Have an Aero M5, 18", no glass on it yet. Not new to shooting by any means but this is my first .308 build. Open to spending up to $1200. Not looking for any low power options, would prefer something with a minimum end range between 12-18x.

TLDR: I know nothing about long range optics, need one for my AR10 .308. Will spend up to $1200.

I like Nikon scope optics for the money - I believe they have a specific scope for the 308 in their AR/MSR Riflescope series. Look also at their Black Riflescope series.

As mentioned,  Nikon is not bad. I liked the Monarch I had.  Vortex was nice too. I'm partial to Steiner.

Got your budget and mag wishes... what are the other wants? Focal plane? Turrets? Reticle? Are you including the mount in the $1200 budget?

Look in the ARFcom EE for used optics. Some of them include a mount.

I always recommend the Vortex Viper PST as starter optics that can grow with you. A used Nightforce SHV, Bushnell Elite, Burris XTR, or others are always options.

Used Bushnell DMR/HDMR or DMR 2 often sell for $900 give it take on the EE. It is a lot of scope for that money.

Vortex PST Gen 2 5-25x

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FFP, know next to nothing regarding turret choices, can't decide on MOA vs MRAD. Would like to have it mounted at $1,200 but I'm flexible. The Vortex Viper PST 6-24 looks interesting, I read some complaints about the eye relief on the lower magnifications but my research was minimal. Is there a good stickied thread I should read? I don't want to waste everyone's time, but I am open to suggestions and clearly need some education.

I would mount a Burris XTR II 3-15x50 on an AR10.

this OP

You're not wasting time by asking for advice. I'm happy to help as much as I can as I'm sure others are as well. Optics aren't cheap and help/advice is always welcome for me. Might save me some time and/or money,  hopeful it's the same for you.

Vortex is not a bad choice.  The one i had was solid and clear.  I didn't have a use for it at the time,  so i sold it to a friend.  I don't mind using it when i get to shoot his rifle.  To be honest if I didn't have what I have,  I would be running Vortex. Only thing I would say is watch magnification levels. Higher power is not always better.  FFP is my preference. MOA or milrad is a choice for you,  go with what you are most familar with. Turrets... if you are planning on long distances and  cranking on them, good positive clicks,  easy handling, clear indicator(s) of what turn you're on are what I look for. Zero stops are great.

Since it seems that you are in FFP as a requirement,  find a reticle that you like or interests you.  Mine are G2B and recently an MSR. I like the window to not be overly busy,  but that is all just my preference.  I do find the Horus reticles interesting,  but don't know if I could get used to them.  Unfortunately,  scopes aren't cheap to try them out.  Try different ones if you have or get the opportunity,  I always let others try mine if they are interested or ask. I would just make sure the reticle subtensions match your turrets.

Mounts,  get a good one from a reputable maker. I'm currently looking at mounts.  I have two LaRue QD mounts and they are nice,  but in my situation I don't find the QD a necessity. It was something I wanted when I first got into needing them for scopes,  but have found I don't really use them as none of my optics are shared across rifles. If you are in the same boat,  that may save you a little on the mount to put toward the scope or other accessory.  Reason I say that is that bubble levels are a nice to have item. I get mine with a 20 MOA cant as I believe it's better to have it up front than having to replace it later to get it.

Good luck with your choice.  Keep us posted on what you decide.

What do we think about the PST Gen II 3-15x44 FFP EBR-2C MRAD?

Weight is NOT your friend and it adds up quickly on a tactical rifle. Leupold model 171716 is the best option for the money.

Leupold VX-3i LRP 4.5-14x50mm

vs.

Vortex PST Gen II 3-15x44 FFP EBR-2C MRAD

vs.

?

I want FFP, mil/mil. Did not realize how tough of a choice this was going to be. The low power and red dot market is much simpler!

I'm telling ya... get this optics planet

and use a 10% off code from the last page of this thread: OP coupon code thread

This optics planet

Plenty of good options suggested. I like the Leupold Mk 6 personally. You’ll need to up the budget a couple hundred for a used one though.

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Mine sports a Bushnell HDMR2 and I love it. Much refined over the original and gives far more than the cost.

Spend $299 on a SWFA 10x or 16x mil-dot. then put Mil-dot ballistics app on your cell phone. Use the rest of the cash saved on ammo!

I'm thinking about just bumping up the budget and getting a used Vortex Razor Gen II 3-18 or a Leupold Mark 6, but I don't really like the Tremor reticles I've seen. I figure I'll start with it on my AR10 and maybe eventually migrate it to another platform. My original price range of $1200ish feels a bit like no man's land when it comes to high quality long range glass. Any reasons to stay away from either? I know the Vortex is a bit heavier than its peers.

There are better scopes out there, but I chose the Bushnell Elite 6500 for my 6.5.  I take all my rifles hunting and learned my lesson on heavy while predator hunting in deep snow one year.  having an 11lb AR15 (ammo, sling, bipod) was not a fun treck, so I knew the AR10 was at a disadvantage from the start.

It was the lightest of the scopes that I was looking at in the same power range that you were looking for.  It's 3-16 which is a bit wider range than most out there.  So far it's held up to the dreaded bolt weight of the AR10, and worked well from close range predator hunting (unplanned stop after deer hunting) as well as 600 yd range shooting.

The bottom rifle is the one that is 12.15lbs compared the 13.97lbs one on top.

I am also running a MK6 3-18 on my MWS it is almost made for the 308 AR IMHO
The whole set up just works, FOV, size, weight, clarity of the glass. It offers about the perfect top end mag to see into shadows and find a target, but not too much mag (adding extra weight). Down at the other end at 3X there is a huge area to view when scanning for stuff.

A 3-18 Vortex would work as well.

Less $$, lighter, more W,E and Parallax adjustment, great glass and reticle:

SWFA-SS-3-15x42

Spend the savings on range time and ammo.

With an 18" barrel you're not going to be reaching out extremely far but you will get out there. If you plan to use it for hunting an 18 is about max for maintaining a decent field of view. Most of those are going to be in the 3x18 range which is fine if you can adjust the parallax down to 25 yards. My Schmidt & Bender 5x25 will do that but my Swarovski 3.5x18 won't. My Leupold 3x18 is decent at 25 yards but the field of view at 18 isn't impressive.

My best advice would be to not just buy on recommendations. Do try to find a brick and mortar store with a large selection (Cablea's is one) and keep the good suggestions your getting here, in your mind when you're trying out scopes. Cabela's usually has a test stock that you can put any scope they have on and then really see how it suits you.

Exactly. Combine it with a Horus H59 reticle and at about 10x you can engage targets all the way out to 700-800yds at varying ranges very quickly without touching the knobs.

I know your lower limit is 12X but you really should at least consider Leupold's new line of VX 5HD scopes.  I just glassed a SIG 716 with a VX 5HD 2-10X40mm CDS-ZL2 Firedot which cost less than $700 new.  I paid Leupold $250 to upgrade the scope to a Windplex reticle but only because I've standardized on that reticle for all my precision reticles.  That same scope can be had in a 3-15X44mm side focus version with a Windplex reticle for $900.  It's also available in a 3-18X44mm version but at substantially more than you want to spend.

Keith

My personal belief is that high magnification scopes are not compatible with semi-auto rifles. I feel this way regardless of caliber.

A 1.5x5, 1x6, 2x7 all work best for rifles intended for close range defense and long range accuracy. It's a compromise that allows the rifle to work acceptably well from house clearing to 600+ yard shots.

High magnification is harder to hold stable in field expedient positions. Much more than 12x to 15x is about maximum IMO.

Have a Burris XTR II 5-25x50 on my Ar10 Creedmoor. Still new to me but all in all I'm not upset.

My Ruger Precision rimfire has a SWFA SS 16x42 and I have to say for $300 I am blown away by the quality.

The 700 has a Trijicon TRS27 or something like that, it's a 5-20x50 and again it meets my needs.

I agree but it also depends on what you're doing with the rifle. If it does double duty as home/self defense plus a long range steel banger then yeah. But if it's solely a long range steel banger then nah, go with higher magnification. I like having the ability to dial out 16 plus if needed. But rarely go past 12.

Just bought a Vortex PST GEN II 5-25 tonight.

You will need a good mount also, I highly recommend you check out mile high shooting, last I saw they had g1 razor 5-20 with a sphur mount for $1600.  It's a great deal and is what I'm running on my Ar10 minus the spur though.

I have a gen 1 Vortex PST 6-24 and a NF Atacr 5-25, both SFP.  If I needed another long range scope, I'd probably go the PST route again.  Sure, the NF has better glass, but for non competitive target shooting to 1000 I think the PST is the better value.