Friends-

I am coming down the home stretch towards finishing an AR-15. I am to the point where I need to think about optics. I have a Krieger Barreled 5.56 with a 7.75 twist. I want to shoot out to 400-500 meters. I have a passing fancy for looking at night vision scopes but, darn they look like they are in the $2K range, although there are a few in the sub-$1k range.

If it sounds like I don't know what I am doing, you are correct; thus, my stupid questions.

Any advice or recommendations will be appreciated.

Barrel length certainly makes some difference but here are some thoughts:

The Nikon M-223 4-16 shown here at a exceptional price:

http://www.thedigitaloasis.com...33.html#.UsHxzhOA3IU

If looking for a lighted reticle, I would consider a Vortex Viper PST in an appropriate power range under 16x.

I have loved all my Krieger barreled AR's. I like them best with the Wylde chamber.....

It kind of depends on the size of the targets and the rifles main use.

For a run and gun AR the Trijcon ACOG is a good set up .

If you are going to be shooting small targets at those longer ranges, then you are going to need good optics.

A great one that a lot guys use is the Nightforce NXS. Something like the 5.5 x 25. They have some good clean reticles too. Or the Leupold Mark 4 long range scopes are again very popular.

I like the Leupolds for what that is worth. Something like the Mark 4 6.5 x 20 or the 8.5 x 25 . In the TMR style you can go both tactical and practical if thats something you do.

There are a lot of recommendations for the new Vortex too.

Unless you are shooting the 77 grain bullets you aren't going past 500 much . So the scopes above can handle any and all of that and are probably the most popular in that size and range and cost for a higher quality AR .

I recently was at a shoot where a guy got out quite a few very nice long range rifles in a variety of calibers that he owned. They were all topped off with the best S&B Schmidt and Bender scopes. They were really nice shooting and great optics. They are also very expensive . He had some great gear, but it wasn't any of it that was budget equipment there .

Ive run thousands of rounds through the AR platform

If 400 to 500 yards is going to be the norm great glass and iron clad mounts are in need

quote:

If it sounds like I don't know what I am doing, you are correct; thus, my stupid questions.

Any advice or recommendations will be appreciated.

I use this one from IOR Valdada. A realy great optic with excellent glas:

http://www.valdada.com/qr-ts-3...minated-cqb-reticule

And on the mulirail I have mounted a laser and a infrared to use my night vision.
I use it to shoot on man size targets up to 500 yards.

Nostromo
You are using 3X at 500 yards?

I wouldn't but I'm me

A great scope is the Nikon P223 4x12x40 BDC 600 for about $250

The only problem I see in this scope is you wont get 3240FPS from a 16" AR 5.56

Mount this in a one pc mount such as the Burris AR-PEPR for about $80

quote:

Originally posted by ted thorn:
Nostromo
You are using 3X at 500 yards?

I wouldn't but I'm me

A great scope is the Nikon P223 4x12x40 BDC 600 for about $250

The only problem I see in this scope is you wont get 3240FPS from a 16" AR 5.56

Mount this in a one pc mount such as the Burris AR-PEPR for about $80

When shooting in man sized targets and for service, 3x is a very good magnification.
For small sized targets and target shooting, more magnification is better

What are you shooting at that distance? Is it a P Dog gun or predator gun or just shooting paper and gongs? I have gone back and forth from hi power for p-dogs to lower power for fox and yotes both at night and run with dogs. I settled on a 2.5-10. I struggle with the 223 past 300 yards on prairie dogs with the inevitable wind, and after 10am the mirage usually makes anything over 10x unusable anyway. At night and with running targets 2.5x gives a large field of view and makes the most of my moonlight. I am using a Nikon Gold and it is a bit heavy, but has held up to the abuse well and it is very nice glass.

quote:

Originally posted by Nostromo:


I use this one from IOR Valdada. A realy great optic with excellent glas:

http://www.valdada.com/qr-ts-3...minated-cqb-reticule

And on the mulirail I have mounted a laser and a infrared to use my night vision.
I use it to shoot on man size targets up to 500 yards.

The 3x25 QRTS is one of Valdada's reticle-movement scopes, according to their FAQ page. That means unless the scope is very carefully mounted, the reticle might zero out of centre. To me this is a point of merit but some people don't get it or are driven nuts by OCD.

Leupold VXII 4-12X A/O on mine.