We first took a look at the Trinity Force P4 Sniper optic back in July, 2014. While we liked it, especially for the price, there were a few things that could use some improvement.
Trinity Force sent us out an updated optic (with a different reticle) that has few updates. I wish this optic had the same reticle, but, part of the improvement is the new reticle has cleaner illumination… More on that shortly.
Reticle
One of the issues with the older P4 was that the illumination was not consistent throughout the reticle. In the new reticle, the illumination is much more consistent, but also a fair amount brighter.
The reticle definitely has more going on with it, it is noted as the “range finder” reticle… But there doesn’t seem to be any information on how you would do any type of range finding with it. I would consider it more along the lines of bullet drop compensation reticle, but, I don’t know how useful they will be there either.
The brighter reticle is probably, in part, due to the fact that there is a lot more reticle in the optic. But, it is definitely brighter overall… The downside to this is that in low light situations, even on the lowest of the settings, you get a fair amount of ghosting in the optic tube. For most people this wont be an issue, but if you are planning to do any low-light shooting, it’s worth noting. It wont keep you from being able to shoot but it is noticeable.
It’s hard to tell from the picture above, but the illumination on the new range finder reticle is a little more uniform than the older reticle. You’ll have to decide if you like the new reticle though.
Turrets
Another thing that was improved a bit is the turrets; the hash marks seem to align just a touch better (still not perfect though) and are more responsive. Hopefully this quality improvement will be in all of the production models, not just in the sample we received. But it gives the turrets a greatly improved feel and thus makes adjusting that much easier.
I still wish the hash marks lined up better, my OCD side HATES when things like that don’t line up correctly. But, it’s probably not a sticking point for the basic user… But if you make frequent optic adjustments for different ranges, etc. It will get annoying, really annoying.
Another nice change is that the illumination turret is now color coded. So the red brightness settings are red, the green are green and the blue are blue. This is really nice if you are trying to figure out what color you are adjusting to. Personally I don’t really use much in the way of illumination for most things like this, but if you like to play with the illumination, it’ll take some of the guess and check out of it.
Adjustments
As we mentioned earlier the turrets seem to be a little cleaned up on the newer models. One of the cleanups is the indexing of the turrets.
They seem to click with more authority than the older models, making the feel of the turret better. It’s also much easier to feel when an adjustment is being made. This is a great help when wearing gloves.
Optical Clarity
The clarity of the P4, as we mentioned in the previous review, is pretty darn good for the price point. It’s better than some, not as good as others. But overall, I don’t think anyone would be disappointed in the quality for the price.
It doesn’t appear that there are any major improvements in the glass quality over the older models… My guess is that it’s the same glass as the other models.
Red-Dot
The red-dot included in the package is more or less the same… It has some extra markings on it (Trinity Force logo on the front), but that is it.
It’s not what I would call a good red-dot. But it will work for the hobbyist. If you think you might bang your rifle into something hard or otherwise “use” the red-dot, I would look into something else.
Quick Release Latch
Another feature that was improved with the new model is the quick release latch. On the old model the latch stuck out a bit and was easy to catch on things. The new model helps eliminate some of this by being more compact and when closed leaves a much smaller gap between the latch and the mount.
Below is a picture of the new latch in the closed position. On the old latch, the release lever (with no lock) stuck out about ¼” further so it caught on everything!
Overall
The updates on the Trinity Force P4 are definitely nice, they more or less polish off an already nice optic. If I had an old P4, none of these updates would make me want to go out and purchase a newer one (with exception to maybe the latch change), but, if you are looking for a low price optic, they are a decent option.
Ratings (out of 5 stars)
My original ratings still stand. This is a good optic for the price.
Durability: * * *
The P4 optic is not designed to be bullet proof, but for the price point, it will hold it’s own. It’s sturdy and will last under normal use. The Red Dot on the other hand is a lower quality item and will not withstand a beating.
Usability: * * *
The P4 optic, with it’s 3x to 9x magnification will work well for any smaller caliber rifle, .223, .22LR, etc. at ranges from 25 yds to 100+ yds. Also with the included red dot, you will have the added ability to easily shoot at closer ranges. The only downside is that I would not recommend the red dot for any high impact situations (like training classes).
Value: * * * *
At the price point of $135, the P4 package is a good entry level package for the shooter that just wants to get out to the range and send some rounds down range.
Overall: * * * ½
The P4 is a good low cost optic. For $135 you can get a rifle out and put some rounds down range. It’s not something that is designed to be beaten up or taken to high impact training. But for the occasional shooter, this optic will workout just fine. If you think you are going to be a little more on the rough side with your rifle or are planning to take it to a tactical training class, you may want to look into something that will take more of a beating… You don’t have to spend $700, but in the $200 price range you can get some good red dot or similar optics.
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