What compass does the U.S. military use?

lensatic compass
A lensatic compass is often referred to as a military compass, and is typically used by the U.S. Military. The lensatic compass is comprised of different parts compared to a baseplate compass.

Does the army issue compasses?

Cammenga is an outdoors products company, known chiefly for producing navigation equipment under contract for United States Armed Forces. They are the official supplier of the M-1950 lensatic field compass issued to U.S. Army and Marine Corps infantry and artillery units.

What is a good military compass?

CMMG Military Tritium Compass (Best Lensatic Compass) If you’re a mil-spec gear nut and want a compass that you can trust, the Official U.S. Military Tritium Lensatic Compass might be your best compass choice. It’s a little old-fashion, sure, but it’s still used by all branches of the Armed Forces for good reason.

Who makes compass for the military?

Cammenga
The company who makes the compass, Cammenga, was started in 1992 to primarily manufacture the model 3H compass for the US military.

How many degrees does a military compass have?

North is at 0 degrees, East is at 90 degrees, South is at 180 degrees and West is at 270 degrees. The vast majority of compasses sold today will use this system, as will most paper and electronic mapping.

Is a liquid filled compass better?

I would recommend that the one you choose be a liquid filled compass, which slows the swinging of the needle, called damping, and makes the needle stop faster. A button compass is a small compass capsule with no frills. Some are liquid filled and some are not. I recommend only those that are liquid filled.

Who makes the best compasses in the world?

Here are the best compasses:

  • Best overall: Suunto M-3 Leader compass.
  • Best on a budget: Brunton TruArc 3 baseplate compass.
  • Best mirrored: Suunto MC-2 mirrored compass.
  • Best compact: Brunton Tag Along Zip compact compass.
  • Best military-grade: Cammenga 3H tritium lensatic compass.

How do you read a military compass?

Without moving your head, or the compass, read the azimuth through the Lens of the Lens Bracket. The azimuth, in degrees, is the red mark on the Dial lying directly under the Index Line of the compass crystal and in mils is the black mark on the outer perimeter of the Dial.

How do you navigate with a military compass?

Hold the compass in front of your nose with the lid facing out. Pick an object, rotate your entire body (not just the compass), and align the object with the sight wire. Look through the magnifying glass and find the green line that we matched to the sight wire. Locate the number on the inner dial.