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Posted: 11/29/2008 3:01:13 PM EDT
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I just got a Del-Ton "kit" AR15 Rifle at a local gun show from a friend of mine that is a dealer. He said it was an excellent entry model for this type of gun. I'm taking his word for it.
Right now it has iron sights that I'm assuming is best for shooting jack rabbits while there on the run at 50 to 150 yards. (rapid fire of course) I would like to be able to shoot at 200 to 300 yards plus and would like a scope or red dot sight but again I'm new to this. I'm looking for advice on what to get for long range and do I need something besides my iron sights for short range. If my iron sights are recommended for short range then I would want a removable mounted scope that stays accurate when removed and put back on. I don't want to have to sight it in everytime. Last thing. I'm not looking to be an expert shooter. I'm looking for best low price scopes. Thanks in advance. |
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Hello! Welcome to ARFCOM. I have some suggestions based on experience.
1. Stay away from cheap scopes, bases and rings. They will simply end up in your junk bin, and be good money sent down the rat hole that would have been better saved for something worth while. 2. The optics you "need" depend on how good your vision is. Many people with 20/20 vision are able to shoot iron sights at 600 and 1000 yards, so shooting 300 yards with 1X should be no trouble. On the other hand, I know people who need 5X or 10X just to stay in the X ring at 100 yds. 3. If you don't want to worry about battery life AT ALL, I would recommend any of the Trijicon Dual Illuminated Reflex sights. These use a combination of tritium lamps and fiber-optic bundles to provide reticle illumination of a 1X reflex sight. The price varies, with the 1x 24mm variety starting around $320. They can be purchased from various vendors that support this site, like SWFA etc. I personally favor the RX30 model with its large 42mm optic, myself - those run around $420 and up depending on mounts. 4. If you want active illumination, the Aimpoint red-dots are highly respected. The Aimpoint Comp ML2, at around $420, seems to be a good compromise of ruggedness, capability, etc. These run thousands of hours on a single set of batteries, so forgetting to turn off the reticle illumination isn't the "killer" it is in the EOTechs and illuminated-reticle scopes. The ML2 model lacks compatibility with NVDs but save you tens of dollars over the versions like the M2 that support NVDs. I personally favor the CompM4 but those are around $700. 5. If you are willing to carry around spare batteries, the fastest-acquiring scopes I have used are the EOTech laser holographic sights. These high-tech optics are a true wonder. Of the several models, I'd suggest the Law Enforcement (tactical) models, either the 510 (N batteries) or the 512 (AA batteries). The 512 is a good compromise and will generally run you around $400. Unlike the Trijicon and Aimpoint, the EOTech uses a 1 MOA dot and will allow most accurate shot placement at 300 yds, provided your eyes are good enough, and both you and the rifle are capable of 1 MOA accuracy. If, when you turn the unit on, the unit FLASHES at you, pay attention. Your batteries are about to fail. That is a good time to replace the current batteries with that spare set you always carry around in a water-proof tube, baggie, etc. Hopefully, you also have co-witnessed your BUIS? 6. If you want to mount/dismount any one of those sights with a good return-to-zero you will probably want to invest in a base like the ARMS #15 lever mount. I have one of these on a Trijicon RX-30 and it is a good mount. There are ARFCOM sponsors like Larue who sell these. Different models exist for the different scope models, so the ARMS #15 is just an example. The mounts can often be purchased with the optic as part of a "bundle", which I would recommend. 7. Any of these non-magnifying sights can be set up to co-witness with Back Up Iron Sights (BUIS). 8. If you need something with magnification, then you have two paths you can go. One, is to buy a flip-type magnifier such as the LaRue "Po-Boy" combo, or the even more expensive Aimpoint or EOTech magnifiers. 9. Another choice is to get a traditional scope. Most will recommend a variable in the 3X-9X range, and the Trijicon dual-illuminated Accupoint 3-9 X 40mm is a nice choice at around $640. Personally I favor fixed 5X and 10X scopes when a scope is called for. I've had good luck with the Super Sniper 10X, with 42mm optics and 30mm tube. Site sponsors like SWFA sell this scope for around $400. THe bottom line - is you should save up around $500 then buy a worthwhile optic and base. If you need magnification, either add it later, or start with a good scope. Resist the temptation to dump $100 - $200 into cheap optics that you will end up not using, for one reason or another. These are FAIL. Good luck with your new AR, and my condolences on your having contracted Black Rifle Disease (BRD). You will know who your REAL friends are, about a year from now, I think... (I am always suspicious of the phrase "friends that are dealers"...) 
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