Most AR-15 platform applications only need an optic that will cost less than the gun. I have two that are chambered for cartridges that reach out so with my older eyes, the optic choices get pricey. The majority of my ARs are for ranges of 50-400 yards so an Aimpoint is appropriate. Four of my ARs have ACOGs. ACOGs have a more versatile aiming/ranging reticle than do Aimpoints but if you are working in the 50-400 yard distance you can do what you need with an Aimpoint or the like.

Over the years I've come to understand that the optic makes the platform reach it's potential. My most precision rifles have optics that are more expensive than the rifle. To some degree it's like the relationship between an engine and a transmission. You can mate a very potent engine to a weak or even so-so transmission and the trans will limit the ability of the engine. It's possible to over-trans too, but not as critical. I've seen guys at the range over-scoped for the application, but if it helps them reach the gun's potential, fine by me. I'm headed to Tennessee. No more endless horizon deserts for me. So now three of my rifles are over-scoped for the application.

Anyway, to me speed costs money. How fast do you want to spend? Applies to many firearms. Yours, would do just fine with an inexpensive LPVO or a red dot.

Sorry for the late replies. It’s been a very busy day, with a serious lack of sleep.

The rifle is a Mossberg MMR. Bone stock at this time.

Mostly plinking. 100 yards or so. Would like to take some longer shots, but it’s mostly just target shooting.

RogueJSK, that’s incredible generous. Thank you, thank you very much.

FWIW I am thrilled with my Holosun AEMS. I am a Holosun fanboy. Have not been disappointed and I have aimpoint, eotech, trijicon and acog.

I know I'm not the oldest person here, but I'm the obvious troglodyte. For plinking at 100 yards, I'd go with iron sights.

If you're just plinking, a simple red-dot or, holographic optic is just fine. As darthfuster rightly pointed out, over-scoped carbines are 'a thing' and most people's skill levels & usage won't match the hardware they've purchased.

Aimpoints are top-notch and their battery life is legendary but, come at a premium. If you can get a M2 that'd be perfect, PRO and ACO basically replaced the M2 but, pricing is likely beyond what you want for a plinking gun; if one is close to $400, jump on it.

Sig Romeo, Vortex SPARC (or Strikefire for the next step up teh value ladder), Holosun, Primary Arms Prism are just fine and within your price-range/usage.

^^^^^^^^^….. every once in a while, if you’re vigilant and patient, you can pick up an M2 or M3 Aimpoint on the cheap. Hard times tend to flush those out into the open especially around Christmas. I just picked up an M3 Aimpoint with cantilevered mount for 250.00. Be careful of Chinesium knock-offs though. They are easy to spot because the on/off knob doesn’t have a positive stop at 0. It just turns and turns.

Red dot: Aimpoint PRO or some flavor of Aimpoint. A buddy of mine in 5th Group SF said that during the GWOT, their Aimpoints were absolutely bombproof.

Magnification: Trijicon ACOG. An oldie but a goodie with a proven GWOT track record. Very resistant to hard use.

Budget LPVO: Primary Arms has a few models that have been vetted in testing by the NTOA and are proving to be very reliable in the field.

Good luck!

quote:

Originally posted by hrcjon:
get an aimpoint. be happy forever. Everything else is a step down in some meaningful way...

Further I go in this life, the more I agree with this. For a carbine anyway.

quote:

Vortex Strike Eagle.

Found Sigs Optics to be pretty decent for the plinking on my AR and AK.

Went with the Romeo and Juliet for the AR, so I get 3x magnification or 1x without the Juliet in position at $359 for both

https://www.sigsauer.com/romeo...et3-micro-combo.html

I’ve also been impressed with the Vortex Spitfire. Bass Pro has it for $249 right now.

For a one size fits most idea, the Primary Arms 3x Micro Prism:

https://www.primaryarms.com/pr...556-308-reticle-yard

I tried finding a picture of it on an AR, but all of them are too bloody huge for the Forum to take.

Hi! I'm Dave and I have astigmatism. If you suffer from this go with a holographic sight or a LPVO/scope to minimize the effects of the distortion. If you do not have astigmatism a red dot will work great. Whichever works best for you, buy it soon if you can there are some great deals out there now.

Vortex, Primary Arms, for red dots.

As others have said. For a budget Variable optic the Strike Eagle or Primary Arms 1-6 / 1-8 are hard to beat for the money.

quote:

Originally posted by bettysnephew:
Hi! I'm Dave and I have astigmatism. If you suffer from this go with a holographic sight or a LPVO/scope to minimize the effects of the distortion. If you do not have astigmatism a red dot will work great. Whichever works best for you, buy it soon if you can there are some great deals out there now.

That’s a great point. Holographic sights really helped Mrs DF and Jr DF#4.

It is an unanswerable question without knowing how you will use this gun? Shooting at 200 yards? Combat shooting at close range? Bendable is right.

For plinking at 100 yards and less, the Aimpoint will work, although an unmagnified Aimpoint might not be my first choice for shooting over 50 yards.

Nonsense, ACOGs can do everything perfectly all of the time.

The correct process is to obtain an ACOG, and then you will be forced to obtain an AR worthy of it's use. And then you can look down at the peasants with their un-magnified and/or chinese optics.

Heh, I think it's awesome you scored an aimpoint from the generous RogueJSK Beancooker!

Good on both of you.

quote:

Originally posted by bettysnephew:
Hi! I'm Dave and I have astigmatism. If you suffer from this go with a holographic sight or a LPVO/scope to minimize the effects of the distortion. If you do not have astigmatism a red dot will work great.

Hi! I'm J, and I also have astigmatism. But nearly all of my rifles have red dots, because Aimpoints and other red dots work just fine for nearly all people with astigmatism.

Wanna know the secret to making red dots work with astigmatism?

*ahem*



Stop. Looking. At. The. Daggum. Dot.

(And the cool thing is, that's how you should be using a red dot in the first place, astigmatism or not.)

One of the main points of a red dot optic is that it allows you to be target-focused, rather than sight-focused like with iron sights. Therefore.. focus on the freakin' target. Red dots are not iron sights, nor are they scope crosshairs.

My astigmatism causes red dots to be misshapen if I stare at the dot. But when I use a proper target focus, with the dot floating in the foreground but my focus being on the target, the dot is perfectly round.

Unfortunately, it seems like most folks with astigmatism pick up a red dot at the gun store of their buddy's house, point it at a blank wall, stare directly at the dot, and then go "Oh well, I guess I can't use red dots because this dot looks all distorted when I focus on it..."

Instead, try taking it out to the range and train with it, while focusing on the target as intended. Chances are really good that you won't notice distortion.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:

quote:

Originally posted by bettysnephew:
Hi! I'm Dave and I have astigmatism. If you suffer from this go with a holographic sight or a LPVO/scope to minimize the effects of the distortion. If you do not have astigmatism a red dot will work great.

Hi! I'm J, and I also have astigmatism. But nearly all of my rifles have red dots, because Aimpoints and other red dots work just fine for nearly all people with astigmatism.

Wanna know the secret to making red dots work with astigmatism?

*ahem*



Stop. Looking. At. The. Daggum. Dot.

(And the cool thing is, that's how you should be using a red dot in the first place, astigmatism or not.)

One of the main points of a red dot optic is that it allows you to be target-focused, rather than sight-focused like with iron sights. Therefore.. focus on the freakin' target. Red dots are not iron sights, nor are they scope crosshairs.

My astigmatism causes red dots to be misshapen if I stare at the dot. But when I use a proper target focus, with the dot floating in the foreground but my focus being on the target, the dot is perfectly round.

Unfortunately, it seems like most folks with astigmatism pick up a red dot at the gun store of their buddy's house, point it at a blank wall, stare directly at the dot, and then go "Oh well, I guess I can't use red dots because this dot looks all distorted when I focus on it..."

Instead, try taking it out to the range and train with it, while focusing on the target as intended. Chances are really good that you won't notice distortion.

That is also how to learn how to be fast with a red dot. I was/am a pretty good three-gun shooter, especially with the AR and the shotgun. (I am not as good with a pistol.) But at 50 yards and less with a red dot, I am fast, and plenty accurate enough on a three gun target. You look at the target and the red dot finds its way to the target. If you look at the dot and try to put it on the target, you will be slow. When I switched to a red dot from iron sights, I felt almost like it was cheating - it was so much faster.

I have a mild astigmatism, although it is corrected. I never noticed the dot being weird.

https://www.primaryarms.com/pr...yclops-gen-2-reticle
I have one of these on order from Primary Arms. It's just a 1x which is what works for me within 100 yards.
I like the reticle layout and since it's a prism the glass it etched so if the battery takes a shit you still have a 95% functioning optic.
My other carbines all wear either A2 irons or Sig Romeo 5 red dots. All of the Sig dots have performed 100% for me and hold zero amazingly well for the price point.

https://www.trijicon.com/disco...ucts/details/rx01nsn

I use this. It is dated. But, it works well with BUIS, especially if lower 1/3rd cowitness.