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Posted: 8/22/2011 5:30:47 PM EDT
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Just purchased a Franklin Armory HSC-15 (their version of the AR-15). It comes with a front sight but no rear sight, just a flat top rail. I purchased a standard hand grip handle (I.E. M-16) and attached an iron sight. It has the hole in the top of the grip where I can attach a scope to it, and I've seen a rail that is hollow so you can attach it to the top of the handle and attach a scope, but still be able to look through the iron sights in case the scope goes dead. I plan on shooting some 3-gun shoots in my area, and there is no distinction between iron sights and scopes. I have looked at sights and have been blown away by the prices. I only paid $1100 for the rifle and I saw an article in the new American Rifleman about an awesome scope and it costs $2200. I look at the ACOG and it's $1500, even the cheap scopes are around $500. Well, after spending the money on the rifle and ammo I'm pretty much broke, so competing against the guys at the range who all have scopes I'm probably screwed. I've stopped by my local sporting goods store (Big 5) and they have $50 scopes. I know I get what I pay for, but I can't afford the upper end scopes and don't plan on being a national champ, just want to have fun plinking on the 3-gun days. Just wondering if there's an inexpensive scope that's good for the money and will work until I get $300-$500 or more for a better scope?? If not, I'll just use the iron sights with my old eyes and see how bad I shoot.
Thanks for any advice folks. |
| For what it's worth, I had used a Bushnell Banner 4-12 on my 7mm RM hunting rifle for 5 years and it always held zero. Not an expensive scope but did the job. With that in mind, you can get a Bushnell Banner 1-4x32 for about $64.00. I would stay away from Tasco, Barska, NCStar and the usual suspects. |
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Some of the best budget optics you can get are from Primary Arms. But a $150 Primary Arms scope will perform differently than a $1,500 Nightforce or US Optics.
Avoid Barska and BSA. I shoot 3-gun and plenty of guys do very well with irons. Having fun (while being safe) should be priority one. It is a sport and, for some folks, even an unlimited budget won't help them win simply due to physical limitations. If you want to do better, learn how to play the game. The path to the best score may not be the most tactically sound way to complete the stage. Also, since it is a sport, it requires practice. Some of us are limited by time and money on how much we can practice. Don't worry about winning right now. Have fun, learn the game, and save your pennies. 3-gun is a great way to learn what gear works well for you. Talk to other shooters, see what gear works for them, see if you can try some of the fancy stuff after a match, and make an educated purchase. Don't forget to budget for a mount. PA has some mounts for around $50. LaRue and Bobro will run you around $200, give or take, for a typical scope mount. Remember that there is no "perfect scope". Everything is a tradeoff. Red dot sights like Aimpoints are fast up close but lack precision when distances are measured by hundreds of yards. Generally, higher magnification scopes result in a less forgiving cheek weld and are slower to acquire a target. But, at longer distances, they allow for better accuracy. Variables are generally a bit less durable than fixed power scopes. Traditional scopes are sometimes less durable than .mil optics like the Aimpoint and ACOG. Cheap scopes generally lack the clarity, light transmission, durability, precision of adjustment, and repeatability of adjustment that more expensive scopes do. An AR-15 is a tool. Do you own one screwdriver? No. Why? You need different screwdrivers for different jobs. Rifles and optics are no different. I've shot the past three seasons of 3-gun with an Aimpoint ML3. Next season I'll be running a Burris Tac30 1-4x in a LaRue LT-104 on top of a dedicated 3-gun rifle. It took me that long to get the experience I needed to come up with a build sheet for what I wanted in a 3-gun rifle, as well as the time to save the money for it. The scope decision was the hardest for me. The low-power variable (1-nx) is currently very popular in 3-gun circles as it's relatively fast up close and relatively precise at longer, common 3-gun distances. We are living in the golden age of low-power variables right now, I think, and there are a ton of options from about $125 and up. There is pretty much something for everyone in terms of price and features. |
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If you can swing it, go to SWFA, a site sponsor, and get the discontinued Vortex Viper 2-7x for $150. It's got a very useful magnification range for the AR platform and will compare favorably to $300 Nikons and Bushnells. I think it was probably high $200s new. It's a scope you'll never have to upgrade unless you just want to. There are people with $1000 ARs using Vipers, and Vortex is one of those no questions asked, we'll fix it companies.
If that's pushing it, there are a lot of decent options for $100, but probably not in the $50 range. Bushnell has a couple of models at Midway for $70-$80, and a $70 Bushnell will be a lot safer bet than a $70 Barska or Leapers. Even if you don't want or need a super-scope, there really is a point below which you're wasting money, and $60-$70 is probably that point for a scope. |
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That's some great advice from strat81 there, pretty much covers all the bases.
Re the above about the Vortex Viper 2-7x....while that is a great scope at that price, for 3 gunning, it is much more important to have a 1x on the bottom end. Only going down to 2x on the bottom end will be a bit of hindrance on the close up stages. Vortex as a company is indeed great though...I personally have several of their optics not least the Viper PST 1-4x which I use for 3 gun, although it is $500. The current budget 3 gun optic of choice is the Burris TAC30, which really is the best sub $300 option. I would probably wait till you can save up the cash for one of those, the subsequent Burris MTAC or the Viper PST (or actually Viper HS 1-4x now with the capped turrets is a bit cheaper and better suited). Going cheaper than that, the Weaver V3 1-3x deservedly gets pretty good press (around $150), but I have to say that I started with one of those and ended up upgrading. It will do to get you going but I'd advise skipping that step given a TAC30 can be had for little more than $100 more these days. My V3 is now on my 22 trainer. |
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Yikes, I missed the 3-gun part. That probably rules out getting anything decent for the prices you're talking about. Instead of tossing away $50, I'd wait until you get at least $300 and look at the lower-end-but-still-good collection of 1-4x that are out there.
If a red dot would help you over irons, a Primary Arms red dot wouldn't be a bad purchase, and you can get them for around $80, I think. |
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