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Picked up a Sig 522 not too long ago and decided I want a decent compact scope. I am looking any thing as low as 1x with a high end of 7x. I am looking to spend as much as $300 but I would like to keep it under $200 if possible.

I have looked at several low power scopes but the problem I am having is I would like one with some kind of Ranging/drop/hold over type reticle. Every thing I can find is duplex stuff. I usually shoot between 50 and 300 yards with most being in the 100-150 yard range.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be great.
 
Man I've only seen the rangy/drop stuff in the big hunting scopes
Most just want the compact for quick target acquisition.The hunters use them a lot on lever guns,but just with the standard reticles

I'll be interested in what comes up
 
Well I have found 2 kinds the really expensive IOR ($1300), Leupold M4 ($850), and similar, or the really cheep NcStar, Baraska, ect. Not going to lie I was kinda looking at the NcStar Mark III 2-7, but they very cheep.

I saw a perfect Pentax the other day on a used rifle, but could not buy just the scope. I know there were some other similar ones out there but I cant seem to find them.

I would love the IOR and I have a couple of their high power scopes but I cant spend that kind of $$$$ on this gun.
 
I recently went through a huge search for the correct scope for close to med range. Oh I love High power, but sometimes when the target is close... High mag is too much, and i mean anything over 3x.
Looked at Nikon 2-7 nice, but not impressed in low light. looked at ACOG but fixed power didn't cut it. Then I read about Millette DMS-1, was a bit sceptical 'cause it only maxed at 1-4x, and was cheap. Went to a favorite gun store and there they had a Leupold 4-12, Trijicon, 1x, & 4x, and a trijicon 3.5-10x and a few others, plus the Millette.
Yeah, great day for a comparison! It was slow, so the store guy let me play with them all. I was looking across the store through double entry doors, across 80 ft of parking into a empty, closed building being remodelled. Looking at the roof tiles of the building they all looked good, but when I lowered to look through the window at a hanging light fitting the difference was very real.
I was shocked... for sure the Trijicon 3.5-10x50 would be the best, Right? No. The Leupold... not a chance. Yes they had the magnification, I could see a larger silhouete of the light fixture, but the image was dark and not sharp. Picked up the DMS-1 and although the fitting looked smaller with less magnification the clarity was unbelievable. (Maybe the 30mm tube?)
left the store and did some more internet research... went back on a cloudy day, tried the comparison again ( by the way, I looked , and the store guy had the millette on his own carbine)... I could just see me picking the deer out of the brush with the Millette. Paid the money, mounted the Millette, extremely happy with the results... and love the lit "DOT / Donut" reticle, and my "pet peeve" with scopes _IT HOLDS ZERO_
The Millette DMS-1 is worth a hands on look... and yes the caps that come with it are garbage, but Butler Creek makes good replacements.
Hope you get to try one!
A1 :s0155:
 
NcStar Mark III 2-7

I think I'm going to be the ginea pig on this one if you don't.
Seems most of the crappy reviews I read were from people looking to get a $1,00.00 scope for $100.00. I just got a sig 522 as well, I had an Nc star on my AR, it was a decent scope for the price but I guess they tend to be hit and miss.
Anyway why the 2-7 and not the 3-9? I was thinking 2-7 because there is almost an inch more eye relief.
 
Try Redfield Revolution 2x7 accu range, there is a thread in here with all the positive feedbacks of Redfield scope. I got one of this and put it on my my rifle for 100-200 yards perfect for $129. You can save the rest of the money for scope rings.
 
I was looking for a Compact variable power scope for my DPMS AP-4, and being a Leupold fan, I decided on a 3x-9x Ultralight (they used to call it the Compact). This gun is for Coyote patrol via ATV.

It so happens that the first new one I found a bargain on (at the Sportsman's show---Keith's Sporting Goods booth) had a duplex reticle with mil-dots on the lower vertical post! Perfect! I fancy myself as keeping up with Leupold products, but this was a very pleasant surprise.

Second pleasant surprise was the discovery that the first dot below the crosshair is "spot-on" (pun intended) for 300 yards with my chosen load for this gun. (With the gun sighted for 100 yards.) Haven't launched at longer ranges to see what the other dots may coincide with.
 
I recommend either a Millet DMS-1 1-4x or a Primary Arms 1-4x.

Both the Millet and PA scope come from the same factory but the Millet has a different reticle. I am unsure why it costs so much more, perhaps better quality control? I believe the Millet is also a newer version (PA version looks exactly like a previous gen Millet). I bought the Primary Arms version for my CZ-452 and it initially came with a canted reticle. Fortunately PA customer service is excellent and they immediately sent me a new one and a shipping label to return the old one no questions asked. If I ever need cheap optics in the future, I am buying through them. :s0155:

The downside to these scopes is they are not very compact. They are kind of huge really. :/ The other downside is there is no ranging reticle (though PA does make a 3-9x and 4-16x with mil-dots). Here is a picture of one on an AR-15 for reference:

I would avoid NcStar as I have had very bad experiences with their products. Plastic windage/elevation screws are completely unacceptable in my book, I've had $30 scopes that are better than $100 NcStar products. It's not that I'm expecting a $1000 optic for $100, but NcStar is just an extra level below utter bubblegum imo. They are not even suited for airsoft.

I have not used a redfield revolution. It looks nice, but it also looks kind of huge. Same goes for Nikon (I have heard good things about Nikon scopes though). I think it is pretty much like this "compact, cheap, good: choose two."

If you want super clear glass for nighttime use you really have to pony up the cash for a Nightforce or something. I don't think OP is looking for that though. He is looking for something to go on a .22lr plinking gun. :)
 
Another option OP may like is a PA aimpoint clone with a 3x magnifier clone. Perfect for a tacticool plinker! :D


I'd get better mounts than the ones PA makes though... the screw-on ones are okay, but the "QD" ones are pretty meh.
 
Oh yeah... this is kind of over the budget but midway is having a HUGE sale on Aimpoint R-1s. They are the same as the H-1, but colored stainless. Apparently they are being discontinued cuz no one wants a shiny red dot on their gun. I guess shiny just isn't tactical enough. :s0114: If you don't care so much about that (or don't mind duracoating it) it's still a $500 optic for $300, complete with Aimpoint's legendary durability and practically infinite battery life.
 
Spengo I like the Millet and the PA but dont like the reticles. I did not see different reticles for the Millet on that site.

Red dots and magnifiers have their place but I am not a huge fan of them in most cases. I have a red dot on their now that I had laying around.
 
Spengo I like the Millet and the PA but dont like the reticles. I did not see different reticles for the Millet on that site.

Red dots and magnifiers have their place but I am not a huge fan of them in most cases. I have a red dot on their now that I had laying around.

Try a nikon or redfield then as others have suggested. :s0155:
 
I think I'm going to be the ginea pig on this one if you don't.
Seems most of the crappy reviews I read were from people looking to get a $1,00.00 scope for $100.00. I just got a sig 522 as well, I had an Nc star on my AR, it was a decent scope for the price but I guess they tend to be hit and miss.
Anyway why the 2-7 and not the 3-9? I was thinking 2-7 because there is almost an inch more eye relief.


Local shop has some with the mil dot, I read the "new" P4 reticle is much better overall.

The 2-7 is not what I would call way smaller but smaller enough that it was more what I was looking for. Also with cheep glass the higher the power the more obvious it is that you have cheep glass.
 
I would still avoid NcStar.

Here is another one I came across that might be a good choice, Hi-Lux Inc. - CMR Series - Specifications

I haven't heard anything about that one. It looks okay in the picture, except for ooooone kinda unrelated thing.

lol wut. Bridging the rail and receiver. D: Looks like there is some funky thingy on there to make this not so bad but it is still kind of a duct-tape solution.

Don't do that, buy a proper mount.
 
Try Redfield Revolution 2x7 accu range, there is a thread in here with all the positive feedbacks of Redfield scope. I got one of this and put it on my my rifle for 100-200 yards perfect for $129. You can save the rest of the money for scope rings.

That looks promising. Now to find one to look at.
 

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