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jeffy
15 July 2008, 13:00
Recently I found myself looking up the M16A4 on google what I found was interesting. Most of the recent pictures of the M16 (and some M4's) deployed, have their rear sights removed. They all seem to have the ACOG TA31F or TA31RCO-M16/M4 though. I have seen a few with the Aimpoing M68 CCO as well, too. Is this standard practice now? The only thing I can think if is that they want better eye-relief without having to put their nose on the charge handle.

http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/xml/news/2007/10/marine_rifle_071021/mc_rifle_800.JPG
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f2/Marine_M16A4_Gharma.jpg/800px-Marine_M16A4_Gharma.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/78/US_Marine_M16A4_Rifle_ACOG.jpg/800px-US_Marine_M16A4_Rifle_ACOG.jpg
http://www.defendamerica.mil/images/photos/jan2005/articles/ai011205c1.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b4/USMC_M16A4_Rifle.JPG/800px-USMC_M16A4_Rifle.JPG
http://lh5.ggpht.com/ctrayers/RxYEQmGIFkI/AAAAAAAAAEI/2Ozu3CdI44I/Fred_Navy_Juneau.jpg

Stickman
15 July 2008, 13:42
I think there are a few reasons, but primarily it comes down to amount of space on the upper, and no batteries/ electronics on an ACOG.

I have heard of SOCOM commenting that there has never been a confirmed kill with a BUIS. I consider the source credible who relayed the info, but it was not a SOCOM assigned individual.

docsherm
15 July 2008, 15:52
They are marines, you can't expect too much from them. [:D]

Stickman has some good points but I have never gone downrange without a BUIS. Better same than dead.

aus71383
15 July 2008, 16:02
Marines just don't get issued BUIS and that's all there is too it. Even if we did have BUIS behind/under the ACOG, you'd have to take the ACOG off to use it - and without a quick release mount, its slow. So you end up packing your carrying handle around - if the ACOG breaks, take if off and put on your carrying handle. I don't think its really that big of a deal. I could see needing a BUIS with something like an EOTech - or even an Aimpoint since they're battery powered. But really what are the chances that a bullet goes through your sight but doesn't hurt you or break anything important on your gun other than the sight? I think pretty slim.

That said, next deployment I go on, I'll be taking my own Troy BUIS and Aimpoint CompM4.....and a 3x magnifier too.

Just my two cents...

Austin

TigerStripe
15 July 2008, 16:26
A while back the USMC started issuing some ACOGs and some where (I read on the errornet intraweb) that some were personally paid for. The accuracy, especially the headshot ratio went up dramatically. They looked into it and found it was the ACOGs that were responsible for a good part of it.


TS



aus71383 can correct me if I'm wrong. He's much closer to the source.

jeffy
15 July 2008, 16:30
They are marines, you can't expect too much from them. [:D]

Stickman has some good points but I have never gone downrange without a BUIS. Better same than dead.

Haha, yeah, I've noticed it more with the Marines but it's not an exclusive club.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2318/2657770751_0b942c5efa_b.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3185/2569636639_5f22f71845_b.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3037/2413886124_acb974ec78_b.jpg

OK, at least the last one is a TA01-NSN with the iron sight.

Stickman
15 July 2008, 19:03
Marines just don't get issued BUIS and that's all there is too it. Even if we did have BUIS behind/under the ACOG, you'd have to take the ACOG off to use it - and without a quick release mount, its slow.

Austin


Do you have room to mount a BUIS with your issue ACOG, or would you have to move it forward.

jeffy
15 July 2008, 19:07
Marines just don't get issued BUIS and that's all there is too it. Even if we did have BUIS behind/under the ACOG, you'd have to take the ACOG off to use it - and without a quick release mount, its slow. So you end up packing your carrying handle around - if the ACOG breaks, take if off and put on your carrying handle. I don't think its really that big of a deal. I could see needing a BUIS with something like an EOTech - or even an Aimpoint since they're battery powered. But really what are the chances that a bullet goes through your sight but doesn't hurt you or break anything important on your gun other than the sight? I think pretty slim.

That said, next deployment I go on, I'll be taking my own Troy BUIS and Aimpoint CompM4.....and a 3x magnifier too.

Just my two cents...

Austin

That makes sense.

Thanks for you first hand incite and your service.

mat10x
15 July 2008, 19:21
random note...looks like the FSB is broken in the pic of the soldier facing the viewer. in the first set of pix.

docsherm
15 July 2008, 20:06
First off I am Army and was making fun of marines. ;) Second those Army guys are wearing ACU gear, enough said. [:D]

jeffy
15 July 2008, 20:46
random note...looks like the FSB is broken in the pic of the soldier facing the viewer. in the first set of pix.

"U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Jason Burch displays his M16-A4 rifle that had an enemy round hit the front sight post during an ambush Dec. 24, 2004. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Rich Mattingly"

aus71383
17 July 2008, 08:00
Not sure about what Tigerstripe said - sounds like artistic license to me, but there may be some truth in it.

Stickman - you could fit BUIS depending on where the ACOG is - some guys mount it further back than others.

Austin

jeffy
17 July 2008, 15:59
I'd be curious to see if that claim was just for the ACOG or if it actually includes all optics. It sounds more plausible if it included all optics; Eotech, Aimpoints, etc...

I was looking at ACOG mount and noticed that LaRue now makes one called the RCO. It offsets the ACOG so it's flush with the back of the receiver. So, I would guess that it's more common then not.

TigerStripe
17 July 2008, 21:32
Not sure about what Tigerstripe said - sounds like artistic license to me, but there may be some truth in it.

Austin


It may very well be true that there's some artistic license it in... I read it on the errornet.


TS

aus71383
18 July 2008, 14:32
I'd be curious to see if that claim was just for the ACOG or if it actually includes all optics. It sounds more plausible if it included all optics; Eotech, Aimpoints, etc...

I was looking at ACOG mount and noticed that LaRue now makes one called the RCO. It offsets the ACOG so it's flush with the back of the receiver. So, I would guess that it's more common then not.

Are you talking about the LT-100 mount? I don't think it offsets anything - just a stronger mount with quick detach and return to zero - it can still be mounted wherever you want to mount it. Or are you talking about another mount? RCO is just the Marine Corps' name for the ACOG - "Rifle Combat Optic", BTW.

Austin

jeffy
18 July 2008, 17:40
Are you talking about the LT-100 mount? I don't think it offsets anything - just a stronger mount with quick detach and return to zero - it can still be mounted wherever you want to mount it. Or are you talking about another mount? RCO is just the Marine Corps' name for the ACOG - "Rifle Combat Optic", BTW.

Austin

It's a new one they called the 'RCO', probably because of the lack of BUIS issue that you mentioned earlier.

http://stores.homestead.com/Laruetactical/catalog/P7139314.JPG

http://stores.homestead.com/Laruetactical/Detail.bok?no=244

Talyn
18 July 2008, 21:37
Marines are trained to shoot so well that all they need is something that resembles a front sight to put rounds on target. [:D]

I think those A4's would be more user friendly if they had CTRs or UBRs on them vs the A2 stocks. My .02.

I'm waiting for a UBR to put on my "enhanced" A4 clone.

SHIHAN
22 July 2008, 22:27
Some of the ACOG models have BUIS built in.

jeffy
22 July 2008, 23:40
Some of the ACOG models have BUIS built in.

If you look back on the first page you'll see we were talking about TA31 series for the most part. Only one of the pictured has a TA01-NSN with the BUIS.

The Marines are issues the TA31RCO-M16 or TA31RCO-M4 with some older TA31A's or TA31F's.