I really like a 1-4X on my 223 AR. On 1X it is faster up close than irons or dot sights and 4X is all I need for most long range shooting. A 2-7 will give more precision at longer ranges if you plan on shooting varmits but the difference between 2X and 1X up close is huge. I'm not nearly as fast with a 2X scope. Never fooled with a 1-6X, but it seems like a good option if within budget.
You must be using poor quality dot sights, because the 1x isn't parallax free on magnified optics, and makes it harder/impossible to track the dot like you can on an Aimpoint/etc.
