Hello all & thanks in advance.

I am  a couple of weeks from the purchase of a Larue OBR 556 18" barrel.

I chose this rifle for it's accuracy & want to be careful matching it to a decent scope. I am a bit new to scopes and had some basic questions to try to clear up some of my confusion.

I need a all around scope; from close up varmints to long range targets. I plan to put a LaRue angle mount with a H-1 aim point for any real close up work.

I am leaning towards a Nikon M-223   3-12X42 NikoPlex with the speed turrets. I feel like the turrets would be more accurate than the BDC recticle. I think for the money, it's alot of scope. But, I REALLY like the Trijicon  2.5-10x56 AccuPoint that I looked at. I know it's twice the price, but  It is a super sexy scope, super bright, clear & a cool LIT recticle. But, you loose the turrets. How important is it to have easily adjustable turrets? Is the Trijicon geared more for hunting that target/tactical? How important is the lit recticle?

I guess, simple put, it the Trijicon "style" of scope be better than the Nikon "style of scope" (turrets, no lit recticle ect..).

Trust me I am not rich, so I want to be happy with the Nikon, but man, that Trijicon is really cool & I could just wait & save more for it, if it really is that much better.

Thanks again.

if you like the trijicon then check out the mil-dot version . you can use the mil-dots for range estimation and hold over at extended range.

So that would take place of using the Nikon speed turits?

Check out the Vortex Viper PST 2.5-10, it has all the options you seem interested in, in one optic.

How is the Quality of Vortex compared to Nikon overall?

I don't know from personal experience, but they boast 95% light transmission and most guys around here seem to really like them.

Funny thing is most of the posts here are about the lower end Vortex's. I just went thu all 44 pages on this forum & found very little on the Vortex Viper PST 2.5-10 that was recommended above. I went to the Vortex website & yes, it looks like a very cool scope packed with features. Honestly,I like it, but glass is important & build quality & would like some opinions on how it compares to the Nikon 223. Anyone? I may have to start a new thread on this....

The PST its relatively new, plus when it came out there were some problems. They were to the best of my knowledge taken care of but it dissuaded a few people. It also falls very near the "I'm not gonna spend that much" range, and if you are gonna spend that much there are some known favorites. For instance at a hundred  bucks more you can get a 3-12 side focus Bushnell Elite 4200, the fancy illuminated model with the ffp mil-dot reticle and the .1 mil turrets.

Oops, I was thinking those were $499 like the 1-4s.

Thanks for that. So, would you consider the Nikon's a higher quality optic in general? And I still cant get the Trijicon 2.5-10x56 out of my head. That was a sweet scope, but I really dont want to loose the turrets. The Vortex has alot of the features I would really like, but I don't want to exchange quality for frills.

When the Vortex PST's were initially released the complaint was the turrets were too easy to turn.  Vortex retooled to fix the problem and they are now just starting to be re-released.  I have a regular Vortex Viper and plan on buying one of the PST's as soon as funds allow.  From my experience and others the quality of the PST will right in line with the Nikon you are looking at or the Bushnell 4200 scopes.  The thing I really dont like about the Nikon turrets is they are pre engraved for one particular load (I think 55 grain).  So unless thats the only thing your gonna shoot they are really of no use.  The OBR you are buying loves to feed on the 77 grain ammo as well as the lighter stuff.  All of this is just my opinion and I'm just trying to say dont get hung up on the BDC style turrets.  Both the Leupold Mark AR and the Nikon M223 in my opinion are great scopes but kind of a gimmick if you ask me.  Just my .02

I appreciate the opinion. I have to try to find a dealer out here that may carry the Vortex so I can see it in person. Right now it is against the Nikon, the Vortex & I still have the Trijicon 2.5-10 as a possibility.

It would be alot easier if I just had a local dealer that had all three in stock to compare, but I don't. I am just afraid of going with the Vortex & it feeling "cheap" when I get it.

If anyone else has any other opinions, feel free to chime in.

Thank you.

Also, I assume the Vortex you could by different turits for different grains?

They do have seperate turrets that are marked for 100,200, 300 etc if you give them the load data that you are shooting.  The turrets that come with the scopes are marked in either 1/4 moa or 1/10 mil depending on the model.  You'll have to figure out how many clicks corresponds to what yardage.