Help me decide on AR optical sight...

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Lone_Gunman

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The weapon in question is a 16" Bushmaster Carbine with a detachable handle.

I am looking for something to attach to the flat top receiver that provides quick target aquisition, not much magnification, and won't conflict with the front site. The more compact the design, the better.
 
How about an EOTech Holosight?

http://www.eotech-inc.com/lawe_hwsmodels.php

tacmount3.gif
 
How much do you want to spend? Is this just for plinking and enjoyment, or is it a home defense/duty weapon? Do you really want any magnification?

If you are looking to go cheap and it's just for plinking etc. you could go with something like a BSA or Tasco reddot. For a little more you can pick up a Hakko Tacpoint for the military look.

If this is going to be more along the lines of a home defense/duty weapon I would suggest you step up to an Eotech or Aimpoint CompM. The Eotech has a built in mount, where the Aimpoint needs a mount to attach to the rail on your AR. Figure about $300-400 for the Eotech (varies based on model) to about $500 for an aimpoint setup with mount.

For the next step up id' recommend the Trijicon ACOG models. The ones you want are the BAC models that have a fiber optic chanel along the top - any of the compact series, along with the TA31 and TA11. These are currently running about $750+ for the compacts and $1000+ for the full size TA31 and TA11. The advantage here is that they combine the speed of the red dot sights, but also give you some magnification (1.5-4x depending on the model), as well as a bullet drop compensating reticle in the TA31 and TA11.

Check out the tacked threads in the optics forum on AR15.com for lots of info on the Eotech/Aimpoint/Acogs as well as pics looking through the scopes.
 
I doubt anyone here can help you decide. But we can add choices and make it more confusing!

Do you mean low or no magnification? None would be a dot of some sort, so an Aimpoint, EOtech, TriPower or ACOG Reflex. Or Holosite (cheaper EO), or some other dot. Or a Docter if you want to go small. Or OEGs! Or..., or..., or... Lots of choices, but they will also break down into categories, of size, reliability, brightness, type of aiming graticule, batteries or not, auto-on or not, etc.

For low magnification, the choice is easier. Maybe ELCAN, but they are tall and bulky for an AR, so really ACOG. I say, ACOG Compact. All have the light-gatherer to allow the Bindon Aiming Concept (probably TM'd by Armson!). They are also... compact. Which is better for the smallish AR, I think. They are pricey, like $700+, but a full-sized ACOG with an NSN will be closer to $1000.

Also, with the war needs, and the sudden army realization that optics are valuable, its hard to find anything good, and there are NO deals on them. Expect to pay full retail for something not /quite/ what you want, and to wait 10 weeks for delivery. I am personally gonna get a holdover, like a lightly used Holotsite, and get an ACOG compact next year sometime. If we haven't invaded anyone else by then.
 
I am seriously considering putting a Weaver K2.5 on my Colt AR-15A3 carbine.

--Good optics, especially for the money.
--Although not military-grade, they are pretty rugged.
--2.5x is a good balance between magnification and fast target acquisition.
--2.5x is enough magnification for my needs out to a few hundred yards.
--Affordable.

I'm not a LEO nor in the military. While the Colt might be called upon if TSHTF, it's not my choice for home defense. And, living in PA, I can't hunt with a semiauto rifle. So, the more I think about it the more the little Weaver makes sense to me.
 
Since my old eyes ain't what they used to be, for plinking fun with my CAR-15 I got a cantilever mount (~$20) and a cheap (~$20) 20mm Target Sports red dot sight from www.cdnninvestments.com.

I removed and discarded the side rails from the mount and put the dot sight out above the hand guard. Doesn't quite co-located with the the iron sights but I can still usee the irons if the battery goes dead. If I could find lower mounts it might co-locate. A 30mm dot sight blocks the view of the front post with the tube bottom.

I like this setup because I can still use the carrying handle and iron sights.

--wally.
 
I've got a 1-4X Leupold on a 16" Bushmaster. At 1X -close targets-it's a quick, both-eyes-open sight. At 100 yards - 4X- it makes up for my aging eyes.
 
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