Rifle Scopes What scope would YOU buy

[edkern]

I have almost completed a varmint AR rifle. It is the first rifle I have built for reaching out beyond 100 yards. I’m building it for bunny hunting at up to 400 yards. It will have the following components:

20” Kreiger fluted HBAR 223 Wylde barrel
Magpul PRS
Giessele SSA-E 3.5# trigger
Troy Industries 15” Alpha VTAC Battlerail w/ a bipod (still deciding on the bipod make)

The ability to hunt jackrabbits at 100-400 yards is my first priority, but the breakdown of how it will realistically be used is as follows:

50% - Shooting paper at 100 yards
25% - Shooting steel at up to 700 yards
15% - Bunny hunting at up to about 400 yards
10% - Stroking and admiring

Things that I want are: Mil/Mil, FFP, zero stop. I also like the following reticles:

I’m looking for a good value that will suit my needs. If I can get it for $1000, that would be nice. If “necessary” I suppose I could pony-up the dough to pay near $2000. I’m very new at this and can’t tell much difference in clarity when looking through the optics in this price range at Cabelas.

What would you recommend and what magnification range should I look for? Any and all opinions will be a huge help.

 

[fdkay]

Re: What scope would YOU buy

Viper PST 6-24x or Bushnell Elite tactical 6-24.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

Re: What scope would YOU buy

NF F1 or Bushnell HDMR. Prefferably the newest version with zero stop. F1 is just over your max budget, HDMR with zero stop is right in the middle.

 

[One-Eyed Jack]

Re: What scope would YOU buy

If you're going to walk around with your rifle while hunting for "bunnies", you might get a little arm weary with a largish scope on an AR with a 20" barrel. Bunnies at 400 yards seems a little unusual unless you live in a desert with no cover for the critters. In the high NV desert, I find jacks and bunnies at ~20-30 yards, since they are otherwise hidden by brush at longer distances.

Also, you will probably shoot steel at much closer distances with an AR than 700 yards, which you indicated with the max distance.

I'm suggesting you might get by with a smaller (therefore lighter) scope and possibly 10x.

 

[SquidHC]

Re: What scope would YOU buy

+1 on the Vortex Viper PST. Though I would consider going with the 4 x 16. More than that on an AR and you are probably going to dislike the results. You .can pick them up for 600-900 depending on magnification

 

[hewlett260]

Re: What scope would YOU buy

NF 3.5-15x F1. If the whole SFP vs. FFP isn't that big of a deal for you, you could save a couple hundred and get a regular NXS 3.5-15x that's mil/mil and still have a great scope.

 

[edkern]

Re: What scope would YOU buy

Thanks for the input. I'm pretty sure I'm going to start off with the Vortex Viper PST FF 4-16x. It has a good warranty, and has all the features I want. Since I'm just getting into rifle game I'm going to go inexpensive for now. Judging by the classified forum here I could recoup most of the $$$ if/when it comes time to upgrade.

Thanks again

 

[jerry1]

Re: What scope would YOU buy

All the advice here is good. I ask you to think on your phrase "start out" with scope X. I would rather see you save a few hundred more and get the scope you want to "end up with."
You will be much happier with buying what you really want rather than blow a chunk of your money and still not have what you really want. Not a very smooth sentence. I have done exactly what you are thinking of and in my experience buying less than I wanted was a mistake.