A review of the XM-157

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5YWXrZdNpA

Interesting that it uses a full 'Christmas tree' reticle, which is something I'd more associate with a DMR.

gatnerd said:

Interesting that it uses a full 'Christmas tree' reticle, which is something I'd more associate with a DMR.

Performance-wise, the XM5 is a DMR!

It certainly is; frankly its well above most DMRs and approaching the type of range we'd associate with a .300 Win Mag sniper rifle of the past. 

The real question will be whether this game changing scope and ballistics are paired with the much less flashy but crucial bit of the DMR equation - a bipod. Or will they be firing a 1200m weapon monopoded off a magazine?

...

I just wonder whether the christmas tree reticle may prove a bit 'busy' visually for the average joe, compared to the much more simplified reticle of an ACOG, or the Steiner ICS, the later of which is basically like a hunting scope/red dot hybrid reticle. 

I'm not a fan of the super thick crosshair, but something more clean perhaps. I like how most of the field of view is crisp and unobstructed for better situational awareness / 'scoping out' the area. I feel the XMAS tree may end up obscuring parts of the terrain. 

EmericD said:

A review of the XM-157

So got more time to watch the video. The ability to save multiple target (25:30) distances (up to 10 targets all ranged), and then the ability for the scope to somehow automatically transition to those, was really fascinating.

gatnerd said:

The real question will be whether this game changing scope and ballistics are paired with the much less flashy but crucial bit of the DMR equation - a bipod.

Just as the M110A1 has a bipod, I'd expect that a DMR version of the XM5 would also be so equipped.

gatnerd said:

I just wonder whether the christmas tree reticle may prove a bit 'busy' visually for the average joe, compared to the much more simplified reticle of an ACOG, or the Steiner ICS, the later of which is basically like a hunting scope/red dot hybrid reticle.

The reticle is in the first focal plan and is designed to be seen at 8x power, I think that reducing the power to 6x or 4x will just make the "christmas tree" invisible.

Steiner ICS is just old technology . Christmas tree is now almost standard in precision optics and having an etched Christmas tree means even if electronics fail you still have normal and useable sight.

Tech widely available these days so its just a question of when most manufacturers start offering models with digital reticle options, 

YouTube

How to bring digital information to your scopes or night vision devices

https://www.lumineq.com/blog/webinar-recording-available-transparent-displays-for-optical-devicesHow you see the world determines what you see. With the righ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CVpyW39lqs

gatnerd said:

Interesting that it uses a full 'Christmas tree' reticle...

Thanks for posting this screenshot, since it shows the exact part of the demonstration that I found interesting and curious.

Notice that the distance is 568 yards.  This seems rather curious, as I would expect both reticle and ranging to be in meters.

Also, although range is given as 568 yards, the FCS places the illuminated aiming point precisely on the 500-yard crosshairs.

Wouldn't that result in the bullet hitting well below the point of aim?

stancrist said:

Wouldn't that result in the bullet hitting well below the point of aim?

I'm not sure by how much. I forgot to note down what the estimated G7 is for the 135gr projectile, so cant put it in a ballistics calculator to see how much.

From the video, he had no problem transitioning bang bang bang from 300 to 600 yards across the saved targets, so the calculations are clearly within torso levels of drop.