Alright everyone, it’s that time of the day to learn something new or refresh your memories. In airsoft, optics are ultra cool with that tacticool feel and what not but sometimes people think they have the real deal when they don’t. And that’s ok. Trust me 90% of airsoft optics are fake and you wouldn’t want to mount your $1000 acog on an airsoft gun where it can get damaged. So let’s do a bit of background on my qualifications that way I can establish a line of credibility. I myself am part of the US military specifically the USAF. Now it’s not the most gung-ho branch since we put warheads on foreheads and our job is to secure the skies unlike the marines and army whose job it is to secure the ground. But I still know my way around a rifle and what not. When you qualify on your rifle or at least in my branch, the weapon was issued with an optic. Some people got aimpoint others got acogs. I happened to luck out and get an acog. And I still shot not great 32/40. That being said below you will find two images of a trijicon acog. The first being real the second being fake. So the biggest difference between the real deal and the fake is the fact the fake has white trademarks. White trademarks on any optic are a no go. Any type of white painted trademark is a big indicator it’s a fake. China who produces these fakes takes a real acog, aimpoint EOT or ELCAN and makes cheap copies for airsoft use. These copies carry a real serial number from the original but don’t be fooled it’s fake. White paint is the number one way to tell if it’s real or fake In the real world white paint on a optic poses a hazard to visibility in which everything is standardized black. Or at least that’s how it was explained to me. Many other countries such as Kuwait and Bahrain also sell these optics in markets as the real deal but tbh idk why they do. Buddies of mine who went on deployment found markets filled with replica scopes claiming them as war prizes. But please don’t be fooled. Many people on the app who are gun enthusiasts or military members can pretty easily tell if your optic is fake just by looking at it. But that doesn’t mean your optic doesn’t have worth. It just means it’s not real. Most repros new go around $100-150 with repro elcan going for $250 new. No one would sell a real trijicon anything for under $600 or so unless it’s a MRO which is usually inexpensive anyways. If you got questions feel free to leave it below or are unsure if you’re optic is real or not I will do my best to help you out.