#retrooptic

Carry handle AR-15s are all the rage these days. Commanding silly prices on auction sites, flexed hard on Instagram and hotly debated between A1 and A2 style sights, you’re not cool if you don't have a fixed carry handle upper. But what if you still want some decent glass? There are plenty of options out there, and one in particular brings up thoughts of the jungle and liberty in Saigon, the Retro 4x Carry handle optic from Brownell’s.

This scope is not just inspired by the Colt 3 and 4 power scopes of the 70s, it IS the old Colt scope. Manufactured by the original company, using original designs, this is a 1:1 reproduction, with the only difference besides markings being the modern lens coatings and nitrogen purged, this is a vintage optic with modern internals. Think mass produced restomod. 

I missed out on the first few batches of these optics a few years ago, but eventually managed to get ahold of one for my BRN-16A1 (we can talk about this rifle another day) and it just looks right sitting on top of the carry handle. The height is very convenient for a fast shot while maintaining situational awareness. as a side note, too many companies these days are putting out ultra high optics mounts. Guys, a carry handle gives you the same height mount, has a built in backup iron sight and even comes with a receiver! But again, that's another discussion for another day. The optic does not use a rail or ring, but rather mounts directly to a hole in the center of the carry handle, placing the eye box in pretty much the same place the shooter would need to be to use the iron sights. it also allows the use of the irons by way of a machined hole. it feels more “crowded” than without the optic, but it is still perfectly useable. the sight picture itself is clear with a simple duplex reticle, which is a pleasant change from the over crowded and poorly explained reticles available on most optics today.

As if all this wasn't enough, the Retro 4x also features a Bullet Drop Compensator knob. with settings from 100 to 500 yards, this optic has some reach. However it is not a precision optic. The user will not be dialing in DOPE or be making precision shots. That is not the purpose of this scope. The purpose was originally and still is to increase hit probability at distance with speed. Calibrated with 55gr M193 ammunition in mind (to go along with Brownell’s Retro line of rifles and their 1:12 twist) these optics simply let you see a little farther a little better. That was enough for the US military. While I do not believe they were ever officially adopted, they were not replaced until Trijicon’s ACOG was adopted. If you look around, you can actually find images of the Colt 3x and 4x on rifles as late as the 2003 invasion of Iraq.