Review of the Aimpoint 3x Magnifier

Followers of ThruMyLens know I’m a big fan of the Aimpoint PRO red dot optic.  As much as I love the Aimpoint PRO, it is limited by the fact that it’s an unmagnified optic.   Now, young Marines going for their Marksman qualification have to shoot at 500 yards with nothing but iron sites.  Of course, I’m neither young nor a Marine, but I’ve only ever shot out to 200 yards without magnification.  Truth be told I don’t really care for shooting past 50 yards without magnification.  That’s where the Aimpoint 3XMag Magnifying Module comes into play:

As the name suggests, the Aimpoint 3X Magnifier gives a three power magnified view, or magnifies by a factor of three.  So theoretically speaking, an object viewed through the Aimpoint 3x Magnifier will look the same as an object only 25 yards away from your position.  The 3x power magnification is fixed and cannot be adjusted.

The Aimpoint 3x Magnifier is designed to be completely compatible with Aimpoint’s other red dot optics, like the Aimpoint PRO.  Here’s a couple of photos of my Colt 6490P with an Aimpoint PRO red dot optic mounted in the forward position, and the Aimpoint 3x Magnifier mounted behind it:

The Aimpoint 3X magnifier can be ordered with a choice of mounts, but Aimpoint makes a fantastic “twist mount” which makes removing the 3X Magnifier for close quarters combat quick and easy – just press the release button, twist the magnifier counter clockwise, and lift up to remove the unit:

The mount adds a lot of flexibility – the 3x Magnifier does add some weight, and can potentially block access to the rear site (depending on how you have it mounted).  So the ability to quickly and easily remove and replace the 3X Magnifier is a great benefit that the twist-off mount provides.

So how much actual help is the 3X Magnifier?  This will vary a bit by person, but for me, it’s not about shooting further – I can be combat accurate out to 200 yards without it.  For me, the 3X magnifier makes shooting from 100 to 200 yards easier, more accurate, with faster target acquisition.  Whatever your ceiling is for shooting range, the 3x Magnifier should extend it considerably.  At 50 yards, I don’t think the 3X Magnifier helps – it’s out past 50 yards where you really see the difference in your groups.

Unfortunately, rifle optics are not cheap – in many cases optics costs can equal or exceed the price of the rifle they’re mounted to.  Amazon however can save you a few bucks on the Aimpoint 3XMag Magnifying Module.  You can also click here to see their discounted price on the Aimpoint Twist Mount Base.