1-8X AR 223/556 options?

Mr.Culper · Sep 1, 2021

Looking at budget options for a potential AR 223/556
I used to not have a problem buying Chinese products,, but now I am "Woke" I prefer NOT to support Sleepy Joe and his overlords.

Vortex Strike Eagle 1-8X24 BDC3 - $399.00 SFP CHINA

Bushnell 1-8X24 AR Optics $315.00 SFP SOUTH KOREA

Primary Arms SLx 1-8x24mm SFP $389.00 SFP CHINA

SwampFox Arrowhead 1-8 SFP?? FFP?? $439.00 CHINA

UTG Leapers Inc 1-8x28mm SFP? FFP? $200.00 CHINA?

What other sub $350 options are there?
Currently running a PA 2X Prism,, not my cup of tea,,,

camo556 · Sep 1, 2021

The UTG is actually $600. $200 for the optic then another $400 to replace it when you realize its a shit Chinese knockoff of a shit Chinese knockoff. Its an overpriced airsoft optic.

After reading this review I probably would not spend more for a swampfox than a PA or bushnell https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2020/10/22/swampfox-blade-trihawk-review/ tbf that is a review of a different optic, but who wants to be a beta tester.

camo556 · Sep 1, 2021

Also, if you are willing to go down to 1-4x you get a lot more for $400. For example PA has a Trijicon for $400 https://www.primaryarms.com/trijicon-huron-1-4x24-rifle-scope-bdc-hunter-holds-satin-black

SkiPatrolDude · Sep 1, 2021

I avoid anything and everything UTG.

Swampfox has put out some pretty good budget stuff lately.

Quality per dollar, though, it's hard to beat what Primary Arms is putting out. The PA SLx gets my vote.

With these cheaper options, warranty service is a consideration. Vortex and PA reign supreme in this department.

But do yourself a favor and never look through a high end LPVO... you'll be ruined.

Mr.Culper · Sep 1, 2021

Yeah,, UTG (Bugbuster) always had that "Airsoft" feel to it.

I have actually had better luck with my Bushnel scopes than Leopold on my Muzzle loaders and slug guns, I have 4-5 Banners on various 50 cals and 20gauge sluggers used by me and multitude of "Yutes",, never had a failure in 20+ years.

camo556 said:
The UTG is actually $600. $200 for the optic then another $400 to replace it when you realize its a shit Chinese knockoff of a shit Chinese knockoff. Its an overpriced airsoft optic.

After reading this review I probably would not spend more for a swampfox than a PA or bushnell https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2020/10/22/swampfox-blade-trihawk-review/ tbf that is a review of a different optic, but who wants to be a beta tester.

Mr.Culper · Sep 1, 2021

SkiPatrolDude said:
I avoid anything and everything UTG.
Yup,, It came up in the search, so I added it.

Swampfox has put out some pretty good budget stuff lately.

Quality per dollar, though, it's hard to beat what Primary Arms is putting out. The PA SLx gets my vote. I'll look hard at it,, I have their 2x Prism,, just not good for me over 100 yards

With these cheaper options, warranty service is a consideration. Vortex and PA reign supreme in this department.

But do yourself a favor and never look through a high end LPVO... you'll be ruined. That happened 10 years ago out west, I was with a friend on an elk hunt,, I had my $100 Bushnel Binoculars, he handed me his $1000 Nikons,, I threw mine out when I got home,, I rather be without if I cant have what I experienced.

Thanks for the reply

rbird7282 · Sep 1, 2021

Mr.Culper said:
Looking at budget options for a potential AR 223/556
I used to not have a problem buying Chinese products,, but now I am "Woke" I prefer NOT to support Sleepy Joe and his overlords.

Vortex Strike Eagle 1-8X24 BDC3 - $399.00 SFP CHINA

Bushnell 1-8X24 AR Optics $315.00 SFP SOUTH KOREA

Primary Arms SLx 1-8x24mm SFP $389.00 SFP CHINA

SwampFox Arrowhead 1-8 SFP?? FFP?? $439.00 CHINA

UTG Leapers Inc 1-8x28mm SFP? FFP? $200.00 CHINA?

What other sub $350 options are there?
Currently running a PA 2X Prism,, not my cup of tea,,,

I run a Vortex Strike Eagle 1-8x24 and have been happy with it. I've run it out to 450 yards during a 2 gun competition

ted76 · Sep 1, 2021

Mr.Culper said:
Yeah,, UTG (Bugbuster) always had that "Airsoft" feel to it.

I have actually had better luck with my Bushnell scopes than Leopold on my Muzzle loaders and slug guns, I have 4-5 Banners on various 50 cals and 20gauge sluggers used by me and multitude of "Yutes",, never had a failure in 20+ years.

I have had only had one failure of a older Bushnell, and that was probably after 1,000 rounds of 30-06.
I have them on most of my bolt actions rifles & 2 of them my TC Encore barrels,
with a few Leopold's on some of the bolt action rifles, along with a couple of Leopolds.
I rarely pass up a good used Bushnell scope for a decent price at gun shows.

Mr.Culper · Sep 2, 2021

I took my PA 2X prism out to look at it last night,,
The thing that does not work for me is that the ACSS chevron and holdover dots as so small that I can not see them,, the chevron is just a minute red pin dot to me.

will the 1-8X scopes be different,,, guess I really need to look at one in person.
I am used to hunting scopes,, But wanted something that would also work close range with quick acquisition.

Thinking I need to look through a 1-8X before I go farther down this road.
Maybe a basic Duplex with 556 hold over would suit me better,, or I just need to train myself to new things?

camo556 · Sep 2, 2021

Zero your AR at 200 yds there is no holdover out to about 250 yds for M193.

1-8x24 is terrible for quick acquisition. Its heavy, the eye box is small, and with some models there is fish eye at the edges.

Think shotgun quick acquisition: put the blade on the bird/clay and shoot. You dont shit around with crosshairs and holdover.

Red dots or irons are quickest for acquisition. My HD rifle is set up with a red dot and flip 3x magnifier. With the red dot I can hit A-zone steel offhand at 100yds all day with that set up until the barrel was so hot i could cook bacon. When i could afford the ammo 200 yds with an rds is harder, but from a bench or kneeling easy. I mean people not squirrel sized targets.

But it entirely depends on what/how you are shooting. Reticles like PA ACSSS are designed for both eyes open focusing on the bad guy. Not precision hunting because even if your gun is 2 MOA, your shooting offhand at a bad guy under stress wont be. Point shooting: Put the bad guy on the crosshair/dot/chevron and shoot.

I would not just look through a 1-8x. borrow someones rds and slap it on your rifle. Shoot offhand for practice until you can hit a A-zone consistently at 100 yds.

I do have a 1-8xx24 on my deer rifle, but I plan to sit in a stand and have plenty of time to glass bambi.

SkiPatrolDude · Sep 2, 2021

Mr.Culper said:
I took my PA 2X prism out to look at it last night,,
The thing that does not work for me is that the ACSS chevron and holdover dots as so small that I can not see them,, the chevron is just a minute red pin dot to me.

will the 1-8X scopes be different,,, guess I really need to look at one in person.
I am used to hunting scopes,, But wanted something that would also work close range with quick acquisition.

Thinking I need to look through a 1-8X before I go farther down this road.
Maybe a basic Duplex with 556 hold over would suit me better,, or I just need to train myself to new things?

A Second Focal Plane scope will maintain a fixed size reticle throughout the zoom range. The main downside here is that your holdovers change with the zoom, but considering that most shooting will be done at either 1 or 8, I think you'll be ok.

First Focal Plane will have a relatively small crosshair at 1x, expanding uniformly through 8x. Holdovers are consistent, but some reticles are hard to see at minimum zoom power.

There is no free lunch with optics. Determine what is important to you and go from there.

If I were you I would get a SFP 1-8x from PA and call it a day.

camo556 · Sep 2, 2021

there is a lot of good advice on scopes in this article: https://www.firearmsnews.com/editorial/modern-3-gun-scopes/326552

and here is how people shoot:

1-4x or 1-6x is plenty out to 500 yds. if you zero at 200 yds you can hit anyone from the neck to the dick out to 350 yds.

You can see from the vid: Rds/irons for short range quick acquisition (canted rds to the side of an optic).

Also I need that mag fed shotgun in my life.

alucard0822 · Sep 2, 2021

I own a few of those listed, but have at least looked through all but the UTG. The Strike eagle 1-6 is good for an inexpensive scope, but IMO it's not worth the $100 more for the 1-8. The top magnification on the 1-8 noticeably greys out, and distorts, where both are about the same up to 6x. It's a no-brainer if you want more than the 1-6SE to go to the PST2 1-6. The strike Eagle and most lower-line scopes are Chinese made, the PST2 and most mid-line scopes are made in the Philippines to a higher standard. The PST2 is dramatically clearer with far less distortion, better clarity and contrast, despite being a 6X top magnification, it's much easier to make hits at longer ranges for me than the 1-8 strike eagle because of the vastly superior image. The PST2 also has a useable daylight bright illumination, and much larger field of view that makes it far better at close range, it's the least expensive scope where it looks like the scope tube disappears when shooting at 1X with both eyes open. Where the Strike eagle, and PA SLX are probably the best and most useable "cheap" scopes, the PST2 is probably the least expensive "good" scope with an introduction to high-end features and glass.

Mr.Culper · Sep 2, 2021

Once again,, thanks for all the great detailed advice,, I am digesting it all and probably going to look into a higher quality lower magnification option.

But yes, I am probably trying to make one gun do vastly different things.

River02 · Sep 2, 2021

Burris RT-06 1x6 $399.00--

Mr.Culper · Sep 2, 2021

Thanks,, not sure why I did not consider Burris,, I have a few of their scopes and they are rock solid, with "slightly better optics than the Bushnell banner series.

River02 said:
Burris RT-06 1x6 $399.00--

Mr.Culper · Sep 2, 2021

One thing that I had not considered,, and always despised,, a red dot mounted on top (or side of a scope,, best (or worst) of both worlds ?

calicojack · Sep 2, 2021

I am happy with my Vortex Viper PST GEN II 1-6x24

camo556 · Sep 2, 2021

Mr.Culper said:
One thing that I had not considered,, and always despised,, a red dot mounted on top (or side of a scope,, best (or worst) of both worlds ?

If anything, canted to the side not on top.

Like anything, depends on the mount and how you train and how you plan to use it.

This is a half decent video. Ignore that he's shilling his own design mount which tbf if a good design. But there are others.

at 3:09 some of the disadvantages
chicken winging
losing cheek weld
losing seal on your ear pro

He doesn't mention my favorite, brass bukkake in the face when you are shooting it.

I have experienced all these things... all of these things can be remedied if you mount it correctly and tune the gas.

Consistency is everything. IF you train with it and IF its mounted correctly and IF your gas is tuned, its faster than standing in the middle of a stage and powering down your LVPO. Canted back up iron sights are also good. Plus it looks cool and looking cool is the most important thing.

But if this is an HD rifle I would say no. You wont be shooting humans much farther than 30 yds.

kstone803 · Sep 2, 2021

Out of the ones you listed I say Bushnell. I think their AR optics line is one of the best bang for your buck hands down. I have two of them on rifles and love em but haven't looked through the 1-8. I also recently got a Burris RT-6. I get a good deal on them and will likely end up with another but ditch the PEPR and buy an aero ultralight mount. Hell I guess I need to buy one of each and build a few more rifles now.

1-8X AR 223/556 options?

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