Optic on AR pistol (10.5" barrel)?

[sellersm]

What's everyone using for optics on their AR pistols? I'm about to finish my first build of a 10.5" AR pistol, and would like to know some good suggestions for optics? I've got a set of flip up sights to put on it, but I tend to like a reflex/prism or good red dot (old eyes prefer reflex/prism/holo over dots).

Since this is my first AR pistol, I'm not familiar enough with running them to know what's best for eye relief, line of sight, etc.

Purpose is a general 'truck gun' and range shooting. Nothing fancy or 'operator'. Thanks!

 

[Sistema1927]

I have Bushnell TRS-25 red dots on my two 8.5" AR pistols, one in 5.56 and the other in 300 AAC. Like you, these are fun guns.

 

[Everready73]

whats your price range? i would def go red dot, probably a micro red dot. I think they are more reliable than the reflex site (especially in the budget range. Under $100 the Bushnell mentioned is a good choice, but i would recommend the primary arms micro red dot. If you can budget $150-200 Primary arms offers a 50k hour battery life version that you can always have on. I have seen some pretty extensive "torture" tests of these on youtube an they hold up well. Holsun and Vortex Spark Ar are also good options in this price range. if you wanted to spend a little more the Aimpoint Pro and Trijicon MRO are around $400 and offer increased durability and reliability

For a prism site Vortex has one reasonably priced. If you wanted a magnified prism Primary arms and burris are probably the best budget options. I wouldnt recommend a reflex site as earlier stated, but i would not go any cheaper than the vortex viper/venom or the burris fastfire. Leupold delta point pro and trijicon rmr are great higher cost options for reflex sites. Not high on Eotech, but they would be an option as well

 

[Sebastian the Ibis]

Follow the sales. This is the Golden Age of gun's and accessories. I picked up a $250 Eotech the other day.

 

[Armored farmer]

I am very pleased with my sightmark mil-spec reflex sight.

 

[MachIVshooter]

Under $100: Bushnell TRS-25 or Primary Arms micro

$200-ish: Vortex or Burris Fastfire

Around $400: Aimpoint PRO or EOTech

Higher? Can't go wrong with most of them.

 

[Decoy80]

I would like to thank the OP for broaching the subject. Being new to AR pistols myself I too can benefit from this post. Thanks all.

 

[ClemY]

Another vote for the Bushnell TRS-25. I sight it in for 50 yds.

 

[weblance]

I have tried a few of them. I have the Bushnell TRS-25, Primary Arms Advanced Micro Red Dot, EOTech 512, and most recently, the Sig Romeo5. The Bushnell has a small field of view, and the LED sticks up too much for my liking, taking up some of the field of view. It is however probably the best budget choice, as it can be had for less than $100.

I like the EOTech, as they don't emit any light out of the front, but I don't like the fact that they have to be manually turned on, then the intensity set. IF they were motion auto wake, and came on at the last intensity setting, they would be perfect.

The Primary Arms Advanced Micro is a very good red dot. I like that it is brighter than any previous red dot I had bought. On a sunny day, outside, its the one that doesn't wash out. You can still use it. The others just don't have enough intensity. It comes on with one touch, and at the last intensity setting

I recently bought two Sig Romeo5 red dots. I think they are perfect. They are very similar to the Primary Arms Advanced Micro, with the very important addition, they Auto Wake. Turn them on, set the firearm down, and after 2 minutes, the dot turns off and the unit goes into sleep mode. Just the slightest movement, and the dot comes back on at the last setting. I have tried this many times, and it works perfectly. The Sig also has the brightness of the Primary Arms Advanced dot. I have these two Sig Romeo5s on my AR pistols, a 7.5" 5.56, and a 10.5" 300 BLK. The Sig also ships with two bases, a low base that works great on pistols, and an Absolute Co-witness base that is perfect on an AR with Magpul MBUS sights. The Primary Arms dots only ship with one base, and to use on an AR, I had to buy the higher base, at a cost of $30.

 

[sellersm]

Thank you to all!! Great information here, as always, at THR!

I found a screaming deal on a Romeo5 so ordered that today. If Black Friday sales brings some other great deals, I may try one or 2 of the other optics mentioned.

 

[rodinal220]

I put the SIG Romeo5 on my BCM 11.5" pistol as well as my BCM M4 16". Very lightweight and compact. Prices have come down on these. I purchased mine from Brownells for 139.99.

 

[Everready73]

Thank you to all!! Great information here, as always, at THR!

I found a screaming deal on a Romeo5 so ordered that today. If Black Friday sales brings some other great deals, I may try one or 2 of the other optics mentioned.

The Sig is a good option. I am not 100% sure but i believe Holsun. is the OEM for them. They are very similar to the Primary Arms and Holsun offerings and a re a good value IMO

I would check out Primary Arms around Black Friday. I know you said you prefer a Prism over a red dot and if you find out you would prefer a little bit of magnification they have 2.5x, 3x, and 5x Prism scopes that go on sale as low as 159.99 for the 2.5x. Another option if you are happy with the red dot is to look into a magnifier with flip to side mount like the 3x long eye relief one they offer

 

[Jackal]

Simply can't beat Holosun/Primary Arms in the $100-$200 range. All the casual functionality of an Aimpoint micro, minus the price. I sold my Aimpoint H1 after I got my Holosun/Primary Arms.

 

[Armored farmer]

If I had it to do over, I would get the sightmark mil-spec again.

I also read good things about the Holosun.

 

[Dr.Rob]

Real 'pistol' or braced pistol shot like a rifle?

 

[Armored farmer]

Real 'pistol' or braced pistol shot like a rifle?

If you'r asking me, my answer would be that it shoots much better than a conventional pistol. On parr with a carbine perhaps. ...?
If I build another ar15, it'll Be another braced 10.5 inch pistol.

 

[michaelc246]

Go with a Holosun, Primary Arms, Truglo Tru Tec, or Sig Romeo. They all have fantastic battery life as well as other cool features depending on the sight you go with.

 

[SamT1]

Nikon P series scope! If your not running a brace you don’t need optics to spray and pray.

 

[Varminterror]

If you're shouldering the pistol, pick an optic appropriate to your application. I run a Shockwave on one of my 10.5" pistols (SBR paperwork in process, will be a UBR G2), I built it for hunting, 6.8spc, 100-400yrd, so I have what I consider to be my standard hunting scope on top, Leupold VX3i 4.5-14x50mm with mil-dot. I'll be replacing this with a Sig Tango4 4-16x44mm to get a little smaller profile and FFP reticle (let alone illumination).

If you're blasting, a TRS-25 is a fine choice, although I might favor an RMR with a larger reticle, since my eyes ain't what they used to be and picking up a smaller dot at arms length is getting harder and harder - especially since they look like bug splatter with my astigmatism.

 

[Walkalong]

although I might favor an RMR with a larger reticle, since my eyes ain't what they used to be and picking up a smaller dot at arms length is getting harder and harder -

Amen to that, easier to pick up, easier to shoot fast, and still "ok" for finer work.

 

[Browning]

Since it's going to be a truck gun I'd vote for the Primary Arms Micro 50,000 hrs red dot over something more expensive.

They're pretty tough, they're on the light side and they don't cost all that much. ($169, but I'd recommend getting the American Defense 100% co-witness mount and then folding down your rear sight).

https://www.amazon.com/Primary-Arms...Arms MD-ADS red dot Amazon (*Click for link*)

If not that and willing to spend more than the Aimpoint Pro ($400-ish).

 

[SamT1]

Since it's going to be a truck gun I'd vote for the Primary Arms Micro 50,000 hrs red dot over something more expensive.

They're pretty tough, they're on the light side and they don't cost all that much.

Seems like everything I’ve bought from primary arms is cheap and good. I have a $500 pistol from them that is very nice quality. I’m not a huge AR guy but it really makes a man wonder what the difference is in that and a $1200 one. I had a nice (expensive) rock river and I don’t see the difference besides the nicer furniture on it. I guess a guy can sink 400 into nice furniture though.

 

[Browning]

Seems like everything I’ve bought from primary arms is cheap and good. I have a $500 pistol from them that is very nice quality. I’m not a huge AR guy but it really makes a man wonder what the difference is in that and a $1200 one. I had a nice (expensive) rock river and I don’t see the difference besides the nicer furniture on it. I guess a guy can sink 400 into nice furniture though.

Did Primary Arms make the AR pistol you have or just sell it?

If it's the former I didn't even know that they manufactured actual guns and their site won't come up for me for some reason. I am in a Dr's office right now though and can't get on their wifi though.

The red dots that I've bought from them are really good. Both are Micro's. One is the first model that doesn't offer quite as many hours that I bought on a Black Friday sale a few years ago for $49 and the other is a 50k hrs model. Both are pretty awesome in their performance for the amount of money they cost.

There are all kinds of reviews and torture tests of them on YouTube. Would I rate them quite as good as say a Trijicon or an Aimpoint? No, but then again they cost a fraction of what those optics cost.

 

[SamT1]

Did Primary Arms make the AR pistol you have or just sell it?

If it's the former I didn't even know that they manufactured actual guns and their site won't come up for me for some reason. I am in a Dr's office right now though and can't get on their wifi though.
.

It says radical firearms is the manufacturer. Looks to me like Radical finished Anderson 80% lowers. It seems like back when I ordered it everything they had on their site said Radical Firearms