TA02 Battery ACOG

I am not sure if readers are aware of what ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) is but it’s pertinent to this article. Essentially it bans the civilian ownership of military equipment be it guns, optics or anything that has been deemed not to be allowed in the sports domain. Some of it is logical with machineguns and the like being good examples, but it can get very silly even down to a reticule-type that could be restricted even in the same model of scope.

We need to be aware of this as ITAR enforcement is tightening up and you might have picked up a military optic for example and further think how would they ever know? Well people have been prosecuted for such infractions! So the days of bringing back a suitcase full of dodgy kit from the US are over, unless you want to risk getting your collar felt…

ICONIC ACOG

So what has this got to do with a scope test? Simple what I have here is possibly one of the most well recognised modern combat scopes the Trijicon ACOG (Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight). You can’t turn on the TV without seeing some US solider with one fitted to their M16. The real issue here is the reticule, as I discovered some years ago as I was going to buy an ACOG but only found one reticule that was not ITAR regulated. This then puts the scope near off limits, though it would make a good choice for disciplines like Practical Rifle (PR) and even 22 military rifle shooting.

The ACOG is relatively small for what it is and simple with a cone-shaped, cast aluminium alloy body. They are all fixed power optics with a spec ranging from 1.5x16 up to 6 x 48, they are also fixed focus, which is not as bad as it sounds. All are illuminated and use two separate systems, on top is a light-gathering fibre optic rod for daylight use. Inside is a Tritium-Phosphor light source with a guaranteed life of 15-years for low light/night shooting. So no switches to operate.

TOO BRIGHT PERHAPS?

Tests with a 4x32 showed that in bright light the illuminated reticule was just too much and glowed so much it could not be used effectively. A solution was to put black tape over the fibre optic to reduce its surface area and therefore its light gathering abilities. It worked but was far from ideal. Trijicon have now re-thought this and though not doing away with the original system as described now offer what they call the Battery ACOG TA02.
On test is a 4x32 with a simple BDC (bullet drop compensating) reticule the M4A1. Visual changes are the obvious - removal of the fibre optic bar and channel on top and the new/integral battery housing (front right) and the 6-position rheostat drum rear left on the body. Plus there’s no Tritium light source either.

In essence the ACOG is a 600 meter compact, combat scope ballistically set up for the 223 Remington (5.56x45mm) 62-grain NATO SS 109 round. The M4A1 reticule consists of a floating cross with six aiming bars on the 6 o’clock arm, each decreasing in width that correspond to 100 to 600m in 100m increments. The idea is that your average man is 19” across at the shoulders at 100m. Operation is simple, place the reticule on the target and then place the aiming bar that fits nearest across the shoulders and you have compensated for both range and point of aim. In theory your rounds will impact in the upper chest area given you do it properly. So very much a purpose-made solution for ETR ranges…

LIT RET

In terms of illumination only the width bars are lit down to the 500m mark. The 600m point is formed by the base of the thicker vertical post. There are only two ranges noted on it at 400 (4) and 600m (6), the others are visually easy to calculate as can be seen!

Power comes from a single and commonly available AA battery, which is a cheap option compared to the expensive CR123 Lithium cells. The rheostat is large and easy to operate even with gloves on and shows six settings with switch-off points inbetween. So you can select a level and quickly get on to it without dialling up.

SHOOT THE DISTANCES

Turrets are small with captive drums and are typically ‘set N forget’ types. Click values are 1?2” @ 100m, which though coarse works well with the system. You get 32-clicks per turn (16”) with six full rotations (96”) top to bottom/side to side, so generous enough. Though set up for the military SS 109 load, it also works with favourite 223 recipes used in PR etc such as a 68 or 69-grain Match- type bullet. The only difference here is you will need to shoot the distances to determine your hold over.

From the box the ACOG comes with a Picatinny rail base with twin clamping screws, so as can be seen is really aimed at guns with flat-topped receivers. However, the scope can be unscrewed and either fitted to a QD-style base, or go directly onto the standard M16 carry handle system, here the mounting lug has a hole drilled through it so you can use the rifle’s iron sights with the scope in position.

In use a number of aspects of the design become apparent. The eye relief is short at 1.5” and if your head is too far away you get a vignetting effect. The reticule appears quite cramped and you need to be sparing with the llumination, otherwise up at 5 and 6 it blows it out in terms of placing the range bars precisely. On all ACOGs I have used there’s no guarantee that the scope will be 100% vertical and I have had to pack one side out to compensate to compensate. Sometimes this can be sorted by swapping the scope in the mount. Getting back to the ITAR thing importers Beechwood Equipment tell me that the TA02 is not restricted.