LVPO or Low Power Variable Optics are an excellent compromise between the speed of a red dot and the magnification of a scope. LVPO scopes offer nearly as fast of target acquisition as that of a red dot at close to medium distances and provide precision at much longer distances like a high magnification riflescope. An LVPO just might be the ideal all-around optic for an AR15-style rifle.
What is an LPVO?
The Low Power in LVPO is a clue. These scopes offer low magnification. On the low end, at a true 1x power, there is no magnification. The magnification power range for an LPVO ranges from 4x, 6x, or 8x sometimes 10x, depending on the scope manufacturer. The real sweet spot, in my opinion, is an LVPO with a 1-6x power range. That power range is comparatively low compared to scopes used for hunting and long-range shooting, but it is a compromise in a good way. It’s an ideal truck gun set up capable of fast, close-range shooting and going the distance out to mid-range targets. An LVPO is perhaps the most versatile scope you can mount to an AR.
The LPVO Is Born
LPVOs have been used on hunting rifles since the 1920’s. Low-power scopes are used for hunting dangerous game. A low-power optic ensures fast target acquisition and that’s important especially if a cape buffalo is determined to stomp you into pudding. In heavily wooded areas, the low power and variable magnification is a near-perfect hunting setup. With the optic set on 1x, I have jumped bucks easily making fast shots. When I’m in a stand at the edge of an open field, the variable power is enough to spot and count the tines and then decide whether or not to make the shot or pass. For me an LVPO has become my go-to scope.
Military Optics
The military application arose in the early 1990s with Special Forces teams who needed a scope that offered more precise aiming past 100 yards yet allowed the operator to use the optic at close range. Back then Special Forces operators had either low-power fixed scopes or variable, high-power scopes. Neither of which was well suited for the close to medium-range distances they encountered. The LVPO was just the ticket.
The Army has purchased LVPO scopes—they call them DVO or Direct View Optic—for M4A1 carbines enabling soldiers to engage enemy fighters out to 600 meters with good accuracy. Perhaps the Army said it best in the DVO solicitation: “Variable power magnification optics combine the capabilities of the non-magnified optic’s ability to engage close quarter targets with a fixed-magnification optic’s ability to detect, recognize, identify, and precisely engage targets at extended ranges.” That sounds just about right.
LVPO Choice Of 3-Gunners
Not only military and hunting applications, but sport shooting is a good gauge of what works and what doesn’t. 3-Gun competition jump-started LPVO development to where it is today. Back in the 1990s, the 3-Gun sport was heating up. In 3-Gun a competitor needs to be able to transition from a close target to a distant target on the fly. Time is not your friend in 3-Gun, and LVPO scopes are ideal for targets a few yards away or at extended ranges and in between. Look at 3-Gun rifles and you’ll see AR15s mounted with LPVO optics.
LVPO Features
Several optic manufacturers are building LPVO scopes with prices ranging from inexpensive to models that give you sticker shock. Features typically found on an LVPO are an illuminated, ballistic reticle, capped turrets, and an easy-to-rotate magnification ring. The reticles offer dynamic compensation in place of cranking turrets. Many reticles are calibrated to AR calibers like 5.56/.223, 300 BLK, and .308 Win. Both SFP and FFP models are available, depending on your preference. Many have big power rings that are grippy and easy to rotate while others feature an extended throw lever to rapidly increase or decrease magnification. One-piece mounts are the norm for AR-style rifles.
Deciding On An Optic
Here’s the conundrum: Should you get a red dot or an LVPO? Red dot optics offer excellent close to medium-range target acquisition on an AR15. Red dots are fast, and if it’s fast, close target shooting you want, then a red dot optic is the logical choice. When red dots tend to stumble and become a liability is at long-distance shots.
Depending on the MOA of your dot you can obscure your target making it difficult for a precision shot. Place a 6 MOA red dot on a prairie dog at 75 yards and you might not even see the tiny critter. Place it on a coyote at 100 yards and the dot can cover a lot of targets. High-power magnification scopes on an AR are the obvious choice for shooting long-range. Scopes offer magnification for better target identification and reticles that offer precise shot placement. At close range, however, a high magnification scope is a liability since it reduces the field of view.
Red Dots
A red dot has a smaller footprint and is lightweight. Some instantly turn on when motion is detected, making them always ready without fumbling a power button. If you want speed at close range, then a red dot is the obvious choice. A red dot matched up with a magnifier is also an option. In this type of setup, the magnifier can be flipped away from the red dot for closer engagements and flipped back to pair it up with the red dot for targets at longer distances.
Red dots have a lot of checkmarks in the Pros column. They also have some in the Cons column. When the battery dies the reticle is gone. There is nothing to aim with. An LVPO always has a reticle. LPVO scopes come with traditional reticles and many illuminate like a red dot. Those with an illuminated reticle work the same way as a red dot, but if the battery croaks in an LPVO, the illumination goes but you still have the reticle.
Also on the Pros side with some LPVOs are ballistic calibrated reticles that allow you to instantly compensate for wind or elevation. Some red dots do have ranging and ballistic trajectory compensation, but again no battery, no reticle. There is no parallax with most red dots or holographic sights. This means the dot can be anywhere in the optic window and the shot will hit whatever the dot is placed on. Parallax can be an issue with some inexpensive LVPO scopes. Better quality LVPOs have parallax adjustment. The main drawback of an LVPO is its size and weight. It is gargantuan compared to some red dots.
LVPO Versatility
There is no wrong choice between a red dot or LVPO, you just need to match the optic to your need. I prefer a 1-6x power LVPO with a 30mm tube and FFP reticle that illuminates at the center and offers a smorgasbord of aiming points. It is nearly as fast as a red dot, and I shoot with both my eyes open. I also like the ability to rest the rifle and increase the magnification to take a long-distance shot. That’s versatility. If you want more versatility in your optic, choose an LVPO.
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