[catalyst686]

I have a red dot on my AR as well as a 3x magnifier on my as of right now, all I really use my ar for is shooting from a sitting position at the range, I can get decent group with the red dot and the magnifier but I want this AR to be a dedicated long range rifle, ranging from 100 yards+ I cant do that on a consistent basis with a red dot, I know some can but I can't. So, I have 0 exp with scopes, what does everyone suggest for a scope as well as mounts. Thanks all!

[M1A Shooter]

i am currently using a millett dms 1-4x scope in a burris pepr mount. i really like it as i can still use it as a reddot with both eyes open up close on 4x and full brightness but its still accurate enough to make shots at 400 on a sillouhette if i do my part. the reticle is still a red dot but a 1 moa dot like the eotech with a 16 moa circle surrounding it. rough guesstimate of a male being 16" wide gives you some sort of ranging estimate as well. i zero'd mine at 50 yards and its back on around 230 yards so 0-300 is ok without holdover.

[WoodenPlank]

Depends on how far you want to shoot, and how much money you want to spend.

[K. Foster]

You didn’t list a price range. Nikon or Burris are good. Leupold if you want a little better.
On magnification, 3-9 is a good all round variable. 4-12 if you want a little more detail at distance.
For mounts, good quality picatinny rings will suffice, Larue, if you want the best.

[BenjiEDF]

A good quality 3-9x40mm is probably in order. When you are looking at higher magnification scopes anything past 9x cost some serious $$$ for a quality scope. I also don't really think you would need it for a .223



I have the Nikon P-223 fixed 3x scope on my Ruger SR556. It's quite easy to shoot 2-4" groups with the crappy stock trigger. If you are not concerned with the extra length and weight the Nikon P-223 3-9x40mm would be ideal and has a bullet drop reticle out to about 600 yards I think. Anyway I'm not exactly an expert but I own 2 Nikons and 2 Leupolds and the Nikons are every bit as good in my experience and cost less. The leupolds are very nice though! I'm just saying as far as value the Nikon is great. Redfield is worth looking into also but I can't personally vouch for them.

Nikon P-223 3-9x40 (great for benchrest rifle) ~$225 with the rings included.




I have the little brother 3x32 fixed power and paid $150 with rings. The size and weight work great on a carbine you might still want to carry around:

[catalyst686]

Great info so far, I'd like to spend less than $400 with a mount included.

[M1A Shooter]

my millett dms/burris pepr combo was $300 iirc from SWFA a couple years ago.

[m2hmghb]

The M223 has a 2-8 scope in that range, it's supposed to be better quality then the P223.

[MrMurphy]

Burris or Nikon will cost you around $200 for a decent 2-7X or 3-9X.

A LaRue LT104 is the only magnified scope mount I would suggest. And yes, it costs almost as much as the scope.

[Big Bird]

Originally Posted by MrMurphy

Burris or Nikon will cost you around $200 for a decent 2-7X or 3-9X.

A LaRue LT104 is the only magnified scope mount I would suggest. And yes, it costs almost as much as the scope.

Most fixed mounting systems will be more than adequate. I'd only go with Larue if I wanted the quick detach feature. There's no reason to drop that kind of dough on a mount if its going to be bolted on to the top rail. And I own a Larue LT 104 (actually two) and they are fine mounts. But its not the ONLY answer for something like this.

You also don't need a lot of magnification to shoot small groups. I had my 6.8 SPC out this weekend and with the scope cranked all the way up to 4X I put 10 shots into a group the size of a golfball at 100 yards. My buddy who was with me shook his head and said you have better eyes than I do. Nope, I know how to use a reticule. My 50 year old eyes are starting to suck. But its no big deal to shoot tiny groups with a black bullseye and a low power scope. The scope I have has a 5 MOA aiming circle. So you just keep the bulleye centered in the aiming circle just like a set of aperture sights.

[K. Foster]

Originally Posted by BenjiEDF

Anyway I'm not exactly an expert but I own 2 Nikons and 2 Leupolds and the Nikons are every bit as good in my experience and cost less. The leupolds are very nice though! I'm just saying as far as value the Nikon is great.

I’m not picking on you, just piggy backing on your statement.
On glass quality, you really don’t loose anything by going with the cheaper Nikon. However, the adjustments on Leupold will be more precise and repeatable, in my experience. This could be important if you’re going to fiddle with them a lot. But if you are like most people, zero the optic and leave it alone, it won’t matter.

[catalyst686]

Are all of these scopes fixed at their maximum zoom length, I don't really know how to word it any other way, again, I know nothing about scopes.

[K. Foster]

Here’s the short version, if you handle them in a store, you’ll quickly see what we mean.
3-9X40
3. This is the lowest magnification level. (3 power magnification)
9. This is the highest magnification level.
By rotating a ring, you can zoom in and out to any magnification between 3 and 9.
40. This is the size of your objective lense, the one you look out of, not into. The bigger it is, in millimeters, the wider your field of view and the more light is let in, allowing you to see better in low light. Being able to see clearly in low light is also a function of lense quality.
Tube diameter: The 2 most common sizes are 1 inch and 30mm. The 30 is larger and better for some applications but 1" is generally cheaper and probably the way you should go for your first scope.

[catalyst686]

Ok, I feel like an idiot now, this pretty much answers all of my questions. Thanks for the info!

Originally Posted by K. Foster

Here’s the short version, if you handle them in a store, you’ll quickly see what we mean.
3-9X40
3. This is the lowest magnification level. (3 power magnification)
9. This is the highest magnification level.
By rotating a ring, you can zoom in and out to any magnification between 3 and 9.
40. This is the size of your objective lense, the one you look out of, not into. The bigger it is, in millimeters, the wider your field of view and the more light is let in, allowing you to see better in low light. Being able to see clearly in low light is also a function of lense quality.
Tube diameter: The 2 most common sizes are 1 inch and 30mm. The 30 is larger and better for some applications but 1" is generally cheaper and probably the way you should go for your first scope.

[MStarmer]

Take a look at all the different reticle choices out there. You didn't specify a certain type but if you are unsure about what you want then I would suggest hitting the used boards and finding something that someone is upgrading from. I have red dots on most of my AR's but I wanted one scoped SPR type and finally after agonizing picked a Vortex. I was able to get the featured I wanted along with a reticle that I liked in a fair price. So many choices!