Suggestions for Optics on an AR-10 for Wild Boar?

[IndyTom]

Haven't been hog hunting, but I picked this up for my .308: Primary Arms 5X Prism Scope with Patented .223/5.56, 5.45x39, .308 ACSS Reticle PAC5X

Fixed 5x with an illuminated acss etched reticle.

 

[Mark 1911]

I would go with a rugged mid range variable with illuminated reticle to cover any situation. Even in full daylight it can be hard to see a black crosshair on a dark hog in heavy cover. There is a high probability that you are going to find yourself hunting in thick cover at fairly close range at some point and both the lower end magnification and the illuminated reticle will pay dividends especially if you have to shoot quickly. What is your budget? Natchez Shooters Supply has Leupold VX-R 3x9's with illuminated reticles that should work well for $399. You can also find Weaver 1-4.5x24 with a German #4 Illuminated reticle for around $190-$230.

I might be able to go a little higher on the budget than what you mentioned, but I am in the process of purchasing a new home, so I'm obviously looking to get as much as I can for the money. For boar, I like the lower power variable range for rapid target acquisition in the range of the second option you mentioned, something in a 1-4 or 1-6. Still researching the vast number of choices. Probably not going to go thermal due to high cost, but definitely would go illuminated reticle, green or red would work, but right now I'm leaning towards green.

 

[42769vette]

I might be able to go a little higher on the budget than what you mentioned, but I am in the process of purchasing a new home, so I'm obviously looking to get as much as I can for the money. For boar, I like the lower power variable range for rapid target acquisition in the range of the second option you mentioned, something in a 1-4 or 1-6. Still researching the vast number of choices. Probably not going to go thermal due to high cost, but definitely would go illuminated reticle, green or red would work, but right now I'm leaning towards green.

If your looking to get the most out of your money you might look at the 1-4/1-6 options here. A 2.5-10 wouldnt me a horible choice either if you wanted the option of stretching its legs when you are not hog hunting.

Refurbished

 

[Mark 1911]

If your looking to get the most out of your money you might look at the 1-4/1-6 options here. A 2.5-10 wouldnt me a horible choice either if you wanted the option of stretching its legs when you are not hog hunting.

Refurbished

Thanks for the tip!

 

[two70]

I might be able to go a little higher on the budget than what you mentioned, but I am in the process of purchasing a new home, so I'm obviously looking to get as much as I can for the money. For boar, I like the lower power variable range for rapid target acquisition in the range of the second option you mentioned, something in a 1-4 or 1-6. Still researching the vast number of choices. Probably not going to go thermal due to high cost, but definitely would go illuminated reticle, green or red would work, but right now I'm leaning towards green.

The last time I hunted hogs in TX, I took my AR15 with a Vortex 2.5-7X and it worked well but would have been about perfect for me if it had a lighted reticle. Oddly enough the most fast and furious shooting I had was on a day when I was carrying my bolt action with a 4-12X. It got the job done but I would definitely have preferred lower magnification along with a lighted reticle.

 

[KJQ6945]

Looks like one of the ATN thermal scopes. Which model? Can you use them in daylight too?

Sweet rig by the way!

It is an ATN, the Thor HD 9-36x100. Yes, it will work night or day.

 

[patience0830]

I'm going this year also, I went the thermal route.

This was my first thought, if a feller has the funds. There's an ACOG in the classies that would be my second choice.

 

[Mark 1911]

This was my first thought, if a feller has the funds. There's an ACOG in the classies that would be my second choice.

I did see the ACOG in the classifieds (there are actually two separate adds for ACOGs). The thing that makes me shy away from the ACOG is that the tritium will fade with time. What I don't understand about it, and maybe someone can help me here, is how clearly a target shows up under no light conditions, and if the ability to see a target under no light conditions fades with time as the tritium fades.

On the other hand, the more I look at the VCOG, the more I like the. And although the price is formidable, it's about half of what the thermal option would cost. I might choose to wait a while and go with the VCOG later. The cool thing about the VCOG is the versatility it affords on an AR-10 platform. Rapid target acquisition at low power, and great precision at high power. The reticle actually changes size with the magnification level which would make a great choice for close encounters in thick brush, as well as for longer shots:

If I saw one of these in the classifieds, I would jump on it. The one I like the best for my .308 would be the VC16-C-1600044, the pic above is for this model and taken off the Trijicon website.

 

[Mark 1911]

It is an ATN, the Thor HD 9-36x100. Yes, it will work night or day.

Beautiful, but the price is out of my range - especially now that we just signed a purchase agreement on a new house, haven't sold the current one yet. My wife would shoot ME!

 

[KJQ6945]

Beautiful, but the price is out of my range - especially now that we just signed a purchase agreement on a new house, haven't sold the current one yet. My wife would shoot ME!

I had to sell guns to buy it. It was out of my price range too.

 

[Mark 1911]

I had to sell guns to buy it. It was out of my price range too.

I've been selling a few guns myself. I'm planning to use the money to set up a nice workshop in the new house with a quality bench and steel cabinets for my ammo and reloading equipment. Told the wife we'd buy a new dishwasher and microwave too. I'm running out of guns that I'm willing to part with.

And now that I've looked on Remington's website and saw all the models they've discontinued, now there's even fewer I'd part with.

 

[Mark 1911]

Wanted to thank everyone who contributed with input on helping me make a decision on what optics to put on my AR-10. Specifically, I have an LMT LM308MWS that I had posted in the classifieds for a while. After a while I came to my senses and decided that this is one rifle I would definitely regret selling. I've been trying to consolidate my collection lately and focus on some of my favorite guns, sell a few others. I have a two maybe three projects lined up for this year. One is a little work on my Glock that AllenM is going to do later this year after some parts arrive. This is something I've been wanting to do for a while and it's also the first project I've done for a while, but not the last either. Next year I plan to build a long range bolt action - but that's for later. Back to the LMT...

This is what the LMT looked like with the factory iron sights that I just removed:

After reading up on the myriad options out there, I picked one that I think will serve me well for the way I plan to hunt with it. Kirk Freeman made a comment in one of his posts about Trijicon Accupoint, and having that nice green triangle to put on a black piggy. I liked that idea, and I think I will eventually put an Accupoint on another rifle that I almost made the mistake of selling, a nice Browning Belgium made BAR in 30-06. For my LMT I went with another Trijicon product, the VCOG.

Here's what the LMT looks like now with it's new eyes:

The VCOG offers a wide variety of reticle choices, here's the one I ended up going with. As Kirk mentioned, should look real nice with a black pig behind it!:

The nice thing about this scope, it's well suited for hunting. But because of the first focal plane design, the reticle is in focus right up to the muzzle, which also makes it a good choice for home defense - designed for close quarters combat in the military.


Looking forward to the first range trip, and later on in the spring, my first wild boar hunt.

 

[actaeon277]

 

[Mark 1911]

Thanks!

 

[KJQ6945]

Looks great Mark. The bacon rifle!

 

[Mark 1911]

Looks great Mark. The bacon rifle!

Thanks! Was just talking to a friend the other day who has no real interest in guns but has relatives in Texas with a feral hog problem. He had an opportunity to hunt and eat some last year. He said the smaller ones aren't too bad. I'm looking forward to the hunt and trying some.