Aimpoint CompM4
Encyclopedia
The Aimpoint CompM4 is a non-magnified red dot
style gun sight
adopted by the U.S. military
. It is produced by the Swedish
company Aimpoint AB
and is the successor to the earlier Aimpoint CompM2
.
that uses a red light-emitting diode
(LED) at the focus of a mirror type optical collimator to produce an aligned red aiming spot (what is commonly called a red dot sight
). There are a total of 16 brightness settings for the LED, the lower 7 intended for use with night vision devices and the upper 9 for daylight. The CompM4 is powered by a standard AA battery, and the manufacturer claims that the sight will run continuously for 8 years on a single battery, in its 10th brightness setting.
Reflector sights have unlimited eye relief, meaning that the user may place his eye at any distance from the sight and the reticle will remain visible. This allows flexibility in mounting and shooting position. The CompM4 uses Aimpoints "parallax-free" optical correction system, meaning there is minimal induced optical error that would shift the point of aim relative to the sight's optical axis
as the user's eye moves off-center in relation to the sight. The sight itself is parallax
-free at around 50 yards, meaning that the red dot will not change position relative to the target based on eye position at that range. As in other reflector sight
s, the point of aim will change position based on eye position at other ranges with the maximum error being equal to the diameter of the sight's optical window at short range.
Red dot sight
A red dot sight is a common classification for a type of non-magnifying reflector sight for firearms that gives the user an aimpoint in the form of an illuminated red dot...
style gun sight
Sight (device)
A sight is a device used to assist aligning or aim weapons, surveying instruments, or other items by eye. Sights can be a simple set or system of markers that have to be aligned together as well as aligned with the target...
adopted by the U.S. military
Military of the United States
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
. It is produced by the Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
company Aimpoint AB
Aimpoint AB
Aimpoint AB is a Swedish optics company manufacturing red dot sights for civilian, police and military use. The most popular model is the CompM2 , currently used by numerous armed forces around the world.- Company :...
and is the successor to the earlier Aimpoint CompM2
Aimpoint CompM2
The CompM2 is a battery powered non-magnifying red dot type of reflex sight for firearms manufactured by Aimpoint AB. In the U.S. military, it is designated M68 Close Combat Optic and is also known as M68 Aimpoint and is designed to meet United States military standards...
.
Overview
The Aimpoint CompM4 is a "tubed" style reflector (or reflex) sightReflector sight
A reflector or reflex sight is a generally non-magnifying optical device that allows the user to look through a partially reflecting glass element and see an illuminated projection of an aiming point or some other image superimposed on the field of view...
that uses a red light-emitting diode
Light-emitting diode
A light-emitting diode is a semiconductor light source. LEDs are used as indicator lamps in many devices and are increasingly used for other lighting...
(LED) at the focus of a mirror type optical collimator to produce an aligned red aiming spot (what is commonly called a red dot sight
Red dot sight
A red dot sight is a common classification for a type of non-magnifying reflector sight for firearms that gives the user an aimpoint in the form of an illuminated red dot...
). There are a total of 16 brightness settings for the LED, the lower 7 intended for use with night vision devices and the upper 9 for daylight. The CompM4 is powered by a standard AA battery, and the manufacturer claims that the sight will run continuously for 8 years on a single battery, in its 10th brightness setting.
Reflector sights have unlimited eye relief, meaning that the user may place his eye at any distance from the sight and the reticle will remain visible. This allows flexibility in mounting and shooting position. The CompM4 uses Aimpoints "parallax-free" optical correction system, meaning there is minimal induced optical error that would shift the point of aim relative to the sight's optical axis
Optical axis
An optical axis is a line along which there is some degree of rotational symmetry in an optical system such as a camera lens or microscope.The optical axis is an imaginary line that defines the path along which light propagates through the system...
as the user's eye moves off-center in relation to the sight. The sight itself is parallax
Parallax
Parallax is a displacement or difference in the apparent position of an object viewed along two different lines of sight, and is measured by the angle or semi-angle of inclination between those two lines. The term is derived from the Greek παράλλαξις , meaning "alteration"...
-free at around 50 yards, meaning that the red dot will not change position relative to the target based on eye position at that range. As in other reflector sight
Reflector sight
A reflector or reflex sight is a generally non-magnifying optical device that allows the user to look through a partially reflecting glass element and see an illuminated projection of an aiming point or some other image superimposed on the field of view...
s, the point of aim will change position based on eye position at other ranges with the maximum error being equal to the diameter of the sight's optical window at short range.
Dimensions
- Length: 120 mm1 E-3 mTo help compare different orders of magnitude this page lists lengths between 10−3 m and 10−2 m .Distances shorter than 1 mm* 1.0 mm — 1/1000 of a metre* 1.0 mm — 0.03937 inches or 5/127...
(4.7 in) - Width (sight only): 53 mm (2.1 in)
- Height (sight only): 60 mm (2.4 in)
- Width (including mount): 72 mm (2.8 in)
- Height (including mount): 72 mm (2.8 in)
- Mounting ring width: none (does not have mounting ring)
- Weight (sight only): 265 gGramThe gram is a metric system unit of mass....
(9.3 ozOunceThe ounce is a unit of mass with several definitions, the most commonly used of which are equal to approximately 28 grams. The ounce is used in a number of different systems, including various systems of mass that form part of the imperial and United States customary systems...
) - Weight (including mount): 335 g (11.8 oz)