The size is the most important factor – only a compact rifle does justice to a compact riflescope. These devices are heavier than the ones for semi-auto rifles but don't exceed the 1 kg mark. With a magnification up to 20x and a lens diameter no bigger than 50 mm, once can pull off a shot up to 1000 m of distance. These rifles can also be paired with full-size tactical riflescopes, but the priority of owning a light tactical rifle is keeping the weight of its accessories at a minimum. Having an illuminated reticle is important, but a weak illumination will do just fine. As the maximum magnification is 12x or higher, one can expect to have an adjustable parallax on such a device. Having lots of elevation range at disposal is crucial, so the riflescope's tube measures at least 30 mm in diameter. The majority of these optics are of the MIL/MIL configuration.

Weight of compact tactical scopes

Weight is an especially important factor for a semi-auto rifle – it has to be as light as possible. Riflescopes for bolt-action rifles can weigh as much as 1 kg. It is important to note that a compact size does not necessarily imply a low weight

A short presentation of this type of tactical products is available here.

 Slideshare Presentation