REVIEW: Steiner Battle Optic Sight BOS 5x36

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Since 2008, the patent for the Trijicon ACOG (Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight) has expired. At first, there were few competitors, although the ACOG is quite expensive and difficult to obtain in Germany due to the Tritium used in it. The only one who dared to challenge the dominant player was Browe. However, they were not much cheaper and quite unimaginative with their version of the ACOG. But recently, so-called "Battle Sights" have been popping up like mushrooms, whether it's Burris with the AR-223 or Primary Arms as a low-budget version, even the recently established company Sig Optics is getting ready to launch the Sig Bravo 3/4/5. Steiner Military has already delighted us with excellent scopes and didn't hesitate to enter the Battle Sights sector. We were able to extensively test the Steiner BOS (Battle Optic Sight) 5×36 and present it to you today.

A scope is nice and essential for a sniper rifle. However, it is increasingly expected that the ordinary soldier can cover more distance with his rifle. This is where the Battle or Combat Optics come into play, such as the ACOG, which is often seen on American rifles. With 4x magnification and a 32mm objective on the AR15, there is enough power to cover solid hits up to the edge of the weapon's range.

It is important that the glass also delivers good results at close range. To avoid sources of error and make operation as simple as possible, fixed magnification of 3, 4, or 5x is chosen for Battle Sights. This usually corresponds to the effective ranges of the weapons and allows enough leeway to function well even in close range when aiming with both eyes open.

The Steiner BOS 5×36 has slightly more magnification and a larger objective compared to the ACOG, which in turn brings advantages in low light conditions. A reticle with a central point is used for aiming, which should be zeroed at 100 meters. Then the lines below (or BDC - Bullet Drop Compensator) can be used to hit targets up to 700 meters without having to adjust the glass.

To adjust the glass, the usual turrets of a scope are available, located on top and on the side under screw-off covers. Adjustment is done in 1/3 MOA steps up to 60 MOA. This is done once, and then you can confidently ignore the turrets - thanks to the BDC.

The field of view at 100 meters is 6.4 meters - almost half of the ACOG (4×32 TA01 NSN) with 11.2 meters. However, when you take magnification into account, this value is completely fine: for example, the ACOG 6×48 has only a 5-meter field of view - so, the more magnification, the less field of view you get.

Trijicon uses the BAC (Binding Aiming Concept) for close range - this allows aiming with both eyes open. The brain then superimposes the images, so the reticle is laid over the image of the free eye, creating a slightly blurred image with the reticle, which works well for aiming at close range with Trijicon optics. However, at distances of 5-10 meters, this method becomes less effective. This is why even with Trijicon, you often see an RDS (Red Dot Sight) on top, which covers the close range.

Steiner has taken the same approach, featuring a Picatinny rail on the top for mounting an RDS. This sits 66.3mm above the bore axis and slightly lower than the control knobs of the optic. Unfortunately, we only had an elevated quick-release mount for a Doctor Sight for the tests, but this also worked surprisingly well. Downside: You definitely have to remove the cheek from the stock for this and lose your familiar "shot view" or consistent cheek weld, as the Americans say.

The BAC also works with the BOS, but only up to 25m, after which the 5x magnification becomes quite uncomfortable, and it's better to switch to an RDS. You can still play around a bit and close the dust cover. With the illuminated reticle and the closed optic, aiming with both eyes is still possible up to almost 15 meters.

The dimensions and weight of the Steiner are impressive, weighing only 530 grams including the mounting, with a length of 151mm and a height of 72.2mm. The mounting is top-notch: absolutely repeatable and comes with a quick-release, which is not always standard. The resistance of the quick-release can be adjusted easily with integrated spacer plates. You just need to unscrew the latch that pushes on the Picatinny rail and remove the plates as needed. The weight of the optic is 530 grams, with the included dust caps and sunshade, it is just under 600 grams.

Additional accessories for the BOS include the aforementioned dust caps and screw-on sunshade, as well as a cleaning cloth and a spacer with a tool included in the package, which allows you to raise the optic by 3mm. This gives you a sight line of 42mm. Of course, a user manual is also included. German GunWorks also provides a quality control card. This ensures that the optics are always sent out in perfect condition.

To ensure a sharp view, the Steiner can be adjusted from -3 to +3 diopters. The eye relief should be between 6cm and 9cm for optimal viewing.

For illumination, a CR 2032 battery is used, which allows the etched reticle to glow for between 200-500 hours depending on the setting. There are 2 levels for night vision devices, 3 levels for night illumination (represented by moons), and 5 levels for the day. Levels 4 and 5 are bright enough to be visible even in bright sunlight. The battery is housed in a screw-on compartment on the top. The optic is exceptionally clear and edge-to-edge sharp, the glass is filled with Nitrogen, making it fog-proof and protected.

Being a true military-grade optic, it is naturally waterproof (up to 10 meters) and shock-resistant up to 900 g. It is designed to be used from -30°C to 60°C, although we did not test this J. The housing is made of robust aluminum with a discreet matte finish.

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