Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
The current king of the red dot optic is Aimpoint. Aimpoint produced the first modern red dot in 1975 and since then has been the king of red dots. Their numerous contracts with police and military units ensured the Aimpoint series are well proven and reliable. They’ve mastered the art of the red dot, and today we are looking at the Aimpoint TL with a 4 MOA red dot.
Aimpoint makes great optics, and when I saw the Aimpoint brand I knew that I had a good optic. The question is, in a crowded field of red dots, do the Aimpoint series still stand out? Are they still worth that premium price point?
Table of contents
What’s the Aimpoint TL?
I know what you’re thinking. What the hell is the Aimpoint TL? I had never heard of this model, and a quick google search doesn’t show much information on the optic. It’s part of the Micro series and is super light and very small. Not pistol small, but with the mount and battery, it weighs only 4.1 ounces. It’s 2.7 inches long, 1.7 inches wide, and 1.8 inches tall.
So what is this optic? Well, it seems to be a European variant of the Aimpoint H-1. Like the H-1, the TL is mini-sized, lacks night vision settings, and provides 50K hours of battery life. Aimpoint mastered the ability to make batteries last for years and years without the need for solar panels or weird charging gimmicks.
The TL also uses the bigger 4 MOA dot. That 4 MOA dot isn’t the most precise option for a rifle but works perfectly for shotguns, subguns, and similar close-quarter’s weapons. The TL sports a low mount system aimed less at AR 15 style rifles and more on traditional designs. The TL utilizes a B&T style throw lever to make attaching and detaching it quite quick.
The Aimpoint Tl doesn’t seem to be a normal item to be imported to the states but seems to be affordable when they pop up. Especially when you consider the QD mount. When they are in stock, the retail price seems to be less than 500 bucks, which makes them a fair bit cheaper than the American equivalent H-1 red dot sight.
Like the H-1, the TL utilizes a single CR2032 battery and comes with bikini lens covers and the same layout.
Strapping it Down
That B&T throw lever is pretty freaking sweet. It’s crisp, moves easily, but locks down quite tightly. A small tab locks it down, and the lever can’t be tossed until that tab is pressed inwards. The lever is very small and sits along the bottom of the optic very nicely. I’m impressed, and the fact it’s included on what’s essentially the best budget, Aimpoint is impressive.
Since it has a B&T throw lever, a 4 MOA dot, and a low mount, I knew which gun would be perfect, the APC9K. This little 9mm subgun is the perfect host for the Aimpoint Tl. It benefits from speed, and a 4 MOA dot is easy to see and get on target. As a 9mm, it’s not a long-range firearm that needs a 2 MOA dot for precision use. Also, B&T is Swiss, and so is Aimpoint, so it looked like a match made in heaven.
Plus, I needed to review the APC9K anyway and figured I’d save some ammo doing both at once. With the optic installed, I hit the range and got a supported position to being my zero.
Get With the Zero, Hero
Zeroing is interesting. The caps on the capped turret have two little posts that jam into two little holes in the turrets. You can then make your adjustments. The posts fit tightly into the holes and can remain here the entire zeroing process. It’s a neat way to always have a tool to make adjustments. However, if you lose a cap, you can’t just use the rim of a cartridge to make adjustments. In fact, you can’t make adjustments without the caps or the Aimpoint orange tool.
Adjustments are ½ MOA per click, and each click is tactile and audible. They are crisp and clean. I find the adjustments to be dead on the measurement when using a zeroing target with inch-sized squares. Once zeroed, the real fun began.
Shots Fired
Right off the bat, I noticed two things. First, the view through the optic is quite clear and unobstructed. Clarity from side to side remains consistent with only a slight blue tint. Second, the 4 MOA dot is very crisp and very clear and it doesn’t like starburst or glimmer. It’s a little dot, and that’s it.
The view around the optic is unobstructed and clear, allowing for good peripheral vision. To adjust the Aimpoint Tl’s brightness, you have to spin a dial. Not my favorite form of adjustment, but it’s the smoothest adjustment dial I’ve ever used. You have 12 daylight brightness settings, and it gets brighter than I need it to on a sunny Florida day.
The dot is very easy to track due to its size, and moving from target to target rapidly isn’t an issue. There is no detectable stuttering as you swing the gun and Aimpoint TL from one target to another.
To test the optic’s general durability and performance, I temporarily mounted it to a pump-action shotgun. I just wanted to see if the optic flickered during high recoil, a problem indicative of poor battery connection. I pump out five rounds of full-powered buckshot, followed by another five rounds. The dot stayed on, and no issues were found due to recoil. In all honesty, I’ve become a fan of the Aimpoint TL on my shotgun. It might make the jump sometime soon.
Yay or Nay?
If you want an Aimpoint without paying the typical Aimpoint price, then the Aimpoint TL is for you. Of course, it might be tough to track one down, but if you keep your eyes open, they pop up every now and then. It’s a robust, clear, and consistent optic that’s perfect for subguns and shotguns of all types. Plus, that awesome B&T mount and throw lever are well worth mentioning. If you want to see red, then the Aimpoint TL might seal the deal for you.
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