SCAR 17S setup (optic?)

I am using a TA33 and like it. All my shooting is done offhand so weight was the primary consideration. The furthest I have to shoot in my area is 300 yards and hitting a man sized target at that range is very easy (not standing). The TA11 might be a close second but weighs and costs more.

The Elcan looks great but it is damn expensive and heavy. It would be fun to try one for kicks.

The 17S has a reputation for being hard on optics although you probably won't put thousands of rounds through it so you can probably get away with something a little less durable than the military uses. Try to find a mount that isn't a quick disconnect and attach it securely, and try to keep the connection to the rail behind the charging handle slot if possible because a heavy optic over the slot will cause the rail to oscillate under recoil.

I can second the fact that they are hard on optics. It broke my Vortex Viper windage adjustment and the ACOG you see here. The ACOG had some kind of debris inside the optic after around 3000 rounds of use. I sent it back and it was repaired.

I use an EOTECH with a magnifier with my SCAR 17, and haven't had any problems with it holding zero with about 600 rounds of S.African surplus through it.

The Leupold MK6 1-6x is about the perfect optic for the 17S. It is very light, nearly perfect magnification range for the rifle's intended purpose and solid as a rock.

I think you bought too much gun and didn't leave yourself enough money for a scope. As others have stated they are hard on optics. If you can't afford the MK6 an ACOG is likely your best bet.

I run a TA11 on mine. I haven't put a ton of rounds through it with the acog on it yet though. I've read a lot about them being tough on optics. Hopefully mine holds up. I have seen reports of acogs breaking and acogs with 10,000+ rounds and no issues. We'll see I guess!

I use a Leupold on mine, with ARMS quick detach rings.

Before I swapped out the stock;


After


Before I swapped out the muzzle break for smith vortex


After (iron sights are definitely good to 600 yards on the SCAR17 )





I don't use the Leupold scope that much anymore - just for load development.

I don't know what effect removing the compensator would have on scope longevity but I suspect that the SCAR17s compensator is what causes premature scope / optic failure on most of them.

Anyone shoot spring-loaded airguns? And tried to use a normal rifle scope only to find that it is damaged?

Same concept. That muzzle break pulls the gun FORWARD when the bullet leaves the muzzle, and most rifle scopes are NOT designed to handle that direction of movement! It will absolutely damage them.

Easy way to find out is to ask the scope / optic manufacturer if they recommend use on or warranty use of their scope on a spring loaded airgun.

Or you could ditch the compensator entirely. I had to swap it out - went with a smith vortex - to make the rifle Highpower legal as compensators aren't allowed. Be advised there is a remarkable increase in felt recoil if you change out the compensator for a flash supperssor.