AR needs a scope

**ham385** · March 9th, 2011, 09:30 PM

Hey All,

I've got optics fever, and i'm finally going to put some glass on my AR. I only own 2 scopes, a nikon 2-7 on my 30/30 and a bushnell on my .22. I've been looking at scopes since I built the thing in 2006, but decent ones are so damn expensive....

Here's what I'm looking for in descending priorities:
-adjustments: repeatability is very important to me, probably the most important feature. A zero stop would be nice, but not mandatory. .1 mil or 1/4 moa would be almost a must, but I could live with 1/2 moa.
-Reticle: prefer mil dot, could live with some other range finding alternative though.
-Turrets: no caps, must be target or tactical(prefer lower profile tactical over target). must match reticle. If mil reticle, then mil turrets. If moa reticle then moa turrets.
-Glass: good glass is ok. I can't afford superb glass with the other features I want.
-Magnification: top end around 10x, bottom end - the lower the better. If it's a 2fp mil dot, then I want it to be capable of 10x for ranging.
-Ruggedness: this is mostly a target rifle, but is also my SHTF AR. I don't need indestructible, but durable is good.
-Intended purpose: making holes in paper out to 300 yards or further when the opportunity presents itself, occasionally hitting steel at various ranges,
and the very rare treat at a shoot house

If I had $4000, I'd buy a Mark 8, but I don't. I need to stay in the $500 range if I'm going to be able to get it before 2012. So far, I've found 2 scopes that seem to fit my needs. Both seem to get good reviews on the interwebs, but I wanted to see if anyone can offer up any other alternatives for me.

Both of these are Mil/Mil scopes topping out at 10x, which is my preferred configuration. The PST is twice the cost of the Weaver and is about the most I can afford. After a 1 piece base and lapping rod it puts me up over $700, but with some willpower I can get there this summer. Is it that much better? Is there anything else i should add to my short list?
Vortex Viper PST 2.5-10x

Weaver Grand Slam Tactical 3-10x

[EDIT] Also please note, I have considered Bushnell elite and SWFA SS fixed 10x, but have since ruled them out. The price point is great, and other features are almost exactly what I want, but I really do want a variable power since this is my SHTF rifle also [/EDIT]
Thanks a bunch.

**Lycanthrope** · March 9th, 2011, 11:15 PM

How about a Millett LRS?

Lycanhastheoptionsthrope

http://forum.pafoa.org/general-2/217...t-lrs-1-a.html

**ham385** · March 10th, 2011, 12:07 AM

Originally Posted by Lycanthrope

How about a Millett LRS?

Lycanhastheoptionsthrope

http://forum.pafoa.org/general-2/217...t-lrs-1-a.html

The LRS looks to be a bit too much scope for what I want, but the TRS-1 is looking about perfect. The only thing I'd change on that is lower it from 4-16x to 2-8x, but I can deal with 4x. It looks like I'm dropping the viper pst from the short list.

Still looking for other alternatives, but it's between the Millet and the Weaver now.

**ham385** · March 13th, 2011, 03:16 AM

I've also added a Nikon Monarch 2.5-10x to the list. I have a Nikon prostaff, and I reallly like the glass in it. From what I've been reading, the Monarch is known for repeatability, ruggedness, and very good glass.

The only drawbacks I see are the knobs are 1/4 moa, but the reticule is mil dot. The turrets come with dustcaps (I loose dustcaps, and I wonder if crud would become an issue, and caps are a pain it the a$$), and the focus is on the eyepiece instead of the side.

I think,from what I know of the clarity of the Nikon, I may have a winner at $400.

Since I'm now considering moa knobs with mil dot reticules, does anyone have anything else I should add to the short list?

**ElusiveSVT** · April 6th, 2011, 07:34 PM

have you seen the new scopes Leupold came out with made just for the AR? Pretty nice units. Bullet drop compensator and tactical knobs underneath traditional knob caps

http://www.leupold.com/tactical/prod...r-3-9x40mm-t2/

**mojo** · April 8th, 2011, 01:05 PM

I have a Leupold Mark AR 3x9. Very nice scope. Does come with caps but you can just leave them off.

I've only had it out to the range once, but so far it's very nice for the price.

**ham385** · July 10th, 2011, 09:47 PM

I decided to go with the Vortex Viper PST 2.5-10x. I went to the NRA convention and checked it out there. While clearly not a S&B or USO, I was very impressed with it. The clarity and resolution were excellent, the knobs had nice tactile adjustments with a good amount of resistance. All in all, on the surface, very similar to a NightForce, although I wouldn't expect the ruggedness NightForce provides at 3x the cost.

I ordered it as a birthday present for myself from Midway USA at the end of May, and got it last week (It was backordered). So far, my scope is just as nice as the demo I looked at.

Before mounting it, I was playing with it at dusk, and I was very impressed. I took it outside and looked up the street (about 150 yards) and was able to read a license plate on a vehicle. With my naked eye, I could only make out the shape of the truck and barely the bumper (due to the dimness not the distance).

I got it mounted, but haven't had a go at the range yet - I'll post a full review in another thread (with pics), hopefully this week if I can get out. Once I get it zeroed, i intend to shoot the four corners of a box and see how repeatable the adjustments are. Any other tests, of the non-destructive type, requested?

**Helter** · July 27th, 2011, 11:00 PM

Originally Posted by ham385

Hey All,

I've got optics fever, and i'm finally going to put some glass on my AR. I only own 2 scopes, a nikon 2-7 on my 30/30 and a bushnell on my .22. I've been looking at scopes since I built the thing in 2006, but decent ones are so damn expensive....

Here's what I'm looking for in descending priorities:
-adjustments: repeatability is very important to me, probably the most important feature. A zero stop would be nice, but not mandatory. .1 mil or 1/4 moa would be almost a must, but I could live with 1/2 moa.
-Reticle: prefer mil dot, could live with some other range finding alternative though.
-Turrets: no caps, must be target or tactical(prefer lower profile tactical over target). must match reticle. If mil reticle, then mil turrets. If moa reticle then moa turrets.
-Glass: good glass is ok. I can't afford superb glass with the other features I want.
-Magnification: top end around 10x, bottom end - the lower the better. If it's a 2fp mil dot, then I want it to be capable of 10x for ranging.
-Ruggedness: this is mostly a target rifle, but is also my SHTF AR. I don't need indestructible, but durable is good.
-Intended purpose: making holes in paper out to 300 yards or further when the opportunity presents itself, occasionally hitting steel at various ranges,
and the very rare treat at a shoot house

If I had $4000, I'd buy a Mark 8, but I don't. I need to stay in the $500 range if I'm going to be able to get it before 2012. So far, I've found 2 scopes that seem to fit my needs. Both seem to get good reviews on the interwebs, but I wanted to see if anyone can offer up any other alternatives for me.

Both of these are Mil/Mil scopes topping out at 10x, which is my preferred configuration. The PST is twice the cost of the Weaver and is about the most I can afford. After a 1 piece base and lapping rod it puts me up over $700, but with some willpower I can get there this summer. Is it that much better? Is there anything else i should add to my short list?
Vortex Viper PST 2.5-10x

Weaver Grand Slam Tactical 3-10x

[EDIT] Also please note, I have considered Bushnell elite and SWFA SS fixed 10x, but have since ruled them out. The price point is great, and other features are almost exactly what I want, but I really do want a variable power since this is my SHTF rifle also [/EDIT]
Thanks a bunch.

Nevermind, didn't see that you had already picked something up.