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Never happened to iron sights: Marine Corps is running out of rifle optics for new recruits

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Within the Marine Corps veteran community, there are few subjects more prone to good-natured ribbing than the modern generation’s reliance on the standard issue Marine rifle combat optic, commonly referred to as an RCO. These 4x magnification rifle gunsights have been a part of every Marine’s standard rifle loadout for years now, but among old timers, the use of an RCO, rather than the rifle’s traditional iron sights, is just another sign of the Corps’ softening over the years. Now, the Marine Corps may actually run out of the standard issue optics in as little as six months.

“Based on the current sustainment model, the shortfall will have a critical impact on both Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island and The Basic School within six months and Weapons and Field Training Battalion, Edson Range within 12 months,” the Marine Corps said in a recent press release.

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Comments

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  • tim e

    So one has to wonder what the issue protocols are for ACOGs? Does every marine get one? could the old “serviceable” units that have depleted trintium be issued to recruits who will only see range time?

  • James Walper

    marines are combat effective with their arms

  • Max H

    As a matter of tradition, I believe all shooters should learn irons first, but red dots (et al.) are such a force multiplier that I believe it would be exceptionally ill-advised to move away from them. They are wearing out not just because they are used (read as: return on investment) but also because most of them were bought at the height of GWOT and that tritium ain’t gonna irradiate itself…half-lives are a mother. This has a simple solution that I virtually never turn to: throw money at the problem. Unless there’s a war on, Trij will not have three shifts making them again, but keeping a steady stream really shouldn’t be that difficult.
    For the record, in the Army (GWOT days) I didn’t have anything except irons.

  • John U

    Army side here. We used CCO as more of a standard issue optic but do have ACOGs as well. I liked having an ACOG for hitting longer range targets and the CCO was nice for fast transitioning targets. They are pretty sturdy and easy to adjust. We still have to zero with iron sites and the optic.

  • Mason

    No pun intended?