The optics industry is filled with brands that produce a wide range of top tier optics, from high-power rifle scopes to smaller and more agile reflex sights. While the breadth of manufacturers is incredibly wide, few of them have reached the level of renown like that of Trijicon.
For decades, Trijicon has been a leader in the optic industry, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to quality. As one of the industry’s powerhouses, they offer an expansive lineup of optics that’s made up of everything from variable power optics and reflex sights to thermal units and iron sight sets. Still, despite their popularity, the history and legacy of Trijicon often goes overlooked.
History of Trijicon
Trijicon was initially founded by Glyn Bindon, a former aeronautical engineer who worked with the Ford Motor Company, U.S. Navy, and even NASA. He was introduced to the optic’s industry when visiting a friend in South Africa, as his friend’s brother was already making gunsights, more specifically, the Armson Occluded Eye Gunsight (OEG).
The two had partnered up to launch and market Armson products in America in 1983. As Armson products continued to gain traction, Bindon focused on developing new optics such as his Spectrum Riflescope, and the first iteration of the now iconic Bright & Tough™ iron sights. During this time, Bindon renamed the company to Trijicon.
Moving forward, Trijicon continued to develop advanced optic platforms such as the Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight, or ACOG. The ACOG would become one of the most notable rifle optics ever produced, being fielded by the U.S. Military, Law Enforcement Groups, and even Government Agencies. Following the success of the ACOG, Trijicon expanded their lineup to include reflex sights and other specialized optic systems.
The founder of Trijicon, Glyn Bindon, passed away in a plane crash in Alaska in 2003. Today, his son, Stephen Bindon, is at the helm of the company, ensuring it holds true to his father’s original vision.
Where Are Trijicon Optics Produced?
Trijicon optics are almost exclusively made in the United States. Optics such as their ACOG, VCOG, reflex sights, and thermal optics are all made in either their Auburn, California, or Wixom, Michigan manufacturing facilities.
This isn’t the case for their rifle scopes though. Trijicon AccuPoint scopes are assembled in America but primarily use components from Japan, while their other rifle scope lines are fully produced in Japan. Regardless, each of their optics are designed and built according to Trijicon’s specifications, and they’re all subject to various quality control checks to make sure they uphold their commitment to quality.
Trijicon Rifle Scopes
Trijicon ACOG
Trijicon’s Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight (ACOG) is one of their most recognizable optics. A prism scope, the ACOG uses a unique dual-illumination system to illuminate the reticle. Ambient light is picked up by a fiber-optic assembly to illuminate the reticle in the day, while tritium is used to illuminate it in low-light environments, just like how night sights work.
Another key feature of the ACOG is its durability. They’re designed to withstand use in the most demanding applications—a key reason they were adopted by Military and Law Enforcement Groups. ACOG optics are constructed from durable forged aluminum, making them resistant to shock, fog, and environmental hazards—plus they’re submersible up to 66 feet.
Lastly, depending on which model you look at, they’re available with either a 1.5x, 2x, 3x, 3.5x, 4x, 5.5x, or a 6x magnification option. Additionally, they can come with a plethora of different reticle designs, including their crosshair, triangle, circle dot, and horseshoe dot options, to name a few. These optics offer a plethora of advantages compared to other rifle sights, and we cover them in our guide, “Advantages of Using a Prism Scope”. We recommend checking it out if you’re interested in running a prism scope like the ACOG on your rifle.
Trijicon VCOG
The Variable Combat Optical Gunsight (VCOG) is an LPVO designed to bridge the gap between CQB and long-range optics. It offers near-red-dot-like agility at 1x magnification, while still being able to range out to upwards of 800+ yards at maximum magnification. Like the ACOG, the VCOG is constructed from forged aluminum and is submersible up to 66 feet, making it a rugged optic fit for demanding applications.
VCOG optics are illuminated as well. Instead of using fiber optics, the VCOG is illuminated by an LED. Powered by a single AA battery, they generally have a runtime of around 600 hours. Another unique feature of the VCOG is its mounting system. Unlike other rifle scopes that require the use of a one-piece mount or scope rings, the VCOG’s mount is integrated directly into the scope body, creating a rigid mounting point that ensures proper optic alignment. Currently, these optics are offered in either a 1-6x, or 1-8x configuration, and they’re available with either an MOA, MRAD, or BDC reticle.
Other Trijicon Rifle Scopes
Aside from the ACOG and VCOG, Trijicon offers other riflescopes such as the AccuPoint, Huron, Ascent, Credo, and Tenmile.
The AccuPoint is one of the more unique options offered by Trijicon, using a dual illumination system like the ACOG while keeping a more traditional scope design. As such, these optics feature more simplistic reticle designs, making them ideal for hunting and recreation.
Designed primarily for hunting, Huron scopes are available in several magnification ranges. These optics feature more simplistic SFP reticles, featuring either standard duplex reticles or ones with BDC holds, making them some of the best rifle scopes for deer hunting.
Ascent optics consist of Trijicon’s more budget-friendly/entry-level scope options. These optics feature SFP wire reticles, which feature BDC holds, making them a good option for both close- and medium-range applications.
Trijicon’s Credo series is made up of some of their most popular variable power scopes. These optics come equipped with a multitude of complex reticle patterns, including MRAD, MOA, and BDC options, making them better suited for more dynamic applications like duty and competitive shooting disciplines. Plus, their reticles can be illuminated as well for better visibility.
Lastly, Tenmile scopes were designed specifically for long-range precision. As such they’re offered in an assortment of magnification ranges, ranging anywhere from 3-18x to as much as 5-50x. Like the Credo series, these optics can come outfitted with either MOA or MRAD pattern reticles that can be illuminated as well.
Thermal Optics
Made specifically for hunting at night, Trijicon also offers a series of thermal rifle scope options too. Models like their IR Hunter are equipped with advanced imaging technology, making them capable of detecting heat signatures from upwards of 2,000 yards away. Like other Trijicon optics, it’s also built to be exceptionally durable, making it more-than-capable of withstanding use in the field.
Trijicon also produces thermal monoculars in the form of the IR-PATROL and OASYS SkeetIR. Both are available in different configurations, and can be used as either a handheld, helmet-mounted, or dedicated thermal scope.
Trijicon Reflex Sights
Trijicon MRO
The MRO is Trijicon’s flagship full-size red dot sight, coming with either a red or green 2-MOA dot reticle, and mounts of various heights. The MRO, like most other Trijicon optics, is made from a durable 7075-aluminum housing. It features a wide 25mm objective lens, giving it a wide field of view, while its multi-coated lenses give it excellent clarity. The MRO also has a long battery lifespan, offering up to 5 years of continuous use for red reticle models, and up to 1 year for green reticle models.
Trijicon also produces an upgraded variant of the MRO called the MRO HD. The MRO HD has many features in common with the standard MRO but comes with a few notable upgrades. To start, the MRO HD was designed to offer enhanced compatibility and clarity when using a magnifier, coming with upgraded glass for a refined sight picture. Also, instead of the standard 2-MOA dot, the MRO HD is equipped with a circle dot reticle. And like the standard MRO, the MRO HD is available with several different mounts.
Lastly, the MRO Patrol is a more robust version of the MRO. Coming with a 2-MOA dot reticle, the MRO Patrol comes with an assortment of added sight parts to better protect the optic and enhance its capabilities. Notably, the MRO Patrol comes standard with flip-up lens covers, a kill flash device, and a quick release mount for easy installation and removal. The Patrol also comes with reinforced threaded rings in front of the lens housings for better structural rigidity. While this does give the optic a larger overall footprint, it offers solid performance in harsh conditions.
Trijicon Mini-Reflex and Pistol Red Dot Sights
Trijicon RMR
Originally introduced in 2009, the Trijicon RMR is considered one of the foremost mini-reflex sight options available today. Today, it’s still one of Trijicon’s most popular optics, with it now being in its second generation known as the Trijicon RMR Type II.
The RMR Type II is available in several unique configurations, with the primary difference being the reticle size. They’re available with either a 1-, 3.25-, or 6.5-MOA dot reticle, and they’re available in different finishes as well. These optics are incredibly durable and lightweight thanks to their forged aluminum housings—they weigh only 1.2 ounces with the battery installed. RMR optics are compatible with commonly found CR2032 batteries, and they offer up to 4 years of continuous use depending on your brightness settings and shooting environment.
Just like with the MRO, Trijicon also offers an upgraded RMR variant in the form of the RMR HD. Building on the foundation of the RMR, it uses the same mounting footprint and battery but has some differences. It features a much larger front lens for easier sight and target acquisition, improved controls, a circle dot reticle, and it has a top-loading battery design so there’s no need to remove and re-zero the optic when changing out your battery. Additionally, the RMR HD adds to the RMR’s inherent durability, as it’s waterproof up to 66 feet (roughly 20 meters) while its housing design diverts any forces from impact to protect the lens. Plus, it’s added durability and circle dot reticle makes it a great red dot for shotguns too.
While the RMR and RMR HD are perfect for everything from compact to full-size pistols, they’re too large for smaller sub-compact pistols. Enter the RMRcc mini-reflex sight. You can view the RMRcc as the RMR’s little brother. Much like the standard RMR, it’s available with multiple reticle options (a 3.25- or 6.5-MOA dot), it features durable aluminum construction and a long battery life like the standard RMR. Being a smaller more compact mini-reflex sight, it’s a solid pairing for pistols like the GLOCK 43x/48 and SIG Sauer P365.
Trijicon SRO
The Trijicon SRO is designed to maximize your field of view by using a larger circular lens. It has many features in common with the RMR as it uses the RMR’s mounting footprint, and has a top-loading battery tray like the RMR HD. Aside from this, the SRO is available with either a 1-, 2.5-, or 5-MOA dot reticle, and can come in either a black or FDE finish. SRO optics are exceptionally durable as well, as they’re built from a 7075-aluminum housing and waterproof up to 10 feet (just over 3 meters).
Trijicon RCR
A relatively recent addition to Trijicon’s lineup is their Ruggedized Closed Reflex, or RCR pistol red dot sight. Currently, it’s the only enclosed pistol red dot sight they offer, with it being renowned for its durability and overall utility. At its core, you can think of the RCR as an enclosed version of the RMR, with the two optics sharing many similar features such as battery size and run time. It also uses an RMR mounting footprint too thanks to its unique mounting system.
The RCR was designed for use in Military and Law Enforcement applications. It utilizes a 7075 Aluminum housing that’s been refined to make it resistant to shock, fog, and water exposure, with it being submersible up to 66 feet, just like the RMR HD. Currently, the RCR doesn’t have the same degree of variety when compared to RMR, as it’s only available with a 3.25-MOA dot reticle variant. Still, it’s an excellent choice for applications where optic reliability is paramount.
Trijicon Pistol Iron Sights
As we mentioned above, one of Trijicon’s early claims to fame came in the form of their upgraded pistol iron sights. Today, they still offer a diverse lineup of sight options for almost every common pistol model, with one of their most popular options still being their iconic Bright & Tough night sights.
Trijicon’s Bright & Tough sights are a popular sight choice for many, with them being used often by Military groups, Law Enforcement personnel, and civilian enthusiasts. Their popularity lies in the sight’s construction. Each sight set is designed to provide optimal visibility, regardless of your environment’s lighting. They come equipped with a set of tritium filled lamps, which glow in low-light environments, while they have a white ring around the lamps to make them easier to pick up in daylight. Lastly, to ensure their functionality, each of the tritium lamps are capped with sapphires to evenly distribute light to the tritium to keep them functioning optimally.
Trijicon also produces a plethora of other iron sight options as well, ranging from fiber optic and suppressor-height sights to their HD series night sights. There’s a lot to cover when discussing pistol sight options, and our guide, “Pistol Sights 101”, goes in-depth on each of the popular options.
Conclusion
Trijicon’s reputation often precedes them. Since their start, they’ve been at the forefront of innovation within the optic industry, with optic systems like the ACOG remaining as some of the industry’s most iconic optics.
It goes without saying that Trijicon’s lineup consists of several solid optic choices. For duty, competitive, and recreational shooting disciplines, optics like the ACOG, VCOG, and their various reflex sight options are a solid pick. Meanwhile, their more traditional rifle scope options are excellent for everything from recreational target shooting to hunting.
Still, it’s important to note that there’s a lot to cover when discussing an industry giant like Trijicon. We highly recommend taking time to continue researching each of their sight options. At the end of the day, the sheer variety of choices they provide ensures that there’s something for every marksman.
