SIG’s optics division often floats under the radar but produces some absolutely fantastic products, from the budget-friendly Romeo5 series to the 9T, which costs as much as a used Civic. One of their latest optics brings us a fascinating piece of tech. The SIG Romeo 8T-AMR is giving us an optic designed to provide increased functionality when used with a magnifier.
The Romeo 8T-AMR is a big, square-shaped optic aimed at the modern rifle. The 8T series is known for its size and square shape, and with the 8T-AMR, things have gotten a fair bit smaller overall, but it’s still got a nice-sized window. What this thing does when a magnifier flips over is what counts.
The 8T-AMR and Magnifiers
The 8T-AMR can change its brightness level and reticle when you slide a magnifier in place behind the red dot. If you’ve never used a magnifier with a red dot, you’ll be surprised when you throw one in place, and your sight becomes crazy bright, making your target difficult to see.
When you slap your magnifier in place, the optic can be set to reduce the brightness to a user-selectable level. You could also increase the brightness, but that’d be a bit silly overall. Additionally, the optic has four reticles. We have a 1 MOA dot, a 1 MOA dot and circle, a 1 MOA dot with dot holdovers, and a circle, 1 MOA dot, and holdovers.
You can program the 8T-AMR to swap to a different reticle to work with the magnifier. Maybe you want the dot and circle for use without the magnifier. It provides a quick, easy-to-see reticle for close-range use. Fill the circle with the target and let it fly. When you throw the magnifier in place, the reticle can swap to a 1 MOA dot to provide a cleaner aiming reticle.
I’d use the circle and dot at 1X and the 1 MOA dot with the .7 MOA holdovers with the reticle. The holdovers would allow for quick and easy adjustments when you need to fire at longer ranges. If you’re using a magnifier, you’re likely shooting at extended ranges, and the holdovers could be handy.
Which Magnifier?
You’re not stuck with one magnifier. In fact, you can use any magnifier with the 8T-AMR. SIG would like you to use Juliet3, which is likely the best option, considering how SIG will offer the 8T-AMR as a package deal to save some money. However, if you’re looking for something different, it’s compatible.
Shooting With the 8T-AMR
I got to throw a fair bit of lead downrange with the 8T-AMR on a SIG MCX SURG at our recent Athlon Outdoors Rendezvous, and I enjoyed it immensely. Switching between the magnified view and the non-magnified view and seeing the instant swap never got old. The dots are crisp, and the glass is clear with a slight blue notch filter.
Swapping between reticles and dots isn’t hard, and the SIG guys explained it to me as best they could. Sadly, it was a small shoot house with a lot of loud guns. It seems easy, but I’ll follow the manual for my first few attempts.
SIG has a brilliant idea with the 8T-AMR, and I can’t wait to get a little more time behind the platform and figure out exactly how the magic works, identify its strengths, and suss out any potential problems. With SIG’s optics being not just a trendsetter but a standard bearer, I don’t think I’ll do much of the latter.
