Rifle Scopes First AR/Optic: Red-dot or actual scope?

[earthquake]

About to get my first AR and am looking at optics. Not sure if I want just a red-dot type, or an actual scope in the 1-4x range. I'm mostly thinking I'm just going to shoot this for fun, off-hand at close-in targets etc., at home, on the farm shooting, you know, like at Tannerite, bottles, squirrels etc. I definitely want something with the option of no magnification, but should I go with a red-dot, or can one use the 1-4x scopes at 1x and do that type of shooting? This will NOT be a precision rifle. I am thinking maybe home defense too, but not sure. In a nutshell, an optic w/o magnification that I can use for fast snap shooting, both eyes open, but maybe would like to have some mag too? Good eye relief/box. The reason I'm not sure about a pure red-dot, is that I'm thinking I'd want something with an actual reticle too if batteries die etc.

I have to keep this < $500 as well. Right now I'm looking at:

TrueGlo red-dot
Vortex Strikefire
Burris fullfield TAC-30
Leupy VXR Patrol
Leupy AR MOD 1
Leupy tactical prismatic
...????

I have no idea really....I've never looked through any optics like these for AR's.

Or would something like the fast-fire reflex sights be better? Finally, I've not researched, nor do I know anything about holographic type sights like EOTech and ACOG.

The last AR type rifle I used was an M16-A2 with irons, and that was 15 years ago! So, anyone with some advice or experience in this subject, please steer me in the right direction! Thanks.

 

[waveslayer]

if you are just going to shoot close, go with a red dot, you can get an EO Tech and then get the magnifier later on to shoot at farther distances. I even bought the cheap Nikon AR scope, it works fine. I do love the red dots though to shoot close and fast, perfect for CQB

 

[Quickdraw40]

Burris Tac30 best for the money.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using Tapatalk 4

 

[ZLBubba]

if you are just going to shoot close, go with a red dot, you can get an EO Tech and then get the magnifier later on to shoot at farther distances. I even bought the cheap Nikon AR scope, it works fine. I do love the red dots though to shoot close and fast, perfect for CQB

Yeah man, let the optic match your purpose. If 90% of your shooting is less than 200 yards, just get a nice EOTech or Aimpoint and use BUIS if they batteries run out. If you're engaging targets beyond 300, then I'd step all the way up and get something like a 1-8 USO. Awesome scope.

 

[earthquake]

Thanks for the quick help. Yes, most of this shooting is less than 200 yds. It's going on a sub $1k rifle, so I didn't want to spend a lot on an optic. I'm already going to put some of those Magpul back up sights on it. Looks like red dot is the way to go. I'll look into EO Tech as well.

 

[Chris@InterstateGuns]

Thanks for the quick help. Yes, most of this shooting is less than 200 yds. It's going on a sub $1k rifle, so I didn't want to spend a lot on an optic. I'm already going to put some of those Magpul back up sights on it. Looks like red dot is the way to go. I'll look into EO Tech as well.

Aimpoint Scopes | Rifle Scopes on Sale | SportOptics
EOTech Scopes | Rifle Scopes on Sale | SportOptics
Burris Rifle Scopes | Rifle Scopes on Sale | SportOptics
Vortex Rifle Scopes | Rifle Scopes on Sale | SportOptics

Plenty of good choices.

 

[Strykervet]

$500? EOTech and don't look back. It's made for the M4 carbine. Fast and accurate, I liked it a hell of a lot better than the Aimpoints we were issued. They were accurate and well built, but they weren't nearly as fast as the EOTech.

For a good 4x combat optic, I like the ACOG NSN model. If you still want a reflex after having one of those, you can easily mount a small mini reflex where the rear iron sight ring goes on the ACOG. I have Larue mounts and can switch between the ACOG and the EOTech fast with almost no zero loss, and it allows me to use a PVS14 behind the EOTech if i like. Best of both worlds, I took advantage of all the QD

Then there are numerous mounts and ways of mounting scopes in tandem with red dots.

An Elcan Specter DR is dual plane and goes from 1x to 4x lickety split, and I guess it functions like both a reflex and a scope. Also compatible with all the new SOPMOD2 shit. But it's expensive. The USO 1-4x is or was dual plane, and then the S&B Short Dot is or was too.

 

[PearlWhiteGT]

Best band for the buck IMHO is a Primary Arms Micro Red Dot. $100 & gets the job done. I have one & for the money have nothing bad to say about it. I also have a Vortex Sparc Red Dot (Less than $200) & it's great for what I need it for. I plan on getting a Aimpoint Pro for one of my other AR's soon as well. I just mounted a Leupold VX-R Patrol 1.25-4x20 with the Fire Dot and really like it a lot. I'm actually looking at getting a VX-R 4-12x50 for my AR 10 next.

 

[sib1948]

EoTech with 3X mgnifier or ACOG will most likely fit your needs best, but will run you about $1000. Remember these are not precision rifles and for distances of less than 150 yds even the iron sights will work well!

 

[Pappasniper]

Vortex makes a RDS around $200, that is great for the money. I run Aimpoints, and you can get one for around $500 and Aimpoint makes only quality, military grade equipment. Lotta folks run either Eotech or Aimpoint in the RDS arena. That's the Ford - Chevy debate, with both being good.

 

[mdmp5]

I am a big proponent of Aimpoint, especially compared to Eotech; Aimpoint is just a much better built sight. If you are price sensitive, go with a CompM3. If not, either the micro or the CompM4 is the shit. ACOGs are excellent too, but there are so many to choose from.

 

[Trevor300wsm]

One thing to keep in mind with all red dots......if you have an astigmatism in your shooting eye, the dot will look blurry and misshaped......my last aimpoint looked like a star burst with a tail. I've tried Eotech's and Aimpoints and they were all like this due to my astigmatism. I ended up with 1-4 scopes and have been very happy. The last one I bought was a Vortex PST 1-4 and for the price, it has been very good.

 

[Redmanss]

One thing to keep in mind with all red dots......if you have an astigmatism in your shooting eye, the dot will look blurry and misshaped......my last aimpoint looked like a star burst with a tail. I've tried Eotech's and Aimpoints and they were all like this due to my astigmatism. I ended up with 1-4 scopes and have been very happy. The last one I bought was a Vortex PST 1-4 and for the price, it has been very good.

I completely agree with the astigmatism comment, but will say if you have it properly corrected you will have no problem with it. I have a significant astigmatism, wear good gas permeable contact lenses to correct it, and have no problem at all with the Aimpoint on my work rifle.

COfox, I recommend you take a good look at the Aimpoint PRO. It's a very good optic at a very good price, and you can always add a 3x mag later if you want to stretch it out. Look around and you can find one with the mount for under $400 on sale.

 

[Timo Turl]

Get the Bushnell TRS for under $100 and if you decide a non magnified red dot doesn't cut it you can flog it and not be too much out of pocket.

 

[elfster1234]

if I had to pick between my aimpoint pro & my vortex 1-4 pst with capped turrets,,,, then I pick my 1-4 pst

 

[Pinecone]

Burris MTAC or TAC30 (and some others) are the best of both worlds.

At 1x the illuminated reticle works like a red dot. For longer ranges, you can dial up the power and use it more like a scope.

I have an MTAC on my AR and love it. Got it from Sport Optics. They had it on sale, but typically have VERY good SH member discounts.

 

[earthquake]

Cool. Thanks again guys. Lots to consider here. We have a new Cabela's here within 3 miles of the house. I think they stock several of these optics so at least i can look through a few b4 buying.

 

[samnev]

I have used the Aim Point Comp M3, Eotech 556 A65, 4 different ACOG's (TAO1, TAO1NSN, TA 31F that is my favorite and the RCOM4) I like the 4X ACOG's except for the short 1.5" eye relief that takes some getting use to. If I had to do it all over again I would have bought the NightForce NXS 1-4X20 with the FC 1 reticle that I put on my LMT CQB. That is probably above what you want to spend but the ACOG's are priced similarly. Perhaps a gently used one. I use it as a red dot for close range and above 1X as the range I shoot at goes further than 50 yards. The Vortex PST1-4 might be a good choice but is bigger and heavier than the Nightforce. I had the Burris TAC 30 but did not like the reticle and sold it.

 

[KTDLS7]

One thing to keep in mind with all red dots......if you have an astigmatism in your shooting eye, the dot will look blurry and misshaped......my last aimpoint looked like a star burst with a tail. I've tried Eotech's and Aimpoints and they were all like this due to my astigmatism. I ended up with 1-4 scopes and have been very happy. The last one I bought was a Vortex PST 1-4 and for the price, it has been very good.

I completely agree with the astigmatism comment, but will say if you have it properly corrected you will have no problem with it. I have a significant astigmatism, wear good gas permeable contact lenses to correct it, and have no problem at all with the Aimpoint on my work rifle.

COfox, I recommend you take a good look at the Aimpoint PRO. It's a very good optic at a very good price, and you can always add a 3x mag later if you want to stretch it out. Look around and you can find one with the mount for under $400 on sale.

If you are considering a red dot:

I concur with Redmanss regarding gas-perm contacts. I have corrected astigmatism, and have no problem with red dot sights, specicically my Aimpoint PROs (2 of them).

The following is my opinion based on personal experience, and in no way intended to hijack or re-direct this thread:
I have my one and only EOTech on a toy rifle, and will never own another due to battery issues. Do a search on Aimpoint vs EOTech. (Flame-on, I still have my Nomex from SCCA Road Racing )

 

[Pinecone]

(Flame-on, I still have my Nomex from SCCA Road Racing )

What did you race?

 

[OpticsPlanet]

I have to agree with elfster1234 - the Vortex 1-4 is hard to beat.

For a dot optic, I own an EOTech 512 and an EXPS2-2. I wouldn't mind owning an Aimpoint PRO, but I'm a fan of EOTech's reticle.

Mark H.

 

[Whiskey9514]

Leupold vxr patrol I was extremely ignorant for selling mine.

 

[Whiskey9514]

Best band for the buck IMHO is a Primary Arms Micro Red Dot. $100 & gets the job done. I have one & for the money have nothing bad to say about it. I also have a Vortex Sparc Red Dot (Less than $200) & it's great for what I need it for. I plan on getting a Aimpoint Pro for one of my other AR's soon as well. I just mounted a Leupold VX-R Patrol 1.25-4x20 with the Fire Dot and really like it a lot. I'm actually looking at getting a VX-R 4-12x50 for my AR 10 next.

I could never get my primary to hold zero and the magnifier was Jewish and the sparc quit working twice

 

[Kwacker]

I started out with a Eotech 512 and a 2nd gen trippler. It worked fine, I didn't. I couldn't get used to having my nose on the charging handle, growing up shooting lever actions and then graduating to scoped hunting rifles I got used to having my head up. I found a package buy on the EXPS2-2 and 3rd gen trippler for just under a grand and put it on the AR and found nirvana. The EXPS, not the XPS, has a qd mount that sits iirc 7mm higher and fits me like shooting a scope gun. It will also co-witness the flip up irons in the bottom 3rd of the holo sight. The 2-2 also has 2 dots, the top dot is for shots out to 300 and the second is for 500, it works as advertised but don't expect much better than minute of pie plate @ 500. Well in my hands anyway.

 

[Supergyro]

I've got the PA micro and, while it works as a red dot, I want a little more magnification. So I'm getting a 1-4 or 6 depending.

 

[earthquake]

Leupold vxr patrol I was extremely ignorant for selling mine.

I just looked through one of these at Cabela's this afternoon and it seemed really nice. They had it mounted on a fake rifle and I was able to look through it with both eyes open w/o issue. I think the demo model was fubar'd though, because I practically needed vise-grips to turn the mag ring. It had a decent reticle and a green center illuminated dot. I think it was $399. They also had the Burris Tac-30's with the reflex site atop for $499, but I didn't get to look through that one. Right now I have one of these on it and like the style of optic (large aperture, both eyes open), but it seems kind of flaky: Sure Shot (Black) (SM13003B) | Sightmark

My father gave it to me and it's older than the one shown in the link above. Sometimes it goes out/flickers, when I dry-fire the rifle. I have to make sure it's not an aging battery causing that before I totally write it off.

So are the VXR Patrol with Firedot scopes any good?

Thanks again for all the info/guidance, it's really helpful.

 

[earthquake]

Bumping this up again as I'm about to buy something. Right now i could buy a re dot and MBUIS, or in anither two weeks I'll have the dough to get a Burris tac30 with fastfire. If anyone is selling something i should also consider, let me know. Thanks again!

 

[earthquake]

Anybody have an opinion on the Burris AR-1x? I like the idea of having a black reticle that is there when the batteries aren't. Any other optics in the $200 - $300 range have this?

 

[Quickdraw40]

Burris tac30 has a black reticle when battery is dead. Never understood the need for a separate reddot with a 1-x scope.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using Tapatalk

 

[earthquake]

Thanks. I think now I've decided to go with an inexpensive red-dot and MBUIS, and use the rest of the money to buy another 500 ct box of 140 VLD hybrids for my Creed, or have my other rifle rebarreled into a shorty .308 so I can play with subs. Too many toys and not enough $$$!