Low Power Illuminated Reticle / Dot Scope Suggestions

This is what I have on the BEOWULF:
http://www.amazon.com/Burris-300208-AR-332-Prism-Sight/dp/B002QEUPEE

See here for the reticle:
http://www.burrisoptics.com/reticles/ballistic-cq
(hover over it to magnify)

It is superb for what you want.

I have an AR with a Primary Arms 1-6 with illuminated reticle that has held zero very well. It was $260 I think and with a Burris Pepr quick detach mount the total was around $320. My only complaint with it is that it loses a little clarity around the edges of scope. The illumination is excellent even on a bright, sunny day(not that it is needed in the daylight). I forgot to trim a few of my .223 cases and got two rounds stuck fast in the chamber. I had a difficult time removing them and ended up taking a rubber mallet and hitting the charging handle very hard about ten times to get the casing unstuck. Both times I tested the zero afterwards at 100 yards with no change in POI.

With that budget you can just avoid the Chinese glass like the Primary Arms or Strike Eagle by going with a Burris TAC30 or MTAC 1-4x24. These both have decent Phillipine glass that performs well in low light, unlike Chinese glass. They both have great illumination and reticles that work well for hog hunting... fast to pick up for close/moving targets, and also with useful BDC dots out to 600 yards for longer shots. The TAC30 and MTAC are more or less the same scope, with the only differences being that the higher priced MTAC has a rheostat for it's illumination switch instead of a push button, and has a power ring instead of just turning the whole ocular housing to adjust power, like the TAC30.

I have two TAC30s, and have done a fair amount of hunting with one in a variety of light and weather conditions. It works. ;-)

burris options.... I hope they are robust, too.

Click to expand...

Well.... That AR332's sure handling the 50 Beowulf just fine.

Another vote for the Burris MTAC, I really like mine. If you keep an eye on the Trading Post here and the Equipment Exchange at AR15.com you can usually pick up a used MTAC or TAC30 for a good price. That's what I did, I think I saved $50-70 as I recall.

I shoot an MTAC on my .308, and it's a good scope. I also have two of the mentioned Primary Arms scopes.

The glass on the Burris is slightly better, the reticle on PA's is better for my uses. Obviously you get more magnification out of the PA's. Both are good scopes that will serve you well in that price range.

However, if I was planning for low light hunting, I'd probably go with the Burris, as the better glass would be useful.

Yep... I don't want to be too down on the PA ACSS, as it is a good scope for the money, definitely has a fantastic reticle, and is a great choice for daylight use, hence it's popularity with 3-gunners... but in my experience, even a small increase in glass quality means you get critical extra minutes of hunting in at the times of day that you are most likely to see animals. In low light, glass quality is much more important than magnification.

Very fair assessment by dogmush.

I guess Burris has a good warranty, but despite having owned several of their optics over the past 8 years or so, I have never had occasion to use it, despite putting several of them through some pretty rough use on hunting trips and in cross-country Run 'n Gun competitions. That is a very good thing. The best warranty is one you never have to use.