Difference between AR scope and traditional scope

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brainwake

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What is the difference between the "AR" scopes and traditional scopes. A few of the properties I have notices are.

1. Size....AR scopes are more compact.
2. BDC recitals are usually based on .223

but are there other differences, like eye relief or light gathering capabilities?
 
usually favor exit pupil and eye relief over magnification.
often have a 1x or nearly 1x low end, with 4x-8x top end (occasionally 10x)
smaller objective lenses (often objective is smaller than ocular)
i'd like to say lighter weight but the short dots, swaros and similar are all heavy as bricks.
rarely have target turrets.
reticle design is usually thick and compromises precision for speed
illumination is often "daylight" bright as a red dot, not like traditional scope illumination which is designed to let you barely see the crosshair at dawn/dusk.
 
That sums it up, nicely.

I'll add:

Many "AR" scopes also have 5.56/.223 specific BDC reticles.
Click adjustments are usually more coarse, 1/4-1/2" MOA clicks.
Mil/mil scopes seem less popular with AR owners than MOA/MOA.

Edit: An example of an AR scope that comes to mind, is the Nikon M-223 with BDC reticle.
 
depends on the application. I run a VX-R and a Weaver 40/44 on my hunting ARs. There are 3 Gun specific scopes as well. Most guys prefer the tactical appearance. What I would like to see is an ar scope with enough relief to mount forward of the charging handle.
 
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3 gun scopes with low power and a big illuminated reticle.
Other than that, the differences are in the cosmetics and the advertising.
 
i'd like to say lighter weight but the short dots, swaros and similar are all heavy as bricks.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I just picked up an SWFA SS HD 1-6x24 scope and you could beat someone to death with it. It probably is pushing 24oz before the Larue mount.
 
There seems to be a lot of BDC scopes out there - but the mil/mil or moa/moa scopes are pretty limited until you get into better glass. Personally I'd buy a mil/mil or a moa/moa scope long before I'd buy a bdc reticle. I don't think the nikon 223 series even comes in mil/mil or moa/moa :mad:
 
I'm a little dismayed to see that the majority of AR owners go for the GI Joe approach. I went from a .223 bolt gun with a 26" barrel and 6~24 scope to my current AR. What I wanted was a high capacity varmint rifle, with 1 MOA accuracy out to 300 yards. That's exactly what I have. My "AR Scope" is the Nikon Buckmasters 6~18, with target turrets.
You may want to re-phrase your question to refer to an M-4gery scope. That's just one way to set up an AR.
IMG_3957r.jpg
.
 
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Regular Joe said:
I'm a little dismayed to see that the majority of AR owners go for the GI Joe approach. I went from a .223 bolt gun with a 26" barrel and 6~24 scope to my current AR. What I wanted was a high capacity varmint rifle, with 1 MOA accuracy out to 300 yards. That's exactly what I have. My "AR Scope" is the Nikon Buckmasters 6~18, with target turrets.
You may want to re-phrase your question to refer to an M-4gery scope. That's just one way to set up an AR.
Click to expand...

The mission drives the gear.

A lot of guys set their AR's up for defensive use, target shooting, and/or target/range/match shooting in line with defensive use.

We all probably know what the OP meant, and can tell the difference between an "AR scope" and a scope that was mounted to an AR
 
actually, I am looking for a lightweight compact scope to put on a back-packing contender setup. The AR scopes are a little more compact and was thinking it might be a good fit. I am not really into the tactical craze. I had enough of that in the Army.

I may just go for the Leupold ultralight. They are just a little expensive.
 
My "AR Scope" is the Nikon Buckmasters 6~18, with target turrets.
Click to expand...

There is a difference between a scope on an AR, and a scope specifically designed for an AR.

The great thing about the AR's is that they can be set up in almost unlimited ways to suit the individual shooter. I have 3, 4 counting the 22 LR version. I have one set up with a larger higher powered scope very similar to yours, and for the same purpose. Another with a red dot and a 3rd with a 1-4X20 scope.

My 1-4X is not purpose built for AR's, but the ones that are, are not that much different. It suits my needs, and If limited to just one this would be the way I'd go. I like the greater eye releif and FOV on 1X. In fact I prefer it over the red dot by a large margin. And when set on 4X it is not that far behind the rifle with scope with more magnification. At least not out to 300 yards or so. I can see 9X or 12X helping a lot at extended ranges.
 
jmr40
snip......

My 1-4X is not purpose built for AR's, but the ones that are, are not that much different. It suits my needs, and If limited to just one this would be the way I'd go. I like the greater eye releif and FOV on 1X. In fact I prefer it over the red dot by a large margin. And when set on 4X it is not that far behind the rifle with scope with more magnification. At least not out to 300 yards or so. snip.....
Click to expand...

I agree completely with this. A red dot is a bit faster, but the flexibility is why my favorite setup on an AR is a 1-4x. If I could afford a good 1-6x, it would get it, but under $500 there are lots of good 1-4x scopes that are great for an AR. I like the Nikons for this.

After a few years of 3 gun with this set up, I feel this is the most flexible.
 
Now that we have a bit of information about the gun and intended use we can answer your question a bit better. no, there are no functional differences between a scope designed for an AR and another centerfire scope. tactical scope recently have begun to standardize the 30mm as a tube size. but 30mm is starting to show up in sporting scopes. has been for a few years. gathers a bit more light, but means nothing if the glass is unable to transmit it. under four figures this is debatable. what it does do is give a bit more elevation adjustment without shims. for a lightweight backpacking contender, id go fixed with a 20-33mm objective and capped turrets.

to narrow it down a bit more answer these questions:

what caliber?
barrel length?
intended target?
intended range?
weight limitations?
budget?
 
what caliber? 30-30
barrel length? 18"
intended target? Whitetail deer
intended range? < 200 yards
weight limitations? Not really, but light as possible
budget? Looking for good value... < $200 (doesn't have to be this low..I would just like it to be)


I also noticed the "Shotgun" scopes seem to fit into this category as well.
 
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My AR scope doubles as a carry handle. :D

For those without irons, an AR scope, to me, is pretty much as summed up above: generally 1-4x, .223-tuned BDC, lightweight, often illuminated.
 
For your purpose, I would suggest the Weaver K-6. I bought one to try as a replacement for the 6~18 on my AR, but I can't see bullet holes with 6x beyond about 100 yards, so the Nikon went back on the AR.
The K-6 is only about $160 from Midway. It's very solid, with a 1 piece tube, and a lifetime warranty, and made in Japan. I'm shocked and very pleased with the brightness and clarity. That scope ended up on one of my modified 10/.22's, to replace the Bushnell 3x9 that was on it. The Weaver is leagues above the Bushnell.
 
Actually most scopes labeled for shotguns will have a shorter fixed parallax setting, often 50 yds. An adjustable objective or side focus scope will correct parallax and give you a yardage estimate in some cases. Both nice features but at the expense of time and movement needed to dial in.

I'd suggest a fixed power or 2-7X at most with a reticle you can see. Given your parameters, there are oodles of choices so look at weight, warranty and value. You should try and budget for a good one-piece mount, taking care to note the spacing between rings, especially if you choose a compact scope.

Bushnell makes a number of illuminated dot scopes in the 1-4X and 1.5-5X range under $250. For general hunting purposes they will do fine. A Leupold Ultralight would be a great choice as well, especially for weight consideration.
 
I just picked up a Redfield Battlefield 3-9x42. After looking through Vortex (I own 2, they are also excellent for the price), Burris, and many more "budget" (These are as low as anyone should go) scopes I think it takes the prize. It is so close to "as clear as" my Leupold Mark AR 3-9 I'm a little mad I paid more for the Leupold(only a little mind you). It's MOA/MOA and it sure holds up to a .308 bolt gun, which has a little more kick than a AR-10. Check it out, this scope fits and works just as well on a bolt gun as it does on an AR.

As a side note make sure the scope is focused, as most aren't on the showroom floor. I almost walked away after looking through a second Battlefield, but remembered a review I read stating how fuzzy the crosshairs were. I checked and then changed the focus on the eyepiece and it was super clear and sharp. It fits my .308 perfect. I'm actually considering one for my Mini-14, but the Mini might go to my niece for a graduation present. At the moment she is all about Iron sights though.
 
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hardluk1 said:
An AR scope is an advertising gimmick.
Compact scope have been around a looong time before scopeing a flat top AR's were ever thought about. Take a look at SWFA for scopes. Good site to see most of whats out there and one of the better buys is Nikons
http://swfa.com/Nikon-2-7x32-ProStaff-Riflescope-P48752.aspx
OR
http://swfa.com/Nikon-2-7x32-ProStaff-Shotgun-Scope-P48767.aspx
Some detatchable rings and your good to go.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't go so far as to call it a "gimmick".

There is a certain type/style of scope that goes very well with AR's for many AR user's uses. Many people know what you mean when you say an AR scope, as has been discussed in this thread.

That may happen to be a type and style of scope that already existed, and simply exploded in popularity and manufacturer choices with the explosion of AR popularity, but beginning to refer to those types of scopes as AR scopes doesn't really seem like a "gimmick" to me. After all, it's an accurate and practical description, and that style/type of scope IS different than many others.
 
compact != AR scope, though it would be nice
I wouldn't call those nikons AR scopes

2-7x range doesn't match my criteria, neither does the reticle. which is not to say they're bad scopes at all. just different
 
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