Protecting Your Optics

[Liam1992]

Evening all,

 

Just wondering what the concensus was on protecting your optic lenses from being shot out, is there a purpose made item out there for sale (to fit a RIS rail, in this instance) or, and these are always my favourite, what crazy, custom goodness have you guys come up with to protect them?

[Leader Bee]

there's always these, Liam:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Huntiger-Scope-Foldable-Protector-Sports/dp/B07GFKDRW9/ref=sr_1_8?dchild=1&keywords=airsoft+optics+shield&qid=1597164152&sr=8-8

[Skara]

Three options.

 

Option no. 1: buy one of these ugly pieces of shit https://it.aliexpress.com/item/32812611861.html legit vomit inducing.

 

Option no. 2 (the more sensible one): buy a bit of lexan or polycarbonate, cut a disk the same size of the internal diametre of the optic's tube (measure the front lens of course), either pressure fit it or add tape.

 

Option no. 3 (what I'm doing): buy some killflash devices https://www.adorama.com/vorard35.html specific for your optic/lens diametre. They look cool, protect your optic, are cheap enough to be considered disposable and they kill any reflection that could give your position away.

[EDcase]

Better price https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Red-dots-protector-for-air-soft-sight-rifle-scope-transparents-bullet-proof-HFH4/154033142664?hash=item23dd173b88:g:JhYAAOSw9-hcivpx

[Albiscuit]

6 minutes ago, Skara said:

Three options.

 

 Four if you include just iron sights   

[Skara]

4 minutes ago, Albiscuit said:

 Four if you include just iron sights   

GoTtA bE OpOrUtOrRrR

[Smiling-Dutchman]

13 minutes ago, Skara said:

Option no. 1: buy one of these ugly pieces of shit https://it.aliexpress.com/item/32812611861.html legit vomit inducing.

 

I feel personally attacked.

 

Having said that, I only bought one of those until I have some time to do some private work on the workshop's lathe and make a plastic/aluminium holder for some custom polycarb discs.
 

[AlphaBear]

I use this  ASG one from Patrolbase. It's £7.99 and you get two shields and the protection area is pretty big.

 

https://www.patrolbase.co.uk/asg-lens-protection-for-picatinny-rail-with-2-extra-lens

 

Oh, it's out of stock... There's a surprise...

 

@Skara I've not thrown up yet using it... 😆

[ziCk_]

To be honest I’m surprised no one makes 3D printed mounts/adapters for lexan inserts. Like, how am I even supposed to protect Vortex UH-1 with flip out magnifier? 🤦‍♂️

[Adolf Hamster]

personally i don't because i like to live dangerously.

 

only 2 optics that have protectors are my nv scope and pso both of which came with skara's option 2 installed by their previous owers.

 

amazingly i've only had one optic in ten years get shot out catastrophically (as in unusable afterwards), part of this i attribute to my long distance playstyle.

 

there is also the argument that especially the higher end or real steel optics are more than likely up to the task of taking a bb hit without breaking.

[Skara]

Only one of my optics has a killflash and it's the one I got for free (Aim-O T1).

Never had an optic shot out but I've seen it happen a few times already.

 

I also mostly use iron sights, as they can't be shot out by BBs

 

Real optics are presumably more than capable of withstanding bbs to the face, but even if they don't, they usually have some pretty generous warranties (Vortex just to name one) so you'll most likely get it repaired or replaced for free.

 

As far as "mounts" go, even a piece of pvc pipe can do the trick, but yes, there are a few designs available for printing out there, and to be honest they aren't exactly hard to draw.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, ziCk_ said:

To be honest I’m surprised no one makes 3D printed mounts/adapters for lexan inserts. Like, how am I even supposed to protect Vortex UH-1 with flip out magnifier? 🤦‍♂️

you don’t, it has a lifetime unlimited warranty 

[RebelScum]

I'm glad this topic came up, so I can share something that worked for me.  I used to use one of the flip-up perspex screens, but aside from the aesthetics, during a long game in the field I had a tendency to forget to use it, making the whole thing pointless.

 

Anyway as a better solution I bought one of these on eBay :

 

Rifle Scope Lens

 

And then after measuring the inside diameter inserted a pre-cut perspex disc, also from eBay:

 

Acrylic Discs

 

Because of a lip on the inside of the scope lens, the disc sits snugly inside (see picture below).  I used a 28mm scope lens on my Theta optics red-dot sight with a 28mm disc.  I've used the same solution on my other scopes, given the variety of sizes the lenses come in.  Both were UK sellers, who dispatched quickly, plus you could save a few £ if you want to cut your own acrylic discs.

 

 

[Sneaky]

Kill flash all the way. In all my years of airsoft I have yet to have a smashed lens due to the kill flash taking the damage. Quick replacement and done! 
 

Now I have just typed this, I bet when I next go airsofting I will have a smashed optic! Lol.

[Rogerborg]

16 hours ago, Skara said:

Option no. 1: buy one of these ugly pieces of shit https://it.aliexpress.com/item/32812611861.html legit vomit inducing.

 

And then have it snap off, since it's secured right at the very edge of the polycarb.

 

 

16 hours ago, Skara said:

Option no. 2 (the more sensible one): buy a bit of lexan or polycarbonate, cut a disk the same size of the internal diametre of the optic's tube (measure the front lens of course), either pressure fit it or add tape.

 

That, really.  I put flat plates on the front of my red dots, either glued on or if there's enough metal there, drill and tap and bolt it on.

 

 

 

 

I've had a sight and camera lens shot out both in woodland and in CQB (one of each in each environment) so I don't take the risk any more.

 

 

 

[Ropeyshep]

Use a hole saw and guide to cut a lifetimes supply of polycarbonate discs and affix with a bit of tape. 
 

I like the tap into the front of a flat red dot idea, for some reason I’d always assumed there must be some mechanism or electronics in there that I’d destroy. 

[Rogerborg]

48 minutes ago, Ropeyshep said:

I like the tap into the front of a flat red dot idea, for some reason I’d always assumed there must be some mechanism or electronics in there that I’d destroy. 

 

Not on that style of sight, it's just solid Chinesium there.

[Ropeyshep]

10 hours ago, Rogerborg said:

 

Not on that style of sight, it's just solid Chinesium there.

We obviously watch some of the same YouTube vidjas 😂

[Rogerborg]

1 hour ago, Ropeyshep said:

We obviously watch some of the same YouTube vidjas 😂

 

Best comment in the doobly-doo so far.

[hitmanNo2]

AvE by any chance?

[Keldon]

If you want something a bit more durable than lexan you can use blue sapphire glass, stuff made for watches 

[Rogerborg]

1 hour ago, Keldon said:

If you want something a bit more durable than lexan

 

For airsoft use?  2mm of polycarbonate is good enough for your eyesight, I'd hope you value that more than a red dot.

[Smiling-Dutchman]

1 hour ago, Keldon said:

If you want something a bit more durable than lexan you can use blue sapphire glass, stuff made for watches 

I wouldn't trust sapphire glass. It has a good resistabce against scratches, but will break quite easily when dropped. If you get hit on the edge, or on an already existing crack, it'll shatter.

 

And it's also way more expensive than some polycarb.

[Tommikka]

11 minutes ago, Rogerborg said:

 

For airsoft use?  2mm of polycarbonate is good enough for your eyesight, I'd hope you value that more than a red dot.

I have two eyes,  but only one red dot*

 

 

(((* I’m lieing  - I have a few red dots)))

[heroshark]

I've done all sorts . I like the friction fit method. I have shit loads of scrap polycarbonate and mesh if any one needs it for these types of jobs. Another trick I've seen is gluing a bunch of black straws together an cutting into discs as a proper kill flash. You can paint them too.