What to look for

[chip8889]

Im new to the ar world just bought a m and p 15 sport last week. I am going to the costa mesa gun show this saturday, does anyone have any advice on some optics that i should look for. i would like to keep my fold down rear sights on as back up but i am looking for a red dot and maybe something for magnification. I have tried researching on this site but am confusing myself on what to get. I dont need anything super expensive just looking to have some fun at the range. Thank you any help is appreciated.

[OpticsPlanet]

If i had a couple of hundred to spend on an optic for the range, I would consider the Burris FastFire II (or the III, released last week).

http://www.opticsplanet.net/burris-fastfire-w-picatinny-mount-4-moa-dot-mat-fastfire-sight.html

On this mount:

http://www.opticsplanet.net/burris-ar-f3-ar-tactical-flat-top-fastfire-mount.html

The Vortex SPARC is in the same price range, is night vision compatible and comes with an AR-height mount, and a screw-in 2X magnifier. I thought mine to be a little wide, and I didn't use the 2X magnifier as much as I thought I would.

http://www.opticsplanet.net/vortex-sparc-red-dot-sight-sprc.html

The best value in magnifiers I have found is the Vortex VMX3:

http://www.opticsplanet.net/vortex-vmx3-magnifier.html

You can also purchase it with a swing-to-side mount:

http://www.opticsplanet.net/vortex-optics-vmx3-magnifier-w-swing-mount.html

Mark H.

[chip8889]

thank you there are so many options out there and being new to an ar platform its hard to figure out what is the best deal for the money ya know

[JimA77]

I looked for red dots at the gun shows thinking to get away cheap. After looking at all the $45 to $125 EOTech and Burris knock offs. I realized my best option was to save up and get the real thing. I now have a EOTech 517.A65 with a Vortex 3x magnifier I'm glad I shot with my MBUS rear sight and fixed A2 for a bit longer to be able to go this way.