testtest

Carbine Corner: How Much Magnification Makes Sense on a Defensive Carbine?

Talyn

Talyn

SAINT
Founding Member
Low-power variable optics (LPVO) are all the rage these days.

Seems like all the “cool kids” have one on their self-defense or law enforcement carbine. They certainly can be valuable depending on the application. This is an argument that still rages on.

But, if you decide to go that way, how much magnification do you need on a carbine? Maybe more importantly, how much is too much?

athlonoutdoors.com

Carbine Corner: How Much Magnification Makes Sense on a Defensive Carbine?

Athlon Outdoors Exclusive Firearm Updates, Reviews & News
athlonoutdoors.com athlonoutdoors.com

1759369249449.png
 
Ours are mainly home defense rifles. I’m Not a fan of lpvo (added weight,bulk) on my 5.56 rifles. We live in a subdivision with mostly 1/2 acre lots; not much need for magnification. I have the Aimpoint Duty RDS on 2 of my 3 rifles ; they hit the sweet spot.
Ar10 I have 2.5-20x50 which is probably a little under powered for that rifle but it’s what I had on hand.
 
I prefer an optic. 1x6 or 1x8
My real world experience on a regular basis:
Hogs at 50,75,100 yard = quick magnification
When those hogs turn and charge in up close.. flip to 1x
it happens a lot.
Red dots are nice and I run the gammut from aimpoint, trijicon, & vortex, but these eyes need magnification past 75 yards on a dot.
Home defense in the house is like a pistol. Point and shoot. Dont need anything for sights at 15’ to the door or rooms. Just put the perp lined up with end of barrel and shoot. Wont have time for SWAT 💩.

This is me kicking a hog btw.. stuff happens fast.. real fast.. when perps run 30mph

IMG_3137.jpeg
 
ECS686 said:
I would say no more than a LPVO
As a carbine is…..well a carbine. If you want or need anything more power than a LPVO the.you need a rifle…..with an actual scope. Just my thoughts but everyone can do whatever they want.
Click to expand...
I run SBR’s with 10.5” barrels.
As we know, a 5.56 round even out of a short barrel will travel… far.. accurately.
I want some magnification. Each there own. When the perp (or hog) up close, calls in back up from down range(distance), I want to engage both. Up close and distance.

Even hogs snort for back up….

This dude charged me.. intent on me going down.

I use these photos to show, 💩 goes down quick, and in ways you dont expect.

What happens when your red dot up close perp turns into opposing force back up down range ?

This guy charged me in a dead run from 75+ yards out .. i think a human with friends can do the same.. i want options. Red dot does not offer me options.
IMG_2544.jpeg
 
Ozarker said:
LPVO on 3 of mine.

Asking, not being a smart ***, how can a civilian be in a defensive situation, defending an immediate threat using a scope? I get "tactical" the SHTF stuff, but how would someone in a built up area us anything over 3x in a defensive posture?
Click to expand...
Getting caught in the open while you have what you have when you have too shoot further than cqb type
 
I run a 1-8 FFP on my suppressed 16 inch LWRC with a red dot at the 12 o’clock kinda the best of both worlds. I need to take it out to further ranges and see how far off the 77 grain OTM I use is off from the BDC. I need to eventually change to a better reticle
 
For defensive use you’d best not be taking shots at ranges where a scope is needed. Unless YOU are taking fire anything beyond a few yards is going to be hard to justify. ‘That guy 100 yards out with a knife was threatening me”🙄 I’ll stick with my 12 bores and heavy 00 loads and ghost ring sights. Do what floats your boat but don’t underestimate the old shotgun for defense at any reasonable range
 
The right tool for the job. The task is "Defensive carbine". If we're being realistic not many of us are going to be justifiably shooting defensively at 100 yards even. I can hit those shots 100% of the time with a standard dot or BUIS.

Since we're overthinking and analyzing though I would say that a LPVO doesn't do close quarters nearly as well or fast as unmagnified sight systems. As such the majority of my defensive carbines have dots. And the one that has a scope on it has an actual scope, not a mid range trying in vain to be the best of both worlds thing.

Now if we're talking hog hunting or range antics it's a different story. Which is legit since the vast majority of us are never actually going to be in a defensive situation using even a pistol much less a carbine.
 
For home defense I run a 10.5 in AR with a Primary Arms GLX1. I had a 3X magnifier, but even that was overkill so I took it off. @Bassbob turned me on to the Viridian HS1 handstop with green laser. I have it zeroed for 15 yds and it will definitely take care of business inside the house. For range I run 1-6 LPVOs.

The interesting thing is people talk about 100 yds like it’s a long distance, but in a suburban area it is not. I live in a could de sac and it is 50 yds from my garage door to the garage door of my neighbor facing me across the cul de sac. 100 yds is the first street out of the cul de sac, and it is a stones throw.
 
SimonRL said:
For home defense I run a 10.5 in AR with a Primary Arms GLX1. I had a 3X magnifier, but even that was overkill so I took it off. @Bassbob turned me on to the Viridian HS1 handstop with green laser. I have it zeroed for 15 yds and it will definitely take care of business inside the house. For range I run 1-6 LPVOs.

The interesting thing is people talk about 100 yds like it’s a long distance, but in a suburban area it is not. I live in a could de sac and it is 50 yds from my garage door to the garage door of my neighbor facing me across the cul de sac. 100 yds is the first street out of the cul de sac, and it is a stones throw.
Click to expand...
A LPVO is good for dual use. A lot of folks don’t hunt, so a dot is fine.
I hunt. A lot. I want my firearms to be good for both at a moments notice.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top