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Thread: Trijicon TA01 NSN-DOC ACOG.

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    Trijicon TA01 NSN-DOC ACOG.

    The ACOG should need no introduction. Manufactured by Trijicon in Wixom, Michigan, U.S.A., the ACOG (Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight) has been used by U.S. forces for over 20 years, and the British Army bought thousands of the TA31 model as an urgent operational requirement (UOR) for use in Afghanistan, although Elcan won the contract to eventually replace the Susat optics mounted on the L85A2 rifles in British service.

    In British use it is used by many infantry units, some police forces that use the G36, and those sneaky fellows who always black their eyes out in photos are big fans of them. They are supplied in genuine Pelican cases which are a work of art in themselves, very high quality!

    The TA01 is the oldest model of the ACOG series, however it's also one of the most popular and is still on general issue both in the U.S. forces and for specialist units in the U.K. The standard TA01 NSN has rudimentary back up iron sights, however the TA01 NSN-DOC not only has these but also a Docter Optic II reflex red dot mounted on top of the rear of the optic for close range shooting.

    Magnification-wise, it's on the low side at a fixed 4x32, however bear in mind this is a rugged optic designed for warfare rather than the local target range for which I use it. I'll be honest here and say that a good quality variable mag scope can knock spots off the ACOG for general target shooting, they are an accquired taste and you either want one or you don't. I have owned 3 other Trijicon optics in the past, and as before, the glass is very high quality.

    The reticule is of the crosshair type with ladders marking the BDC (bullet drop compensation) at different ranges. The DOC model features a reticule that is different from other TA01 models including the standard NSN. As with all ACOG's, the optic has a tritium source that makes the centre of the reticule glow amber in low light to aid shooting (as do the British Susat and Elcan). The DOC reticule has it's BDC markings set for use only with an M4 carbine (or AR15 carbine), or the M249 light machine gun, and this is actually marked on the bottom of the lens itself along with the calibre 5.56MM. If mounted on anything else, the BDC markings won't accurately mark where the fall of shot is.

    The back up iron sights really are of dubious use, and if you ever had to rely on them then you must be in a world of hurt. The rear sight is a full circle peep and the foresight is a simple lower semi circle. It would be impossible to aim precisely with this arrangement though the user could use it out to around 25 yds or so on a man size target, which is really what it is designed for.

    The mount is made by A.R.M.S. and is quite a pricey item in its own right. It is of the quick detach variety with two throw levers that you push inwards to attach the mount to the host rifle. They do require a good push and once mounted there is no movement at all.

    The Docter II reflex red dot is in itself a sought after and high quality item. Many shooters mount them on semi automatic pistols due to their low profile and weight. Made in Germany, it fixes to the ACOG using a proprietary bracket that is mounted over the rear eyepiece of the ACOG. The dot itself is 8 MOA (covering 8" inches at 100m), however remember this is for close range snap shooting where every second counts, and the bigger dot is easier for the eye to find when under stress. Again, like the ACOG that it sits on, it's a quality item, though it pays to treat it with a little care as it's not as rugged as its host. The Docter II is always on, there is no off button. However there is a plastic cover which you place on the sight in order to make the sight go into sleep mode.

    The TA01 NSN-DOC is a potent combo, bombproof, and a normal civilian shooter will likely give up the ghost due to old age before the sight ever will. The only minus for me is a personal one. The eye relief is very short and you really have to get your nose up to the charging handle on an AR15 (however many state that this is how you should shoulder the AR15 anyway). I used to own a TA11 ACOG and that did have generous eye relief, however it also weighed a fair bit more than the DOC combo.

    I've no regrets buying it although as I've said, they are an accquired taste. The dark earth colour is unique and quite rare on this side of the pond, the Docter II reflex is excellent, and it's one of the best combat optics on the planet even if the only combat it will ever see now is against hordes of paper targets.

    Trijicon supplied Pelican case and bits and pieces that are supplied with the TA01 NSN-DOC.
    http://i978.photobucket.com/albums/a...pse4435081.jpg

    View of optic.
    http://i978.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps389a86ad.jpg

    Mounted on AR15. Plastic cover is on Docter II in order to put it in sleep mode.
    http://i978.photobucket.com/albums/a...psac1460d4.jpg

    Close up of thumb adjustable turrets.
    http://i978.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps75ba24d5.jpg

    Left side of the optic showing the NSN barcode and the A.R.M.S. mount throw levers.
    http://i978.photobucket.com/albums/a...psd73f8b3e.jpg

    View from rear showing the reflex sight, rear objective, and rear emergency iron sight.
    http://i978.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps546d63b9.jpg

    The reticule, of which the centre portion glows amber in low light due to the tritium source. Although it's hard to see in the pic, the first BDC markings out to 600M are for the M4 carbine, then the following BDC markings out to 1000M are for the M249 light machine gun. The writing on the lens stating this can just be seen under the bottom of the reticule.
    http://i978.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps24d2c481.jpg

    The TA01 NSN-DOC ACOG retails for an absolutely horrendous price in the U.K., only a handful of sites have them on their website and none are in stock, and as at the time of this review they retail for £1,250 (which I don't think I would pay even if I had the money to be honest!). I am rather thankful that I picked mine up off MickA off here!
    Last edited by Hairydavey; 23-03-2014 at 09:57 PM.

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