looking for 3-4x scope for ar15

For 50m indoors 4X is tons of magnification. Back in the good ol' days when only the high rollers could afford telescopic sights, 4X was what most of us sporting Fudds went with too. Ordinarily I will not cheap out on glass, preferring to go with Zeiss, Trijicon and Swarovski...but for my little stubbie AR I went with that Vortex fixed 3X. I forget what I paid for it...think it was three or four hundred bucks...but I just love it.

Yannow, sometimes markets change and evolve. Harkening back to the good ol' days the old adage went that ya spent as much on your glass as you did on your rifle...but I don't think that is true or necessary anymore. There are a lot of good quality optics out there and they won't break the bank either.
 
Listen to Cobra.
I am very fond of the Hilux CMR. Make sure you ask for the 5.56 version and pick your choice of red or green illumination.
There is also a version for 7.62x39.
If you have a flat top Ar I would suggest you get a Burris PEPR mount with 30mm rings while you are at it.
You still come in budget.
The Millet or a Burris TAC30 are also good choices.

Another good option is the Burris AR332.
It is a fixed threee power scope.
It is a usually a few bucks more than the CMR, but that is ok since it comes already set to mount on a flat top.
It is still in budget.

They are both good and will fit your needs to four or five hundred meters well.
The AR332 has a slight edge for CQB type shooting.
 
Go vortex viper. I have one and it is great. The older nightfoce 1-4 is great too; a bit more money though and out of production, so it is a bit more difficult to find these days.
 
honestly guys we all know there are just a few brands that are worth any attention and they are not in that budget.

yah that 1-4 nightforce was awesone, im not sure why they stopped production.
 
mikethebike said:
honestly guys we all know there are just a few brands that are worth any attention and they are not in that budget.
Click to expand...

Disagree... while I'd love to be able to put an Elcan or ACOG on each of my guns, I can't afford to. Fortunately there are some decent 'budget' options, per my prior post, to fill that gap. Not as good as real quality stuff, but not bad, either.
 
CobraGT said:
Disagree... while I'd love to be able to put an Elcan or ACOG on each of my guns, I can't afford to. Fortunately there are some decent 'budget' options, per my prior post, to fill that gap. Not as good as real quality stuff, but not bad, either.
Click to expand...

Why not have one or two rifles with quality optics over several rifles with low end optics? You can only shoot one at a time..

TW25B
 
To me there's a gap in good-quality, compact lighweight AR scopes. The issue I have with a lot of the variable power ones it that by the time you've added a mount you're looking at a pound and a half or more, which I think is too much for a 6 or 8 pound rifle. I'm thinking of maybe a 3X fixed compact scope with an AR-specific mount at around 10-12 ounces—or less if possible—for $500 or $600. There are lower-end options, and higher-end options but nothing in the sweet-spot of providing better quality when military-level toughness is not required.
 
NoTarget said:
I have a Nikon P-223 3x32 and the glass is pretty impressive for the price (~$200)
Click to expand...

Glass quality is but one of many important aspects when selecting an optic. Most people use the image clarity as the deciding factor when selecting an optic, which is foolish and ill informed. Other important aspects that need to be considered are:

Weight
Length
Eye relief
Reticle style
Etched or wire reticle
Focal plane (first or second)
illuminated or not
Adjustment values
Capped or uncapped turrets
Field of view
Power range suitable for intended use
Objective lens size as it relates to mounting
Lens coatings
Nitrogen filled
Waterproof
Shockproof
Optical clarity/glass quality

These are all aspects/traits that need to be considered before selecting an optic. Optical clarity/glass quality is on the list but it should not the deciding factor.



Master-G said:
To me there's a gap in good-quality, compact lighweight AR scopes. The issue I have with a lot of the variable power ones it that by the time you've added a mount you're looking at a pound and a half or more, which I think is too much for a 6 or 8 pound rifle. I'm thinking of maybe a 3X fixed compact scope with an AR-specific mount at around 10-12 ounces—or less if possible—for $500 or $600. There are lower-end options, and higher-end options but nothing in the sweet-spot of providing better quality when military-level toughness is not required.
Click to expand...

What kind of "better quality" traits are you looking for? Are you looking for a more robust optic, like say one that is designed for rough use like a military optic?

TW25B
 
TW25B said:
Glass quality is but one of many important aspects when selecting an optic. Most people use the image clarity as the deciding factor when selecting an optic, which is foolish and ill informed. Other important aspects that need to be considered are:

Weight
Length
Eye relief
Reticle style
Etched or wire reticle
Focal plane (first or second)
illuminated or not
Adjustment values
Capped or uncapped turrets
Field of view
Power range suitable for intended use
Objective lens size as it relates to mounting
Lens coatings
Nitrogen filled
Waterproof
Shockproof
Optical clarity/glass quality

These are all aspects/traits that need to be considered before selecting an optic. Optical clarity/glass quality is on the list but it should not the deciding factor.TW25B
Click to expand...
Great summary. Thanks for enlightening us. You don't get all of this options in a $300-400 optic the OP is asking about.

But I'm sure you knew that and you were just trying to be 'helpful'.
 
TW25B said:
Why not have one or two rifles with quality optics over several rifles with low end optics? You can only shoot one at a time..
Click to expand...

I own too many rifles.

Mike, price can be a quality all of its' own.
The Elcan is a good example. I loved them when I was younger.
I used to own a couple of Elcans. I used them in the CF for over twenty years too.
Great glass clarity but the eye relief became a killer to me as my eyes aged along with the rest of my body.
Pushing your helmet into the sight body to get a good focus is not for everyone.

The examples Cobra and I both recommend are actually a good deal for their respective price.
What I like is that the both have very wide margin of eye releif that makes them very usable to me.
Adjustable to your vision and focus help too.
They have reticle patterns where they help you measure and you can immidiately adjust to the range without taking your heaad out of the sight or fiddling with a dial.
They are great to get in order to get you started and running.

You can always get the pricey stuff later, but do look and compare with those you meet at the range in order to know their strong and weak points and what suits you.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom