All around AR 15 scope contenders

[Podmonkey]

After some advice from Meke, and some youtube scrounging this is the current line up of scopes I have under consideration:

Burris XTR II 1×5-×8. I like the feature set and price, bout $650 for the 1×5 $999 for the 1×8. Supposed to be extremely daytime bright and I like the reticle. They are kinda heavy though at about 22oz.

Leupold VX-6. The main thing I like about this scope is its light weight, about 17oz. Glass is maybe a tad better than the Burris scopes. Price is bout $1100. Illumination adj. is awkward and it's supposedly not all that bright, which would hamper it's usability as a RDS at 1×.

Vortex Razor HD gen 2 1×6. The most expensive option at about $1450 and also the heaviest at 28oz! Also the best glass and a ridiculously wide field of view. Worth the extra $$? What do y'all think?
On the topic of mounts. I know Meke is dubious of the one peice cantelever mounts BUT all of these scopes have a pretty long eye relief of 4" and I like to get forward on an AR, nose to charging handle if I can. That would seem to require a cantelever mount no? Are they really so fragile? What alternative are there? QD is preferable since I also enjoy shooting irons.

 

[Frankly]

I have a $329 Vortex Strike Eagle with an Aero Precision lightweight 2" forward cantilever mount, plus a throw lever. Hard to beat for the price, the Razor has better glass at 4x the price but otherwise I don't see the value. I don't know why the cantilever would be a problem, watch a 3-Gunner throw their rifles into barrels with ultralight ones....

 

[meketrefe]

VX6 is now on sale for $817...
Leupold VX-6 Rifle Scope 30mm Tube 1-6x 24mm MultiGun Custom Dial

I would also consider the weaver tactical that are built like tanks.


1-7 34mm tube and Firs Focal plane.

Weaver Tactical 1-7x 24mm Rifle Scope 34mm Tube Dual Focal Plane

1-5 30mm tube. Very light and compact. First Focal plane too.

Weaver Tactical Rifle Scope 30mm Tube 1-5x 24mm First Focal

Some cantilevers are quite pronounced and thin, the support pretty flimsy by design.
I Look for the right amount of cantilever with the maximum amount of support between the back and front rings.
Also a locking system that gives full and even support along the entire base vs. biting into the receiver. I also lap the rings.

 

[Podmonkey]

How does dual focal plane work? Is there a switch or somesuch?

 

[ProgSpear]

How does dual focal plane work? Is there a switch or somesuch?

Dot is on Second Focal Plane so magnification changes will not change the size of the dot, so it will appear small and crisp at all magnifications. Reticle is on the First Focal Plane, so it's apparent size will change with changes in magnification, that way the mil-dots on the reticle are useful at all magnifications. The only thing you will change is the magnification from 1x to 7x.

I wish I had an extra thousand or so...

 

[ManrisFrack]

Dot is on Second Focal Plane so magnification changes will not change the size of the dot, so it will appear small and crisp at all magnifications. Reticle is on the First Focal Plane, so it's apparent size will change with changes in magnification, that way the mil-dots on the reticle are useful at all magnifications. The only thing you will change is the magnification from 1x to 7x.

To add a bit: first vs second focal point refers to how a scope is built. There is no switching between the two without swapping to a different scope.

If you use the reticle to estimate range, second focal plane is only accurate at one point in the magnification range. First focal plane (if built well) should be accurate for ranging purposes throughout the magnification range.

 

[meketrefe]

How does dual focal plane work? Is there a switch or somesuch?

First or second refers to where the reticle is placed in the scope. The first focal is with the objective (optical image) while
the 2nd is in the back behind the zoom if any. This means in the second plane if you zoom in your reticle doesn't move
while in the first focal when you zoom in the reticle "grows" with your image so it always stays true.
If one is going to use the reticle to calculate a hold over then in many ways a 2nd focal plane is like a fixed magnification
scope because the calculated value is only true a certain preset magnification normally max magnification.
If you move from that magnification then the estimation is not accurate any more. This doesn't mean the 2nd plane
doesn't work but it can be more work and prone to error. This is why professionals normally stick to first focal plane like competition
shooters, military, police, etc..
First focal is not critical for a target scope where one might use a fine plex and the adjustment is done by adjusting
the turrets anyway.

 

[Eddie Gunks]

Everyone raves about the JM Pro. I do not run one simply because it's far too heavy. I prefer a much lighter optics. These rifles are heavy enough already. I Run a bushnell 1 to 6.5 x 24 elite tactical. It weighs it at like 17oz. I love it.

My buddy runs a SWFA 1 to 6 his radicle is nice and easy to use, I prefer the cross hairstyle radicle that it has, but again it is also a very heavy scope. Similar to the jm pro