Trijicon’s line of Advanced Combat Optical Gunsights (ACOGs) is of the utmost quality. All models are forged from an aircraft-grade aluminum alloy, making them lightweight and nearly indestructible. All models pass military drop tests and are water resistant up to 100 meters, filled with dry nitrogen to prevent fogging. For an even more durable product, Trjicon makes their ACOG scopes with fixed magnification. Less moving parts means more reliability. Most models feature a fiber-optic and tritium reticle that adjusts brightness based on available light, operating completely battery-free in bright to low-light conditions, and some offer an LED reticle option that runs for thousands of hours on a single battery. Trijicon’s ACOG scopes are specifically designed for effective use in close-quarters combat, using the Bindon Aiming Concept. It is no mystery why Trijicon ACOG scopes are the most trusted combat sights worldwide.
Trijicon offers a huge assortment of ACOG scopes, with different magnification powers, different reticles, different objective lens diameters, and different physical sizes. This article will give a brief overview of them, arranged by magnification strength and objective size, but first, a quick word about objective lens sizes.
For those of us that are new to firearms scopes, the magnification power and objective lens diameter are listed as, for example, “1.5×24”. The first number, 1.5, is the magnification strength of the scope. An object viewed though the scope will appear approximately 1.5 times as large. The second number, 24, is the diameter of the objective lens, in millimeters. The objective lens is the lens farthest from the eye, and determines how much light enters the scope. A larger objective lens will produce a brighter image, but will be bigger and heavier, and may require additional accessories to attach.
Now let’s talk about the various models of Trijicon ACOG scopes.
1.5x16S
These scopes are built for quick reflexes in close quarters. They feature a super-wide 7.4° field of view, allowing you to see a 12.9 meter diameter at a 100 meter distance. No other Trijicon ACOG scope matches these for maintaining complete combat awareness.
The smallest ACOG scopes Trijicon makes weigh a tiny 5.1 ounces. They are designed for the lowest possible mounting configuration, making them an excellent choice for AK rifles or other firearms with low cheek welds. They also make wonderful accompaniment to M16 or M4 rifles, leading to fantastic fire-control capability.
Trijicon 1.5x16S ACOG scopes feature circle-dot reticles, with no batteries required. The circle is made of high-quality fiber optics that catch and intensify ambient light, automatically adjusting brightness and contrast from bright to low-light conditions. The center dot is made of tritium, which catches and stores energy from collected light and glows when little or no light is available.
1.5x16S Trijicon ACOG scopes are a great choice for close-combat situations or for speed-oriented marksmanship competitions. They are small, light, simple, and durable.
1.5×24
These ACOG scopes feature a larger objective lens diameter than the previous set, with the same magnification strength. The image produced by these scopes is expected to be brighter and clearer than that of the 1.5x16S, but the scope itself is much larger. While the height and width remain the same as the smaller scope, the 1.5×24 scope is 45 millimeters longer, with a total length of 147 millimeters (about six inches). This scope is 6.3 ounces, considerably heavier than the 1.5x16S.
These scopes offer two possible targeting reticles: Triangle or crosshair. Reticles are made of fiber-optics and tritium, like most Trijicon ACOG scopes, and automatically adjust brightness based on lighting conditions. The largeness of the reticles makes them easy to decipher at an instant, allowing you to take aim that much faster.
The field of view through a Trijicon 1.5×24 ACOG scope is an 8.6 meter diameter at a 100 meter distance, or about 4.9°, much smaller than the 1.5x16S.
The benefits of the 1.5×24 ACOG scope are in the large exit pupil and generous eye relief. The exit pupil is a full 16 millimeters, and the eye relief is 91 millimeters. This configuration means that eye position requires much less precision, allowing for lightning-fast target acquisition in rapid-movement situations.
Trijicon’s 1.5×24 ACOG scopes are the right choice for fast target acquisition in close-quarters environments and any situation in which you need to maintain low-distance accuracy without sacrificing maneuverability.
2×20
This is the first step up in magnification, but it comes with a slight reduction in objective lens diameter.
The 2×20 ACOG scope is smaller than the 1.5×24, coming in at 135 millimeters in length, but with the same width and the same low profile. It is only one tenth of an ounce heavier.
Field of view is 5.6°, or a 9.8 meter diameter at a 100 meter distance. This is a wider field of vision than the 1.5×24, allowing a wider view of the combat zone while aiming through the scope.
Trijicon’s 2×20 ACOG scopes have three reticle options: Triangle, crosshair, or 6.9 MOA dot. These large reticles enable faster targeting discernment, but at the expense of long-range accuracy.
This scope’s compact design makes it a great choice for compact firearms, such as UZIs, MP-5s, or other member of the H&K lineup. It’s enhanced magnification extends accurate rifle range up to 200 meters.
3×24
This is the point at which Trijicon ACOG scopes begin to focus on long-distance accuracy. These scopes have the least eye relief of all Trijicon ACOG scopes, at 35 millimeters, and the smallest exit pupil, at only 8 millimeters. The scopes are only 127 millimeters long, and are available at in standard height or low-profile designs. Low-height scopes are perfect for AK style rifles, or other firearms with low cheek welds. The 3×24 ACOG scopes weigh between 5.8 and 6.1 ounces, making them easily maneuverable.
Field of view for these scopes is approximately 8.6 meters at a 100 meter distance, or 4.9°. Reticles at this level are specifically calibrated to either .223 or 7.62x39mm ammunition. The two targeting reticle options are either a dual-illuminated ballistic crosshair, or dual-illuminated horseshoe-dot. Both are made of fiber-optics material that automatically adjusts brightness based on lighting conditions, with a tritium center dot that glows in low-light conditions.
Trijicon builds windage and elevation adjusters right onto their ACOG scopes, so no extra tools are needed. They also integrate housings for their Ruggedized Miniature Reflex sights, or RMRs, so the extra optics can easily be mounted onto the ACOG scope.
Trijicon’s 3×24 ACOG scopes are the right choice for rifles using either .223 or 7.62×39 cartridges, when they need to balance lightweight maneuverability with long-distance accuracy.
3×30
This is one of the most versatile magnification and lens diameter options available. These scopes can be specifically calibrated for .223, .308, 7.62×39, or 300 BLK ammunition.
At 7.8 ounces and a length of 155 millimeters, these scopes are the biggest and heaviest of Trijicon’s compact ACOGs. They have a field of view with only a 6.5 meters at a 100 meter distance, about 3.7°, which is the tightest field of vision of the compact ACOGs.
Trijicon’s 3×30 ACOG scopes offer significant accuracy improvements. The sizable magnification strength extends usable rifle range, and the automatically adjusting fiber-optic reticle features bullet drop compensation for long-distance shooting. At these distances, windage and elevation adjustment is critical, and the 3×30 ACOG scopes feature integrated external adjusters at 4 clicks per adjustment inch at 100 yards.
These scopes offer a little more eye freedom than the 3×24 scopes, with 48 millimeters of eye relief and an 8.4 millimeter exit pupil.
Trijicon’s 3×30 ACOG scopes are the right choice for those who want a compact scope that enhances mid-range accuracy, and are using a .223, .308, 7.62×39, or 300 BLK rifle. This scope does not come in low-height configurations, and so may not be comfortable on rifles with low cheek welds.
3.5×35
This begins the set of Trijicon ACOG scopes built for extended range shooting. The 3.5×35 scope offers accuracy up to 800 meters for .223 rifles and up to 1200 meters for .308.
These scopes are not compact, and so are much larger and heavier than the previous scopes. 3.5×35 ACOGs are 203 millimeters long, 53 millimeters wide, and 66 millimeters tall. They weigh 14 ounces, nearly a full pound of extra weight on your rifle.
This scope has the largest exit pupil of the extended range scopes, nearly 10 millimeters, and the second largest eye relief, at 61 millimeters. External windage and elevation adjusters operate at 3 clicks per inch at 100 yards.
Trijicon offers a wide selection of targeting reticles for its 3.5×35 ACOGs: Chevron, crosshair, horseshoe-dot, triangle, and donut. Each reticle is dual-illuminated with fiber-optics and tritium. All sights are zeroed at 100 meters. Chevron sights are 5 moa thick, or approximately 19 inches at 300 meters. Competitive marksmen often prefer donut reticles, as they will not obscure the target.
Trijicon makes a special 3.5×35 ACOG scope designed specifically to be used with the M249 weapon system. This special scope increases hit probability out to 1000 meters. The special M249 scope is prepared to accept an additional RMR, and is built with GDI auto-locking quick-release levers. The scope is easily zeroed for either 500 meters or 10 meter BZO.
The Trijicon 3.5×35 ACOG scope is popular among competitive shooters for its ease of use, reliability, and accuracy. It is also among the only ACOG scopes specifically designed for use with a machine gun system.
4×32
The classic, the original. This is the first ACOG Trijicon made, and is still one of their most popular products. The 4×32 scope lineup includes several designed specifically for use by the US military, and one designed for use by the Los Angeles Police Department.
U.S. military specifications require the ACOG scopes to allow for bullet drop compensation up to 800 meters without any manual adjustments. Most non-US-military 4×32 scopes allow for bullet drop compensation up to 600 meters.
This magnification strength and objective lens diameter configuration has the most options of any ACOG scope Trijicon makes. They offer several models with the standard crosshair reticle, either dual-illuminated of illuminated with tritium only. They offer many different dual-illuminated reticles in scopes designed for use with the Bindon Aiming Concept. They even have 4×32 ACOG models with LED reticles.
LED reticle 4×32 ACOG scopes require one AA battery. They can last over 12,000 hours before the single battery must be replaced. The use of electricity over fiber optics allows the user to adjust the brightness of the reticle with a simple switch, and means that the reticle maintains the same level of brightness in all light conditions.
5.5×50
This is the longest of Trijicon’s ACOG scopes. It sits a full 305 millimeters in length! It sits relatively low, at only 69 millimeters. It weighs 25.6 ounces, just over a pound and a half, which will definitely affect the maneuverability and ease of use in your weapon. This ACOG scope is built for great accuracy in extended-range shooting, but is still designed to work well with the Bindon Aiming Concept.
The reticle is only available in chevron, but comes with a flat-line top adapter. The large objective lens ensures that the image will be bright and clear even at such a high magnification. A tight field of view, only 6.1 meters at a 100 meter distance, about 3.5°, maintains an accurate image with as little fish-eye distortion as possible.
This ACOG is made for pinpoint accuracy. Built-in windage and elevation adjusters operate at 5 clicks per inch at 100 yards. The reticle includes markings for bullet drop compensation for incredibly long distances. The reticle is zeroed at 100 meters, and the 5.53 MOA chevron signifies 19 inches at 300 meters, allowing easier range estimation for silhouetted targets.
These 5.5×50 ACOG scopes can be calibrated either for .223 or for .308 ammunition. This covers a wide variety of weapons that are generally used at these distances.
The Trijicon 5.5×50 ACOG scope is the right choice for shooters intending to use their weapon at long distances, but who want to avoid the extra weight and difficulty of using the last Trijicon ACOG magnification and objective lens diameter configuration.
6×48
This is perhaps the most impressive of Trijicon’s ACOG lineup. These can be calibrated for .223, .308, or .50 BMG ammunition. All 6×48 ACOG scopes incorporate bullet drop compensation notches in the reticle: the .223 scope has bullet drop compensation to 800 meters, the .308 up to 1200 metes, and the .50 BMG up to 1800 meters.
The .308 scopes can have either a chevron or horseshoe-dot reticle, while the others are only available in chevron. All reticles are zeroed at 100 meters, and the chevron is 5.53 MOA think, or 19 inches at 300 meters. All reticles are dual-illuminated with fiber optics and tritium, which provided battery-free lighting that automatically adjusts in brightness to environmental conditions.
Trijicon makes two specialty ACOG scopes in this range. The first is designed for use with the M240 weapon system, and the second for use with the .50 BMG M2 system. Both specialty scopes incorporate a horseshoe-dot reticle with a tritium center that glows in darkness. Both have a built-in 1913 Picatinny Rail on top, so additional sights can be attached. Both have auto-locking quick detach levers. Both are designed for both-eyes-open shooting, in the Bindon Aiming Concept.
The 6×48 ACOG scopes are incredibly durable. They are built of the same aluminum alloy as the others, need no batteries, and are waterproof up to 500 meters. These scopes go anywhere.
These scopes are by far the heaviest of the Trijicon ACOGs, at 36.9 ounces, over 2.25 pounds. They are 229 millimeters long and 86 millimeters high, making this configuration perhaps the most cumbersome. Windage and elevation adjusters operate at 4 clicks per inch at 100 yards.
The M240 scope provides bullet drop compensation notches up to 1200 meters. It includes a 500 meter zero point, and a 10 meter BZO marker.
The M2 scope provides bullet drop compensation notches up to 2000 meters. Instructions to zero the scope at 100 or 500 meters are etched into the side. This scope is designed to account for bullet spin at extreme distances, specific to .50 BMG ammunition.
The 6×48 ACOG scope is the perfect choice for those who want the highest magnification strength, but understand the importance of the Bindon Aiming Concept. These scopes are the definition of rugged reliability. They are easy to use and capable in nearly any environment.
Summary
Here’s a quick guide to deciding on a Trijicon ACOG scope:
- Consider the size of the weapon to which the scope will be attached. Smaller weapons are better suited to compact scopes, which range up to the 3×30.
- Consider the cheek welds. Guns with low cheek welds are often better suited to low-profile ACOGs.
- Consider your average combat distance. At close quarters, a wide field of view helps maintain peak combat awareness, and smaller, lighter scopes will be more easily maneuverable.
- Consider eye relief. In high-speed situations, more eye relief space makes it easier to get a full view through the scope without specific head placement.
- Consider caliber. Longer-distance scopes are specifically designed by caliber, with bullet drop compensation lines that match.
- If using an M2, M240, or M249 weapon system, go straight for ACOG scopes specifically designed for use with your firearm.
Once you’ve considered every aspect of the scope, use the links above to find what you want on Amazon, and click Buy Now. You won’t be disappointed.