AR fixed 3x or 4x scope in $300 range...

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wildturkey76209

New member
Wow. I have been researching optics for a buddy that just bought a $650 AR and wants a decent scope on it. Does anybody have a recommendation? It makes no sense to put a $1200 ACOG on a $650 dollar gun in my mind. I have seen posts advising to stay away from BSA, NCstar, Barska, etc. Anyone have any personal experience and a recommendation?
 
I have actually used a BSA on my Savage's for over 10 years now and I havent had any problems with them. Im extremely rough on scopes and the ones Ive stuck with are BSA and Nikon. I just cant justify paying over $300 on my hunting rifles. I put a small Nikon prostaff on my DPMS AP4 and it is amazing. I use my AP4 as a truck gun so it gets bounced around and since I have it in the back seat it gets stuff thrown on top of it all the time and I have yet to have it get knocked off sight.
 
I had a Leupold FXII 4x on my last AR, I think they run about $269 now but they are made in the USA and have a lifetime warranty.
 
There are many suitable $100 scopes on the market. I like 1-4x or 1 1/2-5x for the 16" carbines and lean toward any decent 3-9x40 for a 20" rifle. For my uses, these are sufficient and are easier to carry. I simply don't see a need for a 600 yard scope on a 250-300 yard carbine. Two of my carbines have 2x Aimpoints on them and are useable out to over 250 yards on coyotes. At almost 60 years old, I need some sort of optic but it doesn't have to be an unwieldly monster.
 
One of the best "economical" optics I've found for AR's is the Leupold NWTF 1-4x20. It's more like 1.5 than a true 1x, but it is still capable of room distances with both eyes open. They run about $200 and it has a circle reticle that I find useful as well. I am running that scope on both of my carbines these days.
 
Never fall into the Tactical Trap also known as the 3 gun shoot trap
If you ever have to use your gun(s) to protect your home/family I can gaurantee 3 things
#1 the bad guys will not care that you have a $500 sight on your rifle. They may even be trained to overwhelm your system by scattering across the yard as they advance. (yea, retarded unless thier object is to die for Allah) OOPS anti PC? MY BAD!
#2
If you live in a surburban development your shooting ranges are "about" @250 max. Get used to the idea that you will have less than 1 second to engage a target at that range. There are no fools out there, they are smarter you (or your wife)
#3 GET USED TO THE IDEA OF SWARMS OF BADDIES.
SWARMS; 30 and larger, it's the old KamiKazie or Banzie charge.
Honestly prep for that, pre loaded large cap mags, lots of them, be ready to lay down fire into a beaten zone that might have a house/home as a back stop.
The baddies learned thier rules of engagment from the VC in the 1960's TET Offensive and tried it out in Algeriers and won, again in France and "lost" (could have fooled me)
The NEW RULES are whats learned via Hezboall?ah
EXPECT mad rushes as well as mortar and rockets.
Tunnels, Bridges, Overpasses, Underpasses. Freeway interchanges. Choke Points
It's all old warfare, all over again, city warfare, The collage students are so happy to destroy what thier LIBERAL PARENTS CREATED FOR THEM
OBTW,, They target children, to undercut our reproduction, genocide?//
 
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Interesting thread...had me wondering..are these optics you guys mentioned..do they really hold up to abuse..( I don't make it a habbit to hit trees or slide down hills with my scopes but it does happen..)..but I just wondered if they will hold there zero or not?
 
My Stag Arms model 3L wears a Leupold FXII 4X33 scope. It is a really good scope for around $270.

The discontinued Zeiss 4X32 is also a fine scope.
 
Now, it's not a fixed 4x...

But I have a Leatherwood CMR on my Mini-14 and think it's a great value.
It's a 1-4x. Well, maybe not a "true" 1- but very close to it.

This allows rapid target acquisition (no magnification) like a red-dot or holosight- and you can crank it up to 4x when you need/want.

Etched, and green illuminated BDC reticle for the .223.

It's definitely worth a look IMO for a tactical scope.
 
I've got a Leatherwood CMR too. Mine has the red reticle. I'm very happy with it. SWFA had a great deal that included a Burris PEPR mount that amounted to only $20. Although I decided I really wanted a Larue mount and sold the PEPR on eBay for $65 in only a few hours.

I really like the Nikon scopes too, but unfortunately they don't have a lighted reticle.
 
Nikon M223 1-4x24. Bright clear optics, bdc calibrated for 223, right at or just under 300.00 I think. I bought mine for $329.00, but I think they are on sale now.
 
Haven't tested it this hunting season, but...

I moved my Weaver K4 4x from my elk carbine to the carry handle of my AR15 (upper in 7.62x39) in anticipation of deer hunting. Seems solid with a nice view and not overly large. I'll know better after dragging it through the brush for a couple days this winter.

Edit: my point (eventually) being: While it was on my elk carbine, I dropped it and banged it on pretty much every tree and branch in my hunting unit and it held zero for 2 years. It's a solid, solid steel tube.
 
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