Red Dot or Scope
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You are currently reading a thread in /k/ - Weapons
You are currently reading a thread in /k/ - Weapons
Hey /k/,
I live in the PNW in an environment that can vary from 25 yards of dense woodland, to 1,000 yards of clear cut, and then to rural urban environment (town's population is ~1,000 with many lakes and damns in the surrounding area.)
The nearest town of 30,000+ people is about 20/25 minutes away.
I currently have a Primary Arms Advanced Micro Dot with a Scalarworks QD mount on my AR-15 (16" barrel, A2 flash hider, free float handguard, with Troy BUIS) *I'll post a pic tomorrow*
>My question is does /k/ think a variable optic, such as the Primary Arms ACSS 1-6x, would suit my environment better?
>tl;dr red dot or variable scope?
I have debated using a folding qd magnifier.
My friend's 3x didn't seem to be worth it but 6x has 1.9" eye relief.
Thoughts?
>>28433930
Red dot with a magnifier, or a 1-4x, or if you have money that really spiffy 1.5-6x that costs 3k
>>28433930
1-4 with 45 degree red dot
I have a similar dilemma here in Colorado. I have considered going with a 1-4 and/or 1-6 with a setup like pic related. Maybe a canted primary arms red dot instead.
by all accounts, PA ACSS 1-6x is a very good scope for the money
but you're probably not gonna hit anything with 5.56 outta 16" barrel anyway, based on your query.
alternatively, if you want to keep the reddot you should check out the meuller speedshot, MAC had a review on it and I think its pretty cool, fwiw
>>28433930
A little off topic, but does your primary arms optic have issues with the battery compartment? I tightened mine too much or too loose and it shuts off. It also shuts off when I shoot it. I have it mounted on my AK.
have a bump either way.
>>28434409
>you're probably not gonna hit anything with 5.56 outta 16" barrel
1,000 yards away
sorry
>>28433930
1-6 scope.
>>28433930
I live in Western PA and have a similar dilemma (same AR style as you, similar terrain variation). I need something durable and reliable as I live in the middle of nowhere and have had problems with meth heads coming onto my family property that I hike on. Stumbling onto a truck full of tweakers is far from fun, particularly when I'm armed with a pistol and one of them has an AK behind the seat. So yeah, optics gotta work when I need it to.
I had a EOTech but I'm sending it back for the refund. What I've read about tthe 1-4 going with the SWFA SS HD 1-4 (or another scope of that type), since everything I've read about it says it's stout enough to handle my clumsy ass slipping on a trail or getting banged around when I'm getting it out of my car. So that might be one for you to look at.
3x mags are very nice, I've tried out a couple, and if you get one with a quick throw you can take it off your rifle and use it as a basic spotting optic without pointing your weapon at shit you might not want to kill, but I'm a fan of variable power, cause I shoot at 100 yards umagnified and then use optics to bring anything much further than that up to that size.
That said, I don't really think a 5.56 is worth much for standard game past 400 yards (particularly out of a 16 inch barrel), and since I'd have a hard time justifying that someone at that distance posed a legitimate threat to my safety, I don't plan on shooting at people from that far away under any realistic circumstances, so again, more magnification (and more weight), isn't needed. All thing's to consider when looking for your optic.
Just remember, you're the one that knows what works best for you, your environment and your shooting style. My advice is worth exactly what you paid for it.
TL;DR: IMO For defense and harvesting game in a wide variety of outdoor landscapes: Red Dot+3xMag= Good, 1-x power variable=Better. But don't base your buying decision solely on the word of some hick 3000 miles away.
>>28434427
I wasn't expecting to, it was more to give an idea of the environment. One minute you're walking through 25 yards of visibility and then you come across this 1,000 yard clear cut.
>>28434417
I haven't had any problems. I go a quarter turn past hand tight with a screwdriver/nickel.
Does the #6 setting seem dim to you? Mine sure does. I have to at least go to #8 or #9 to use it in even overcast days.
>>28435231
>>28435254
OP here and the above^ comments were me. Let me restate also that I'm not thinking about shooting past 3-400 yards. 1,000 yards was just a reference for my type of environment.
>>28435164
For free advice it was nice and lengthy so thank you. I thought about the 3x magnifier but it didn't seem to be worth the weight>magnification. However, maybe a 6x would? But then you lose a lot of FOV and eye relief is crap.
I've gone hunting and I always have my 3-9x scope on 9x. Mostly this is because I want to make sure I take a good shot clean shot and not wound it but, when thinking about killing a person, I would rather just put holes in them anywhere I could and not worry so much about making it clean.
Cont.
>>28435338
Cont.
I currently have my dot and irons set for 250 yards which is 1" low at 25 yards, "3 low at 300 yards, 9" low at 350 yards, and 1.5 feet at 400 yards. The highest arc is just over 2.5" at 150 yards.
Seeing as how I have this I don't have to have a scope as I'll hit center mass out to 350 yards but something about target ID and finding targets behind cover comes to mind when thinking about optics.
However, I do have a small pocket sized 10x binocular that I keep in one of my chest rig pouches just for that since I don't have a scope. Oh well.
>>28435338
>>28435164
here
Hey no prob man, I talk alot but I've always wanted to know where people were coming from when they gave a recommendation so I try to do the same for others.
If you do well with a set magnification then that's a big point in favor of the magnifier but you're right in the higher magnification being crappy in regards to eye relief and FOV, but on the other hand it's simpler and there's less to break
In regards to shooting a person, (which to be honest is incredibly unlikely in most scenarios, no matter what /k/ would have you believe) you're most likely going to be inside of 100 yards, so you'll want 1x on whatever you choose. Now another solution for you is since you like higher magnification, you might consider what another anon said and run a higher mag scope (maybe the 3-9x, since you already have experience with that magnification range) and an offset micro red dot. I personally wouldn't because it's kind of heavy and I like my shit as light as possible, but if the weight doesn't bother you, that would treat you well I'd think.
>>28435338
> reference for my type of environment
ok, I didnt mean to discount your abilities just stating the limitations of 5.56
if you're concerned about weight, try a straight 6x scope, variable power scopes are on the heavier side, I think SWFA makes a really nice one for around $250-300
another note on variable power, do you know about first/second focal plane?
>>28433930
Aimpoint t1 since you can adjust your reticle for holdovers
>>28435254
It was a sunny day in Florida and I had to turn it up to max to get a perfect dot, it is a little dim, but it works. Minus the part where I sent it back to get another that doesn't turn off when I shoot it.
