Scope or dot at 100 yds on AR?

[igolfat8]

I have bad eyesight so lets get that out of the way first. I'm considering purchasing my 1st entry level AR (likely a S&W Sport). Our club runs 3 gun competition but they only shoot steel plates at 100 yds with rifle leg. What would you suggest (for me and my aging eyes) a scope or red dot at the 100 yd distance? I'm open to suggestions for optic brands and models but keep in mind that my budget is low <$150 for an optic. This won't be a >100 yard bench rest rifle and speed of target acquisition and perhaps some magnification are high on my priority list.

[Skadoosh]

A 4-moa red dot will work just fine for the application you described...even with tired, not-so-new eyes. I suggest you look at what Primary Arms has to offer.

[Panfisher]

My preference is a low power scope say 1.5 - 4.5, actually I prefer it to red dots or open sites even at short ranges. I can see that a good red dot would allow you to keep both eyes open which is not a bad thing.

[igolfat8]

I've only used a red dot on pistols and it works fine for me with both eyes open. Is it common to shoot scopes with one eye closed or both eyes open?

[SR420]

I am near sighted, and wear corrective lenses for distance.
I can see my targets & the red dot clearly with my glasses on.

I prefer a 1 or 2 MOA red dot, one can be very accurate with them @ 100 yards.
Here is an example.




My AR wears an EOTech with a 1 MOA center dot.

[jersurf101]

I use a Bushnell T dot on my 16" AR and have no problems banging the steel ram and chicken which are set at 200 yards at my range. I looked through other red dots scopes but settled on the Bushnell. It's a 1MOA dot and it helps. The sight is heavy at right around 1 pound.

[Snyper]

With a $150 budget, I'd get a low powered scope like a 1 x 4 or a 2 x 7, which will also work well at longer distances

I've only used a red dot on pistols and it works fine for me with both eyes open. Is it common to shoot scopes with one eye closed or both eyes open?

Yes you can shoot with both eyes open, especially with the lower powered scopes
I've always had better accuracy with scopes, and only like dot sights for close range speed

[jmr40]

A 1-4X scope is my preference, with a 2-7X as 2nd choice. The ability to use 1X is dramatically better up close and fast vs 2X. You just have to use one to appreciate the difference.

Up close they are much faster than either irons or dots, they work much better in low light too. You can see the red dots, but the optics are so bad on most of them that you can't see the target in low light. On 4X they have plenty of magnification for at least 300 yards. You get a lot more for the same money too.

A little over your budget, but I use Leupold VX-1's at $200. That is about the same price as you'd pay for an acceptable dot.

[chris in va]

I've had my Sport for 4-5 years. Good choice.

Started with an el-cheapo dot but the 5-moa dot literally covered up a target at 100 yards and I switched to a fixed 4x compact scope. Unfortunately it doesn't do well at closer ranges.

As suggested, look for a 1-4x scope. Best of both worlds.

I will also point out, the 223 shoots quite flat past 300 yards. A scope will be an asset if you want to accurately hit those further targets.

[Pond, James Pond]

I asked a similar question myself about 6 months ago.

Here is a link to it.

I ended up getting a scope personally, but I think a red-dot would have been enough for me out to 100m. My AR now wears a Leupold VX2 1-4x24mm. Very clear image!

One thing I did like about the red-dot was co-witness with the irons and the ability to shoot both eyes open, not to mention an immediate cheek-weld being less crucial.

However, over longer distances I would not have trusted the red-dot.

[skizzums]

I would like to a 4x dot. but if not, and low power scope would be fine as well. I actually have a reflex with a magnifier, which works well up to 100yards, not much good past. but I am not running a 6-800 mepro, eo or triji. I eally like my sightmark for 50 and under and the magnifier for a little farther out.


heres a decent vid comparing a 4x scope to a dot w/magnifier
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YnaP8c-bSQ

[weedsnager]

Red dot with magnifier

[silverstang23]

Sounds like a cheap scope would be best. $150 isn't a lot to work with. Can't really get a great quality anything. As others stated, a cheap large red dot will cover the entire plate at 100 yards

[Brotherbadger]

Magnified red dot(i think that's the correct term). Primary arms makes a 4x one that seems nice.

[Mobuck]

Here's my experience: I'm somewhat past 60 and have the typical age related vision difficulties(slight loss of low light vision, reduced focus capability, and slight lack of clarity at distance). I get along quite well with a 1.5-4.5 x 32 scope on the 16" carbines. I can see small targets better with a 3-9x(of course) but the lower X is adequate for coyote sized varmints out to the range of the 16" .223.
At 100 yards, I can't hold on a 1" target dot but I can center a 2" good enough with the 4.5x.

[weedsnager]

Red dot and scope

http://www.amazon.com/Bushnell-Illum.../dp/B00AU6EIIY

[MarkCO]

The 1-4 is your best bet, but yes, $150 is a bit on the light side. After a 1-4, you might look at one of the Bushnells as they are about the only sub $150 red dot that will take the abuse of 3Gun.

There are some really crappy 1-4s and some that are decent. Don't let anyone talk you into anything other than 1X on the low end. 1x is needed for most of the close targets and you lose too much speed with any amount of magnification.

Shooting both eyes open is the fast way, but it takes some practice and decent glass.

[Gunfixr]

I built a light ar for my wife and daughter to play with, and put a Bushnell 1-4 on it. It has a red dot that can be turned on or off, as well as a reticle. Ran about $120.
It's not bad for the price paid. The dot isn't great in real bright light. The $150 price point kind of limits things.

[Boncrayon]

I put a Nikon P-223 on my Colt Competition, and 45 degree aperture iron sites on the on the right side for close up, fast field shoot if needed.

[SR420]

The NEW Strike Eagle 1-6x24mm scope from Vortex is looking like a decent choice for the budget minded.

[bamaranger]

Your situation sounds about like mine, to include a local 3-gun league (that I shoot with bamaboy) that shoots "mostly" out to about 100 yds. I say "about" because now and again the directors will slip a 150-200 yd target(s) in the stages. They did that last week, and about all the unmagnified dot shooters ( and one retired scope shooter, me) had real problems with the tiny 200 yarder they came up with.

My experience covers dots and 1-4x scopes. The dot was an an Aimpoint Pro. I say "was" because I had to give that one back (and the carbine) to the gov't when I recently retired. But prior I shot the dot for about 3-4 years in quals and training, and even snuck the gov rifle to a few matches. (Not exclusively prohibited, but likely frowned upon). Up close, I found a dot wickedly fast, MUCH faster than I could ever shoot irons. For me anyhow, nothing I've shot is any faster than the dot that was on the gov rifle. But I found the dot on the Pro a bit of a handicap beyond about 150 on smaller targets and seeking a bit of precision.

The scope is mounted on a personal carbine, and is a 1-4x Leupold, with a thick German #1, 3-post, "T" typed reticle, put in by the Leupold Custom Shop. The chunky reticle is pretty fast, seemingly faster than a duplex, but perhaps not as useful past 150 yds, as it is hard to "hold over" on smaller targets. The big chunky post can obscure smaller targets. I'd say the German #1 is faster up close than a duplex, but not as fast as a dot.

Anyhow, discounting shooting in poor light, I believe a low powered scope in the Leupold 1-4/or 1.5-5x range is more versatile than a dot.
And, the big chunky #1 reticle lets me shoot in pretty bad light too boot. The magnication on the upper end allows one to pick up targets well past 200 yds easier, especially if one stays with a traditional duplex. On the low end, it's still pretty fast. Fast enough I believe, that it poses no handicap to me with scores. At my age, I lose much more time moving from station to station, standing to prone, etc, than I do with however little bit faster I might shoot a dot up close. Finally, there is NO way I will loose battery power on a conventional low powered scope. And I have seen more than one shooter step up to the line at a match only to find his dot dead, or have his dot go bad during a stage.

We just bought a new sight system for the personal AR, and yup, it was a conventional scope....1.5-5x Leupold.