Leupold MK6 on-going "review"

[JGifford]

Out of curiosity, is your issue of running it "without illumination" because you can't leave it on all the time? If so, I can understand the concern. However, since it has individual "off" points in between the brightness settings, I'm not sure how big a deal that is. But I don't know your use case, so that might not be the solution for you.
I am a fan of trying to combat Mr. Murphy. When I was learning to drive, my grandfather was my teacher (I did home driver's ED.) One of the things he taught me was "Always make sure you have an out if someone around you does something stupid." I have taken that approach on life, with many different things. It has done me a seriously good service, professionally, personally, in every way I can think. Having an optic that works if the battery goes TU, or gets left on, is really nice. What happens if I am attending a class and I leave it on, or it is bumped, or whatever, and I get to the range for class the next day only to discover that it is too dim to use/dead? Well, if I don't "need" it, it will be fine. If I do, I now have two options: I can remove the scope and run the day with irons, or I can "point shoot", which is stupid and will cost me valuable learning. This is also why I use mounts that have slotted nuts. If noone has a wrench, I damn well bet SOMEONE has something that fits in that slot. I just try to live as Mr. Murphy's arch nemesis.

Overall feelings? It's a pretty amazing package that gives you a clear, 6x optic, a (for the most part) mil reticle (important to me), and doesn't weigh what a Vortex does. Personally, I also prefer the graduations of the reticle of the MK6 over the Vortex (which I've run a bit now, thanks to a buddy who is deployed but had a used one sent to me to play with until he gets back). However...

The marks that create the donut start to be annoying at 300-400m if you're trying to shoot at something man-sized. And when I say man-sized, I don't mean a full silhouette, but a critical zone target (B/C). Personally, I try and keep the 18" x12" -ish sized target as my standard for distance accuracy. If I can consistently hit a B/C target at 800-ish meters with my .308, I'm happy, and same for 600-ish meters for my 5.56 guns. Anywho, if you have to hold, or just trying to quarter a B/C target at 400m at 6x, I find the donut starts to get in the way. I don't know that I could hit a B/C target at 600m with the MK6, even if I know the gun is capable.

Why? Does the target "hide behind the donut", so to speak? Isn't the donut something like 5moa on the inside? That means at 600 yards, you should have 30" of "inside the donut", no? Or do you mean if holding, that places the target behind the fat part of the segments? I don't mind covering my target and shooting through my reticle. It's how I shoot 1-1.5MOA groups with my FC-2. I just center the reticle, and "shoot through it". is it as simple as that, and it's a "preference/mental" thing for you, or is it physically impossible to properly use in the situation you are describing?

As for non-RDS 1x shooting... In Florida sunlight on a paper target, it works just fine (and my standard here is usually around a 4-5" target at CQB distances). At night, in a house with varying background colors and a light...I just can't answer that question, as I don't have the experience.

So...given all of that, I have done some testing of my MK6 vs Vortex vs Elcan vs Aimpoint PRO. Unfortunately, they weren't all on the same upper, but muzzle device was eliminated from the test (via suppressor). Also, unfortunately, the MK6 upper was a middy Noveske upper (the same one that continues to cure cancer...cause it's awesome). Other uppers were a M4 MWS config (Vortex), MK18 config (Aimpoint), CQBR Block II (Elcan). Forgetting the positives of an extended rail (Noveske), in order of preference for 1x:

- PRO
- Elcan
- MK6
- Vortex

The Elcan and the MK6 have the same battery problem, otherwise, the Elcan is more forgiving (with dot on...less so if you have it off, which is your question). The Vortex is an impressive piece of glass, but it's just so damn heavy, and would consistently be .15s slower than the PRO and the Elcan on a very simple 2-ish second 4-target transition test I've been running for all four optics. Also, as it turns out the Elcan is about the same weight as the MK6 with a LT mount.

I understand why they did what they did with the MK6 red dot, as they only have so much room in the tube and the MK6 is considerably lighter than the USO 1-8 with the dot on the SFP, but the donut can get in the way at distance, if that matters to you.

Wow, sorry about the novel. Just call me "alamo."

Not a problem. I'd rather you write a novel. I can pick out what I find interesting (which was all of it, honestly)!

I had bought a Nightforce 1-4 FC-2 ZS, but it STILL has not shipped. payment posted on the 15th. The seller (a shop/company/online store) has maintained great contact with me, but I don't believe they actually have the thing anymore. They tell me that it will ship from their warehouse in AZ, and that it's been "so hot" there, that they can't do a whole lot right now. Now I'd never ask someone to end up in the ER because they were overworked at a $12/hr warehouse job, but 1.5 business weeks since the money left my account, and it STILL has not shipped? I honestly think the scope only exists "electronically". I do NOT feel that I was ripped off, or lied to. I just feel that I was misinformed, and I feel sure that if I was, the company will make it right with me/refund me. Anyway, I am looking for a tried and true solution. The MK6 is that. The Nightforce 1-4 Is also that. If I can't have my NF, I CAN have a MK6, so I'm kindof revisiting that idea.

I wanted to ask, your ranking of the optics on 1x? Was that with, or without illumination on?