Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics AR scope or red dot? ....what do you guys use?

Friend has a 16" - general use....

Thinking a 2-7 or similar would be a good all purpose sight.

Thoughts?

I have an EoTech sight on mine.

I run a couple of old Weaver 2.5x and 3x fixed powers on mine. Good quality and you can't beat the price. I can't get used to the red dots yet but I don't do a lot of up close shooting with the rifles. One of the newer 1.5-4.5x would probably be the cheese on a carbine in my opinion. I'm going that way on my 7.62x39 upper shortly.

Vortex Strike Eagle 1-6 on our 16" carbine.

Best of both worlds.


Dan

What do you want to use it for? I have irons on one, an Aimpoint Pro, and an old steel tube Weaver 1.5-4.5 for an upcoming 6.8 build.

Exactly, what is the intended use?

I much prefer a scope. But if I was forced to use a red dot, it would be an Eotech

I have several Ars in 223/556 and a couple in 6.8 . like others said all depends on your intended use . The 6.8s both have Nikon 2x7 , the smaller calibers a mix of Eotech , Vortex Strikefire up to a 3-12 on a 24" hvy bbl.

I took a buddy out to shoot who thought he wanted and AR with a red dot. I brought a VX6 1-6 scope and a T2 Aimpoint. I let him shoot at 50 yards out to 200 and he quickly saw the scope was a better all purpose optic.

That said, I have scopes and red dots for different reasons and enjoy both. I also shoot irons some. So it depends if you are gonna shoot close and fast or way out there but for most folks a good low powered variable scope will be a better optic. Even better if it has illumination and close to true 1x magnification like the VX6 1-6 with Firedot reticle or the SWFA 1-4.

VXR on mine..

Aimpoint Micro's on several
4x12x44 on the p-dog AR
1.5x5 on the 22LR AR

SWFA 1-4x. Great from close to far with a great illuminated reticle and a ton of elevation for dialing.

I have a 3-9x40 VXR CDS (fire dot duplex, 1/4 moa) on my hunting/longer range 5.56.

2-7x33 VXR CDS (fire dot #4 with 1/4 moa) on my 450 Bushmaster.

Both of the above are strictly hunting rifles really.

I have also used Trijicon 3-9x40, a couple red dots, and various lower powered 1-4X type scopes.

It just depends upon application.

That said, if I had to pick only one optic for everything, forever more, I would prolly go with a 1-6X like the VX6. Although, the above 2-7x33 wouldn't be too bad a choice either....

The Illuminatti is tough to whoop,as it's got it all.

62 Mils of erector travel,a KILLER reticle and sensational illumination,coupled with a well thought out rheostat and extry battery compartment. Pin it to 4x,tape to synch subtension in accordance to the erector's increments,forget ANY of the other "powers" even fhuqking exist and drive it with both eyes open.





Grab a sane zero,set the zero stop and rock the fhuqk on.



I hear good thangs about 75gr Hornie BTHP's at 2825fps outta a LW BHW 1-8" 18" Middie. The reticle alone,will "only" take it to the 975yd line with same,ala 200yd zero.

I'd go right to 'Horn rings and bask the 40MOA opening move inherent,if only to frost the cake.

Hint.

Prolly ain't horrid on a K-Hornet either.



The reticle,zero retention,tracking,illumination,rheostat and erector travel SMOKE Reupold's attempts.



Re-Hint.

I have used and liked 1x red dot sights at close range for many years. So many years, in fact, that I now prefer a low power scope so that the reticle can be brought into focus with the eyepiece.

When they make an moa based model I will buy one. I do like these.....

I tried a dot. Like a conventional scope that will go down to 1X on the low end. I find them much faster than dots or irons up close. Especially in low light. You can see the dot in low light, but not the target.

On 4X I have enough magnification for 200-300 yards at least. Some of the 1-6X options are probably good too, but 1-4X's are plentiful and less expensive.

I've tried 2-7X scopes. The difference between 2X and 3X is negligible, but the difference between 1X and 2X is remarkable up close. Anymore I'd just as soon go up to a 3-9X as have a 2-7X.

House gun...aim point micro.


My other AR has a 6.5-20 weaver on it.

How about both?

Wow, that's some great info gang, well thought out.

Looks like a compact 1-4x will get much work done for the purpose of this fella's use. Odds are a bolt would get more play for longer shots. Boxer - what range is that Illuminatti - assume SWFA?

Thanks for all those who replied, and for the pics.