The Sig Sauer Bravo 5 is a compact close-quarters combat scope that is an ideal choice for an AR15, especially short barrel rifle versions.
Bravo 5 scope is ideal because of the compact size and the specifically designed open-view reticle. It has 2 reticles, one for the .223/5.56 and another for the .300 Blackout. Both of these rounds are top choices for close work.
Here is a deeper dive into this scope so you can tell if the Bravo 5 is something you need.
Charactertistics of the Sig Brave 5
1. Field of View
A CQB scope needs a wide field of view. You have to be able to take in as much of the area in front of you as possible.
With a fixed 5x magnification, it may seem like the Bravo 5 is mid-range scope as it enlarges everything 5x larger than what your naked eye will see.
The scope is designed with a 6-degree field of view so you get much more than expected. At 100 yards, you can see 31.5 feet, which is a lot of territory for a 5x scope.
Sig Sauer says the scope delivers a 42% wider FOV than similar CQB scopes.
You get a zoom effect – you cannot change that – but you also get a good wide view of what is in front of you.
2. Reticle
The Bravo 5 comes with 2 reticles.
The .300 Blackout is optimized for this .308 diameter round. The has marks are closely set to the bullet’s drop over the marked distances
The .223/5.56 reticle is optimized for the .224 diameter round. Hash marks are set for this projectile’s drop over distance.
The .300 and the .223/5.56 both have different ballistics. You can use the scopes for either cartridge, but you will see better performance using the recommended scope.
It is called a Horseshoe Dot because of the lit ¾ ring in the center.
3. Glass
Two things make a scope worthy: glass and internal construction.
The Bravo 5 has low dispersion (LD) glass and an aspherical lens design. The two combine to deliver a huge amount of light through the short tube. The image is also very clear and sharp.
4. LD
LD is a coating put on the glass to better focus the light streaming through the lens. The human eye sees 3 colors, Red, Blue and Green. Every other color we see is a combination of these.
This creates a problem for light streaming through a glass magnifier. The red, the blue and the green light each focuses at a slightly different length. This makes the image fuzzy.
LD coatings make the three light waves focus more closely together. The picture is sharper. This matters most when you have scopes with magnification or zoom levels.
5. Aspherical Lens
An aspherical lens has a bulge. It is not a continuous curve. Think of a bell curve standing on one side. The aspherical lens also improves image quality by making it sharper and better focused. Such lenses are typically thinner than the usual glass in a scope.
A drawback is the lens sends less light down the tube than a normal rifle scope lens. As the Bravo 5 is short, this light transmission is not a big problem. Add the big 6-degree field of view (more light gathered) and this shortcoming is eliminated.
Aspherical lenses are more expensive to make than concave or convex lenses.
6. Focus
Focus gets the image as sharp as possible for your eye. The diopter is how the scope is focused.
If you use binoculars, you know the binocs have 2 focus settings. One setting adjusts the entire optic. The second, on one eyepiece, lets you change the focus for that one side.
Now, you get both sides to focus on the target. This is important if you wear glasses with a different prescription in each lens. The single-eyepiece adjustment is the diopter.
Good gun scopes have a diopter. The Bravo’s diopter has a +/- 2 correction, which is an industry-standard.
7. Battery Saver
With the scope turned on and set to standby, movement turns the reticle light on. This means you can leave the scope turned on to standby. You grab the gun and the light comes on. After a bit, it goes to sleep.
This is perfect for self-defense and hunting from a stand. Grab the gun and the reticle is illuminated automatically. You do not need to hunt around for an On switch.
Since it goes to sleep, you save battery.
Sig says the one battery is good for 40,000 hours. I say change the battery every year, then you do not have to worry about it.
The reticle is always there, illuminated or not. If the battery dies, the scope still works. The illuminated part means it is easier to see in low-light conditions.
8. Warranty
Sig Sauer offers a split warranty on the Bravo 5. Warranty 1 is a lifetime guarantee for parts of the scope. If something covered here breaks, they will replace or repair your scope. If they do not offer that scope any more, you get the nearest equivalent as a replacement. The electronics, the lighting system, are covered by a 5-year warranty.
9. Rails
Integral pic rails on the tube are a big part of what sets this scope apart from so many others.
It has a rail on each side and the top. The rails are short. They are not meant to hold anything large or heavy.
A small light can go on one side. An infrared illuminator for a night vision attachment can go on the other.
By The Numbers
The .300 Blackout and the .223/5.56 scopes are the same except for the reticle. Each reticle is designed with the cartridge’s performance in mind.
Yes, you can use either scope for either round. The bullet drop is different for the two rounds. So if you mix the scopes, you will have to make holdover guesstimates when shooting farther out.
- Fixed magnification 5x
- Objective lens 32 mm
- Click value .5 MOA
- W/E range 80 MOA
- Length 6.46 inches, 164 mm
- Width 2.56 inches, 65 mm
- Height (with mount) 3.03 inches, 77 mm
- Weight 23 oz
- Illumination Red, 8 Daytime settings and 3 NV
- Waterproof to 1 meter for 30 minutes
- Battery (1) CR2032
- Integral Picatinny rail
- Night vision compatible
Sig Sauer Bravo 5
The price of Sig Sauer Bravo 5 varies, so check the latest price at
FAQs
The Sig Sauer Bravo 5 does not come with a lens cover. This is something Sig has yet to address.
Yes, the Bravo 5 will work on any gun that has a Picatinny rail for mounting optics.
No. A battery is not needed for the Bravo 5. The battery lights the reticle, which works without being lit.
Final Verdict: Is the Sig Bravo 5 Worth It?
Is Bravo 5 perfect? No. Consider that no scope is perfect. You choose a scope, getting as many features you want as you can and accept the limitations in other areas.
The Bravo 5 is an excellent hybrid that manages to combine the best of both views with few of the drawbacks.
If you shoot CQB tournaments, need a good optic for a home defense gun or like to stop & stalk hunt with an AR15, this is a top choice for your rifle. Hog hunters will like the .300 Blackout reticle as the Blackout is a prime choice on wild bacon.
