AR15 Scope

bigmike19 · February 21, 2013, 12:23 PM

New to your board. Long time gun enthusiast but new AR15 owner. My new rifle (M&P15OR) has no sights of any kind. Looking forward to some hog hunting here in Texas and think I want a red dot sight of some kind. Any suggestions for a newbie will be appreciated.

Dr Big Bird PhD · February 21, 2013, 01:58 PM

I would recommend at least buying some Back up sights and training with those first. One should always have iron sights on a firearm IMO. You should be good at shooting irons, altering windage/elevation/etc, before you spend $500 on a battery powered optic.

Carne Frio · February 21, 2013, 05:40 PM

The type of optic would depend on the range that you would be
shooting at and how much to you want to spend. Iron back up
sights aren't that expensive. Magpul makes a high strength
polymer set that is reasonable priced.

Panfisher · February 21, 2013, 07:44 PM

I thought I wanted a Red Dot type site for my AR. Tried one a friend loaned me and just didn't get the warm fuzzy feeling thought I would from it. Ended up scoping it, final decision was for a Bushnell Dusk to Dawn 1.5 x 4. While not a long range set up, it is very very fast at close range, and turned up to 4X its plenty for what I am likely to be shooting with it. My R-15 had no open sites and still doesn't. Trickiest part was getting the base/rings right, turns out the guy at the store where I bought it didn't have a clue and sold me the wrong ones, but I had a set of see-thru rings on hand that were tall enough to line up correctly. Only good use for them I have found.

VegaSSG32 · February 21, 2013, 08:34 PM

Definitley agree about getting a back up iron sight, two optics you cant go wrong with on a AR are the EchoTech for CQC, and ACOG for a little range,,, both are great, day or night/low light, both are pricey, but im a firm believer you get what you pay for...

NWPilgrim · February 21, 2013, 08:54 PM

Lots of choices out there. I have a Bushnell red dot on an M1 Carbine that is very compact and only about $150 so it is cheap enough to try out and see if you like it or not. It seems perfectly serviceable. I would agree on the idea of also getting backup iron sights suchas the Magpul or other brand.

On my home defense AR I have an Aimpoint PRO red dot with a Magpul flip up rear sight. The PRO is the best value in very robust, full featured red dot at $400, I think. It is 2-3 times bigger than the Bushnell but much shorter than even a compact scope. Plus, you don't need to have perfect cheekweld position as the red dot is on target regardless of the angle you view it.

A red dot is great for out to 100 yds for very fast target acquisition, moving targets. The closer you expect to shoot pigs the more I would recommend a red dot. But a low power optical scope can be pretty effective as well especially if range is 50-200+ yds. I have a Weaver 1-3x scope on another AR and like it a lot but for under 100 yds I would favor the red dot.

ClydeFrog · February 21, 2013, 09:21 PM

I like the cool EO tech sights used by the US Armed Forces. They are robust & hold up to rough conditions. See; www.brownells.com www.uscav.com www.policeHQ.com www.midwayusa.com . Brownells also markets a catalog just for AR/M4/M16 type rifles. They are a top shooting industry/gun owner resource.
Mag-Pul is highly rated for magazines too but I saw a cool AR polymer magazine that goes from green to red so you can check at a glance how many rounds are left.

Clyde

BarryLee · February 22, 2013, 04:33 PM

Quote:

I have an Aimpoint PRO red dot with a Magpul flip up rear sight

I have the same setup and so far have been pleased.

sholling · February 22, 2013, 09:55 PM

If you were setting up a home defense rifle I'd say go with an Eotech electronic sight but not so much for hunting. I'd start looking for a 1-3x or 1-4x scope with a true 1x at the low end and I'd mount it a quick disconnect mount. At the low end a Weaver V3 1-3x20 is a very good little dangerous game scope and will work great in a 1" Burris QD P.E.P.R mount. At a middle-price point I'd look at a Vortex Viper PST 1-4x24 with an illuminated reticle. The Viper could go in a 30mm Burris P.E.P.R. or better yet a LaRure Tactical mount.

But the first thing I'd do is add some flip-up backup sights (I really like Troy's sights) even if it's cheap plastic Magpul sights.

KO3422 · February 23, 2013, 05:57 PM

I do like the Trijicon RMR's. Small, compact, lightweight. The adjustable versions really are nice.

bigmike19 · February 25, 2013, 05:10 PM

Thanks for all the valuable input. I have mounted Troy folding sights front & rear. Found a pretty good deal on an Aimpoint CompC3 red dot sight.

Now...about the mounts. I think I understand the difference between co-witness and 1/3 co-witness. Is one preferred over the other or is it just a matter of personal preference?

Thanks again for everyone's help.

February 21, 2013, 12:23 PM	#1
bigmike19 Junior Member Join Date: February 20, 2013 Posts: 2	AR15 Scope New to your board. Long time gun enthusiast but new AR15 owner. My new rifle (M&P15OR) has no sights of any kind. Looking forward to some hog hunting here in Texas and think I want a red dot sight of some kind. Any suggestions for a newbie will be appreciated.

February 21, 2013, 01:58 PM	#2
Dr Big Bird PhD Senior Member Join Date: October 26, 2012 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 779	I would recommend at least buying some Back up sights and training with those first. One should always have iron sights on a firearm IMO. You should be good at shooting irons, altering windage/elevation/etc, before you spend $500 on a battery powered optic. __________________ I told the new me, "Meet me at the bus station and hold a sign that reads: 'Today is the first day of the rest of your life.'" But the old me met me with a sign that read: "Welcome back." Who you are is not a function of where you are. -Off Minor

February 21, 2013, 08:54 PM	#6
NWPilgrim Senior Member Join Date: September 29, 2008 Location: Oregon Posts: 2,346	Lots of choices out there. I have a Bushnell red dot on an M1 Carbine that is very compact and only about $150 so it is cheap enough to try out and see if you like it or not. It seems perfectly serviceable. I would agree on the idea of also getting backup iron sights suchas the Magpul or other brand. On my home defense AR I have an Aimpoint PRO red dot with a Magpul flip up rear sight. The PRO is the best value in very robust, full featured red dot at $400, I think. It is 2-3 times bigger than the Bushnell but much shorter than even a compact scope. Plus, you don't need to have perfect cheekweld position as the red dot is on target regardless of the angle you view it. A red dot is great for out to 100 yds for very fast target acquisition, moving targets. The closer you expect to shoot pigs the more I would recommend a red dot. But a low power optical scope can be pretty effective as well especially if range is 50-200+ yds. I have a Weaver 1-3x scope on another AR and like it a lot but for under 100 yds I would favor the red dot. __________________ "The ultimate authority ... resides in the people alone. ... The advantage of being armed, which the Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation ... forms a barrier against the enterprises of ambition." - James Madison

February 21, 2013, 09:21 PM	#7
ClydeFrog Junior member Join Date: May 1, 2010 Posts: 5,797	EOtech... I like the cool EO tech sights used by the US Armed Forces. They are robust & hold up to rough conditions. See; www.brownells.com www.uscav.com www.policeHQ.com www.midwayusa.com . Brownells also markets a catalog just for AR/M4/M16 type rifles. They are a top shooting industry/gun owner resource. Mag-Pul is highly rated for magazines too but I saw a cool AR polymer magazine that goes from green to red so you can check at a glance how many rounds are left. Clyde

February 22, 2013, 09:55 PM	#9
sholling Senior Member Join Date: May 18, 1999 Location: Hemet (middle of nowhere) California Posts: 4,261	If you were setting up a home defense rifle I'd say go with an Eotech electronic sight but not so much for hunting. I'd start looking for a 1-3x or 1-4x scope with a true 1x at the low end and I'd mount it a quick disconnect mount. At the low end a Weaver V3 1-3x20 is a very good little dangerous game scope and will work great in a 1" Burris QD P.E.P.R mount. At a middle-price point I'd look at a Vortex Viper PST 1-4x24 with an illuminated reticle. The Viper could go in a 30mm Burris P.E.P.R. or better yet a LaRure Tactical mount. But the first thing I'd do is add some flip-up backup sights (I really like Troy's sights) even if it's cheap plastic Magpul sights. __________________ Proud Life Member: National Rifle Association, California Rifle & Pistol Association, and the Second Amendment Foundation. Annual Member: Revolutionary War Veterans Association (Project Appleseed) and the Madison Society.

February 21, 2013, 05:40 PM	#3
Carne Frio Senior Member Join Date: August 28, 2008 Location: Near Fairbanks Alaska Posts: 829	The type of optic would depend on the range that you would be shooting at and how much to you want to spend. Iron back up sights aren't that expensive. Magpul makes a high strength polymer set that is reasonable priced.

February 21, 2013, 07:44 PM	#4
Panfisher Senior Member Join Date: July 30, 2010 Location: Missouri Posts: 1,337	I thought I wanted a Red Dot type site for my AR. Tried one a friend loaned me and just didn't get the warm fuzzy feeling thought I would from it. Ended up scoping it, final decision was for a Bushnell Dusk to Dawn 1.5 x 4. While not a long range set up, it is very very fast at close range, and turned up to 4X its plenty for what I am likely to be shooting with it. My R-15 had no open sites and still doesn't. Trickiest part was getting the base/rings right, turns out the guy at the store where I bought it didn't have a clue and sold me the wrong ones, but I had a set of see-thru rings on hand that were tall enough to line up correctly. Only good use for them I have found.

February 21, 2013, 08:34 PM	#5
VegaSSG32 Member Join Date: January 19, 2013 Posts: 62	Definitley agree about getting a back up iron sight, two optics you cant go wrong with on a AR are the EchoTech for CQC, and ACOG for a little range,,, both are great, day or night/low light, both are pricey, but im a firm believer you get what you pay for...

February 23, 2013, 05:57 PM	#10
KO3422 Senior Member Join Date: March 6, 2011 Posts: 124	I do like the Trijicon RMR's. Small, compact, lightweight. The adjustable versions really are nice.

February 25, 2013, 05:10 PM	#11
bigmike19 Junior Member Join Date: February 20, 2013 Posts: 2	Thank you Thanks for all the valuable input. I have mounted Troy folding sights front & rear. Found a pretty good deal on an Aimpoint CompC3 red dot sight. Now...about the mounts. I think I understand the difference between co-witness and 1/3 co-witness. Is one preferred over the other or is it just a matter of personal preference? Thanks again for everyone's help.

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