I need a scope. School me.

Picked up a optical AR-15 so needing a scope.
Like the looks of https://us.aimpoint.com/about/the-company/both-eyes-open/
Not looking for 600 yard shots. More than likely 100 yards or less.

Price not main point, just want best bang for the buck.

 

I usually like the Trijicon MRO on my standard AR15 if you want a basic red dot.

If you want magnification, something like a 1-4x or a 1-6x might be a good option. Most have an illuminated reticle so you can use it on 1x more like a red dot but still dial up some magnification if you want to shoot more precision or longer distances. Burris, Trijicon, Primary Arms are just a few that are out there that are decent.

 

What kind of shooting are you planning on doing and how often.
Tell us about the rifle. How long is the barrel, the handguard, the rail? Is it set up ambi? What hand user are you? Will you be doing a lot of transitions and how is the recoil set up?

 

I love Aimpoints, but understand they are not a scope. They are a red dot sight. There is no magnification. When you look through the Aimpoint you will see the target exactly as you would with the naked eye except that it will have a red dot superimposed onto your sight picture. It does not project a red dot (laser) out onto the target.

Even as a gun and optic snob who wouldn’t buy anything besides an Aimpoint, or maybe a Trijicon MRO just to try something different, I’ll admit that there a lot more frugal ways to get into optics if you are only a casual shooter. There are plenty of other sub-$200 red dots that will work for the casual plinker. Aimpoint is going to be in the $450-$600 range and can go up if you throw it on a 3rd party mount (check Larue for example).

In a nut shell, any run and gun from 10yd to 100yd range, I’d say def a red dot. Sitting at a bench plinking away trying to hit a bullseye, go scope. Bench shooting at 100yds with a red dot will frustrate you when you find out that it’s not intended for that kind of precision. And again you could spend $99 for a magnified scope that fits your needs all the way up to $2,000-$4,000 scopes. It all depends on your realistic expectations and your budgets. A lot like figuring out if you need a SV650 track day bike or a full blown superbike. Both may meet the intended purposes, but vastly different purposes.

 

10yds to 100yds: As others suggested, you may want to look at a red dot or holographic sight.
Here's a link for red-dots: https://www.pewpewtactical.com/red-dot-sights/
Here's a link for holographics: https://www.pewpewtactical.com/best-holographic-sights/

50yds to 200yds: Scope. Most likely a 1-4x or a 1-6x. Depends on your price range, as they can go from low price to very very expensive.
Lower price: Primary Arms, SWFA, Vortex (they have good scopes at multiple price points)
Mid price: Vortex, Leupold, Aimpoint, Trijicon
Uber expensive: Khales, Schmidt & Bender, NightForce (1-8x)
Here's a good article: https://www.epicwilderness.com/best-1-6x-scope-for-every-budget-review/

Alternatively, you could also go for a Trijicon ACOG and RedDot setup.
https://www.trijicon.com/na_en/products/product2.php?id=acog&mid=ACOG / RMR Combo
It's a fixed 4x magnification in the lower unit, and a red-dot in the sit-on-top part.
I have the TA31-C (black body, red cross hairs) as my eyes see red better than green and way better than amber.

If you have friends that have scopes, red-dots or holographs, ask to use them.

 

And it costs more than twice as much as the gun it’s mounted in!

 

10-100 yards? Why not iron sights?

 

What he said. Why do you want optics on an AR is the question. Marines have to qualify out to 500 meters on an iron sighted M16. If you have bad eyesight or want to do precision target shooting then a red dot or magnified scope is warranted. Unless you're doing patrols in Kabul you don't need overpriced optics like ACOG, MRO, Aimpoint,etc. If you must have an optic. IMHO Vortex is the best bang for the buck.

 

Optics at 100?? In my opinion anything under 200 yards it just ain’t needed. I shoot 200yd open sight matches with my AR, and even with my aging eyes, do very well.

 

OP said “optical AR” so I’d assume it has no sights of any kind. Good BUIS cost almost as much as every level optics, so why not?

 

I agree with the iron sights to 100-200.

I "built" this as an homage to my boot camp and duty station rifles that I carried in the early 80's. I've since even put a triangular handguard on her. I love shooting it like this. Old school baby!

 

I agree with you.
It all comes down to how he chooses to spend his money.

 

Expensive optics are the race gas of the gun world. Very few need them, but many run them for no real reason other than "fuzzy tacticool feels".

If you're looking for an red dot style optic, and not a scope then aim point, Tridj, or any of the larger manufacturers are fine. I'd recommend against these for range shooting, but if you want to look cool while clearing rooms at 3am in your underwear, then go for it.

If you're only looking to shoot 100 yards, use the iron sites. You'll be a better shooter for it, and really learn the gun's ability.

If you want to hunt/shoot with some higher level of precision then I'd get a simple Nikon 223 BDC and call it a day. They are cheap, effective, and won't break the bank. I've owned them all, and for the average shooter you don't need a fancy optic to enjoy the gun, or really any at all.

Optic: https://www.amazon.com/Nikon-3-12x4...pID=41zu8I2qCFL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
Mount: https://www.amazon.com/Nikon-Rifles...pID=41dftpVwYKL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

 

No, you do not need a scope.

 

An Aimpoint or Trijicon MRO will shoot just fine and can be had for a reasonable price if you look around.

Be safe and get whatever scope you want. an optic on an AR is great to have at any range.

 

Since you linked red dot sights I'm gonna assume that's what you want. No magnification just a dot. Aimpoint is great, I prefer Eotech myself and have used one for a very long time. That being said there are many much cheaper options now which weren't available at the time. You can find several for half the price of Eotech or Aimpoint. For example I also have a Vortex red dot. The difference in the glass is noticeable though with the Eotech being clearer. But the Vortex works fine. Very popular optic.

I don't think anybody mentioned you have to figure out what MOA dot you want. Anything from 1MOA to 4MOA should work for you. I like Eotech for this reason because of it's 1MOA center. That means at 100yds the dot covers 1in of the target. So a 4MOA dot at 100yds covers 4in of the target. A 1MOA dot is more precise, but it's harder to pick up quickly which is why Eotech also has a 68MOA ring. Super fast to pick up and it has built in ranging if you know how to use it properly. Depends on how you're going to use your rifle. I like stacking precise shots so 1MOA is better for me. If I was only popping 10in steel plates it wouldn't matter.

A milspec iron sight is between 10-11 MOA. OP didn't ask about iron sights but just thought I'd put that out there. I have one rifle with and one without. Irons are fun to use sometimes but literally have no advantage whatsoever over a red dot. As for playing soldier many are issued red dots with no iron sights on the rifle at all. Not even backup sights.




Eotech reticle.

 

They don't turn on and off. They don't take batteries.

The military does lots of dumb stuff.

 

Ok.

 

Have Vortex SparcII's on 2 AR's. A Bushnell Banner 3-9X40 (older Bushnell before they went cheap) on my .450BM AR. Bushnell AR Optics on the 7" .22LR upper (which may be removed and put on a G22 slide. Its a PITA to see thru on the 7" when you have ear muffs on).

 

Iron sights = street tires + stock exhaust

Sure, irons work and you need to be proficient with them, but are you poor and/or a 60yr old Fudd? If no to either, get an Aimpoint. You ain’t tacticool with irons.