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Posted: 7/19/2016 1:06:24 PM EDT
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I'm looking to purchase a 1-4 Variable Scope for my AR. Trying to find one at a decent price ($100-400), preferably on the cheaper end but also has a reticle that is practical and not too bulky and ridiculous. I've run across a few but wanted to the get some advice from the group.
Let's hear it! |
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Leupold made a European-30 1.25x4 (30mm tube, 1 cm clicks) with duplex, German 4 or circle dot reticles. I bought several and they are perfect for AR-15's if you don't want illumination.
I paid $325.00 on sale. I think they discontinued that model, but recently I saw one for sale. There may be NOS models available or used ones on the market. They come with a lifetime guarantee so there is no worries when buying used. I do not like and will not buy any scope made in China. They are almost universally junk and won't stand the test of time. When you start talking $100 to $200 you are buying the bottom of the barrel as far a quality is concerned. |
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Another vote for Strike Eagle.
I was going to put an inexpensive red dot on my first build with the Spikes Tactical lower but the Strike Eagle followed me home from the gun show a week ago. It only took one look through it to be sold. I really liked the lit reticle at 1x and took it to the range this weekend and was pleased with it at range. I know there's better out there but this gave me what I wanted and very pleased with the optics quality for the price. I added in the Vortex Cantilever Ring Mount (CM-203) because I liked the look of it. This pushed the cost up to the high end of your budget ~$400 but I'm very pleased. Good Luck ! 
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Quoted: The TR24 is my favorite but it's out of your budget, but the Leupold MARK AR 1.5-4 is good, I like it better than the vortex scopes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83UxnR-1uAQ a small video review on it. |
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If you can live with 3x on the top end and a simple duplex reticle, there is the Weaver V3 1-3x. Made in Japan, rugged, very lightweight, good glass, sub $200 price tag. A very good little scope for the money. I've got one of these on a .308 bolt action brush gun. Love it. The fact it's half the weight of every 1-4 variable I've seen out there sealed the deal for me. |
I like the MK AR in that price range. Clear glass, repeatable inputs, daylight visible dot(important in a 1-4 IMHO), lifetime warranty... I would prefer a true 1X, the 1.5 is not a problem for most close up. I'm not a fan of the push button, prefer a knob... But the motion activation is neat & its light(er) weight.
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I'm torn on this ... Burris MTAC with the new Ballistic / AR - $375 Burris XTRII 1-5 / $799 Steiner P4Xi / $579 Steiner Rapiddot 5146 / $799 I'm betting the P4xi (feel free to be a guinea pig and let us know how it is  ) will be a winner but I'm waiting on a review a member said he'd post in a thread I started.
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The Steiner stuff is euro glass? I don't think they make the $700 1-4 anymore, and the P4xi is new and unknown the Accupower is known to be a solid optic but I see your point. I may buy the 1-4x P4 scope and give it a run through. It may take awhile for me to get there however. |
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$199 and Amazon Prime baby... https://www.amazon.com/Bushnell-Illuminated-Reticle-Riflescope-Turrets/dp/B00AU6EIIY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468950114&sr=8-1&keywords=bushnell+1-4x  I have one of these, mounted with the Burris AR-PEPR QD Mount (30 mm), a good scope/mount combination. Do not confuse this scope (the PCL or "throwdown lever") version, with the cheaper "Drop zone" version without the lever. |
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I don't think they make the $700 1-4 anymore, and the P4xi is new and unknown the Accupower is known to be a solid optic but I see your point. I may buy the 1-4x P4 scope and give it a run through. It may take awhile for me to get there however. Quoted:
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The Steiner stuff is euro glass? I don't think they make the $700 1-4 anymore, and the P4xi is new and unknown the Accupower is known to be a solid optic but I see your point. I may buy the 1-4x P4 scope and give it a run through. It may take awhile for me to get there however. fwiw, DSG got some p4xi's in stock today. I would have fo'd but I fo'd on an older steiner 1-4 military that I found on the EE. |
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it is my understanding that trijicontr24 and burris mtac are both daytime visible illumination. someone please clarifiy who has tried them Trijicon TR24 uses fiber optic illumination and is easily daytime bright. Can't speak to MTAC personally but I'm pretty sure it is at least mostly daylight bright. |
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I have one of these, mounted with the Burris AR-PEPR QD Mount (30 mm), a good scope/mount combination. Do not confuse this scope (the PCL or "throwdown lever") version, with the cheaper "Drop zone" version without the lever. Quoted:
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$199 and Amazon Prime baby... https://www.amazon.com/Bushnell-Illuminated-Reticle-Riflescope-Turrets/dp/B00AU6EIIY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468950114&sr=8-1&keywords=bushnell+1-4x https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41JI98mz6rL.jpg I have one of these, mounted with the Burris AR-PEPR QD Mount (30 mm), a good scope/mount combination. Do not confuse this scope (the PCL or "throwdown lever") version, with the cheaper "Drop zone" version without the lever. PSA has these for $149 today. I bought one. |
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I like the MK AR in that price range. Clear glass, repeatable inputs, daylight visible dot(important in a 1-4 IMHO), lifetime warranty... I would prefer a true 1X, the 1.5 is not a problem for most close up. I'm not a fan of the push button, prefer a knob... But the motion activation is neat & its light(er) weight. http://<a href=http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a317/TPF02/RET.jpg</a>" /> This is a great choice. As to the 1.5x on the low end, Leupold was wise. It is expensive to manufacture true 1x variables and most budget scopes that try it end up with fish eye optical distortion at the bottom end. You should try them in a store. You might think an undistorted 1.5x bottom end to be better. |
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This is a nice scope. I hope to get one myself by the end of this year. If not this, Burris MTAC or Vortex would be my second choice. Quoted:
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swfa 1-4 would be my choice This is a nice scope. I hope to get one myself by the end of this year. If not this, Burris MTAC or Vortex would be my second choice. I just went the SWFA SS route and I am impressed. Clear glass, awesome reticle, stiff clicks on the turrets...all I need to do is sight in yet! Up until now I would give them a thumbs up! |
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If you can live with 3x on the top end and a simple duplex reticle, there is the Weaver V3 1-3x. Made in Japan, rugged, very lightweight, good glass, sub $200 price tag. A very good little scope for the money. +1. In fact, it's the only one you'll find that's not "too bulky." At 8.5oz, it's about half the weight of many of the others you'll see. It's not illuminated, though. That extra 7.5oz or so that you add with the illuminated options will make an otherwise lightweight AR carbine quite top heavy, IMO. The Weaver is also a 1" tube which gives you a lot more budget friendly options for mounts than a 30mm tube. I have one of these Weavers on one of my squirrel guns (Savage 24), so I use it in real-world, active conditions. While maybe not tacticool, this is a highly functional optic for an AR. I also own the Bushnell 1-4x BTR-1. I got it on sale at PSA for $160 or so. I'd consider it a good deal even at $200. I like the reticle very much. It's got a huge field of view at 1x. On the downside, the reticle is not bright enough for use on a clear, sunny day (but nothing else sub $400 will be either), and it throws light out the objective lens. There are definitely better illuminated 1-4s out there, but not anywhere near $200. Also, a scope that is "daylight bright" for one person might not be for another. If you're looking for an illumination level in a 1-4x that approaches a red dot for $400 or less, you might have to make returns. |
| Hmm I'm not sure what the big deal is about an extra pound or pound and a half on a rifle when it's adding a capability like 4x magnification. I mean I get that you feel it, but it shouldn't feel that much heavier. I definitely get it when it comes to scopes that way 25oz alone like the Razor or maybe even the XTRII at 21 oz. But 15-17 oz plus a 7 oz mount shouldn't be too awful for anybody. |
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Hmm I'm not sure what the big deal is about an extra pound or pound and a half on a rifle when it's adding a capability like 4x magnification. I mean I get that you feel it, but it shouldn't feel that much heavier. I definitely get it when it comes to scopes that way 25oz alone like the Razor or maybe even the XTRII at 21 oz. But 15-17 oz plus a 7 oz mount shouldn't be too awful for anybody. The Mark AR weighs only 9.6 ounces. If you hunt with the rifle or carry it much, even one pound extra becomes very noticeable quickly. |
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+1. In fact, it's the only one you'll find that's not "too bulky." At 8.5oz, it's about half the weight of many of the others you'll see. It's not illuminated, though. That extra 7.5oz or so that you add with the illuminated options will make an otherwise lightweight AR carbine quite top heavy, IMO. The Weaver is also a 1" tube which gives you a lot more budget friendly options for mounts than a 30mm tube. I have one of these Weavers on one of my squirrel guns (Savage 24), so I use it in real-world, active conditions. While maybe not tacticool, this is a highly functional optic for an AR. I also own the Bushnell 1-4x BTR-1. I got it on sale at PSA for $160 or so. I'd consider it a good deal even at $200. I like the reticle very much. It's got a huge field of view at 1x. On the downside, the reticle is not bright enough for use on a clear, sunny day (but nothing else sub $400 will be either), and it throws light out the objective lens. There are definitely better illuminated 1-4s out there, but not anywhere near $200. Also, a scope that is "daylight bright" for one person might not be for another. If you're looking for an illumination level in a 1-4x that approaches a red dot for $400 or less, you might have to make returns. Quoted:
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If you can live with 3x on the top end and a simple duplex reticle, there is the Weaver V3 1-3x. Made in Japan, rugged, very lightweight, good glass, sub $200 price tag. A very good little scope for the money. +1. In fact, it's the only one you'll find that's not "too bulky." At 8.5oz, it's about half the weight of many of the others you'll see. It's not illuminated, though. That extra 7.5oz or so that you add with the illuminated options will make an otherwise lightweight AR carbine quite top heavy, IMO. The Weaver is also a 1" tube which gives you a lot more budget friendly options for mounts than a 30mm tube. I have one of these Weavers on one of my squirrel guns (Savage 24), so I use it in real-world, active conditions. While maybe not tacticool, this is a highly functional optic for an AR. I also own the Bushnell 1-4x BTR-1. I got it on sale at PSA for $160 or so. I'd consider it a good deal even at $200. I like the reticle very much. It's got a huge field of view at 1x. On the downside, the reticle is not bright enough for use on a clear, sunny day (but nothing else sub $400 will be either), and it throws light out the objective lens. There are definitely better illuminated 1-4s out there, but not anywhere near $200. Also, a scope that is "daylight bright" for one person might not be for another. If you're looking for an illumination level in a 1-4x that approaches a red dot for $400 or less, you might have to make returns. Somehow you seem to have overlooked the 8.6 ounce Leupold Mark AR 1.5-4x20 with FireDot reticle. It does have a daylight bright center dot. That illumination is also motion activated giving it Aimpoint like battery life. It is just over $400 with most vendors, but the extra features are quite impressive, including the MRAD accurate tracking turrets and MRAD based reticle. |
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Trijicon TR24 uses fiber optic illumination and is easily daytime bright. Can't speak to MTAC personally but I'm pretty sure it is at least mostly daylight bright. Quoted:
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it is my understanding that trijicontr24 and burris mtac are both daytime visible illumination. someone please clarifiy who has tried them Trijicon TR24 uses fiber optic illumination and is easily daytime bright. Can't speak to MTAC personally but I'm pretty sure it is at least mostly daylight bright. Yes the MTAC illumination is daylight visible. |
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Yes the MTAC illumination is daylight visible. Quoted:
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it is my understanding that trijicontr24 and burris mtac are both daytime visible illumination. someone please clarifiy who has tried them Trijicon TR24 uses fiber optic illumination and is easily daytime bright. Can't speak to MTAC personally but I'm pretty sure it is at least mostly daylight bright. Yes the MTAC illumination is daylight visible. MTAC is daylight visible but its not daylight bright - as in you can put it on cardboard in full sun at noon and the illumination blazes through it like an aimpoint or eotech ... it gets rusty and barely visible. XTRII is daylight bright. |
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