Scalarworks has announced that their excellent, lightweight optics mounts will receive several upgrades including a switch from 6061-T6 aluminum to the stronger 7075-T6 alloy. They have also hinted at an entire line of mounts to support multiple optics and then dropped more than just a hint when they released the following photo.
In addition to the LDM for the Aimpoint Micro, you can expect to see mounts for the Aimpoint CompM4 and PRO, and Trijicon RMR and MRO.
Have you ever lost your Aimpoint Micro mounting screws? I have which is why I was glad to see that Brownells is now carrying a large selection of Aimpoint replacement parts. Keep that filed away for the next time you come back from the range without a turret cover!
The Scalarworks LDM is an ambitious product. It is a quick detach Aimpoint Micro Mount that features a unique locking system and a radically skeletonized design. The result is a quick detach mount that weighs within a few tenths of ounce of the lightest non-QD mounts on the market.
The LDM or Low Drag Mount is designed from the ground up to be light weight. Traditional throw lever style QD mounts are heavier due to the presence of the lever which must be large enough to be operated by hand. In order to make a truly lightweight QD mount, Scalarworks had to get away from the typical throw lever. They designed a ratcheting thumb wheel that is extremely compact and thin enough that it fits within the footprint of the mount itself yet is easier to operate than a really tight throw lever.
The thumb wheel has a deeply knurled surface that mates with a detent in the mount. This makes setting consistent tension on the mount a snap since you can witness-mark the particular groove that the detent should lock into and be sure to tighten to the mark every time you reinstall the mount. This locking system is pretty ingenious and has certainly held up just fine to my testing.
I tested the return to zero capability of the mount by firing four separate three shot groups at 50 yards, removing the mount between each group. I could detect no difference from group to group with each one stacking on top of the other. Admittedly, it would have been easier to spot a difference at a greater distance and with a more precise optic. For my purposes, the 50 yard test was sufficient for a red dot sight.
The mount itself has been machined to a bare minimum of material. Some of you are going to look at it and think it will break or bend easily. However, I dropped my carbine from chest height directly onto the optic with no ill effects other than some dings on the optic. When you have the mount in hand, you can see that the pillars that support that optic are actually more robust than you would think from the pictures. Can this mount be bent more easily than a heavier, non-skeletonized mount? Probably, but it will take some abuse to do it.
I should also point out that Scalarworks didn’t skimp on the clamping surface. The rail clamp runs the entire length of the side of the mount. Once the thumb wheel is turned to hand tight, the mount isn’t moving.
I have the LDM110 which is the lower third co-witness model. I use it on a carbine that I purposely built to be extremely lightweight. At 1.37 ounces, it weighs less than half of the mount that it replaced on this build! To save that much weight on such a small part is amazing. It was an integral part of my Sub 6 with a Twist Build.
The LDM seems to be extremely well made. The machine work is clean and the finish is even. The fit and finish on my example is excellent.
The LDM is the lightest Aimpoint Micro QD mount on the market by a wide margin. Heck, it is lighter than most non-QD mounts. It is well made, it mounts easily, it returns to zero at least as well as is required for the precision level of the optic it mounts, and it looks pretty darn good too. This is an impressive mount and I can’t wait to see how they adapt this design to support other optics.
Disclosure: The LDM was provided to me by Scalarworks for review, free of charge.
It wasn’t long after Aimpoint released their 3X Magnifier that I had one in hand. I basically waited to purchase mine just long enough for LaRue Tactical to come out with their LT755 QD Pivot Mount. Since that time, the magnifier concept has lost some of its cache likely due to the improved low power variable magnification optics that proliferate now and a better understanding of some of the shortcomings that are inherent to RDS magnifiers. Those shortcomings include narrow field of view (which isn’t that bad), significant extra weight, increased distortion of some red dot sights, and a clumsy transition between mounted and unmounted.
There were times in the last several years where I was tempted to sell my magnifier but I could never quite bring myself to do it mostly because, in spite of its flaws, it still does something that no other optic set up can. It offers useable magnification along side true non-magnified performance. As good as 1-4X and 1-6X optics have become, there is still a difference between the 1X setting of these low magnification variables and a quality RDS (see this previous article).
Now that I have literally years behind an RDS and magnifier setup, I have found that there are really three keys to making them work for me. That means there are three keys to mitigating the main drawbacks of the concept and all three are pretty simple.
The mount is probably the single most important factor in ensuring that you have a good magnifier experience. I dislike mounts that require the magnifier be removed from the rifle in order to use the RDS by itself. I don’t want to have to worry about stowing my magnifier on my gear.
Choose a mount that allows you to quickly move the magnifier out of your field of view while keeping it attached to the rifle or remove it all together. I like the LaRue Tactical LT755 but there are other choices.
I use Aimpoints almost exclusively on my carbines and as much as I love them, I admit that not all of them work well (for me) in front of a magnifier. I first used the magnifier behind an Aimpoint Comp ML3 with a 2 MOA dot reasoning that the finer aiming point would be beneficial and it worked well for me but I saw some distortion of the red dot. I later tried it behind several Aimpoint Micros and Comp M4s but found that the dot turned into a series of star bursts or several dots swimming around each other when magnified. This may not happen for all users but it happened for me.
It turns out that the best combination that I have found so far is a Comp ML3 with the 4MOA dot. For whatever reason, I see Aimpoint’s 4 MOA dots much more clearly. This combination gives me a razor sharp aiming point and makes hits out to 300 yards very easy which is really all I can ask from this set up.
Whichever RDS you prefer, spend some time figuring out what works best in front of the magnifier.
Using an RDS and magnifier set up means having two optics and two mounts on your rifle. The capability that this setup offers comes at a fairly steep cost in weight. The best way I have found to mitigate this is the shed weight from your carbine, concentrating specifically on the front end.
The weight of the magnifier sits toward the rear of the receiver. You can really counteract the heavy overall feeling that this lends a carbine by reducing weight at the front. Choose a lighter barrel profile and a lighter hand guard. I think that in order to get the most out of a RDS and magnifier setup, you really need to build the carbine with this setup in mind.
You don’t have to go crazy. A lighter medium profile or pencil barrel and lightweight extended hand guard will make a big difference in how your carbine feels. It will also greatly reduce the overall weight. You should be able to build a carbine that weighs around 7-7.5 pounds (and feels lighter because of where the weight is) without much trouble at all.
If you have a magnifier and are thinking of giving up on it, gives these three tips a try before you boot it to the curb. If you are thinking of trying a magnifier, make sure to set yourself up for success. There really is a strong upside to this set up but it takes a little fore thought to get the most out of it.
Aimpoint just launched the Micro H-2. Like the H-1 before it, the H-2 has most of functionality and durability of its tactical forerunner the T-2 except it lacks night vision modes and is slightly less waterproof (though still very capable – rated submersible to 15 feet).
From Aimpoint:
Chantilly, VA – May 11, 2015 – Aimpoint, the originator and world leader in electronic red dot sighting technology for forty years, has announced the addition of the new Micro H-2 sight to the company’s commercial product line. The Micro H-2 will be available for shipment in August 2015, and will be offered alongside the company’s existing Micro H-1 product.
Since its introduction in 2007, the Aimpoint Micro sight has become a popular hunting sight worldwide due to its lightweight and compact size, durability, and extremely long battery life. Product reviews with hunters and sport shooters identified a series of desired product enhancements that have now been added to this new product. These changes include: a new sight housing which allows the addition of front and rear protective flip covers, additional physical protection for the sight’s adjustment turrets, and increased ruggedness for the sight’s internal electronic components.
The most significant developments in the Micro H-2 however, are the advanced optical lenses that allow for even better light transmission and provide a noticeable increase in the clarity and performance properties of the sight. This ensures a more distinct and clearer dot in all conditions and situations.
“The Aimpoint Micro has become the worldwide standard for compact reflex sights” says Matt Swenson, Vice President of Sales. “With the sight’s new design, the Micro H-2 takes the level of performance available from a compact sight to an entirely new level.”
The Micro H-2 can be mounted on nearly any rifle, shotgun, handgun or crossbow, and can be used with most existing mounts that fit the Micro H-1 including the Blaser saddle mount. The sight can also be mounted to a larger magnified scope with a 30mm or 34mm scope adapter giving the hunter ability to hunt at both short and long distances while providing faster target acquisition. The Micro H-2 can operate for up to five years of constant-on use, using just one CR-2032 battery, and is waterproof.
For more information on Aimpoint or the company’s products, visit our webpage at www.aimpoint.com or contact:
Press contact: Kristi Drawe
Aimpoint, Inc.
(703) 263-9795 ext 226
Kristi.Drawe@aimpoint.com
