Scope for Ar 15 help

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  • Mcolson181

    Marksman
    Rating - 75%
    3   1   0
    Nov 11, 2012
    144
    18
    SE Indiana
    Looking to build and ar in 223 with an 18" or 20" barrel for coyotes and don't know much about scopes. Any help with power, brands and quality would be appreciated. Also, I'm not a long range shooter so I won't be shooting past 100 years I imagine. Thanks for the help.
     

    dhamby

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    7   0   0
    May 1, 2013
    656
    18
    Crawfordsville area
    I would recommend something in the 1-4 power. I have a Bushnell 1-4 that I like. Also the Vortex PST 1-4 is a nice scope as well but a bit more expensive than the Bushnell. Both can be had wit illuminated reticle and both FFP I believe (not absolute on the Vortex). There are many more options but those are the 2 I like.
     

    NyleRN

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    28   0   0
    Dec 14, 2013
    3,834
    113
    Scottsburg
    If you're on a budget then I suggest the vortex diamondback hp 2-8, but if you have a little more to spend such as $400-500 then get the 2.5-10 viper hs or pst
     

    Dss21

    Marksman
    Rating - 100%
    2   0   0
    May 15, 2009
    158
    18
    I would recommend something in the 1-4 power. I have a Bushnell 1-4 that I like. Also the Vortex PST 1-4 is a nice scope as well but a bit more expensive than the Bushnell. Both can be had wit illuminated reticle and both FFP I believe (not absolute on the Vortex). There are many more options but those are the 2 I like.
    I agree on the 1-4 power range if most shots are under 200 yards. 4x should be plenty. Things can happen fast and close when coyote/fox hunting. Over magnification can take you out of the game.
     

    tcecil88

    Master
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Nov 18, 2013
    1,903
    113
    @ the corner of IN, KY & OH.
    If Scope budget is low, check out the VISM EVO. Great glass, illuminated reticle with mil-dots, 30 mm tube, lockable turrets. I gave $189 for mine but they are cheaper on eBay.
    Primary Arms offers great glass for the money with outstanding customer service.
    I also like the Bushnell AR/223 line. 30mm tube with clear glass and an illuminated reticle that on 1x acts like a red-dot, but on 4x it has aiming points out to 400. I gave $300 for mine but they can be had cheaper.
     

    TJ Kackowski

    Let it begin here.
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    133   0   1
    Jun 8, 2012
    1,877
    113
    Hendricks County
    You may not be planning to shoot past 100 yds. right now, but as soon as you start shooting at 100 yds. on a regular basis, you'll eventually get bitten by the long range bug and want to see how far you can stretch that AR (FWIW .. a LOT more than 100 yds.).

    Alan (42769vette) at A&A Optics is the man to help you with all your scope needs regardless of distance or budget. Give him a call and you'll be all set. Better yet, visit with him at his shop and you'll learn more about scopes than you could ever imagine.
     

    masterdekoy

    Expert
    Rating - 100%
    56   0   0
    Feb 12, 2013
    854
    28
    Columbus
    The one thing which concerns me about a 1x4 is the 24mm objective lens. I would think under low light it might be hard to pick up targets. Can anyone confirm/deny? I would think the vortex 2.5-10x32 would be the perfect compromise.
     

    seedubs1

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    24   0   0
    Jan 17, 2013
    4,623
    48
    Those Bushnell scopes are not what I'd sink my money into. Too much plastic junk in them. I emailed Bushnell to try to figure out how much plastic crap was in them and just got an email back saying:

    "Plastic is used throughout the scope" -That's quoted directly from Bushnells reply email.

    Thanks, but no thanks. I'll stick to Vortex and Weaver, who use MUCH better guts in their scopes.

    If Scope budget is low, check out the VISM EVO. Great glass, illuminated reticle with mil-dots, 30 mm tube, lockable turrets. I gave $189 for mine but they are cheaper on eBay.
    Primary Arms offers great glass for the money with outstanding customer service.
    I also like the Bushnell AR/223 line. 30mm tube with clear glass and an illuminated reticle that on 1x acts like a red-dot, but on 4x it has aiming points out to 400. I gave $300 for mine but they can be had cheaper.
     

    NyleRN

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    28   0   0
    Dec 14, 2013
    3,834
    113
    Scottsburg
    ^^^I agree with this. If you're going to stick with a 1-4 or 1-6 then go at a minimum of vortex 1-6 SE or PA 1-6. Not sure if anyone will have a BF sale on the SE because it's fairly new, but PA has their 1-6 for $229 right now. That's a bargin. I have a PA 1-6 and it's a good deal at the regular $269.
     

    DoggyDaddy

    Grandmaster
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    73   0   1
    Aug 18, 2011
    102,087
    77
    Southside Indy
    You may not be planning to shoot past 100 yds. right now, but as soon as you start shooting at 100 yds. on a regular basis, you'll eventually get bitten by the long range bug and want to see how far you can stretch that AR (FWIW .. a LOT more than 100 yds.).

    Alan (42769vette) at A&A Optics is the man to help you with all your scope needs regardless of distance or budget. Give him a call and you'll be all set. Better yet, visit with him at his shop and you'll learn more about scopes than you could ever imagine.

    I'll second this. Alan has helped me out with 3 scopes so far. I just picked up a Vortex Diamondback 2-7x35 for my PA-10 (Palmetto State's version of an AR-10). I don't typically shoot over 350 yards, but this scope will let me reach out a little farther if I want to. I'm a big fan of Vortex. Their warranty is hard to beat, and the quality is great. :yesway: They have quite a range of prices to choose from too, from their Crossfires to their Vipers.
     

    gregkl

    Outlier
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    33   0   0
    Apr 8, 2012
    11,868
    77
    Bloomington
    Not sure how old you are but at my age(56), the 1-4's that people are mentioning would not be the magnification range I would pick for shooting animals at 100 yards or so. If I was doing 3-gun or something like that, I might choose a 1-4.

    I have a 3-9 on my 18" SPR type AR and I usually have it on 9X. The only time I dialed it back to 3 was at a friends doing some run and gun.
     

    tradertator

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    128   0   0
    Jul 1, 2008
    6,783
    63
    Greene County
    My vote goes for a 2.5X10 if it's a 556 rifle. The reticle is actually useful, larger objective lense (for better light transmission), and IMO the perfect range of magnification for that that caliber.
     

    sgreen3

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    51   0   0
    Jan 19, 2011
    11,027
    63
    Scottsburg,In
    If your wanting a smaller package to not add a lot of weight or just don't need more magnification, I have one of the 1-4 Primary Arms scopes on of my carbines and say enough good things about it. Glass is super clear and I have no trouble making hits out to 150yrds with it. Their are very well priced I got mine for less than $120 shipped. Worth looking into.
     
    Rating - 100%
    28   0   0
    Oct 3, 2008
    4,187
    149
    On a hill in Perry C
    Not sure how old you are but at my age(56), the 1-4's that people are mentioning would not be the magnification range I would pick for shooting animals at 100 yards or so. If I was doing 3-gun or something like that, I might choose a 1-4.

    I have a 3-9 on my 18" SPR type AR and I usually have it on 9X. The only time I dialed it back to 3 was at a friends doing some run and gun.

    I've found as I've gotten older (now 53) I've been using more and more magnification on all my scopes. Even 10 years ago about the only time I went over 4x was testing ammo. Now I very seldom go under 4x, like for HD or hunting in thick brush. Old eyes suck!

    If your wanting a smaller package to not add a lot of weight or just don't need more magnification, I have one of the 1-4 Primary Arms scopes on of my carbines and say enough good things about it. Glass is super clear and I have no trouble making hits out to 150yrds with it. Their are very well priced I got mine for less than $120 shipped. Worth looking into.

    Had one and replaced it. Decent scope for the money, but it just didn't work for me, I needed more magnification and better low light performance.
     

    madvarminter

    Plinker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Oct 31, 2015
    59
    6
    franklin
    My 11 year old daughter runs a Burris 1x4 on her AR it has a ballistic reticle in it close up shots on coyotes are easy on 1x. Shots at 500 yards are easy on steel. You can find the Burris on sale in 250 $ range. I run a vortex pst on my AR it's nice but I don't know if it's double the money nice they are 500$ I have several night force scopes on bolt guns the Burris glass is almost as clear. Plenty of people shoot extended range with iron sights. Lower magnification doesn't mean you can't shoot far
     
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