Scope on an AR-15

curmudgeon1 · August 6, 2012, 11:53 PM

Does anyone have experience/knowledge of a brand of scope that will withstand the vibration of occasional bump-firing without the innards being jarred out of alignment ? The inexpensive one I have couldn't hack it. It's kaput.

oneshot onekill · August 7, 2012, 06:35 AM

Honestly, I haven't seen a scope that couldn't handle an AR's recoil. Yours must have either been defective to begin with or been made for a pellet gun. I use a slidefire on my AR and cheap scopes have done fine. Granted, I don't expect great performance from those scopes because the AR isn't all that accurate. But they hold zero fine.

jephthai · August 7, 2012, 06:50 AM

If you achieve one-shot-one-kill when slide firing, you must be quite accurate indeed!

Sent from my DROID4 using Tapatalk 2

oneshot onekill · August 7, 2012, 07:01 AM

Ha-Ha... No, that's achieved with a Bolt Gun. And for the record, those targets are the four-legged variety. For me, an AR is for plinking less than 100 yds. so a scope, if any, only needs to be very low power.

madcratebuilder · August 7, 2012, 07:51 AM

What are you shooting? A .458? The 5.56 has little to no recoil and even a rimfire scope should survive on it.

There are dozens of different 1-4 scopes made specifically for the AR, $100 to $1000, take your pick.

Isn't bump firing with a scope kind of counter productive? Try using a red dot when bump firing.

curmudgeon1 · August 7, 2012, 03:37 PM

The AR is a Colt 5.56, and the scope is a 6-24x44, and we were shooting at (and sometimes hitting) a red two-inch dia. bullseye on an eight-inch Shoot n' See target at 300 yards. Shortly after this, I was demonstrating bump-fire to my son and grandson just for fun, and when we returned to aimed fire I noticed the internals of the scope were kablooie. I don't want to mention the brand name of the scope because I think I might have abused it's inexpensive capability. Still looking for one that can handle this kind of occasional abuse.

madcratebuilder · August 8, 2012, 06:10 AM

Quote:

I might have abused it's inexpensive capability. Still looking for one that can handle this kind of occasional abuse.

This can happen with any low cost scope. I've seen Leapers and NcStar fail after a few rounds or take years of abuse, luck of the draw.

Check out this Alpen Apex XP rifle scope , I have the model 4058 on a AR-10 and it was been tracking and returning to zero perfectly this season. A friend of mine had bought it and had it on his AR-10, he needed some cash and sold it to me at a reasonable price. I would rate it right with my Vortex Viper 6.5-20X50 with better eye relief. Best I have used in this price range.

tobnpr · August 8, 2012, 06:06 PM

Any decent quality scope can handle the minimal recoil of the 5.56.
Get a Vortex Viper 6.5-20 x 44...
Lifetime warranty to whomever sends in the scope. Best quality for the money in optics today.

http://swfa.com/Vortex-65-20x44-Vipe...pe-P13285.aspx

10-96 · August 8, 2012, 06:25 PM

This is just a crazy thought, but have you thought about a 1-piece base/ring setup? The Burris PEPR has large nuts that can be held just fine at finger tight. The scope and base unit is easily removed, so you can bumpfire, and put back on when you want to see where you're shooting again.

If you mean bumpfiring by hooking your thumb through the trigger guard and into your pocket or belt loop?

drfroglegs · August 8, 2012, 06:32 PM

Here's my $0.02

You should look into getting a red dot/holographic + flip up/over magnifier. My uncle has an Eotech holographic with xx magnifier. You can use the holographic or red dot for bump fire and flip over the magnifier for more long range shots. It's one of the nicest combination optics you can get for an AR IMHO...

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/453...68BrandPopProd

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/186...tachable-mount

There are cheaper alternatives if you're willing to do the research to see what is compatible.

Also, if your scope quit it was because it was a ****ty scope not because of the 5.56 recoil. I've seen airsoft scopes on ARs that worked just fine. Plus, any scope worth a crap has a lifetime warranty.. Why put a $50 scope on a $1k rifle?!

tahunua001 · August 8, 2012, 06:50 PM

I have a nikon prostaff on my AR15 and it's never lost zero. I would recommend them. also redfield revolutions are very good but a little more expensive.

curmudgeon1 · August 9, 2012, 09:10 PM

Quote:

10-96 wrote:
This is just a crazy thought, but have you thought about a 1-piece base/ring setup? The Burris PEPR has large nuts that can be held just fine at finger tight. The scope and base unit is easily removed, so you can bumpfire, and put back on when you want to see where you're shooting again.

If you mean bumpfiring by hooking your thumb through the trigger guard and into your pocket or belt loop?

My scope and base unit are mounted on the carry handle by one nut that is easily removed, but, like a dummy I thought I could leave it on to maintain zero, and yes, I was using the thumb-thru-trigger-guard and into-beltloop trick.
Luckily, a guy on another forum I frequent had a 6.5-20x40mm Leupold for sale at a good price, so I snapped it up. No bump-firing while this one's on the rifle though.

Thanks for all the response guys.

10-96 · August 9, 2012, 09:25 PM

Hmm, I wonder if that type mount is what allowed enough vibration or battering to damage the scope, or if the scope was on it's last leg and just about ready to poop out anyhow?

I had that type mount on an A-2 for a while. I bought the cheapest I could find and wondered why things just didn't jive for me.

I managed to trade myself into a flat top before I got around to getting a better mount.

Glad to hear you got a good deal on that Leupold... sounds like you're ready to hit a prairie dog town!

August 6, 2012, 11:53 PM	#1
curmudgeon1 Senior Member Join Date: October 21, 2007 Location: n.e. ohio Posts: 544	Scope on an AR-15 Does anyone have experience/knowledge of a brand of scope that will withstand the vibration of occasional bump-firing without the innards being jarred out of alignment ? The inexpensive one I have couldn't hack it. It's kaput. Last edited by curmudgeon1; August 7, 2012 at 02:58 PM.

August 8, 2012, 06:25 PM	#9
10-96 Senior Member Join Date: October 19, 2005 Location: Tx Panhandle Territory Posts: 4,159	This is just a crazy thought, but have you thought about a 1-piece base/ring setup? The Burris PEPR has large nuts that can be held just fine at finger tight. The scope and base unit is easily removed, so you can bumpfire, and put back on when you want to see where you're shooting again. If you mean bumpfiring by hooking your thumb through the trigger guard and into your pocket or belt loop? __________________ Rednecks... Keeping the woods critter-free since March 2, 1836. (TX Independence Day) I suspect a thing or two... because I've seen a thing or two.

August 8, 2012, 06:50 PM	#11
tahunua001 Senior Member Join Date: July 21, 2011 Location: Idaho Posts: 7,839	I have a nikon prostaff on my AR15 and it's never lost zero. I would recommend them. also redfield revolutions are very good but a little more expensive. __________________ ignore my complete lack of capitalization. I still have no problem correcting your grammar. I never said half the stuff people said I did-Albert Einstein You can't believe everything you read on the internet-Benjamin Franklin

August 9, 2012, 09:25 PM	#13
10-96 Senior Member Join Date: October 19, 2005 Location: Tx Panhandle Territory Posts: 4,159	Hmm, I wonder if that type mount is what allowed enough vibration or battering to damage the scope, or if the scope was on it's last leg and just about ready to poop out anyhow? I had that type mount on an A-2 for a while. I bought the cheapest I could find and wondered why things just didn't jive for me. I managed to trade myself into a flat top before I got around to getting a better mount. Glad to hear you got a good deal on that Leupold... sounds like you're ready to hit a prairie dog town! __________________ Rednecks... Keeping the woods critter-free since March 2, 1836. (TX Independence Day) I suspect a thing or two... because I've seen a thing or two.

August 7, 2012, 06:35 AM	#2
oneshot onekill Senior Member Join Date: May 24, 2010 Posts: 166	Honestly, I haven't seen a scope that couldn't handle an AR's recoil. Yours must have either been defective to begin with or been made for a pellet gun. I use a slidefire on my AR and cheap scopes have done fine. Granted, I don't expect great performance from those scopes because the AR isn't all that accurate. But they hold zero fine.

August 7, 2012, 06:50 AM	#3
jephthai Senior Member Join Date: July 5, 2007 Posts: 463	If you achieve one-shot-one-kill when slide firing, you must be quite accurate indeed! Sent from my DROID4 using Tapatalk 2

August 7, 2012, 07:01 AM	#4
oneshot onekill Senior Member Join Date: May 24, 2010 Posts: 166	Ha-Ha... No, that's achieved with a Bolt Gun. And for the record, those targets are the four-legged variety. For me, an AR is for plinking less than 100 yds. so a scope, if any, only needs to be very low power.

August 7, 2012, 07:51 AM	#5
madcratebuilder Senior Member Join Date: November 2, 2007 Location: Northern Orygun Posts: 4,923	What are you shooting? A .458? The 5.56 has little to no recoil and even a rimfire scope should survive on it. There are dozens of different 1-4 scopes made specifically for the AR, $100 to $1000, take your pick. Isn't bump firing with a scope kind of counter productive? Try using a red dot when bump firing.

August 7, 2012, 03:37 PM	#6
curmudgeon1 Senior Member Join Date: October 21, 2007 Location: n.e. ohio Posts: 544	The AR is a Colt 5.56, and the scope is a 6-24x44, and we were shooting at (and sometimes hitting) a red two-inch dia. bullseye on an eight-inch Shoot n' See target at 300 yards. Shortly after this, I was demonstrating bump-fire to my son and grandson just for fun, and when we returned to aimed fire I noticed the internals of the scope were kablooie. I don't want to mention the brand name of the scope because I think I might have abused it's inexpensive capability. Still looking for one that can handle this kind of occasional abuse.

August 8, 2012, 06:06 PM	#8
tobnpr Senior Member Join Date: August 1, 2010 Location: Tampa Bay Posts: 4,556	Any decent quality scope can handle the minimal recoil of the 5.56. Get a Vortex Viper 6.5-20 x 44... Lifetime warranty to whomever sends in the scope. Best quality for the money in optics today. http://swfa.com/Vortex-65-20x44-Vipe...pe-P13285.aspx

August 8, 2012, 06:32 PM	#10
drfroglegs Member Join Date: June 19, 2012 Posts: 22	Here's my $0.02 You should look into getting a red dot/holographic + flip up/over magnifier. My uncle has an Eotech holographic with xx magnifier. You can use the holographic or red dot for bump fire and flip over the magnifier for more long range shots. It's one of the nicest combination optics you can get for an AR IMHO... http://www.midwayusa.com/product/453...68BrandPopProd http://www.midwayusa.com/product/186...tachable-mount There are cheaper alternatives if you're willing to do the research to see what is compatible. Also, if your scope quit it was because it was a ****ty scope not because of the 5.56 recoil. I've seen airsoft scopes on ARs that worked just fine. Plus, any scope worth a crap has a lifetime warranty.. Why put a $50 scope on a $1k rifle?!