Scope for DDM4

[CYCOVILLE]

+1 for the millet DMS
putting one on my HK91

[gatdammit]

Quality and affordable don't exactly go together when referring to scopes.

How will you be using it? Bench rest shooting? Taking an AR shooting course? Both?

Bench rest shooting you want magnification. The more the better...even though it is an AR, fun bench rest shooting means hitting what you are aiming at. You just want to keep it from looking too goofy. If the scope is heavier than rifle, it might be fun to shoot at the range, but it looks a little silly. Same pretty much goes for hunting game. Magnification helps when bagging coyotes. Avoid the ebay specials, or $200 "sniper" specials. They will not hold zero, or track well at all. Stick with name brand, and try to spend at least $600 or more if you plan on keeping it for a while. If you plan to just use it to hold you over while you save up, then I understand spending less. Personally I like the Trijicon Accupoint Scopes as my entry level AR magnified scopes. They start in the $600 range. Leupold is my next step up. They start in the $1000 range. However, I will do a $200 ebay special on something if I just can't swing it and use it for a few months while I save up for what I really want.

If the rifle is meant for tactical running and gunning however, you either want a red dot or a variable low power scope. If you plan on taking a practical rifle course or tactical carbine course almost all of the shots are going to be fairly close up, because in real life the shots would be close up. What you do on the average shooting range does not resemble real life at all. In real life, the range resembles sniping from a clock tower more than it does self-defense - not very realistic training. For real life, run and gun stuff, I like Aimpoint Red Dots which start around $400. I used to be an EoTech fan, but their attention to quality control sucks these days. The plastic covers look like somebody tie-dyed them and took sand paper to them. Really ugly. They used to be great. Not sure what happened. But if they pay so little attention to the finish, I am worried they are not paying attention to more important quality issues as well.

If the gun is something of hybrid (both run and gun and a bench rest queen) then the 1-?x? low power variable scopes are great. Trijicon Accupoints are my favorite, but Millet makes one for a little less money. When running and gunning you can turn the magnification all the way down and it works like a red dot. When you need to reach out there, turn the dial and you have a little but of magnification to help out - though not exactly enough for really long range shooting. These are becoming more and more popular these days.

While I used to love ACOGS, I realized over time they just don't cut it. They are too much magnification for real life running and gunning and not enough magnification for bench rest shooting to be fun. They look cool only because we've seen so many pictures of them. But they are an out dated concept. Man was that hard for me to accept...because I was a die hard ACOG guy for a very long time. You'll notice I still have some brand loyality to Trijicon. That is mostly about liking tritium reticles because my eye goes right to them without effort or delay, but also about having been very impressed with their quality and attention to detail.

I am not a fan of magnifiers behind a red dot. They are clunky as heck, and always in the way. They end up in the box or sold off on ebay more often than not. One of those things that sounds good in theory, but kinda sucks in practice.

And yes, I do know there are exceptions to everything I said above. There are shooters out there who can make 300 yard shots with red dots all day long and get tight groupings. That's neither practical nor fun for the average shooter. There are guys who do great with CQB and ACOGs, but most of us would find it a struggle and a little annoying for close up work, and for long range work and would be better off with a variable low power scope or red dot.

Just my $0.02.

THANKS! That is a great response with some experience to back it up. I was looking into an ACOG but didn't like the fixed magnification and I really didn't want NO magnification either (already own an Aimpoint). I think the scope your suggested would be perfect for what I was looking for as well.

Questions: Does cowitnessing work on these scopes? I guess what I mean is what is the FSB going to look like at 1x . Can I use the FSB to sight it in? Thanks.

[UserM4]

http://www.vortextactical.com/product/vortex-viper-pst-1-4x24-riflescope-with-tmcq-mrad-reticle

http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=44668