scope suggestions

[newby]

any suggestions on a entry level $100.00 to $250.00 to mount on a ar15
it needs a 4 - 12 or 16 power magnification my eye sight at distance isnt
what is use to be and maybe 40 - 50 objective. optics planet has a lot of
choices to many for newby.......

[SkiDevil]

AR-15 Scope

Hello Newby,
If you are looking for a quality scope in that price range with the 3.5-10 or 4-12X it will be difficult. But, you can find a good scope that would still be serviceable, perhaps for a little more money.

The MORE IMPORTANT question to consider is what is the intended use for the scope?

It does not matter if you were looking to mount a scope on a 30-30 Winchester, Mini-14, or a Shotgun. Before, selecting the optics for the long gun the anticipated use should be determined.

That said, If you are going to target shoot, go plinking, or possibly hunt with your rifle, then a standard 3X9 scope with a 32-40mm objective lense is a pretty versatile choice. Particularly, considering there will be a better selection in this category from which to choose in your price range.

For on the high side of that $250 I would look into the Nikon, Burris, or Leupold models. The mid-grade 3X9 models will be in the $250-300 range and if you catch a sale or clearance price it may be under the $250.

For a .223 semi-auto rifle, I wouldn't buy a low quality scope because it will not likely last you a long time. -recoil and the reciprocating action will wear on the internals of the scope.

For a good quality scope, at or less than $250, the Weaver line has some good quality scopes in the $150-250 range that would provide good service.

Nikon also has their Pro-Staff line as well which are the company's lower-end scope but still provide excellent quality. I picked-up a 3X9 40mm Camoflaged model for a .308 bolt gun and fired several hundred rounds with no problems. The scope holds zero and has clear glass. When I bought it it cost around $190 shipped from SWFA. Natchez Shooters has some good deals on optics right now, so check their site as well.

Just remember, that once you have the glass a mount will be required as well. La Rue Tactical or American Defense one-piece mounts would be the best set-up but likely cost almost as much as the scope ($150-200). The least expensive route (with durable/ solid mounting) would be to purchase a set of Warne AR-15 scope rings ($80 approx.), which Natchez Shooters carries as well. Optics planet likely carries all of these brands as well as SWFA, so shop around for the best deal and try to use one retailer as to not waste money on shipping.

Lastly, Generally quality costs. The more you spend, the likelyhood is that the product will be more durable, accurate (repeatability of adjustment), and clear (good glass/ lense coating). From my experience, the Nikon Pro-Staff and the Mid-grade Leupolds have proven to be an exception in that the quality of the scopes are excellent with clear glass. In my opinion, the Nikon is very close to the Leupold and for less money.

If it were my rifle, I would buy the Nikon Pro-Staff 3X9, or a Leupold Var. II 3X9 or AR 3X9 with 40mm or 32mm objective lense. This is a scope which could be used on a variety of long-guns if you elect to later switch to a Red Dot Sight or a low-powered optic.

Find the model and google search for online retailers to avoid sales tax. Some retailers are even offering free shipping too.

Best of Luck in your search,
SkiDevil

P.S. The scope must be higher than a standard rifle because of the stock and line of sight. So, if you use a standard height ring, then the scope will be too low. And Scope rails/ spacers don't work very well either so stick to an AR Specific ring.
Also, you will not gain much from a 30mm diameter tube on a scope, because the internals are typically the same so for the best value consider a 1' tube scope. Avoid the larger objective lenses (50mm +) because then you may have trouble mounting the scope onto the rifle without a spacer or scope riser. The typical 32-40mm objective lenses are more than adequate.

[newby]

thank you

i want to thank you for the info,i will take all into consideration

[SkiDevil]

i want to thank you for the info,i will take all into consideration

You are quite welcome. If you have anymore specific questions, feel free to send a PM. I don't frequent all of the forums that often so that would be the best way to contact.

I try to help others because I once was a "newby" as well. And finding the right scope/ mount can be a difficult task, and costly when you are learning by trial and error.

SkiDevil

[maxicon]

A little more on mounts:

Whether or not rings on the rail will work for you depends on your stock, shooting style, eyepiece length, and eye relief. Many people find rings on the rail are too far back, and they need a one-piece mount with forward offset.

For height, you generally want the scope centerline at or a little above the iron sight height, which is 1.4" above the rail. As SkiDevil says, this is too tall for traditional rifle rings and mounts, and are usually referred to as super high or ultra high.

Here's the Big List of AR15 mounts, including sections on extended rails and rings.

http://maxicon.com/guns/optics/one_piece/ar15_onepiece_mounts.htm

My recommendations for various price ranges:

Under $50 - CAA DVSR, or similar KAC mount clones. Typically $20-30, these are surprisingly good for the money. My DVSR has performed well with a variety of scopes. If your budget allows more, there are better, but these are good if you need time to save for the big-ticket stuff.

Under $100 - Burris PEPR or SWFA SSALT. Solid, decent forward offset, good height. Some compact scopes don't fit well, and some don't have great adjustment range due to the extra-wide rings, but this depends on the scope.

Over $100 - Lots to choose from. LaRue, ADM, and GG&G all make good mounts, mostly in the $200-ish range, but the newer GG&G extended mount without QR is around $150.

[shootfirst]

ring info

Excellent info. Very useful. Should be stickyed.

[recar]

Thanks SkiDevil and Maxicon. Helping in my decisions.

[CSTactical]

For a little more I would recommend the Leupold MARK AR's.

Here is a link to the MARK AR.


Mike @ CST

[kokan]

Hi. Newby, you want 4-12 and $100-$250. Well, you can search it on ebay. I find many there. What reticle you'd like? I find out 4-12x42 and 4-16x50, they are all under $200. But I don't know how is the quality.
Hope this will give you some help

[righteousbarbarian]

You may be able to find a Nikon Buckmaster 4.5-14 x 40mm in your price range, especially used. I have found this scope to be an excellent price-performer. Consider getting forward offset scope rings for the correct eye relief though! I didn't and it was a mistake.

[FMJBT]

This scope for $149.95:

http://www.jgsales.com/product_info.php/riflescopes/variable-power-scopes/p/4-14x44-mildot-tactical-scope-by-famous-maker-/cPath/203_208_326/products_id/3642

Plus this mount for $42.95:

http://www.jgsales.com/product_info.php/rings-bases/military-rifle-mounts/p/tactical-scope-mount-w-picatinny-rails%2C-30mm-by-famous-maker/cPath/203_206_222/products_id/3574

The add for the scope doesn't list it, but it's a FFP design so the reticle can be used for ranging and holdovers at any magnification level. The clicks are also 1/4 moa, not the 1/8 moa they list. Internal elavation and windage adjustment range is 75 to 80 moa of total travel. These are very solid scopes, especially considering the low price. I've been replacing all my Bushnell 3200 series 10X40 mil dot scopes with these if that's any indication of how good they are.

The mount is also extremely well built. I'd rate it about equal to the Burris PEPR mount. It has a massive amount of surface area for clamping, with 3 very stout cross bolts. Al the extra rails make it look a bit Ninja-ish, but it's actually a very functional mount that works well on an AR platform.