Best scope for AR-15

BELdog

Sophomore
Aug 23, 2012
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I prefer a 1-4x30 or 1-6x30. Vortex Viper Series and Nikon's M-223 series are much better glass for the money. The Leupold VXR-HOG or Mark AR series are good scopes. Of course, the real question is, what do you intend to use the rifle for? Is it a hunting rig? Target rifle? Range toy? Personal defense? All of the above?

Scopes that start at 3X have limited usefulness in many scenarios. A 1-6X scope gives you plenty of magnification to shoot a deer/man sized target out to 500 yards, but still gives you a lower power setting for close work inside of 50 yards. Everything is a trade off. You've got to decide what you are willing to give up and what you absolutely will not give up.
 
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Dawgbite

Heisman
Nov 1, 2011
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I had a guy that was an armorer in the Army and hangs out at my local gun shop tell me once, " the optics on top of a gun should cost as much as the gun, otherwise you are cheating the gun and yourself". It is hard to do because used optics have no resell value but if you buy the right scope the first time then it will last gun after gun. No I do not always follow this advise but the guns I am serious about have either German, Japanese, or American glass on top of them. Chinese glass is for kids or .22's .
 

aTotal360

Heisman
Nov 12, 2009
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I agree with that philosophy to an extent. But I don't equate it to the "cost of the gun". I equate it to the application. If I'm plinking or shooting hogs at 25-200 yards with trash rounds like 5.56 or .223, then I think you can save a little money on your optics. If I'm planning to shoot an elk at 650+ yards with a .338, then I'm breaking the bank on optics. Potentially 2x what I paid for the gun.
 

AlSwearengen

Redshirt
Aug 22, 2012
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What is your purpose for the AR? Home defense? Hunting (there are better rounds for hunting)? Target practice?

I have AR's with a red dot (aimpoint), variable (1-4x), and 1x/4x.

Someone mentioned a Vortex strike eagle which is a good choice.

In my unprofessional opinion, whatever you get needs to have the ability of running 1x.
 

MaxwellSmart

All-Conference
May 28, 2007
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The best is a Schmidt and Bender short dot. For the money I would go Vortex, Leupold or Burris.
 

TUSK.sixpack

Redshirt
Mar 3, 2008
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It depends.

My AR is set-up with a Burris 556 in a fixed 5 power. The reticle is etched so I'm still operable sans battery power. The reticle also has a BDC which allows KD target engagement to 5-600 yards... Atop is a HOLO for <50 yards. My primary application if for "plinking"/target shooting and liberal type Zombies.

If you need variable magnification (****** eyesight/hunting), I also run a Nikon M223 3-9-40 with BDC on a Mossberg MVP Scout rifle... It has pleased me, thus far...

If money is no object, one can't go wrong with S&B or NF.

More important than any of this is to find a scope with good eye relief for your personal preference, solid mounts, zero it for your MPBR application, and burn some ammo.

Hope this helps a lil....
 

aTotal360

Heisman
Nov 12, 2009
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Those best of the west/gunworks guys enjoy shooting elk at 1000 yards with the lapua. I'm not a fan of that tactic, but it is what it is. I'm not saying that's the only round they use, but its one of them.
 

Uncle Ruckus

All-American
Apr 1, 2011
15,501
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Holy hell that's nuts. I would think you could get a hell of lot closer to an Elk than 1000 and use a smaller round and have a much higher chance at 1 kill shot. But, I'm guessing those guys shooting an Elk at 1000 yards also drive dually's with 42" tires and after market mufflers and wear the latest and greatest under armour camouflage from head-to-toe, and even their undergarments that don't need to be camouflaged.
 

greenbean.sixpack

All-American
Oct 6, 2012
9,488
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I had a guy that was an armorer in the Army and hangs out at my local gun shop tell me once, " the optics on top of a gun should cost as much as the gun, otherwise you are cheating the gun and yourself". It is hard to do because used optics have no resell value but if you buy the right scope the first time then it will last gun after gun. No I do not always follow this advise but the guns I am serious about have either German, Japanese, or American glass on top of them. Chinese glass is for kids or .22's .

Depending on what you intend to use it for. For most hunters in MS, this is crazy talk. I have a 25-year-old, cheap Bushnell from wally world on my 30.06, from 150 in it drives tacks. I never adjust it or even shoot it prior to the season, I drop every deer I shoot in its tracks. If you hunt out west, or maybe on a pipeline that has long range shots (this is not my case), you may need to spend several hundred dollars on a scope. I bought a cheap Chinese scope (with red dot and a laser) off Amazon for my M4, my 10-year-old used it to kill a deer (headshot) this last season.
 

BELdog

Sophomore
Aug 23, 2012
1,166
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The cross section of membership here never ceases to amaze me when it comes to gun stuff. Never have I seen so much **** advice intermingled with excellent advice.
 

Dawgbite

Heisman
Nov 1, 2011
10,053
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My knowledge of firearms ranked from high to low are as follows.

The cross section of membership here never ceases to amaze me when it comes to gun stuff. Never have I seen so much **** advice intermingled with excellent advice.
1. Steel and wood pistols
2. Shotguns
3. Steel and wood rifles
4. Plastic pistols
5. Aluminum and plastic rifles

i own a couple of black guns but I know less about them than most other styles of guns. But I do know that If there is any product that you get what you pay for, it is optics. I've never met a 1911 that I didn't want, every time I come in with another one my wife gives me that look and informs me that "I have a problem". I just tell her she is lucky my problem isn't 25 year old blondes!
 

BELdog

Sophomore
Aug 23, 2012
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I wasn't referring to your post. Your advice is actually fairly accurate. The market is competitive enough that a person doesn't necessarily have to spend as much on glass as they do on a rifle, but the general idea is the same. Don't cheat yourself by buying piss poor glass.

Also, most Americans tend to go with a lot more magnification than they actually need without having a low enough magnification at the lowest setting for close work. Probably the biggest problem I see in the rifle world is people thinking they need bigger cartridges than they need and using too much magnification on top of those rifles.
 

Dawgbite

Heisman
Nov 1, 2011
10,053
11,544
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As far as rifles, I have regressed instead of progressed. If you see me in the woods I will more likely be carrying a single shot falling block with a Lyman sight rather than the latest magnum with German optics. There is just something about really big slow chunks of lead coming out of long octagon barrels that excites me. Although, I do have an itch to try a 26 Nosler even though there is nothing alive in this part of the country that requires something like that.
 

Daries

Redshirt
Jun 8, 2018
1
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0
There are so many players in the optics business now that prices on good optics have come down. The top of the line scopes, Swarovski, Leica, Zeis, etc cannot be beat for clarity over long distance, and acceptance of recoil, and durability. But, you don't have to spend the kids college fund to get a solid scope. The real question is what fits the intended purpose, and what fits you the best. I notice that Academy,in my area, now has a selection of scopes mounted on plastic butt stocks, so you can actually sight through them, and get a feel for what they will be like when mounted on a rifle, what the eye relief is going to be like, and how quick you can acquire your target.Reticle selection is going to come into play too. As my eyes have aged I have found it harder to use scopes with fine cross hairs, and I need more magnification. The designated marksman scopes I see everywhere now don't cut it either, for me, because they don't seem to gather enough light for my eyes.I helped a friend last year select, and sight in new scopes on his AR10, and an AR in 300 Black Out. He ended up with 2 2.5-10X44 Weaver Kaspas https://thetacticalscopes.com/best-ar10-scope/ with lighted mildot reticles. I found them to be very clear optics for the money, and easy to sight in. The cross hairs aren't too fine, and the mildots work well for for holds at different ranges. The 2.5x setting is good for finding the target, and dialing the scope up to 10x power lets you pinpoint your shot. I found it easy to bull at 200 yds on a 3" bull, and to make center mass shots on an 18" silhouette at 500 with the AR10. Neither has shown any degredation, at this point.
 

AlSwearengen

Redshirt
Aug 22, 2012
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I have a trijicon 1-4x. Wish it was a 1-6. Unless it is strictly for target shooting, I would want to be able to get all the way down to 1x. One of the reasons I got rid of my acogs.
 

AlSwearengen

Redshirt
Aug 22, 2012
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BTW BELdog, don’t know if you remember it, but I ended up with a tikka t3x ctr in 6.5 creed. I was debating getting a Bergara hmr but the tikka checked more boxes for me.
 

BELdog

Sophomore
Aug 23, 2012
1,166
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BTW BELdog, don’t know if you remember it, but I ended up with a tikka t3x ctr in 6.5 creed. I was debating getting a Bergara hmr but the tikka checked more boxes for me.

How's accuracy been on that rifle so far?
 

JoMo MoJo

Redshirt
Dec 24, 2017
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I can’t comment on that ****** scope. I have a Vortex Crossfire II on mine and it is money!
 

BELdog

Sophomore
Aug 23, 2012
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I can’t comment on that ****** scope. I have a Vortex Crossfire II on mine and it is money!

Nikon Prostaff and low end Vortex are in the same class. Once you get into each companies top end offerings, Vortex is the better of the two companies.
 

aTotal360

Heisman
Nov 12, 2009
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Vortex is about the best bang for you money on anything under a grand.
 

JoMo MoJo

Redshirt
Dec 24, 2017
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The Vortex warranty is hands down the best on the market. No matter what you do to it or how you break it they will replace for free-no questions asked. Had a buddy that had a Vortex red dot on his .22 Luger. Took it up to attic to address what he thought was a squirrel. Turned out to be a coon who whooped his ***. Drops the pistol on the way out of the attic on garage floor. Had new one on 2weeks later, free of charge except for the shipping.
 

Wormwood

Redshirt
Oct 30, 2013
6
0
0
The Nikon Prostaff is plenty good for your .223. Clear glass and fairly lightweight. I like them. If you want what many regard as "the best", get a 4x ACOG with ACSS H.U.D. reticle. It easily lets you range for distance, wind, and target movement. It's also illuminated without batteries. I have one and let my daughter shoot her first doe this year with it. Federal Fusion 62g. Ran 5 yards and would have given a fair blood trail on a complete pass through. ACOG's are lightweight, very expensive, but battle tested with some of the clearest glass I've seen. I have many scopes, but it's my favorite unless I need to zoom in at high magnification. I won't be buying another anytime soon because I don't have $800-$1000 to spare on a scope lately.
 
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