budget optics thread

[poimen]

i don't know if i missed it or if i didn't dig deep enough, but i didn't see a post like this yet...but thought i'd start one up.

so keeping in mind i have almost no experience with optics, but still want something quality, can anyone help me with some budget optics? i'm not looking to drop hundreds of dollars on a scope, but i'm looking for something around $100 give or take a few bucks. i've never looked through the glass of a trijicon, or a leopold, so i won't know what i'm missing...no sense suggesting that yet. looking for a little magnification. not sure what brands to look at and what to stay away from. any help would be appreciated.

[UWone77]

I consider the Primary Arms 1-6x24 and the Vortex Strike Eagle 1-6x24 about as budget as I'd go. I'm not even sure what's available for $100 that wouldn't be junk.

[BoilerUp]

I think you learned this in another thread, but this isn't exactly a budget crowd.

Good glass will spoil you quickly. I'm not satisfied with most $300 magnified optics anymore.

The Redfield Revolution 2-7x33 ($150 at Lanbo's Armory) is probably the cheapest piece of glass I could recommend. I really wouldn't go lower. A decent 1-4x24 will be in the $250 price point. Spending $60-100 on something at Dick's Sporting Goods or the like is just a waste of money as far as I'm concerned.

That said, for magnified optics, a reasonably safe bet is the buy the most Leupold or Vortex your budget will allow. They have great warranties.

A Leuopld Mark AR Mod 1 1-4x24 can be had for under $250. A Vortex Crossfire 1-4x24 is about the same.

However, you can get decent little Red Dot Sights for under $100 pretty easily. Primary Arms, Holosun, an cheap Sigs are all the same (made by Holosun). A Vortex SPARC or STRIKEFIRE are also good options.

[FortTom]

Poimen,


I'm going to be blunt here, but it's not out of "meanness". I think you have a strange view of the optics world if you'd buy a piece of junk and be happy with it because "you've never looked through a trijicon" Believe me, if you go buy a $80 dollar scope, it's going perform like a piece of crap whether you know any better or not. All the downfalls of cheap glass will make themselves known to you, no matter what you've looked through or not.
to
Having said that, why don't you just use your BUIS and shoot through them, and save a few hundred dollars to put into a decent optic while honing your marksmanship with the irons? A hundred or less is only going to get you a hundred dollars worth of heartache. And headaches.

Good Luck to you,

FT

[cjd3]

Vortex Diamond Back HP scopes are on sale at Cabela's. here. They are excellent, and at these prices, totally worth it. The 3-12 for $190 is a steal. It's a bit more than $100, but worth it. And for the love of god, don't buy a P.E.P.R. Mount.

[poimen]

Vortex Diamond Back HP scopes are on sale at Cabela's. here. They are excellent, and at these prices, totally worth it. The 3-12 for $190 is a steal. It's a bit more than $100, but worth it. And for the love of god, don't buy a P.E.P.R. Mount.

What is a pepr mount and why do I need to stay away from it? Haha.


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[alamo5000]

What is a pepr mount and why do I need to stay away from it? Haha.


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If you saw a turd sitting on a hot sidewalk would you pick it up and play with it out or would you leave it alone?

[poimen]

If you saw a turd sitting on a hot sidewalk would you pick it up and play with it out or would you leave it alone?

ahahahahahahhahaha! of course i'd leave it alone but that didn't really answer my question. why is it a turd? maybe ill at least google it and see what it is...

[poimen]

ok so i looked it up...and to the untrained eye (mine) ... it doesn't look terrible. it's a decent concept...kinda cantilever, with the space for putting a red dot on top...so what makes it so turdy?

[cjd3]

What is a pepr mount and why do I need to stay away from it? Haha.

It looks like its a good QD scope mount, and many people have owned one, only to find out that they don't hold on very well, nor hold their zero. I've not seen, nor used this mount, but it may be a god starting point if you want to put a scope on your rifle: Primary Arms. As Alamo stated, this is probably a value rig. It's not a QD, and if properly torqued, probably won't get loose. The quality stuff is from BoBro and American Defense MFG, but they are probably out of your price range.

[FortTom]

It looks like its a good QD scope mount, and many people have owned one, only to find out that they don't hold on very well, nor hold their zero. I've not seen, nor used this mount, but it may be a god starting point if you want to put a scope on your rifle: Primary Arms. As Alamo stated, this is probably a value rig. It's not a QD, and if properly torqued, probably won't get loose. The quality stuff is from BoBro and American Defense MFG, but they are probably out of your price range.

I'm kind of curious too. I've had mounts from about everyone, my favorite being BoBro, but I have a P.E.P.R. on my LR-10. Granted, it hasn't seen any real heavy use. Don't even remember where I got it, I think it was at the club as a door prize. But I happened to have it so I threw it on that rifle because it was new and I needed a scope mount. The only problem I've seen with it is it's heavier than heck, on a rifle that's already too heavy.

Had it off to sight MBUS's because I forgot to sight them in before I mounted the Burris. Put it back on and it was damn near perfect. No loosening, or hasn't become a projectile. Didn't know it was a piece of crap until you folks told me. It is big, but it's holding a big scope. So, it returns to zero, hasn't broke, stays on, doesn't come loose and returns as close to zero as one could expect for a "utility" rifle, so what calamity should I be holding my breath for, that hasn't yet happened?

FT

[cjd3]

I'm kind of curious too. I've had mounts from about everyone, my favorite being BoBro, but I have a P.E.P.R. on my LR-10. Granted, it hasn't seen any real heavy use. Don't even remember where I got it, I think it was at the club as a door prize. But I happened to have it so I threw it on that rifle because it was new and I needed a scope mount.

I had this a while ago, and the RTZ was completely abysmal. Off the paper abysmal. I switched to a BoBro, and it was phenomenal. Too bad I also switch later to a 30mm tube, so I sold it, and a have a non QD mount.

[SINNER]

Keep using your irons and save more. $100 is a low budget for a decent mount.

[Stone]

Right here: http://www.weaponevolution.com/forum...422#post151422

Its a decent entry level scope( in great shape) and if you ask the seller nicely he may be able to dig out a mount for a good price as well.
Put a $100 down on it and maybe he will hold it for you before someone snags it...

[alamo5000]

i don't know if i missed it or if i didn't dig deep enough, but i didn't see a post like this yet...but thought i'd start one up.

so keeping in mind i have almost no experience with optics, but still want something quality, can anyone help me with some budget optics? i'm not looking to drop hundreds of dollars on a scope, but i'm looking for something around $100 give or take a few bucks. i've never looked through the glass of a trijicon, or a leopold, so i won't know what i'm missing...no sense suggesting that yet. looking for a little magnification. not sure what brands to look at and what to stay away from. any help would be appreciated.

You've already gotten the advice from others but I will echo it. Stay away from cheap glass. It will be nothing more than a headache. That doesn't mean you need a $3000 scope but if you spend $100 bucks you just wasted $100 bucks. If on the other hand you shoot with irons for a while (not a bad idea at all) and give it 2-3 months to learn more and settle in while you are saving you will be better off.

As for what kind of optic your discussion at this point should be about features. 1-4x? 1-6x? FFP or 2nd? Capped turrets or not? Or would a red dot be a better fit for your particular situation?

My advice is to get some more trigger time and educate yourself better about your own shooting style and what you enjoy doing more. For example on one rifle I have I only shoot match grade hand loads off a bipod. I enjoy shooting to far distances (800 yards) and I have a place to do that hence I have tooled up for that job. If the max you plan to shoot is 100 yards and you never are going to use a bipod then a red dot would be a better recommendation.

Taking your time to learn more will pay for itself with a lot wiser and more appropriate choices for your particular wants or needs.