JavaScript is disabled
Our website requires JavaScript to function properly. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser settings before proceeding.
Messages
2,976
Reactions
8,266
Finally got my AR out today and discovered peep sights aren't much fun past 50 yards or so. When push comes to shove this was purchased as a SHTF gun and a budget one at that. Without breaking the bank (<$300 total including mount, rings etc) what kind of optics would you suggest?

I have an A2 so this will be mounted to the carry handle if that's important.
 
EOTech. Your welcome.

That would be pretty ugly on a carry handle lol.

OP, what is your budget? This question cannot be answered well without that. Probably the coolest optic would be a trijicon acog, but those cost upwards of $900.
TA01inst.jpg
Irons can still be used with this mount.

If you want a zero power optic I would use a cowitness mount similar to this:
artrij.jpg

All that aside... you really *should* learn to shoot with irons before buying optics. I don't know how your eyes are, but being able to hit orange clays at 300yards should be pretty doable with irons. Buying optics before learning to shoot well is like buying a Subaru WRX STI for your first rally race.
 
If you want something for past 50 yards, you want some magnification like maybe a 1-4x. Just make sure the mount lets you see through it to use your iron sights like normal. Many mounts have a "tunnel" through them to allow this. I had a Leupold Mk 4 CQT that was pretty good out to 300 meters and it was only 1-3x. The thing about mounting on a carry handle is you will not be able to get a very good cheek weld for precision shooting. Have fun with your new optic. :)
 
I just grabbed a bushnell 4200 1.25-4x scope for $320 off amazon. Very nice scope for the $$$. dunno how it would do on a carry handle mount, but on a regular flat top with high or x-high rings its fine.
 
Hey Spengo you didn't use that STi analogy just for me did you? :p
YouTube - rallysoob's Channel

Bummer its an A2. as mentioned above the self powered optics are nice. I agree you should be shooting irons past 50yds comfortably before getting a scope too. Although hitting clays at 300yds with irons is far fetched unless your shooting from a bench rest. Atleast for the average shooter...

The EOTech's 65 moa ring / 1 moa dot setup makes for the fastest target accusition available in a sight today; thats why I'm an EOTech guy...always will be. You can get a civy version (bushnell holo sight) for a bit cheaper.

I saw a used eotech 552.a65 on ar15armory.com classifieds yesterday for $230
 
Thanks for the input.

I have crappy eyes. You've never seen pop bottle glasses like mine :D That being said I don't have any problem shooting good groups and distance with standard pistol sights. I used to shoot IHMSA out to 200m w/ irons.

I haven't shot many rifles and this is my first time shooting with a peep sight. Maybe you all can tell me what kind of sight picture I should be looking for.

When starting out with rifle should I be shooting from a bench/bags?

I know it is a poor musician that blames his instrument but I'm not really sure what to expect out of the rifle (mutt AR 20" 1/9) or ammo (Bi-mart federal 5.56). With my Kimber if I throw a shot it was the jerk behind the trigger and not the gun.

I really want to try that appleseed program but haven't added a 10/22 to my collection yet.
 
Thanks for the input.

I have crappy eyes. You've never seen pop bottle glasses like mine :D That being said I don't have any problem shooting good groups and distance with standard pistol sights. I used to shoot IHMSA out to 200m w/ irons.

I haven't shot many rifles and this is my first time shooting with a peep sight. Maybe you all can tell me what kind of sight picture I should be looking for.

When starting out with rifle should I be shooting from a bench/bags?

I know it is a poor musician that blames his instrument but I'm not really sure what to expect out of the rifle (mutt AR 20" 1/9) or ammo (Bi-mart federal 5.56). With my Kimber if I throw a shot it was the jerk behind the trigger and not the gun.

I really want to try that appleseed program but haven't added a 10/22 to my collection yet.
You can use an AR-15 at appleseed.

With cheap nasty AE XM193 I get 2-3moa with my AR-15. Nice ammo like 75gr Hornandy TAP I get consistently under 1.5moa, often as low as 1.3moa (though I would recommend lighter Hornandy TAP for your 1:9 twist rate barrel, 62gr will probably work well as a guess). Finding the right ammo will help your accuracy a lot. Another small thing you can do that will aid in accuracy is buying a free-float handguard. I do not use a free-float handguard, but if I did, I would probably see those groups tighten up maybe to 1moa with the nice ammo. I don't really see it as necessary though personally, 1.3moa is *plenty* accurate for me and I can't even shoot that well unless I'm prone with sandbags anyway so who cares.

This is what your sight picture should look like. You should focus on the front sight just like when shooting your pistol and have a blurry rear sight and blurry target.
 
Start off shooting from a supported position. Get your nose as close to the charging handle as you can. Look through the rear sight but focus on the front sight. The target will be fuzzy...just focus on that front sight. Your eye should naturaly align what you are focusing on (the front sight) in the small hole of the rear sight. Use the small aperature for distance and precision shooting.

Though not match quality, I have found XM193 to shoot 1-2 moa in most of my guns. Federal Gold Medal Match shoots real well, as does the stuff from Black Hills.
 
Start off shooting from a supported position. Get your nose as close to the charging handle as you can. Look through the rear sight but focus on the front sight. The target will be fuzzy...just focus on that front sight. Your eye should naturaly align what you are focusing on (the front sight) in the small hole of the rear sight. Use the small aperature for distance and precision shooting.

Though not match quality, I have found XM193 to shoot 1-2 moa in most of my guns. Federal Gold Medal Match shoots real well, as does the stuff from Black Hills.

Personally I don't ascribe to the nose-to-charging-handle method, I find I can get a consistent cheek weld without touching my nose. Personal preference though. :)
 

Upcoming Events

Tillamook Gun & Knife Show
Tillamook, OR
"The Original" Kalispell Gun Show
Kalispell, MT
Teen Rifle 1 Class
Springfield, OR
Kids Firearm Safety 2 Class
Springfield, OR

New Resource Reviews

New Classified Ads

Back Top