Optics swapping

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Dashunde

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Sep 15, 2003
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Hi all, I have a few AR's and need one more optic, but I'm not sure about what to add.
I currently have:
Rock River LAR-8 Predator 16" w/ Vortex 1-6x Strike Eagle.
Rock River AR-15 mid-length 16" w/ Vortex Sparc II AR
And I just finished building a mixed/multi AR 5.56 10.5" pistol that needs an optic.

I generally shoot on 100 yard ranges, but would like the 308 to have more precision than the 1-6x will provide. (My 50 year old eyes have kinda turned on me a bit...)
Same for the AR-15 with a Sparc, its capable of much more, but I like the simple small light-weight dot. I've considered adding a flip over magnifier?
I will put a simple dot on the AR pistol.

The options so far are:
Buy a Vortex 4-24x for the 308. and lose 1x capability in my all-purpose shtf hunter/defender, and its the most costly option.
Move the 1-6x Strike Eagle to the 16" AR15, gain 100yd accuracy, but add lots of weight/size/bulk and lose the Sparc's simplicity and quick dot attributes.
Move the Sparc to the AR pistol, all good there I suppose.

Or, leave everything as-is, add another Sparc to the AR pistol (most cost-effective, but now I'd have 2 Sparc's)

Or, put a Holosun HS510 on the AR pistol? More money than the Sparc, less money than a 4-24x + mount. I also really like the "shake awake" feature on a AR pistol.

Thanks for reading my covid boredom ramblings, I'd like to hear your thoughts as well as any better ideas you may have.
 
I would put the strike eagle on the 16 inch 223, the spark on the baby gun, and on the 308 I would get at least a vortex PST. Of course, it depends on how far out you are planning to shoot it. Honestly, I know a lot of guys that shoot there 308 Out to 600 yards and beyond with a super sniper 10 by.
 
You don't need more X's, you need more quality than the Strike Eagle can provide. Not knocking the scope, I have one, but for a variety of reasons it isn't a precision optic. But a 24X scope is just way too much. Anything above 10X and you have issues that have to be dealt with too and more X's mean a lot more money, or a lot less quality. I've shot out to 600 yards with fixed 6X scopes and was able to shoot some 3/4MOA groups. A scope that is clear, bright, and with fine crosshairs is far more important than more magnification.

The SWFA Super Sniper is a good place to start. I have 2 of them in 6X and caught them on sale for $239. The 10X is the same price if you want more magnification, but I've never felt handicapped with the 6X. They also make 12X, 16X, and 20X. I looked through the higher magnifications and wouldn't want more than 10X.

A better quality 1-6X scope with fine crosshairs, possibly with an illuminated reticle will do all you need. But none of those are cheap.

I'm not a fan of any dot, I have a Leupold 1-4X20 on my AR pistol. Weight is only 8 oz, so it is pretty light. I can get on target with it on 1X faster than I can any dot sight and on 4X I have enough magnification for at least 200-300 yards.
 
You don't need more X's, you need more quality than the Strike Eagle can provide. Not knocking the scope, I have one, but for a variety of reasons it isn't a precision optic. But a 24X scope is just way too much. Anything above 10X and you have issues that have to be dealt with too and more X's mean a lot more money, or a lot less quality. I've shot out to 600 yards with fixed 6X scopes and was able to shoot some 3/4MOA groups. A scope that is clear, bright, and with fine crosshairs is far more important than more magnification.

The SWFA Super Sniper is a good place to start. I have 2 of them in 6X and caught them on sale for $239. The 10X is the same price if you want more magnification, but I've never felt handicapped with the 6X. They also make 12X, 16X, and 20X. I looked through the higher magnifications and wouldn't want more than 10X.

A better quality 1-6X scope with fine crosshairs, possibly with an illuminated reticle will do all you need. But none of those are cheap.

I'm not a fan of any dot, I have a Leupold 1-4X20 on my AR pistol. Weight is only 8 oz, so it is pretty light. I can get on target with it on 1X faster than I can any dot sight and on 4X I have enough magnification for at least 200-300 yards.
I couldn’t have said it any better, probably worse.
 
In optics, you want to be over-scoped and under-powered.

In order of importance, you should seek: glass quality, objective diameter, and then magnification power.
 
When it comes to ARs I'm a huge fan of matching the optic to the task/purpose and I always match magnification to tgt size & distance.

For versatility/flexibility on an AR15, I favor a LPVO: 1-6 or 1-8X. I use a 1-6x in 3Gun (as do most guys these days) and loose nothing speed wise over a RDS. This range works well from 0-400 yards for me. IF you want to shoot groups, use a bigger tgt. Personally I wouldn't mount a 4-24X on a 16" barreled AR unless it was set up as a precision rig with a suppressor. I definitely wouldn't use on on a rifle primarily used at 100 yds unless I was into benchrest like shooting. 10X, maybe 14X is all I'd want on a multi-purpose rifle, that should keep the low end practical for CQB stuff. Stay in that range and good glass is affordable.

Quality QD mounts also provide a fantastic level of versatility IF you've got the green for extra glass. I have a Vortex 4-16X50mm PST set up on an ADM recon mount that I swap between ARs just for load development. I simply record the deltas for the zeros on each rifle. There's no reason other than cost that you can't have multiple optics for one rifle.
 
Thanks for the replies and good info.
Most of my firearms are utilitarian, no benchrest shooting.. they're for food, fight or fun (in no particular order).

I'll leave the 16" 308 as-is with the 1-6x Strike Eagle knowing it leaves plenty on the table compared to the 308's capability. Its a matter of want vs need. I want more precision out of it, but the 1-6x will do everything I need that rifle to do.
I'll probably add a magnifier to the 16" 5.56 - it'll compliment the Sparc by making better use of that rifle's capability while keeping the overall package small/light/durable, and the magnifier can be removed/reinstalled in a minute without losing zero or other negative effects.
I ordered a Holosun HS510c for the shorty AR as it seems best suited for that pistol's intended roll of beater, plinker, truck gun, etc...
 
Thanks for the replies and good info.
Most of my firearms are utilitarian, no benchrest shooting.. they're for food, fight or fun (in no particular order).

I'll leave the 16" 308 as-is with the 1-6x Strike Eagle knowing it leaves plenty on the table compared to the 308's capability. Its a matter of want vs need. I want more precision out of it, but the 1-6x will do everything I need that rifle to do.
I'll probably add a magnifier to the 16" 5.56 - it'll compliment the Sparc by making better use of that rifle's capability while keeping the overall package small/light/durable, and the magnifier can be removed/reinstalled in a minute without losing zero or other negative effects.
I ordered a Holosun HS510c for the shorty AR as it seems best suited for that pistol's intended roll of beater, plinker, truck gun, etc...

6X is plenty enough for most of what most do, but that SS 10X is a damned fine scope for the money. I have SEEN guys shoot a 10X out to 1000 yards. Not me, I like the magnification and got too far into precision shooting. I run a 20X. My eyes are mean to me sometimes.

I like the strike eagle for what it is. An inexpensive variable power scope.
 
Well... the Holosun showed up last week and its a pretty good fit for a AR pistol.

I also figured out how to get much better results from the Strike Eagle.
It must be focused at full magnification, not at 1x. Probably common knowledge, but what do I know..

Thanks again all.
 
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