Let’s say you could only have one rifle, a 16” semiauto in 5.56 such as the AR,MCX,SCAR, etc.

What optic setup would you run with a budget of $1k?

Check out the reticles. Red donut at 1X, MILrad at 6X.
Also, its heavy.


You can bet it will sink to lake bottom 'scope down when your canoe flips over.



https://www.swfa.com/swfa-ss-h...30mm-riflescope.html

SWFA SS HD 1-6x24 Tactical 30mm Riflescope Details
Matte Black Finish
First Focal Plane Illuminated Donut (Circle/Mil-Scale)
30mm Tube
.10 Mrad, 10 Mils per Rev.
HD Model
Undercover Turrets

This message has been edited. Last edited by: RichardC,

Vortex razor 1-10x

I don’t think you can get a Vortex 1x10 for $1k?

quote:

Vortex razor 1-10x

The Gen 3's were over 3k just the other day. Gen 1's are still $2500.

Trijicon ACOG. You could definitely get into a used one for under 1k, and it seems a new one can be had for between $1000 and $1100.

For use at real life distances you can defend in court… Aimpoint T-1 gets my vote.

quote:

Originally posted by GrumpyBiker:
For use at real life distances you can defend

Valid point, as always. Optic choice depends on rifle application. IMO, a general purpose rifle needs magnification; so I say ACOG for that. In Grumpy's context, the Micro is an excellent choice, and I have one, but I ultimately prefer the Eotech, but that's because I appreciate it's enhanced NV compatibility.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: KSGM,

quote:

Originally posted by GrumpyBiker:
For use at real life distances you can defend in court… Aimpoint T-1 gets my vote.

Ditto

(If needed, you can flop a 3X magnifier …)

quote:

Originally posted by KSGM:
Optic choice depends on rifle application.

Yep.

That said, for a "jack of all trades" rifle, I'd say either a 1-6x or an Aimpoint Micro with a 3x magnifier, leaning towards the former if you want to favor range vs. the latter if you want to favor CQB (or light weight), although either one could handle both.

ACOG. Love mine on my SIG and my AR.

quote:

Originally posted by KSGM:
Optic choice depends on rifle application.

This point is made again and again about this question, and that’s because it’s the most important one.

If it’s for self-defense in or around the home, then magnification is neither necessary nor desirable. If it’s to engage large stationary, easy to see, man-sized targets to a few hundred yards then I’ve found 5 or 6 power magnification to be adequate. For difficult to find and see targets that may be moving then 6× doesn’t work well at 500 yards.*

*Why a civilian be doing that in a real war-like or defensive situation is hard to imagine, but some people evidently want to be prepared to do so if necessary.

Even first versus second focal plane becomes an important question if the sight has variable magnification. If using the sight for range determination, trajectory compensation, or wind or lead holds, and we’re not going to use it only at one specific magnification, then a first focal plane scope is necessary. The problem with FFP scopes is that the reticle changes size with the setting, and can become too small to be seen well in some situations. That is being addressed by some companies such as the SWFA SS HD 1-6x24 tactical 30mm riflescope linked above or the SAI Optics 1-6×24 scope I reviewed here:
https://sigforum.com/eve/forum...0601935/m/3020072094

Without the need to do those FFP scope things, a second focal plane sight may be better in general.

Where the red dot magnifiers are concerned, in my experience, I'd rather have a high-end (Aimpoint or Eotech) optic, without a magnifier, than a lesser quality combo unit. Even with the nice optics, when you stack all that glass up, you make sacrifices in clarity, and the FOV isn't great. I'd rather have the ability, than not, but I'd choose to prioritize a nice red dot or holo out of the gate, and then come back for a quality magnifier, when I can afford it.

Thanks everyone for chiming in with your thoughts. I’m leaning towards a lpvo and later adding a red dot on top, or offset.

I picked an MCX, and if it performs as I’m hoping it will be my be all/end all rifle. I would love a Razor 1x10, but $2500 isn’t gonna happen. I have a 1x6 on my SCAR and it’s awesome, but it’s also a pig! The MCX is heavy to start with, so I’m looking at other options.

quote:

Originally posted by GrumpyBiker:
For use at real life distances you can defend in court… Aimpoint T-1 gets my vote.

I hear people say this constantly. In the same vein, they claim to want to intervene in active shooter situations. Does anyone think in any of the last few media covered active shooters that a citizen would have burned at the stake for stopping the gunman on a rooftop or across a parking lot at 150 yards? He/she would be a televised hero in most places for ending the killing.

It’s not a neat, clean world of “garlic breath distance” despite what “statistics” the internet likes to throw out.

You can’t serve both masters. Either you want to be an asset and stop the killing, or believe that it’s a neat, clean box of three yards and in. And when you factor roof tops in parking lots in urban areas, distance becomes real.

My bedside gun has an Aimpoint only. Everything else has a magnifier. After a recent training class, my next venture is a LPVO. Most likely a Nightforce 1x8.

My post isn’t meant to be the contrarian or to “call out” anyone for their views. There just seems to be a huge contradiction in the belief of wanting to get involved to save lives when there is no one else, and the fantasy that some how there’s a magical ruler of what makes a justified shoot. Distance shots with handguns have became more common place in the last 10 years despite being told that defensive shoots are 1-3 rounds, 1-3 feet and 1-3 seconds. Rifles are no different.

Most of us aren’t cops and are only near our rifle while at home, leaving it to be most likely used for home defense.

I would be really torn between an ACOG and T2.

One of the things that’s being reported by the Uvalde school incident was that an officer armed with a rifle saw the shooter going into the school and asked a supervisor for permission before shooting, but didn’t get a response before it was too late.* One of the same reports said the range was 143 yards, and was “within the capabilities” of the officer’s weapon. That distance is beyond what is the reported average range of even law enforcement sniper shots, but there’s no reason why a skilled shooter couldn’t have managed a hit with a nonmagnifying optic on an AR. There’s no doubt, though, that magnification increases hit probabilities significantly at longer distances, and especially if the only target was the head and upper shoulders.

* The city mayor is denying that report now and said no officers saw the shooter before he went into the school building.

Indeed, sir. Indeed.

When I was skilled labor before becoming a team leader, that average was 33 yards as reported by FBI statistics. I have no idea what the “average sniper shot” currently stands at.

My bedside gun has an Aimpoint only. Everything else has a magnifier. After a recent training class, my next venture is a LPVO. Most likely a Nightforce 1x8.

Why are you choosing Nightforce over everything else?

Give the Primary Arms Micro Prism 3x a try. It is 95% of the ACOG at about 1/3 the price. I love my ACOGS, but they have not had any changes to them period. The ability to focus the reticle to my eye and shoot in any light including from a dark to a light area is a strong selling point for me. It is also extremely small, lightweight and actually puts my 3x ACOG to shame in everything but glass clarity. The ACOG is slightly better, but not 3x price wise better.

I have the 3x on my 16” Sig M400 and had no issues shooting groups today at 100yds which never went over 2”.