When I built up my first AR I talked to Charles Coker a lot about picking the right scope for hunting and potentially 3-Gun shooting in Texas. While I was back and forth between the 1.x-4 and 3-9x scopes and illumination vs not, I always knew I wanted the best I could afford. Ultimately I decided I would probably hunt more than I shoot 3-gun and that a great hunting scope was what I wanted first. I had seen the Trijicon and knew that the build quality and opitics were top notch. I staked out the AR15.com sales forum until I found one and pounced.
I ended up with the TR-20 with the green mil-dot rectical. I wanted something that I could more easily do windage adjustments with than just the Trijicon triangle post and I knew I saw green better than yellow.
The scope came with the Larue SPR-15 which is absolutely awesome.
Right out of the box the scope shot well. Better than I could. With the addition of some sand bags I was able put together sub 1 inch groups at 100yds. I ultimately left the gun sighted at 100yds and took advantage of the resetable turrets to zero the scope there.
If you are not familiar with the Trijicon claim to fame, their products are typically always single or dual source illuminated. In the case of my TR-20 that illumination comes in the form of a green fiberoptic band right at the magnification adjuster. The fiber band wraps around about 60% of the scope tube and has a built in cover allowing you to adjust the brightness. I’ve really only left it on full bright or off. The downside to the location is that if you as wearing a baseball hat you may block enough of the light to make it seem dark even in daylight. Also I am not sure why they say it is a fiber with Tritium illumination. Without a lightsource for the fiberoptic it is dark, not illuminated like a tritium pistol sight or watch hands. it does not take a charge either. On/off.
This spring I took it hunting at a friends ranch. Morning hunts with low light and shooting at about 50yds range. I spotted my buck (an ugly SOB but we were thinning the herd not trophy hunting). When he got comfortable at the feeder I reached out and touched him. Shot it just where I want it and he dropped and wiggled about 5 ft. The illumination was perfect in the low light, letting me still see the finest parts of the cross hairs and the shot placement behind them.
This summer I picked up a Savage .308 and wanted to get out a shoot it, even though I hadn’t picked up glass for it yet. Took it out t omy buddies ranch in Cameron and threw the TR20 on it. It took two full turns of the turret to adjust for the different gun, but once I was sighted in at 100yd it took only a few shots to get the gun inside of 2″ at 300yds. with about a dozen rounds I was shooting the centers out of clay pigeons at 300yds from the bipod. An hour later it was back on the AR, adjusted back two full turns and inside an inch at 100yds.
I love this scope and the Larue Mount. I’m looking to take the big brother 5-20 for a spin on the >308 next.
By: Matt
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so if you go in your basement in total darkness the tritium doesnt light up the reticle??
The mount is fantastic. Like I said, for the time being I am moving this scope between my AR and .308. Other than the two full turret turns on the scope the mount holds so true that I can move between guns and still be inside an inch of my prior shots.
This mount is just a tiny bit low if you want to keep a BUS on the rear of the AR. that is not my AR in the photo but the guy I bought from. I’ve got a Wilson Combat pop-up which just barely touches the pop-open caps I am running on the scope. I can snap some photos tonight and get them out here.
Alright good tip. I’ll take a look at American Defense too. Thanks.
That sure is a nice looking mount. I like the fact it has such good repeatability. I see on their website it comes in 35 mm too, thats what I need. Does it have like a 20 MOA slope to it or is it flat?? I couldnt find that info on the site. Also what did you pay for it? Larue has it listed at 210$ Am I going to beat that? I’m pretty sure my life wont be complete till I have these mounts 🙂 Thanks and nice post too.
LaRue’s pricing just increased recently too. If you want a very similar mount from a great company, look no further than American Defense’s Ad-Recon series that are in the $150+/- range depending on model. Great scope !!!