Laser For AR-15

Suker-4-Sauer · November 7, 2010, 10:24 AM

can anyone recommend a good laser for an AR-15 for 100 bucks or so. thanks

jsimmons · November 8, 2010, 01:10 PM

Why do you think you need a laser? Just curious.

Suker-4-Sauer · November 9, 2010, 12:36 AM

jsimmons,

i dont know if its a need as much as it is a want.....i would like to use it for hogs and varmits. but ive heard a lot about cheaper models not being able to handle the recoil...... also heard things about not opperating in cold weather.....anyone else want to chime in???

NWCP · November 9, 2010, 05:57 PM

If you intend to hunt hogs and varmints with your AR forget a laser and get yourself a decent variable power scope. I use a Leupold VII 2x7x33 on one of my ARs specifically for predator hunting. It's light weight, sits low and allows me to work from 50 yards to 200 yards.

MMcfpd · November 9, 2010, 11:41 PM

If you want to hunt with a laser get a red dot instead. I don't know about getting a decent on for $100, but for a little more the Vortex Sparc is a good RDS.

Hog Red · November 10, 2010, 12:08 AM

lasers, especially cheap ones are crap and totally useless on a rifle. get a scope instead.

Logs · November 10, 2010, 06:45 AM

I have a green laser and it looks cool, but it sometimes shuts off when I shoot my AR. Also it doesn't have very good adjustments. Mine was $100 Zbolt very bright and cool, but not very useful.

bfoosh006 · November 11, 2010, 09:54 PM

Ditto on the "Red Dot".... Vortex is in-expensive and has a pretty good rep...http://www.opticsplanet.net/vortex-red-dot-sights.html

Danny45 · November 11, 2010, 10:49 PM

IMHO, lasers are good for only two things. Close quarters combat where shots are less than 50 yards in low light. And for intimidation purposes. You won't find a "good" one for less than $100.00. Spend that money on some p-mags, or some other worthwhile accessory.

tirod · November 12, 2010, 01:17 PM

There is a very limited market for high quality lasers. The military generally doesn't use them, it targets the shooter right back to the source, especially with any haze or dust in the air. That alone means a lot less money to develop them.

LEO/SWAT, a bit more, as the intimidation factor is there. For quality, Crimson Trace would be a start.

For game animals or pest control, not so much. Your specific game laws and regulations would have to allow it, many don't. Hogs in MO are an open year round season, no limit or license, shoot on sight. Lasers aren't allowed for deer, so having one hog hunting in deer season will definitely sound like a very lame excuse. It's simply not allowed. Check your regulations.

A red dot would do quite well. They are easy to see through, easy to see where the dot is on the target. They allow you to decide to shoot much faster than a scope because there is no eye relief problem, and getting centered doesn't alter the point of aim, it compensates for it. Out to 250 yards most don't have any trouble holding on a 24" target, and if you're hunting on anything other than a golf course, you're lucky to see that far.

Vortex, Lucid, Millett, and quite a few others make decent red dots with battery life measured in thousands of hours. They are all gun resistant for much larger calibers, and can last years of hunting use. They run in the $125 to $250 range, which a quality laser would easily exceed, with better battery life and the option of magnification up to 2X if you want.

They balance better and give you higher hit probabilities than a laser and iron sights. I've been using a red dot since the '70's, they are a huge improvement, and don't have issues with field of view that scopes frequently slow me down with.

November 7, 2010, 10:24 AM	#1
Suker-4-Sauer Junior Member Join Date: November 1, 2010 Posts: 11	Laser For AR-15 can anyone recommend a good laser for an AR-15 for 100 bucks or so. thanks

November 8, 2010, 01:10 PM	#2
jsimmons Senior Member Join Date: February 17, 2008 Posts: 226	Why do you think you need a laser? Just curious. __________________ Aim small, miss small... CamoPicker

November 11, 2010, 10:49 PM	#9
Danny45 Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2000 Location: Tulsa Oklahoma Posts: 434	IMHO, lasers are good for only two things. Close quarters combat where shots are less than 50 yards in low light. And for intimidation purposes. You won't find a "good" one for less than $100.00. Spend that money on some p-mags, or some other worthwhile accessory. __________________ Danny

November 9, 2010, 12:36 AM	#3
Suker-4-Sauer Junior Member Join Date: November 1, 2010 Posts: 11	jsimmons, i dont know if its a need as much as it is a want.....i would like to use it for hogs and varmits. but ive heard a lot about cheaper models not being able to handle the recoil...... also heard things about not opperating in cold weather.....anyone else want to chime in???

November 9, 2010, 05:57 PM	#4
NWCP Senior Member Join Date: December 24, 2006 Posts: 1,903	If you intend to hunt hogs and varmints with your AR forget a laser and get yourself a decent variable power scope. I use a Leupold VII 2x7x33 on one of my ARs specifically for predator hunting. It's light weight, sits low and allows me to work from 50 yards to 200 yards.

November 9, 2010, 11:41 PM	#5
MMcfpd Senior Member Join Date: December 23, 2006 Location: Houston, TX USA Posts: 384	If you want to hunt with a laser get a red dot instead. I don't know about getting a decent on for $100, but for a little more the Vortex Sparc is a good RDS.

November 10, 2010, 12:08 AM	#6
Hog Red Senior Member Join Date: November 9, 2010 Posts: 124	lasers, especially cheap ones are crap and totally useless on a rifle. get a scope instead.

November 10, 2010, 06:45 AM	#7
Logs Senior Member Join Date: November 26, 1999 Location: BLUEGRASS STATE KY USA Posts: 1,780	I have a green laser and it looks cool, but it sometimes shuts off when I shoot my AR. Also it doesn't have very good adjustments. Mine was $100 Zbolt very bright and cool, but not very useful.

November 11, 2010, 09:54 PM	#8
bfoosh006 Senior Member Join Date: February 17, 2009 Posts: 1,089	Ditto on the "Red Dot".... Vortex is in-expensive and has a pretty good rep...http://www.opticsplanet.net/vortex-red-dot-sights.html

November 12, 2010, 01:17 PM	#10
tirod Junior member Join Date: January 21, 2009 Posts: 1,672	There is a very limited market for high quality lasers. The military generally doesn't use them, it targets the shooter right back to the source, especially with any haze or dust in the air. That alone means a lot less money to develop them. LEO/SWAT, a bit more, as the intimidation factor is there. For quality, Crimson Trace would be a start. For game animals or pest control, not so much. Your specific game laws and regulations would have to allow it, many don't. Hogs in MO are an open year round season, no limit or license, shoot on sight. Lasers aren't allowed for deer, so having one hog hunting in deer season will definitely sound like a very lame excuse. It's simply not allowed. Check your regulations. A red dot would do quite well. They are easy to see through, easy to see where the dot is on the target. They allow you to decide to shoot much faster than a scope because there is no eye relief problem, and getting centered doesn't alter the point of aim, it compensates for it. Out to 250 yards most don't have any trouble holding on a 24" target, and if you're hunting on anything other than a golf course, you're lucky to see that far. Vortex, Lucid, Millett, and quite a few others make decent red dots with battery life measured in thousands of hours. They are all gun resistant for much larger calibers, and can last years of hunting use. They run in the $125 to $250 range, which a quality laser would easily exceed, with better battery life and the option of magnification up to 2X if you want. They balance better and give you higher hit probabilities than a laser and iron sights. I've been using a red dot since the '70's, they are a huge improvement, and don't have issues with field of view that scopes frequently slow me down with.