Tarr thinks Trijicon’s fiber optic and tritium-powered 1-4X TR24 scope is the best buy for the money on the market, specifically with the unusual triangle post reticle.
May 06, 2022
By James Tarr, Handguns Editor
The 1-4X Trijicon AccuPoint TR24 is one of the granddaddies of modern LPVOs, low-power variable optics (Trijicon.com ). Back before somebody coined the term LPVO, it and the Schmidt and Bender Short Dot were the two most highly regarded LPVOs by both competition 3-gun shooters and those Special Forces troops who had discovered the value of a variable power optic, with a bottom end at or near 1X, on their duty rifle.
Trijicon’s AccuPoint Scopes have reticles that are illuminated by fiber optics during the day, and tritium in low light. In an era of 1-6X, 1-8X, and 1-10X scopes this model has been forgotten or overlooked by many, but Trijicon is still making them. Perhaps because it is “only” a 1-4X scope, it has been reduced in price; currently the MSRP of the TR24 is just $1,099, and you can find them for sale from many online retailers for $800 or less. I believe that this scope, specifically with the triangle post reticle, is the best value for the price on the market. This reticle choice is actually somewhat controversial, but before I dive into why you want it, let’s go over the scope specs:
An illustration of the triangle post reticle found in the TR24. The triangle is 16 MOA wide/tall at 1X, which means you can use it like a red dot. The tip of the triangle allows for precision out to the limits of the 4X magnification. The scope has a 30mm tube, is 10.3 inches long, and weighs 14.4 ounces. It has capped turrets, with ¼ MOA clicks. It is submersible to three meters. It is available with two different types of illuminated reticles, a German #4 crosshair with a 1 MOA dot in the center, and a triangle post. Both reticles are available in three different color illumination, amber, green, and red. The glass is good, with no tint or fisheye effect at 1X.
The illumination is powered by fiber optics when there is ambient light, and tritium when there is not. The fiber optic cords are located at the forward end of the eyepiece, just behind the magnification adjustment ring. And the fiber optic illumination is bright—the triangle is as bright as a battery-powered red dot outside on a cloudy day, and in direct sunlight it might even be too bright, even if you’re wearing sunglasses, which is why the scope is equipped with a rotating cover you can use to dim the illumination. With the cover all the way closed the triangle is black, so you always have a reticle. Fiber optic illumination means there are no batteries to die, and no electronics to break.
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You have your choice of three colors of triangle from Trijicon, amber, green, and red. Tarr prefers red as it is more familiar. The fiber optic collector is so effective the triangle reticle glows as bright as a battery-powered dot even on a cloudy day. Trijicon says eye relief on this scope is 3.2-inches, but that’s only part of the story. The eyebox on this scope is just absolutely massive, and you can use the scope, and the reticle, from 1.5-inches close all the way to nearly 12 inches out. It had the largest eyebox of any scope on the market at the time of its introduction. It is very forgiving when running the scope at speed. If you can see the reticle at all, you can use it. And that’s where the brilliant simplicity of the triangle post reticle comes in.
Trijicon’s TR24 is has a similar size and weight to other LPVOs on the market. Officially the eye relief is 3.2 inches, but the usable eyebox is huge. This reticle sits an illuminated triangle atop a thick black (non-illuminated) post. This is a second focal plane scope, the post and triangle are the same size relative to your eye at all magnifications. At 4X, the equilateral triangle is 4.2 MOA tall and wide (at the base). That means that at 1X, the triangle is 16.8 MOA tall/wide. If that seems huge to you, that’s the point.
At 1X, inside 50 yards, you can use the triangle at speed much as you would a (large) red dot, shooting with both eyes open. Far easier than any type of traditional rifle reticle. If you want more precision, or are shooting at distance, use the tip of the triangle.
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The capped turrets reveal simple ¼ MOA click adjustments. That’s really all you need for a 1-4X—zero it and forget it. People either love this reticle or hate it. Traditional rifle shooters hate it, because it impairs your ability to use holdover, like you could with a traditional reticle. This isn’t a deal breaker for me, for two reasons: First, because the post isn’t a post, it’s two posts. Yes, they’re close together, but you can see daylight underneath the triangle, so you do have some holdover ability. Second, unless you’re shooting beyond 300 yards, you don’t need holdover, not when shooting a .223/5.56. Zero your rifle at 50 yards and the rounds will hit within a couple of inches of that point-of-aim out to 200 or 250 yards, depending on what ammo you’re using. At 300 yards it will be just a few inches low. Beyond that you can use the bottom of the triangle between the posts to aim (that’s a rough 400-450-yard zero), although it’s not as quick or easy.
But so what? This is not a scope meant for extreme distance, and whether you’re looking to buy it for 3-gunning or defensive use, are you really going to have a shot past 300 yards? The longest shot in my neighborhood is 250 yards, and that’s if I climb up onto my roof (NOTE: Firearms News does not recommend climbing up onto your roof with a rifle). Most police officers are only trained to use their rifles to 50 yards, as anything past that would be hard to classify as a “defensive use of a firearm”. For urban distances, this reticle is as quick and instinctive to use as anything else, while the tip of the triangle provides all the precision you’ll need at any realistic defensive distance.
The only weakness of the scope is a power adjustment ring that has a low profile and isn’t easy to turn. The MGM Switchview as seen here clamps on and fixes that problem. Giant dot (triangle), bright illumination, hugely forgiving eyebox, and the ability to crank the scope up to 4X and identify/engage distant targets? Is there any wonder why this scope was so popular?
My only real complaint is the rubberized power adjustment ring. It is stiff and has a low profile, and as such it is not quick or easy to manipulate. But there is a solution, that a lot of 3-gunners adopted—the MGM Switchview, an extended aluminum lever that clamps securely onto the ring. It completes this scope.
Trijicon’s TR24 is a forgotten gem that not only is still available, but it’s as inexpensive as it ever has been.
The fiber optic collector is so effective, outside on a sunny day the reticle might be too bright—so the scope comes with a rotating cover that can “turn down” the illumination. If you have any thoughts or comments on this article, we’d love to hear them. Email us at FirearmsNews@Outdoorsg.com .
About the Author:
James Tarr is a longtime contributor to Firearms News and other firearms publications. He is also the author of several books, including CARNIVORE , which was featured on The O’Reilly Factor . His current best-selling novel, Dogsoldiers , is available now through Amazon.
