optics for budget built target/home defense AR.

[turbobuick]

just finished putting together my first AR and trying to decide which rout to go as far as optics. I have back up sights on it but am wanting to do either a red dot scope or reflex/holographic style site. Primary uses will be target shooting and home defense. Looking to keep it $300 or less if possible as I only have $700 in the gun itself. Any help would be appreciated.

[TaurusOss]

Check these out. Seem to be decent and alot of guys on AR15.com run them.

https://www.primaryarms.com/Primary_Arms_s/586.htm

[Quib]

In that price range you could find a used Aimpoint or EOTech if you look around.

Don't base the optics off the price of the weapon but off your intended use. And if one of those uses is HD, don't go with a budget optic. Go for quality.

[Paulo_Santos]

Save up for an Aimpoint PRO. They are only $400 and come with the mount and everything you need.

[Creeky73]

Save up for an Aimpoint PRO. They are only $400 and come with the mount and everything you need.

are these being sold to civilians yet or is it still LE/Mil only?

[Paulo_Santos]

are these being sold to civilians yet or is it still LE/Mil only?

I didn't know they were only being sold to LE/Mil.

[swedge58]

I picked up a Vortex Strikefire for my Sig 522. Love it. For 139.99 it's a good deal!

[John Hwang]

Vortex has some nice options and they are very solid optics and warranty is great. Battery life isn't up to par compared to high end optics. Also, Primary Arms is good people and have good entry level products.
I have customers all the time who may own an Aimpoint or 2 but there is something to be said about a budget optic because you may not have the funds to set every rifle up the way you'd like.

[Creeky73]

I didn't know they were only being sold to LE/Mil.

I thought that was the case, I could be smoking crack. But I seem to recall several places online requiring some form of evidence of LE or Mil for the sale. If this isn't the case, I'm stoked.

[brit]

Vortex obviously isn't on par with Aimpoint, but I would feel comfortable with a Vortex Strikefire as a short term solution (concerning HD)

[zero7one]

As of SHOT Show, the Aimpoint PRO is available to the public. Prior to that it was meant to be LE/MIL only. As for Vortex, they do make a solid optic. I have the SPARC and put it through a very vigorous torture test before I would carry it on my patrol rifle.

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[brit]

I thought that was the case, I could be smoking crack. But I seem to recall several places online requiring some form of evidence of LE or Mil for the sale. If this isn't the case, I'm stoked.

Good news, some retailers have lifted that requirement. Not sure about Rainier, but I think PSA did.

I googled it and found an arfcom thread: http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_3_118/561461_Aimpoint_PRO_LEO_Mil_restriction_sales_has_ been_lifted_.html

[zero7one]

Talking to one of the Aimpoint reps at SHOT, there were a lot of dealers that were abusing the LE/MIL restriction and selling the PRO to non-LE/MIL. I'm not sure if that was the reason that they lifted the restriction, but it should have been lifted as of mid-January.

[Creeky73]

Talking to one of the Aimpoint reps at SHOT, there were a lot of dealers that were abusing the LE/MIL restriction and selling the PRO to non-LE/MIL. I'm not sure if that was the reason that they lifted the restriction, but it should have been lifted as of mid-January.

Yep, I looked at a few websites last night, and it is available for general sales now. Talking about dealers abusing the restriction, I remember seeing one particular website last year that did NOT mention anything about the restriction on the product on its description page, but I had heard of some really bad experiences with that particular company and never gave it a shot. Now that I can buy this legit, I think my optics problems just got solved.

[Hmac]

are these being sold to civilians yet or is it still LE/Mil only?

I had to provide creds to buy mine when they came out, but I see that even Optics Planet now has them for sale for $400 and free shipping.

[lawngrizzly]

I have a Vortex Strikefire as well. I had an Eotech XPS-2, and sold it on Ebay. I like the Vortex ALOT. Especially since it even has two NV settings, and is completely waterproof. It came with a high AR15 mount, and seems very well made. What I did NOT reallize when I purchased it, is that it comes with a 2 power magnifier. That is the BEST part, in my opinion. It works GREAT, and I'm gettin old, and that extra power for an optic really helps. The thing about Aimpoints and Eotechs is that they are built for military and such. They have been designed to take ALOT more abuse than an average guy will dish out. Everyone I know that payed for their rifle, and accessories, take pretty good care of them, and these optics are overkill for average Joe's. Duty ruggedness is alot different than civilian ruggedness normally. I liked my Eotech, and I never had any issues, but for the $300 plus difference, NTM the 2x magnifier, I made a smart choice.