AR 15 optic poll/choice

[Warp]

Neither is the windshield in you car but I bet you drive better with one in front of your face.

The last time I checked state laws you were required to have a windshield.

Automobiles almost exclusively come with windshields, they aren't aftermarket accessories that cost 50% more than the vehicle did in the first place.

Might want to think of a less terrible analogy

 

[walking arsenal]

(Rolls eyes) What I meant was that it's true that you don't "need" and optic but you're going to shoot a lot better with one.

An optic makes you faster and more accurate at longer ranges. Period. The science has been done. You want to eat up time lining up slots and dots? That's your deal. You want to be cheap? Go for it. Slap a $20 NCStar on your $1k rifle if you want. I don't personally care.

But if you spend the money on a good carbine and want to run it to the best of it's design you're going to need an optic and you might as well buy a good one once than a cheap one over and over.

 

[Warp]

(Rolls eyes) What I meant was that it's true that you don't "need" and optic but you're going to shoot a lot better with one.

An optic makes you faster and more accurate at longer ranges. Period. The science has been done. You want to eat up time lining up slots and dots? That's your deal. You want to be cheap? Go for it. Slap a $20 NCStar on your $1k rifle if you want. I don't personally care.

But if you spend the money on a good carbine and want to run it to the best of it's design you're going to need an optic and you might as well buy a good one once than a cheap one over and over.

I have an Aimpoint on my Colt, as it happens. Doesn't change the fact that an optic is not absolutely necessary, and I wouldn't call somebody out and ask how they can even afford an AR just because they don't spend $550 on an optic.

BTW: In my experience cheek weld = sight alignment. You don't really line anything up, you just put the front site on the target.

 

[allaroundhunter]

I just got a Burris MTac 1-4x and will be using it in a 3-Gun match this weekend. So far I reallyyy like it, and it is definitely better for me than a red dot or higher magnification scope.

 

[breakingcontact]

Slap a $20 NCStar on your $1k rifle if you want.

There's a lot of middle ground between a $20 optic and the top of the line ones.

 

[meanmrmustard]

There's a lot of middle ground between a $20 optic and the top of the line ones.

Indeed. There's as many happy owners of those NCs as there are TRS-25 owners, Strikefires, Eotechs, and Aimpoints.

I don't know of a Trijicon owner who didn't have buyers remorse, and not because of the sights performance!

 

[gotigers]

first choice, 1x4. Great all around flexibility; close with both eyes open, fairly precise shooting to 300 and functional groups at 400.

Second choice, Eotech or Aimpoint. If i were a pro using it in close action this would be my first choice. For close in, sight picture and fast target acquisition a good red dot is the way to go.

edit: pricewise, there are surely good budget options. Vortex has a couple of nice red dots under $200, Nikon African 1-4x is under $300 and Weaver has a nice 1-3x under $200.

 

[WVRJ]

It all depends on what you want to do with the rifle.Mine is used for coyotes and paper targets,so it has a 3X9 Leupold Mark AR.But if its main purpose were to change,I have a red dot and flip up irons that can be installed real quick.If it were a dedicated HD weapon,I would probably have a low(1X4)power scope or red dot.

 

[walking arsenal]

I don't know of a Trijicon owner who didn't have buyers remorse, and not because of the sights performance!

Well now you do. I love my reflex.
What issues have the folks you know had?

 

[amprecon]

Aimpoint, if you can shoot good with irons, this is a vast improvement. You can see the red dot better than a black post, you don't have to line up a front and rear sight, you don't have to close your non-aiming eye, keeping both eyes opened increasing your peripheral vision, and in low lighting conditions, its almost like cheating. If you can see it you can shoot it.

 

[doc2rn]

Uberti Rifle Sights - Cimarron one of my favs but would look odd on an AR

 

[wally]

I'm really partial to the 1-4X scopes with an illuminated reticle -- at 1X you can use them like a red dot with both eyes open at close range, at 4X 300 yards is like 75 yards with irons

 

[breakingcontact]

If I had the $ budgeted to spend on a nice red dot or nice 1-4x I would have went that way. Maybe down the road I still will.

Made my decision, went with a Nikon 3x P223. Yes, the turrets are overkill.

I really like it so far, will post a range report when I go shoot it.

 

[guyfromohio]

Hybrid Burris 1-4 with red dot.

 

[tahunua001]

I voted other. the beauty and curse of the AR15 is it's versatility. a long range target cartridge such as 223 or 6.8spc are well suited to being fitted with a variable power scope however other rounds like the 300AAC and 7.62x39 would not benefit from such and would do better with a red dot and possibly a 3x magnifier.
my 9mm AR has a simple red dot, kills varmints left and right

my 5.56 has a 3-9 power hunting scope and is used as such.

my brothers 5.56 has a fixed power scout scope

his 7.62x39 is still open sighted to my knowledge.

AR15, flavor of life.

 

[CraigC]

They are only like $500-550. If you cant afford that one time outlay of case, how do you afford to shoot the AR, seriously.

One has nothing to do with the other. I buy ammo for my AR by the case. If I shot it a lot, I'd buy it by the pallet. I can "afford" any optic I want, including your S&B but I have a really hard time paying $500 for a red dot. I want one but the fact of the matter is, an expensive optic for my AR is a luxury and way down on the priority list. There are a hell of a lot of other things I'll throw $500 at before then. So for now it wears a Millett 1-4x that came off another rifle. Before that it wore a Leupold 1-4x that cost way less than an Aimpoint.

 

[highpower]

Personally, I like the SPARC red dot I put on my AR M4gery. For me at least it is way faster to acquire targets with a dot type sight. Dot on target=round on target.

 

[W.E.G.]

Red dot for targets that won't stand still.

 

[allaroundhunter]

Red dot for targets that won't stand still.

1-4x optics make it just as easy as a red dot to hit a close-range moving target. And make it much easier to hit a longer range moving target than a red dot will...

 

[Robert]

I love my ACOG, but ran a 1-4x before that. But man the ACOG is nice.

 

[jim243]

I voted red dot. As a life long Scope guy, this is quite a departure for me, but recent results has change my opinion. I have owned a AR-15 since 1968, but have not been a fan of the 223 because of the weight and hunting ability of the light weight bullets. But you can't argue with the lower cost of shooting 223/5.56 than any other centerfire cartrage. And I do shoot this round more than any others.

While you can shoot it longer, I feel it is an effective 25 to 150 yard round, maybe a max of 300 yards for takedown power. For longer range the 243, 308, 270 and 30-06 with heavier bullets, I personally feel would be more effective.

So with a 25 to 150 yard range in mind, the CQB effectivenes of the 223 would lend it's self to use of a quick sighting red dot for easy of use and fast on target results. And in this respect, the red dot has proved quite effective in it's results.

Each person will have their own personal comfort level with what they use, for short ranges I feel the red dot will be the best choice, for longer range shooting, I would use one of my bolt action rifles with a large scope on it. Just depends on the type of shooting you will be doing.

Jim

 

[87jeep]

Aimpoint M3 2moa on mine with flip 3X mag.

Go to gun is a plain old A1 style. still the best!

 

[Ian Johnson]

aimpoint micro

 

[col.lemat]

3X20 orgional Colt. I bought the rifle without a scope in 1966. 25 years later bought the scope paying double the cost of the rifle. Nice to have a four digit serial number rifle. Still shoots good + very accuarte for what it is.

 

[FMF Doc]

EOTec Holografic is my favorite for a shortt, handy carbine rifle. That being said, I am going with a budy to shoot the new AIMPoint PRO(Patrol Rifle Optic) later this week. IT boasts all the capabilities the Comp3/4 but at a much more reasonable price.