So a friend that I work with is going to take me on my first deer hunt this year I'm going to be using my AR-15 in 300 BLK  read all the great advice on what bullet to get. Now like to hear should I go with a scope or red dot? Friend is one of the top hunters in the area people give him deer tags because they know he will get them a deer he gets around 20+ deer each year he told me the longest shot he has taken is 100 yards in all the time he has hunted.

I asked his advice but he has never used a red dot . My issue is one I'm a iron sight guy love them next if I'm going to buy an optic I would like to spend the money on something that I can use for more then one thing. If I could afford an ACOG that is what I would buy but I do not have that type of money to spend on an optic. I really don't see me using a scope for anything else other then hunting.

Maybe I just need to suck it up and buy both a scope and red dot? Not sure would really like some advice on red dots for hunting I'm looking at the AIM point PRO but open to anything ! Thanks

Get what ever scope you can hit a vital area for a clean quick kill with. Your not shooting at paper or steel.

I say scope as well.

Agree and I feel a scope is more of a paper or steel target type optic something that will stand still and not move.

I would LOVE to be able to deer hunt with just a red dot.

However here is what I have learned in the areas I hunt.

1.  If it is up close and personal, and non precision, red dot it is. (pigs and yotes in closer cover.)
2.  If it is not up close and personal, or requires precision beyond a red dot at any range, magnified optic.  

Basic right?  On the cover.  What many do not realize until it is too late is the situation in which they get into.  

75 yards is pretty close and personal, however deer typically do not walk into open fields and meander to within 75yards of your stand so you can judge them or wait for the perfect shot.  Typically deer hang out in, and travel in cover of some sort.  This offers only pieces of the deer in plain view to make your analysis, and most times your shot placement.  If you can take a red dot and put it in his eye because that is all you can see after he walked behind a brush pile, then go for it.  If you are not hunting in brush, typically your shots will be longer and in most cases a red dot will not be optimal.

I dont care for a red dot for hunting.  It will be a constant adjusting of brightness through out the hunt.

I like a scope much better, a 1-4 or 2-7 would be awesome.

The vast majority of my deer have been under 125 yards as well.  This isn't Wyoming, and we don't have 400 yard shots around here.  Yet I still see all kinds of hunters with 16 power scopes on their rifles (usually the guys who never actually come home with a deer).

A scope is an advantage.  Deer are frequently low-light critters, most active dawn and dusk.  regular iron sights simply disappear and are useless in that magical last twenty minutes of the day.  A GOOD scope really helps in low light.  I'd recommend something on the order of a 1-4x or a 1.5-6x.  Keep it on low power, so you field of view is large for in close and rapid target acquisition.  If that buck is feeding on the far side of the  clearing, you have time to dial it in.  A 1.5-6x scope often has a field of view that is about 60-70 fee wide at 100 yards.  When your deer is only 20 yards away in heavy brush, your field of view is still a good 15 wide, and you can find him quickly.  When you opt for some 4-12x scope, your FOV can drop to a measly 15 or 20 feet at 100 yards on low power.  In close, your fov is so narrow, its hard to find the deer.  You do not need high power for close range deer. FTIW, I currently have the following power scopes on deer rifles.  1-3x, fixed 2.5, 1.5-5x, 1/5-6x, 1.75-6x, 2x-7x.  These work great on eastern whitetails....  My 'long range' rig (used on moose and caribou on lakes) is a 2.5-8x.  Don't over scope your deer rifle.


A good scope is mandatory.  Cheap scopes are 'dark', ad useless in low light.  A good fully, multicoated scope has lenses that have every surface coated, and multi means more than one coating.  These coatings increase light transmission.  www.natchezss.com frequently has good sales on scopes.  Leupold VX3 are good.  Weaver Grandslam and superslam are Very good for the money.  

I have not used one, but I expect that an aimpoint would be just fine for hunting deer to 150 yards.  It will solve the disappearing iron sights issue in low light.

Get a decent 1x-4x scope with an illuminated reticle.  Best of both worlds.  On 1x with illumination on it will act much like a red dot.  If you need to take a longer shot you can dial up the magnification.  For many years a fixed 4x scope was considered to be all the magnification a hunter needed.

This is what I came to say.  Look for a 1-4 or 2-7 that has an IR.  Burris, primary Arms or Vortex will easily fit the bill.

This nails it

The problem I found with a red dot is that I wasn't able to really see a clear bullet path to the deer when I was hunting in the woods. ( Trijicon TriPower )

Open fields, sure.  The red dot covered the vitals without fear of twigs and such.

I leave all my scopes on the lowest power and only power up when the situation dictates I am able to take a longer shot on a calm animal.

Scope over red dot for sure. Deer deserves your best shot.

So you can give someone else your stamp and they can kill your deer in ND?  That would get your ass fried down here.

Get both. The scope as the main optic and an rds on a 45 degree mount. Works great for cyotes too.  

I vote low power scope as well.

A low power variable is best, but a red dot will be just fine as well. Using a .300 BO you really shouldn't be shooting deer past 150 yards with it, so a red dot is more than adequate.

Another consideration, is what type of hunting are you going to be doing?

If stand hunting, again, a LPV is great, or maybe even a 3-9x or so, but if you are doing deer drives, a RDS is still a faster shot most times as there is no parallax or eye relief to worry about when shouldering quickly.

Good luck and enjoy yourself!!!

Here in SC its thick. Scopes are great but to teach my 12 yr old kid patience and marksman ship we stepped up from Irons to a reddot for him on his AR. His 308 has a 3-9x40 but we replacing it soon with a better scope. it stopped being consistent as it had been. Here we are watching a food plot on the powerlines we planted this year. No luck as of yet. I set him up for shots no loner than 100 yards. Mostly 50-75.

Whatever you don't mind getting wet and dirty and can hit your target with...

I know the dope on my rifle from 200 and in with my Trijicon Reflex and that's a 4MOA circle.  It covers 8" at 200 and that also is a guide to know how far the deer is.  it's faster than  a magnified optic and is NOTICEABLY faster at 100 yards and in..

My 6.8 rifle has a 1-4 magnified optic and that is a good option if you are in some more open areas with 150-300 yards shots to dial it up to 4 power.  It's not like target shooting where you need to be nearly as precise to make that 2" group at 200.  It's more important to be fast in my opinion if you are presented with the shot.