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Scope Suggestions for AR15

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Optik45 View Drop Down
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    Posted: October/31/2006 at 14:28

I am looking for some scope suggestions under $400 for my 16" Midlength AR15 build. Most of my shooting is between 50 and 200 yards. I was originally looking at the SS but its too much magnification for my applications. Are fixed power scopes more reliable still these days?

 

Any scope suggestions would be appreciated. The only requirement I have is that it has a mil dot reticle.

 

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cheaptrick View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cheaptrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/31/2006 at 16:14
Originally posted by Optik45 Optik45 wrote:

I am looking for some scope suggestions under $400 for my 16" Midlength AR15 build. Most of my shooting is between 50 and 200 yards. I was originally looking at the SS but its too much magnification for my applications. Are fixed power scopes more reliable still these days?

 

Any scope suggestions would be appreciated. The only requirement I have is that it has a mil dot reticle.

 

 

Welcome to The OT!!

 

I too have a "middy".

Tell me about yours. 

 

Is the 10x SS still too much magnifacation for you?? Sounds like it would be right up your alley.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Urimaginaryfrnd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/31/2006 at 20:18
6546 Trijicon 4x32 ACOG Click for Picture TA01, Full Line Red Illumination, .223 bullet drop reticle, ready to mount in carry handle, 100% new in box, display model $990.00 $599.95

From Samplelist

 

lets just bite the bullet on price and do it right the first time you will never see this kind of price on a Trijicon again.

 

6548 Trijicon 4x32 ACOG Click for Picture TA01NSN, Yellow Center Illumination, .223 calibrated, includes flat top adapter, lens pen, and dust cover, 100% new in box, display model $1,125.00 $699.95


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Anthony View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Anthony Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/31/2006 at 20:59

IOR 4x24mm

 

If you can't afford an ACOG than that my freind is the scope for you, fixed power scopes are composed of fewer parts and with simplicity there is usually reliability.

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Optik45 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Optik45 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/31/2006 at 21:12

 

16" Denny's 1/7 Stainless Steel Recon Barrel Wylde Chamber
CMT Wylde Chambered Headspaced Bolt w/ Wolf Ejector Spring and SPR 0 Ring
Bushmaster Lower
CMT A3 Upper
Larue Tactical 9.0"
Vortex Flash Suppressor
Magpul MIAD Grip OD Green/Black
Mpagul M93B OD Green/Black
Magpul Rail Ladders OD Green
Magpul Enhanced Trigger Guard
YHM Bipod Adapter
Harris 6-9" Bipod
PRI Low Profile Gas Block

 

 

Cheaptrick, Thats my Middy build so far. What are your specs?

 

 

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Anthony View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Anthony Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/31/2006 at 21:33

Whoa man that looks mean,

 

 if your just target shooting the SS is great, although 10x is an insane number to use at 50 yds, but for 400 bucks it will be very hard to find something else worthy to top that.

 

alright I have to know, what is the barrels outer diameter, behind the flash hider?

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cheaptrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/01/2006 at 01:36

I have a Bravo Co 16" middy that I sort of built.

 

That is a VERY NICE stick, my friend.....

 

 

Her's mine:

http://www.opticstalk.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4562&PN=1

 

Anthony's right, you can't beat the SS for the money. 

 

 

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Optik45 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/01/2006 at 08:57

Nice build Cheaptrick. I love the mid length gas systems, sooo smooth. I should just try a super sniper and see how it works for me. I wonder how it will fit on a Larue Tactical SPR mount.

 

Anthony, The Gas Block Mounting area is .750 inch to accept all current sights and gas blocks and then .740 inch from the gas block to the 1/2X28 threaded muzzle. It is an amazing barrel, sub MOA at 100 yrds with 75 grain sierra game king rounds.

 

 


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cheaptrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/01/2006 at 14:58
Originally posted by Optik45 Optik45 wrote:

Nice build Cheaptrick. I love the mid length gas systems, sooo smooth. I should just try a super sniper and see how it works for me. I wonder how it will fit on a Larue Tactical SPR mount.

 

Thank you, Sir.

 

I'd get the SS and try it out. I believe everybody needs at least one..  

 

The Larue SPR mount should be good to go.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ac4wordplay Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/12/2006 at 15:37
Optik45:

It's a lovely looking carbine - but how do/will you employ it?

You stated your usual distance (50-200 yards - great), and your budget (<$400 - excellent) but you didn't state your applications. So far, only two scopes have been suggested that satisfy your budget requirement: the SS (fixed 10x), and the IOR (fixed 4x). Although both are very good scopes they are both limited to fairly narrow (and different) aplications. There are many excellent choices that fall within your budget - it just depends on what work you expect your rifle/scope combo to do for you. You might check my match rifle here, or my scope post here (specifically the last paragraph of the first post, begining "With the right shooter...". If you can identify your applications (rather than the common "they use X, so I'll use it too!" - which explains civilian use of M4 type barrels ) then I expect you will receive many excellent suggestions.

ac
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cheaptrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/12/2006 at 16:20

Originally posted by ac4wordplay ac4wordplay wrote:

which explains civilian use of M4 type barrels ) then I expect you will receive many excellent suggestions.
ac

 

Why don't you like M4 barrel profiles for civilian use??

Cuz civvies don't use M203's??

 

Still a good, light weight barrel, IMO.

A lot of M-4's (civilian) offer a lot of options for the general public too.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ac4wordplay Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/12/2006 at 20:54
cheaptrick:

That's part of it - why have the M203 contour if one is a civilian? If anything, it only weakens the barrel at that point (not significantly). In addition, it's a 14.5" barrel. That presents two issues that seriously bother me:

1) Unless one legally SBRs it, it has (and must have) a permanently attached muzzle device (a comp/break, or a flash suppressor). This presents problems if one wants to reconfigure it (ie.: change from a ban-period break to a post-ban flash suppressor, etc.). It's much easier if the barrel is a 16" (simply unscrew the old and screw on, and time, the new). Or, if one wants to swap standard handguards for a typical free float tube, one either deals with the pain in the butt removal and reinstallation of the permanent muzzle device (necessary to remove the front sight tower - which is necessary to install a typical free float tube), or one destructively removes the front sight tower and replaces it with a clamp-on front sight (or gas block).

2) If one treats the AR as a martial tool, then one should be aware of velocity's effect on terminal ballistics. Using a typical military loads such as M193 and a 14.5" barrel (M4), terminal ballistics generally suffer significantly when the range to the target exceeds ~100 yards (even less with M855 or most civilian ammo). Shorter barrel = less velocity. The 16" barrel is ~50% better (terminal ballistics generally suffer significantly when the range to the target exceeds ~150 yards). If one treats the AR as a competitive tool (rather than a martial tool) the velocity difference can still be a deal-breaker: USPSA requires a minimum power factor, which a 16" barrel can generally make (check your specific load/carbine, weather conditions, and elevation), but I haven't heard of a 14.5" barrel making minimum power factor (meaning it can't be used for competition - gotta go buy a new... barrel, or complete upper, or... something!).

I don't find the weight difference between the M4 barrel and the 16" heavy match barrel significant when using the carbine, and as the heavy match has (what I consider) advantages it is my choice. I also find balance to be more important than weight (within reason - whatever that is!). YMMV.


ac

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Urimaginaryfrnd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/12/2006 at 21:02
I'm a little lost as to why you would need a mil dot reticle at 50 to 200 yds.  The trajectory of a .223 is fairly flat out to about 300 yds and if you are using it a 50 to 200 yds for a hunting application an aimpoint or an EOTech would be ideal with no magnification. If on the other hand your local range is limited to targets between 50 and 200 yds the Super Sniper 10 x would be quite fun to use for target shooting and would work will for varmits up to  coyotes. If you feel you need less power a fixed 4x or 6x would also work for you or any one of a number of 3-9x40 scopes from any of several major manufacturers.  Koshkin would say Sightron. Cheaptrick might say Nikon. and I might even say Leupold but the truth is that IOR Burris Bushnell Weaver Zeiss  and several other expensive euro makers  also all make good useable scopes  in a 3-9x40 which almost everybody uses for almost everything. If you are trying to save some money look on samplelist. If you want us to be more specific tell us more about what type of shooting you do.

"Always do the right thing, just because it is the right thing to do".
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