I recently picked up a Daniel Defense DD5 V4 and am looking for an optic for it. I probably won't be doing much shooting beyond 200 yards so I don't need a ton of magnification. My budget for optic and mount is $2,000. I like Scalarworks mounts and they have some optic combos that they offer, which would make the process easier overall although QD mounts aren't a necessity.

First what role do you see this rifle to be? Optics will be different for a range rifle vs. a bed stand gun. For a home defense weapon, which ever AimPoint is the latest for the M68CCO. I think it is still the M4. For hunting or range work, a low power variable (LPVO) is a good choice. I am a fan of Leupold's 2.5-8x36 optic. I bought one for my deer rifle in the late 90s, and it is a great scope. The guy who sold it to me was trying to get me to buy the next step lower in magnification. I can see his argument, but feel I feel comfortable leaving the magnification at 2.5 when in the fields of middle Michigan. Leave the scope at the lowest magnification, and when you need the extra zoom, adjusting the magnification is easier to do so without alerting your target. Plus that scope plus a good quality mount should bring you in under budget and enough left over for ammo, mags, and maybe a good bipod.

I put a Nightforce C556 4-14x50 on my DD5 V3, mounted in a Griffen Armament SPRM mount and I added a FastFire 3 for close shots. Plenty of magnification at 200 yards, and the red dot is great for minute-of-torso shots at 100 yards.

I’m mainly thinking along the lines of an LPVO as I have multiple 5.56 rifles set up for HD roles. I’m not into precision rifle shooting so this will mainly be a range gun with a small chance of it seeing hunting duty.

If you are interested in a low power variable, one to consider is the SAI 6 that I reviewed here:
https://sigforum.com/eve/forum...0601935/m/3020072094

SAI is great. I looked through a friend’s at the range yesterday. Nightforce nx8, Leupold mk5 2-10, and Eotech Vudu 1-10 are others I’d consider.

I have a nx8 with fcdmx reticle. It’s a great optic within its parameters of small footprint, light weight. At 4-6x it’s glorious. 8x is a bit tight, but totally useable.

Being that this is a 308, I’d lean toward the Leupy mk5 2-10 with an offset or piggybacked T2 or ACRO P2.

I’d steer clear of Scalarworks for a magnified optic mount. Their thumb wheel clamp design sucks (can only finger tighten) and there are multiple reports of rings catastrophically failing.

Geissele, NF ultramount, Badger condition One, Spuhr are all better options.

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

I would personally stay around the 2-10 power range. It is plenty magnification for 600-800yds and they look good on 16” guns. Mine are a NF 2-10 and Vortex PST 2-10.

I think at this point the 1-x choices are the best all around choice for this kind of use. I'm a nightforce person and at your price range the NX8 is quite good.

If you are looking to keep it light the NX8 is a good option, but the eye box is a bit tight on it. On 5.56 it’s not so bad but on a .308 with the additional movement under recoil it’s more noticeable. It’s still a great optic just be aware of the concessions made for having it be so light and compact.

If you are not as concerned with weight the Trijicon Credo 1-8 has great reviews for eyebox and glass quality.

I like Scalarworks for their red dot mounts but I am not a fan of their scope mount. It does not have a machined recoil lug that interfaces with the picatinny rail. It instead relies on the two round cross bolts which don’t offer much contact area with the square picatinny rail.

It also relies on the amount of torque you can generate with your fingers on the knobs for clamping force. I’ve seen reviews where people are seeing signs of the mount shifting around on the rail. I’d be especially concerned with this on a .308.

For a lightweight mount that has a machined in recoil lug interface and uses torx screws for a high clamping force I would instead consider the Reptilia AUS mount. I’ve been using them on my rifles (including my SCAR 17) for a couple years and they are rock solid.

https://reptiliacorp.com/produ...iameter-39mm-height/