Overlook the times when shooters needed to lay our a fortune for dependable glass.
We’re residing in a golden age of optics, the place even newcomers are producing high-quality, feature-packed sights at cheap costs. A type of rising names is Gideon Optics, the optics division of JSD Provide.
Based in 2022, this Pennsylvania-based firm got down to bridge the hole between affordability and efficiency.
Apparently, it was named after one among my Outdated Testomony heroes, Gideon. He was a warrior, a frontrunner, and a prophet, and is discovered within the e book of Judges.
In the course of the summer time of 2023, the corporate launched its Omega purple dot sight. This was well-received, bringing a degree of high quality to shooters at a modest worth level. Gideon has since expanded its product line to incorporate scopes and equipment.
After testing two of their merchandise, I can confidently say they’re off to a powerful begin.
Two Optics
Gideon despatched me two optics to have a look at: a purple dot and a scope. We’ll have a look at them in additional element beneath.
Gideon sells each open- and closed-emitter purple dots. For the closed selection, there are three:
Mediator, $250
Mediator II ACRO, $290
Valor Mini-Micro, $300
The Mediator reveals these options, in line with Gideon’s closed-emitter web site:
ACRO appropriate (see description for particulars)
3 MOA dot, 38 MOA circle, or circle dot Reticle. It is available in both inexperienced or purple
1 MOA per click on windage and elevation changes
Light-weight and dependable closed emitter
Stepping up, we’ve got the Mediator II ACRO. That is the one we’ve got right here. Listed here are its promoting factors:
ACRO-pattern Closed-Emitter Reflex Optic
Prime-Loading Battery for Modifications With out Eradicating the Optic
Shake-to-Awake Energy-Saving Mode for Lengthy Battery Life
Circle Dot Reticle: Consumer-selectable 3 MOA Dot + 28 MOA Circle. Crimson dot solely
A characteristic they don’t point out is that it sits taller, with an open base that may enable the usage of iron sights if wanted.
Listed here are a number of pics of the Mediator II ACRO
On the high of the road, we’ve got the Valor Mini-Micro. Right here’s this one’s characteristic set:
Micro Reflex Sight Good for Hid Carry
Shockproof and Waterproof Design
Parallax-free to 33 Yards with Limitless Eye-Reduction
Set up Simply on Any RMSc Footprint
If you’re in search of a closed-emitter sight, any of those three would work. The highest two can be particularly good on a protracted gun, whereas the Valor is likely to be finest on a pistol, because it has the smallest footprint of the trio. It is very important observe that each one three of those include a mount to connect to a Pic rail. I bear in mind having to spend additional bucks some time again to purchase an aftermarket mount for a purple dot I wanted to placed on a Pic rail. Right here, you don’t have to do this.
Now, let’s have a look at the open-emitter sights…
They promote ten completely different sights in order that I gained’t listing all of them. Right here’s a roundup:
Sights included on this collection are the Alpha (one mannequin), Granite (three fashions), Omega, Rock, and Storm (one mannequin every). Costs vary from $180 to $250.
Right here is the frequent options listing for his or her reflex sights, as proven on the open-emitter web site:
Adjustable brightness ranges for any lighting situations, together with two night time imaginative and prescient settings.
Adjustable windage and elevation settings to zero in your optics.
Precision reticles that includes fast concentrating on circles, exact aiming dots, or versatile circle-dot mixtures.
Accessible to suit the preferred optics mounting footprints, together with RMR and MOS patterns.
A 1913 Picatinny rail mount is included for simple set up on rail-equipped firearms as both a major or secondary sight.
Every lithium-ion button cell battery will present tens of 1000’s of hours of service, because of energy-saving options like our shake-to-awake sleep mode.
Manufactured with a rugged aircraft-grade aluminum 7075-T6 housing for sturdiness in real-world situations.
Engineered to be waterproof and shockproof for rugged dealing with.
Each sight we promote is backed by our lifetime guarantee, which replaces any failed optic for nearly any cause, wanting intentional injury or abuse.
I have to say that I used to be impressed by the sight I obtained. The reticle was clear and brilliant (adjustable, in fact), and the mount was sturdy. I had one among our sons mount it on a 5.56mm AR to check it out, and it carried out flawlessly. I wouldn’t hesitate to make use of this sight.
Now, for the scopes
They promote two sorts of scopes. One is a prism sight, and the opposite is a low-power, variable optic (LPVO).
Right here’s the prism sight, the Advocate’s characteristic set ($250)…
Machined from aircraft-grade aluminum, the housings are constructed powerful for rugged, real-world situations.
Each windage and elevation are adjustable utilizing push-pull locking turrets that maintain your prism scope zeroed.
Options an etched glass reticle to be used, powered or unpowered.
Select from purple or inexperienced illumination colours with eleven adjustable brightness ranges, together with two night-vision appropriate settings.
The prism lenses assist appropriate for astigmatism that will make utilizing reflex sights precisely tough.
Shake-to-Awake power-saving mode gives tens of 1000’s of hours of operation from a single Lithium-Ion button cell battery.
Shock-proof, fog-proof, water-proof design to deal with dynamic real-world working situations.
Mounts simply to a 1913 Picatinny rail.
Backed by our lifetime guarantee that sends you a alternative in case your sight fails for nearly something wanting intentional injury.
They make the one prism sight, but it surely seems to be prefer it ought to do the job.
Right here is the place my ears actually prick up. I like LPVOs. They’re a number of the lightest, most easily-deployed glass going. With illuminated reticles, they’ve their place in my deer woods.
Gideon makes three of them. They’re:
1-10×28 SFP ($400);
1-8×24 FFP ($470);
1-8×24 SFP ($350) – that is the one they despatched me.
Right here they’re, in a little bit extra element…
1-10×28 SFP
1-10X Variable Magnification
Adjustable windage and elevation to ≥ 140 MOA in ½ MOA increments
Glass-Etched Reticle
11 Crimson Illumination Settings
1-8×24 FFP
1-8X Magnification for Longer Vary Pictures
Brightly Illuminated Etched-Glass Reticle on the First Focal Airplane
“Christmas Tree” Reticle to Account for Altering Windage and Elevation
Reticle Magnifies Together with the Goal
1-8×24 SFP
Glass-etched and Illuminated BDC Reticle
1-8X Magnification of Your Goal, Not the Reticle
Eleven Adjustable Brightness Ranges
Add a 30mm Guardian Mount for a Discounted Value
You might surprise what SFP and FFP imply. They stand for the second focal airplane and the primary focal airplane. That is associated to the reticle’s place throughout the scope. SFP scopes have a reticle that continues to be fixed in measurement whatever the scope’s zoom magnification; it stays the identical measurement whether or not you’re zoomed in all the way in which or out.
FFP scopes have their reticle in entrance of the magnification lens, so the reticle “grows” as you zoom in. Every sort of scope has benefits. The FFP scopes are typically useful when capturing longer distances, because the stadia (or BDC) hash marks on the reticle enlarge when zoomed in, making them simpler to see. Plus, the mark’s subtensions stay fixed regardless of how a lot they “develop” throughout zooming.
SFP scopes have reticles that keep the identical measurement all through the zoom vary, which could work higher at nearer ranges, reminiscent of your deer woods or different mid-range environments. Most less-expensive scopes are SFP, as they’re cheaper to construct. Not everybody wants FFP, however it’s value its value if that’s what you want.
At the least right here, you’ve gotten a selection.
Because the photographs present, we mounted the scope on one among our sons’ ARs. With out going into element, suffice it to say that it labored effective.
Different Issues
Gideon additionally sells an assortment of scope lens covers, purple dot mounting plates, and scope mounts on their Equipment web page. I just like the mount that got here with the LPVO… it’s an offset, cantilever design that stays out of the way in which whereas permitting the scope to be mounted ahead.
Summing Up
As I discussed earlier, there are quite a few optics firms obtainable. Should you’re new to the sport, how have you learnt what to purchase? With out some stable expertise, you would possibly get confused by all of the claims. Right here, with Gideon Optics, we’ve got an organization that (though comparatively new) has earned its share of five-star opinions for its merchandise. They’re attempting to reside as much as what they are saying on their About Us web page:
Superior firearms optics don’t assist anybody in the event that they’re not on the gun, and we wish each gun proprietor to have the ability to shoot higher. That’s why we work so exhausting to maintain our costs inexpensive. We might cost extra, however we’d fairly see our sights and scopes doing their job for glad hobbyists, professionals, and first responders who’re proud to have a gun they will rely on, spherical after spherical. Our firearms equipment aren’t meant to sit down on retailer cabinets or be caught in a protected.
A good-quality purple dot or scope at an excellent worth isn’t simple to search out, however a minimum of now you’ve gotten a place to begin. They’re progressive… one among their packages permits you $50 when you commerce in your outdated optic. Additionally, when you’re in search of reward concepts for that shooter, Gideon sells digital reward playing cards… what an awesome concept! Test them out if you get the prospect… they promote great things at an inexpensive worth.
