Going to have an AR built, need optic options…

[DoD1776]

So opened my bank account last week and the VA backpayed me 12.9k for something, I only have 20% so not sure where the 12.9 comes from lol. Anyways, I’m sitting on a shit ton of 5.56 but no 5.56 to shoot!

Now I don’t remember who had this beautiful rig but this is how I’m going to have my rifle built. I’m thinking a trijicon ACOG but to be honest, is that really ideal? What’s everyone running? I want something affordable, ideal, and reliable.

 

[kev74]

I prefer scope over red dot. I like the 1-7x for the longer shots.

Saw this a few days ago.

 

[RooftopKorean]

I prefer LPVO.

 

[Zerex]

You gotta be kidding me? Your only option is to buy a neutered AR in NYS......... Mag Locks are in litigation.............and may be banned too.

 

[DoD1776]

You gotta be kidding me? Your only option is to buy a neutered AR in NYS......... Mag Locks are in litigation.............and may be banned too.

Hahahahah you’re funny. Bold of your to assume that. But of course as a law abiding citizen I will be 1000000% complaint

 

[Robin]

LPVO= good marketing.
Robin

 

[DoD1776]

LPVO= good marketing.
Robin

Are you saying it’s not as good as they say it is?

 

[GTN]

What would be your main propose for this rifle?
In my opinion
Up close and personal = red dot
Reach out and touch something = scope/lpvo

 

[Podmonkey]

That was my rifle, the NYGF build. That one has a Holsun 515 on it. Is this the only AR you will have? First AR should get a red dot, ne question. Save magnified optics for the second AR. As far as scopes go the ACOG is still a great option, simple, rugged and excellent optical clarity, on par with high end European glass. The TA31 is also very lightweight.
Still unlike most everyone else here I strongly recommend a red dot. They are lighter, cheaper, simpler and easier to use and can get you out to 300 meters no problem. You always have the option of adding a magnifier if you want though be aware that a red dot + magnifier combo will cost more and weigh more than most LPVOs. For you I would say red dot>ACOG>LPVO. The Holosun 515s in particular are duty grade optics at a very reasonable price. I recommend whatever 515 model that does NOT have the solar thingy atop it, in those the battery sits under a threaede cap instead of a fiddly tray with tiny screws that strip out if you look at em funny.

 

[dwa12479]

My SHTF rig has a Holosun 510C. I had the EoTech XPS on it but liked the Holosun so much I swapped them and also got a 2nd one for another rifle.

 

[Vapor]

An lvpo is a jack of all trades and a master of none. It comes with a lot of compromises.


The only lvpo I own is a 1-4. Why? It's very light weight and comes with less compromises than say a 1-8.

Lvpo is not the best for distance. Most are sfp which makes the middle magnifications useless. The small front lenses don't gather light well. Most any that are 1-6 or up will add 2 lbs to a rifle. Often 1x


A 2-10 or even 2-7 with a much larger bell housing will buy you time to shoot as the sun goes down. The only way am lvpo does is by illumination.


A red dot is enhanced iron sights. Rugged. Simple. Faster than irons. More light gathering than an lvpo. Lighter too. Of course if you have a stigmatism like me, they kinda suck. I love my aimpoint with a star burst reticle.


Enter the prism. If your eyes need it, this is the marriage between red dot and lvpo your eyes need.



I generally still find myself liking 1-3, 1-4, , or 2-7 scopes. I know l, kind of a dyimg idea.

 

[Acer-m14]

Why does Grasshopper need optics or even a scope ..

he didn't say what the AR will be used for ..

you need a light so you can see what your shooting at ..


good to see you on DOD .. did you get banned from FB .. haven't seen you post there in like a year ..

i bet i got unfriended LOL ..

 

[Vapor]

https://www.primaryarms.com/holosun-hs403r-2-moa-micro-red-dot-sight?avad=190366_e37acd601&utm_source=affiliate-referral&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=152894&utm_content=product-review

 

[Robin]

Are you saying it’s not as good as they say it is?

No.
What is your main purpose for this rifle?
Robin

 

[Podmonkey]

LPVOs are for a generalist rifle that doesn't excell in any one area but has the ability to flex into a broad array of roles.
Bit again this is not about red dot vs LPVO. If you only have 1 AR then it beeds to have a red dot on it unless it is a target/range gun only. For a possibility for defensive use 200 meters and in a red dot is superior to a scope. At the across the room distance of the typical defensive situation a red dot is vastly superior to a scope. Red Dots are just more usable iron sights, they do the same things only a red dot does it better and faster, red dots are the default sighting option for the. modern long gun.
The TA31 ACOG is still a solid choice for a lightweight generalist or Recce, if you prefer that term, rifle/carbine.

As for the LPVOs, the current offerings seem to center mostly around 1-8 magnification, however 8x magnification with such a small objective lens involves significant compromises, it is at that magnification that we start to outrun the light gathering potential of tge typical exot pupil of a 24mm objective. Also 8x magnification is the pint at which a first focal plane starts to be preferable and FFP has some drawbacks chief among them tge difficulty of getting bright illumination on the reticle. A bright reticle is important for use as an erzats red dot at 1x.
I think the 1-6 Is probably tge optimal range for most needs a generalist AR would have. At 6x a Second Focal Plabe is fine, even preferable as you will either be at 1x or 6x most of the time and if using an intermediate magnification level you are likely at a range at which you will be doing anything than holding dead on target so ranging with the reticle won't be necessary. The exit pupil issue isn't much of a thing at 6x either and a 1-6 will be quite lightweight, almost as light as a 1-4 with some models of 1-6 getting well under the 20oz point.
The 1-4 has the ultimate weight advantage however and you will generally be getting a better ratio of optical clarity to price as compared to tge 1-6 and especially the 1-8 scopes. For a budget scope the 1-4 is probably the way to go.
The ACOGs are dead nuts simple, indestructible and clear as crystal with the 4x TA31s bright featherweights in addition to the above advantages.
I think for an outdoor knock around gun the ACOG, or prism scopes in general, are ideal.

 

[Robin]

A good quality 1 MOA red dot in the hands of a well practiced rifleman will do everything a LPVO can do out to 400 yards and even 500.
Robin

 

[Cooolone]

I'm not sure in any close quarters I'm going to worry about a dot or scope... It's going to be reflexive and that's that! Just my $0.02¢

Otherwise, scope to match intended use... Agreed!

 

[Uninformed and Compliant]

If you're looking at an ACOG for your use-case,
A 4x or 5x prism a 45 offset dot might make you happy. My experience is with a PA 5x, and a 3x. There's others out there that are great, as well. And no parallax or 2nd plane bullshit to deal with that typically exists in the LVPO market.

PA offers a classic mil tree reticle, or a yard-based BDC reticle. Range and acquire with their BDC is literally point click and ship. I'm pretty sure Trij licensed it for one of their ACOG versions.



At least for the PA, do NOT get the mount for mounting a dot on top of it; that mount does not like being thrown into the bed of a truck.

I initially got one of their bundled RDS mounts

that attaches here

...and that worked quite well shooting both right and left handed, but standard "gas and brass" caveats apply to left hand when the rifle is canted for the dot. The mount suffered my abuse without losing zero, quite nicely.

I've since swapped their bundled 45 mount out for an Arisaka 45 further down the rail because the PA mount location made pressing buttons on my specific dot somewhat tedious. My dot has buttons on the left side, my finger was a tight fit against the prism body.


Primary Arms SLx 5X MicroPrism™ Scope - Red Illuminated ACSS Aurora MIL Reticle

Primary Arms SLx 5X MicroPrism™ Scope - Red Illuminated ACSS Aurora 5.56/.308 Reticle - Yard


That said, you might also enjoy a decent ELCAN, if you can find one that isn't too beat up.


.

 

[Podmonkey]

I'm not sure in any close quarters I'm going to worry about a dot or scope... It's going to be reflexive and that's that! Just my $0.02¢

Otherwise, scope to match intended use... Agreed!

What is simpler than putting a big, glowing red dot that is floating in space atop your prospective target?

 

[repete]

What is simpler than putting a big, glowing red dot that is floating in space atop your prospective target?

Not having to turn it on? IDK. I've got irons, red dots and scopes, also had no idea what a LPVO was nor that they are the 'rage' now, nor do I care. I did find your post interesting and informative.

 

[Beerman]

I’m running a Romeo7 red dot with a Juliet 4 magnifier. I really like that combo. A lot. It’s great (for me) up to 75 yds, then drop the magnifier in place for 100 and a little beyond. Good times, good times. (Fixed mag, lots of features, rattle canned coolness.)

 

[Podmonkey]

Not having to turn it on? IDK. I've got irons, red dots and scopes, also had no idea what a LPVO was nor that they are the 'rage' now, nor do I care. I did find your post interesting and informative.

Most red dots these days you put in the batteries and leave it on. Many models have an auto off and on when jiggled or for Aimpoint dots the electronics have so little drain they stay on constantly until the battery runs out after 50,000 or so hours. Either way the dot is on and ready to go whenever you need it and without any input..........although I suppose moving the gun qualifies as an input in this case.
Red Dots have become the default sighting option, other than needing batteries they are better than irons in every way. When the batteries last for more than a year I don't see that as much of a drawback.
Though I am recommending a red dot to the OP I am not at all against LPVOs and in fact I have a rifle so equipped. They are good for any rifle that you might conceivably use both up close and at range.

 

[Robin]

Those primary Arms Prism red dots sound like a pretty nice set up, wish I could get a peek through one.
Primary Arms SLx 5X MicroPrism™ Scope - Red Illuminated ACSS Aurora MIL Reticle
Robin

 

[SomeSoldier]

So opened my bank account last week and the VA backpayed me 12.9k for something, I only have 20% so not sure where the 12.9 comes from lol. Anyways, I’m sitting on a shit ton of 5.56 but no 5.56 to shoot!

Now I don’t remember who had this beautiful rig but this is how I’m going to have my rifle built. I’m thinking a trijicon ACOG but to be honest, is that really ideal? What’s everyone running? I want something affordable, ideal, and reliable. View attachment 228200

What is the purpose of this rifle?? That should determine the accessories.

 

[Podmonkey]

What is the purpose of this rifle?? That should determine the accessories.

The only use case I would recommend a scope of some kind over a red dot, for an AR that is, would be for precision shooting beyond 200 meters. A 2 MOA dot can be very precise out to 200 or even 300 meters. At those distances 5.56 has a very flat trajectory so needing a reticle for holds isn't necessary. If regularly shooting at 300 meters and most certainly for beyond that a scope is helpful and the LPVO provides that assistance without too much sacrifice at close range. If any kind of defensive use is called for I'd say red dot everytime though.

 

[DoD1776]

What is the purpose of this rifle?? That should determine the accessories.

Tyrants and target plinker. Won’t be more than 300m. Maybe to see what it’s like to be an operator lol. Tbh just close range shit which is why I would like to possibly do an ACOG w RMR on it. Haven’t had the chance to look at anyone’s replies yet. Will ready all the answers soon

 

[DoD1776]

Why does Grasshopper need optics or even a scope ..

he didn't say what the AR will be used for ..

you need a light so you can see what your shooting at ..


good to see you on DOD .. did you get banned from FB .. haven't seen you post there in like a year ..

i bet i got unfriended LOL ..

No sir! Still friends with you. I would never delete you. I don’t post as often as I use to.

 

[DoD1776]

What would be your main propose for this rifle?
In my opinion
Up close and personal = red dot
Reach out and touch something = scope/lpvo

Mixture of both

 

[SomeSoldier]

Tyrants and target plinker. Won’t be more than 300m. Maybe to see what it’s like to be an operator lol. Tbh just close range shit which is why I would like to possibly do an ACOG w RMR on it. Haven’t had the chance to look at anyone’s replies yet. Will ready all the answers soon

I would agree, acog with rmr is a great setup. Cost is always the main factor with that setup.

 

[kev74]

I was perfectly happy with a 1-6, or 1-7, or whatever I have on there. But now you guys are putting expensive ideas in my head.