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Posted: 2/21/2010 2:12:32 PM EDT
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Ok first off I have had an AR15 for about 4 years now... but I know very little about these guns. I have a bushmaster 16" heavy. I bought it new so I know i have at most 1000 rounds through it. None in the last 2 years. Anyway, I finally want to drag it out and go do some coyote and other varmint shooting. It has a flat top.. I guess that is a A3. Anyway, I want to put a decent scope on it. I don't care so much about tactical sites or anything fancy. Just something I could put on this gun and then maybe put on another type of gun down the road.
I was thinking of getting Leupold AR, but they are right up at the top of the price range. I wouldn't mind getting some other cheaper brand. I also would like to know what kind of mount I need to use so I don't have to take off the front iron sites. What would you guys recommend. I was thinking something in the 3-9x range. Something I could maybe put on my 30-06 and take down a deer at 300+ yards or something. |
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You really don't need extra fancy tactical glass just because its going on an AR platform. Just this weekend I mounted a Leupold VXII 3x9 on one of my AR10's,on another I have a Nikon Monarch 4x16. I have an AR15 varmit rig with 24" bull barrel and that one has a Leupold VXII 6x18 target scope. The only "tactical" scope I have is a leupold CQ/T on an AR10 carbine. For all the rest I'm fine with any basic name brand scope,matte finish. Some have basic Duplex recticles,some have mildots,the Nikons have the BDC recticle etc. Don't feel like you need to spend huge coin on a tactical scope. Right now if I were needing an decent all around scope I'd look at the new Redfields that Leupold has just released. They also look like a decent glass for the money.
It all boils down to what you want to use it for. For dog hunting and swtiching off to another gun for deer season a 3x9 is a good choice,as would be a 2x7 or depending on the ranges you encounter maybe a 2.5x10,3x12 etc. Look around at all the offerings,recticle styles etc and make your choice. Believe it or not,Ebay has some decent deals on scopes,lots of wholesalers sell there, just make sure your getting NEW glass and not factory reconditioned so read the fine print. Theres nothing wrong with a factory recon except some sellers ask the same price as new ones. Personally I'm partial to Leupold,followed by Nikon. Both are great glass for the money,they offer price lines from budget to downright ridiculous. It pays to shop around for the best price. As far as size goes,only you can decide whats right for your situation. I've also got red dots on AR's but then those are not really for hunting distances unless you use a magnifier but then thats like buying another expensive scope on top of the sight itself. If you still have the A2 sight post it could present a problem if you go with a low mount. You might want to go with a high mount and use a cheek riser on the stock. The sight post will be visible but not a huge issue except maybe in low light where you might get a shadow from it. With a low mount it would be more of a problem. BTW,welcome to the forums! |
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if you go to SWFA (one of our site sponsors!), they should have several budget optics brands that are of very passable quality. Milett, SWFA SS scopes, even Truglo... I would start at the budget-minded end until you decide your requirements and figure a budget you are ready to spend. Basic glass can start as little as $250, and can stretch upwards of $2000 for quality optics. I would invest in a good mount or rings, also; especially if you decide on a quality scope.
SWFA Riflescopes |
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The Bushnell 3200 line is good.
Mueller is supposedly one of the better chinese optic lines. They seem popular on some of the hunting boards. Armalite makes a scope mount that is under $ 100. The front sight should not be a problem. The front sight on Bushmasters can be difficult to remove anyways. |
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Thanks guys. I guess I didn't really know that the Mark AR was a tactical scope. I just thought it was developed more for the .223 than for the actual gun itself. Well I think I am going to try and stick to the name brand scopes, simply because I know next to nothing about scopes. Let me see if I can get this straight. A 3-9x40, means it has a magnifier of 3 and up to 9 and it has a 40 mm lens? Is that correct? So my assumption is that a larger lens will let in more light and work better at daybreak and sundown right? Now, i see it seems like every brand has some different kind of cross hair. Is there advantages to any of them, or is basically just personal preference. For me I have no preference since I have really only shot through one scope on my hunting rifle. I will try to run over to Sportsmans Warehouse today and look through several scopes and see what I like.
How do I subscribe to this thread so I get emails every time somebody replies on it. |
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If low light capability is of high concern, consider this. The larger lens diameter will let in more light. The iris in your eye will open up, in dim light, to a maximum size of about 7mm. The optics equation for this is lens diameter divided by magnification factor = image diameter. Therefore, a 40mm objective lens / 9x = 4.44mm. 40mm/6x = 6.67mm, etc. |
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If you plan to shoot during low light conditions, consider a scope with a lighted reticle. Most of the time I can still see the target in the optic but the black cross hairs are difficult if not impossible to see.
Another option if price is a concern... I have a Redfield 3-9x50 scope on order. It was less than $200 and is made in the USA. Midway, Midsouth, and others carry Redfield. They are pretty new so I haven't heard many reviews yet. I'll post my opinion once I get it mounted and run a few rounds down range. |
| What do you guys think about Vortex scopes? I went to Sportmans and tried a Leupold VX 2... or maybe it was a VX 1, a Nikon Monarch, and a Vortex Criossfire. I liked the Monarch the best by far. It a great picture, and adjusting the magnifier was buttery smooth. The Leupold was nice, but I have to admit I thought I was going to break it cause adjusting the magnifier turned so hard! The Vortex had just as nice of a picture as the Leupold, looked great, clear, and adjusted very easily. So for the money it seemed like a great buy. I may see if I can find it cheaper on line. |
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Quoted: I have a Vortex Diamondback 2-7x35 that I'm real pleased with. The Crossfire line is one step below the Diamondback, but are still well made, lifetime anything goes warranty and Vortex provides great customer service. They're site sponsors here.What do you guys think about Vortex scopes? I went to Sportmans and tried a Leupold VX 2... or maybe it was a VX 1, a Nikon Monarch, and a Vortex Criossfire. I liked the Monarch the best by far. It a great picture, and adjusting the magnifier was buttery smooth. The Leupold was nice, but I have to admit I thought I was going to break it cause adjusting the magnifier turned so hard! The Vortex had just as nice of a picture as the Leupold, looked great, clear, and adjusted very easily. So for the money it seemed like a great buy. I may see if I can find it cheaper on line. |
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