Which color ACOG reticle?

SKILCZ · July 5, 2012, 09:58 PM

What are the advantages / disadvantages of the red, green, and amber reticles? I'm trying to decide which one to get. Which is best for daylight use? I imagine they're all similar for low light use.

Thanks!

myshoulderissore · July 7, 2012, 12:43 AM

I can't speak for amber, but red works fine, even at night. I have a switchable red/green optic, and green leaves me with a dead-center blind spot (mild, but very noticeable) on any of 7 brightness settings, during the day. I can't imagine what it would do at night...

http://www.workwithcolor.com/color-luminance-2233.htm (ignore the words and look at the pretty pictures, they're all that are needed here)

Links above shows a basic representation of perceived brightness of different colors...

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu...dcone.html#c3b

The above link explains (lightly) why blue is a bad choice...

Add the two up, and red is a fairly standout choice for a reticle, barring extenuating circumstances making amber a better choice. Blue and Purple would effect vision less, due to lower perceived brightness, but blue light is typically blurry(er) for most people, and purple contains blue.

SKILCZ · July 7, 2012, 02:17 AM

Thanks a lot. That's interesting and helps me narrow it down.

FrosSsT · July 7, 2012, 07:08 PM

I'd go with red.

July 5, 2012, 09:58 PM	#1
SKILCZ Member Join Date: February 14, 2009 Posts: 20	Which color ACOG reticle? What are the advantages / disadvantages of the red, green, and amber reticles? I'm trying to decide which one to get. Which is best for daylight use? I imagine they're all similar for low light use. Thanks!

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July 7, 2012, 12:43 AM	#2
myshoulderissore Senior Member Join Date: September 12, 2010 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 447	I can't speak for amber, but red works fine, even at night. I have a switchable red/green optic, and green leaves me with a dead-center blind spot (mild, but very noticeable) on any of 7 brightness settings, during the day. I can't imagine what it would do at night... http://www.workwithcolor.com/color-luminance-2233.htm (ignore the words and look at the pretty pictures, they're all that are needed here) Links above shows a basic representation of perceived brightness of different colors... http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu...dcone.html#c3b The above link explains (lightly) why blue is a bad choice... Add the two up, and red is a fairly standout choice for a reticle, barring extenuating circumstances making amber a better choice. Blue and Purple would effect vision less, due to lower perceived brightness, but blue light is typically blurry(er) for most people, and purple contains blue.

July 7, 2012, 02:17 AM	#3
SKILCZ Member Join Date: February 14, 2009 Posts: 20	Thanks a lot. That's interesting and helps me narrow it down.

July 7, 2012, 07:08 PM	#4
FrosSsT Senior Member Join Date: July 17, 2011 Location: NJ Posts: 595	I'd go with red.