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Posted: 4/14/2010 5:11:27 PM EDT
| What options do I have for around $150-$200? I am mainly shooting 100-200 yards but may occasionally shoot out 300-400 yds. |
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Honestly, your best bet is to save up until you can double that number. You will be in a much more realistic price point at that range.
It would also help to know if you are looking for a magnified optic or a red-dot type sight. For inexpensive red dots, I really like the bushnell TRS 25. For magnified optics, the Millet 1-4 isn't terrible, the Bushnell 3200 10x mil-dot is a nice optic, and the Leupold Mark AR series is getting great reviews. I'd save a bit more, and snag up a Mark AR 1.5-4 or 3-9. |
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You need to decide on what kind you are looking for;
- red dot (Vortex Strikefire is $150, Primary Arms has several clones for around $100) ––low magnification - Konus M30 1-4x are 150––200, Weaver 1-3x is around 170-200 ––higher magnification - endless 3-9s - Burris Fullfield 2 around 180-200, nikon buckmaster, Bushnell 3200 mildot 10x for around $200 Don't forget mounts - red dots often come with them, scopes don't. You can easily spend more on a quality mount than a budget scope. |
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If you are really set on getting optics in that price range Primary Arms gets a lot of respect around here.
I was in the same boat last year and spent about $150 on a Bushnell MP red dot only to turn around and sell it later to help fund an Aimpoint. Buy once, cry once as they say. 
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Quoted:
Suppose I save $450 for a quality optic. How much sense does it make to put on a gun (Spikes M4 LE), I only paid $800 for? I see your rationale when it comes to the price reasoning between the two. Even though the Spikes was $800, it definitely $1100-$1300 in price range given the quality of components. I've shot the Millet 1-4 and given the value of that optic, I think it's a bargain and has decent quality.. |
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Quoted:
If you are really set on getting optics in that price range Primary Arms gets a lot of respect around here. I was in the same boat last year and spent about $150 on a Bushnell MP red dot only to turn around and sell it later to help fund an Aimpoint. Buy once, cry once as they say. I like my Micro Dot, but not the 4x. The glass is really dark. Quoted:
Quoted:
Suppose I save $450 for a quality optic. How much sense does it make to put on a gun (Spikes M4 LE), I only paid $800 for? Quality is the keyword. It makes perfect sense. Don't let the price of the Spikes fool you. It is top tier these days IMO. Good optics typically cost about 1/2 to 2/3 of the AR price. |
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On most of the rifles that I have and have had, the optics easily matched the price of the rifle. The fact of the matter is that really good optics cost money. I've bought a bunch of "good for the money" scopes and they are all just sitting in a drawer right now. The one that I do not regret buying and still use when I need to throw a scope on something is my Weaver V3. It's a 1-3X variable and the glass rivals that of much more expensive scopes. It's simple without any bells or whistles, but it does a really good job of grabbing light in low light situations. Another plus to me, in this world of inexpensive (and expensive) tacticool scopes that weigh a ton are are a foot long, is that the Weaver is small and light. Something around 8" long and around 8oz. At around $150, it's really hard to beat. As for shooting long distance with it, I don't know. As a point of reference, hitting golf balls at 100 yards wasn't hard at all. The glass is clear.
If your budget can stand it and you're looking at a Mark AR, it's a decent scope, but it's really just a Mk2, unless I'm mistaken. For the price range, I'd look at the Nikon African, which sports Monarch glass. It's a nice scope and can be had for a little over $200 at manventureoutpost when they have them in stock. At a little over $300 I went with a Sightron Big Sky 1.25-5X20. VERY nice scope. No BDC, but resettable knobs. I also wouldn't be too worried about getting a true 1X. I think that people place too much emphasis on that. |
| Vortex SPARC. Small, lightweight, quality build, 2MOA dot, NV mode, lifetime unlimited warranty, and made by a well-respected optics company that happens to be a site sponsor. There's other stuff out there besides Aimpoint and Eotech (and I own an Eotech). If you're not in a position to blow 400+ on an optic, I think the SPARC will serve you well. |
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