Need Advise on Optics selection for 6.5 12.7" pistol build

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  • grendelnubi
    Warrior
    • Apr 2017
    • 364

    Need Advise on Optics selection for 6.5 12.7" pistol build

    I would like to stay shy of $300 for my AR pistol Grendel 12.7" build. I will be hunting both hog and deer with it, will be a range and defense gun if needed.

    I am looking at the following scopes. I already have a PA 4-14X44mm with the ACCS reticle and I really like the reticle.

    Primary Arms 1-8X Scope with Patented ACSS - $389 but I have found blems for $299.
    Primary Arms 5X Prism Scope ACCS - $289
    Vortex Strike Eagle 1-8x24 very much similar to the PA but different reticle. about $350
    Nikon-BLACK-FORCE1000-1-4x-w-SPEEDFORCE-Illuminated-Reticle - around $300
    Bushnell 1-4x24 First Focal Plane BTR-1 - around $200 - $250
    Burris RT-6, haven't really investigated this one yet but

    I am also very interested in the Leupold VX-5HD 1-5x24mm CDS-ZL2 - out of my price range but I have time to shop around before I can complete the build. Leupold makes a great optic

    Talk me into one of these or if you have recommendations i would like to hear it.
  • jonny rotton
    Warrior
    • Dec 2015
    • 358

    #2
    buy the primary arms 1-6x with acss reticle. you will love it. i have three now and two are on 12" faxon barreled pistols. sight in at 100 then use one hundred yards over after that. at 300 use the 400 line. at 200 use the 300. its that easy.

    Comment

    • LRRPF52
      Super Moderator
      • Sep 2014
      • 8569

      #3
      Vortex or the Leupold.

      I would get the 1-8x24 Vortex.

      The Leupold is the only one I've seen that has actual daylight bright illumination with the fire dot.

      The Nikon has way too tall of an elevation turret, but they improved the glass dramatically over the P-223, which looks like trying to squint through thin wax paper. It's still a 1-4x.

      There are excellent reviews for almost every one of these scopes on youtube from very reputable reviewers.

      Mrgunsngear has great reviews without any bias that I can detect.

      This video is probably the best comparison video I've ever seen between 1-6x scopes.

      NRA Basic, Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, RSO

      CCW, CQM, DM, Long Range Rifle Instructor

      6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbooks & chamber brushes can be found here:

      www.AR15buildbox.com

      Comment

      • grendelnubi
        Warrior
        • Apr 2017
        • 364

        #4
        Thanks for the feedback, I have seen that video comparison, there are a lot of good optics between these in the video. Its my understanding the Vortex and the PA's are made in the same Chinese factory and they do appear to be very close in specs with the main difference being the reticles. Price wise the Vortex does have a slight advantage. I still have time to shop around.

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        • Harpoon1
          Chieftain
          • Dec 2017
          • 1122

          #5
          Originally posted by grendelnubi View Post
          Thanks for the feedback, I have seen that video comparison, there are a lot of good optics between these in the video. Its my understanding the Vortex and the PA's are made in the same Chinese factory and they do appear to be very close in specs with the main difference being the reticles. Price wise the Vortex does have a slight advantage. I still have time to shop around.
          Its my understanding, only the Vortex Crossfire line is made in China. The top end Razor HD line in Japan. And most of everything else in the middle comes out of the Phillipines.

          Comment

          • Bigs28
            Chieftain
            • Feb 2016
            • 1786

            #6
            For your budget strike eagle

            Comment

            • pajasonc
              Warrior
              • Dec 2016
              • 203

              #7
              Originally posted by grendelnubi View Post
              I would like to stay shy of $300 for my AR pistol Grendel 12.7" build. I will be hunting both hog and deer with it, will be a range and defense gun if needed.

              I am looking at the following scopes. I already have a PA 4-14X44mm with the ACCS reticle and I really like the reticle.

              Primary Arms 1-8X Scope with Patented ACSS - $389 but I have found blems for $299.
              Primary Arms 5X Prism Scope ACCS - $289
              Vortex Strike Eagle 1-8x24 very much similar to the PA but different reticle. about $350
              Nikon-BLACK-FORCE1000-1-4x-w-SPEEDFORCE-Illuminated-Reticle - around $300
              Bushnell 1-4x24 First Focal Plane BTR-1 - around $200 - $250
              Burris RT-6, haven't really investigated this one yet but

              I am also very interested in the Leupold VX-5HD 1-5x24mm CDS-ZL2 - out of my price range but I have time to shop around before I can complete the build. Leupold makes a great optic

              Talk me into one of these or if you have recommendations i would like to hear it.
              I have been looking at the same scopes. Here is what I have found with research and looking through a few. Primary arms and vortex are made in the same factory in china both use the same glass. Used to be the vortex strike eagles had a better warranty but the gen 3 primary arms now are lifetime as well. Glass is ok not great, lots of reports of issues with the strike eagles needing repaired. I have owned the bushnell it was a solid scope,heavy decent glass and held adjustments- it wasn't bright enough for daylight use with the ffp I had to keep it on 2 power for it to be usable in all conditions. From everything I have heard the burris rt6 is the best scope in this class but they are currently vaporware. Once they really start shipping these in bunches it should be the best choice in this class

              Comment

              • pajasonc
                Warrior
                • Dec 2016
                • 203

                #8
                Originally posted by Harpoon1 View Post
                Its my understanding, only the Vortex Crossfire line is made in China. The top end Razor HD line in Japan. And most of everything else in the middle comes out of the Phillipines.
                strike eagles are made in china
                primary arms are made in china
                burris rt6 and nikon(pretty sure not positive) are made in philipines
                Last edited by pajasonc; 02-06-2018, 12:31 PM.

                Comment

                • Harpoon1
                  Chieftain
                  • Dec 2017
                  • 1122

                  #9
                  Originally posted by pajasonc View Post
                  strike eagles are made in china
                  primary arms are made in china
                  burris rt6 and nikon(pretty sure not positive) are made in philipines
                  Well this is the problem. They add new models and without being specific, everything gets lumped together.

                  Not "all" Primary Arms are made in China, the "Platinum" series is made in Japan. Rumor is, the same factory as Nightforce.
                  Last edited by Harpoon1; 02-06-2018, 04:48 PM.

                  Comment

                  • LRRPF52
                    Super Moderator
                    • Sep 2014
                    • 8569

                    #10
                    I've seen enough people who had to return PA scopes that I know for as much as I shoot, I can't ever take a risk with them.

                    I have a Korean 1-4x scope that the ocular piece blew loose on after just one short range session with an ARP .223 Wylde 15" MLGS barrel with a .100" gas port.

                    When I had that barrel in the upper, it felt like shooting a 7.62x39 AK. Why anyone would put a .100" gas port on MLGS 5.56/.223 Wylde is beyond me.

                    The only scopes I'm personally looking at start at $600 and up since I know the reputation of cheap scopes: They break and aren't worth the money because they will cost you more in the long run.

                    Only wealthy men can afford cheap things when it comes to optics if we're talking about actually shooting these kinds of scopes.

                    Anything variable power is going to need top quality construction and engineering from a reputable company.

                    That said, I've been using one of the 1st Gen RDS's from Vortex for 9 years now with no failure of the internals, as well as one of the Crossfires that started on an AR15, and is now on the .270 Winchester. It doesn't have the best glass in the world, but it has held up so far. It's a 1.75-5x32 with a 1" tube.
                    NRA Basic, Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, RSO

                    CCW, CQM, DM, Long Range Rifle Instructor

                    6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbooks & chamber brushes can be found here:

                    www.AR15buildbox.com

                    Comment

                    • kpswihart
                      Warrior
                      • Dec 2016
                      • 212

                      #11
                      If you qualify, GovX has the Vortex Strike Eagle 1x-8x on sale for under $300. Not sure how long the sale will last.

                      Comment

                      • pajasonc
                        Warrior
                        • Dec 2016
                        • 203

                        #12
                        Originally posted by Harpoon1 View Post
                        Well this is the problem. They add new models and without being specific, everything gets lumped together.

                        Not "all" Primary Arms are made in China, the "Platinum" series is made in Japan. Rumor is, the same factory as Nightforce.
                        True I should have specified primary arms lower end scopes. Your correct premium line is made else where. But the strike eagles are made in china and the burris rt6 is made in the philipines.

                        Comment

                        • Dcommoncents
                          Warrior
                          • Jul 2017
                          • 164

                          #13
                          Well, I'll muddy the waters further by saying that I've had the bushnell for years and love it. It's a heck of a bargain for a ffp illuminated scope. While I'd like more magnification, I wouldn't trade ffp for it. I can use the throw down lever to immediately switch to 1x where the reticle just looks like a red dot and works like a charm with both eyes open. I don't however have any experience with the other candidates so I can't speak comparatively.

                          I just moved my bushnell to my new 6.5g pistol build.

                          20180107_085328.jpg

                          A lightweight red dot is tempting to make it handle better but I'm not willing to give up the magnification at this point.

                          Comment

                          • LRRPF52
                            Super Moderator
                            • Sep 2014
                            • 8569

                            #14
                            That pistol build in MC looks awesome.

                            Is that the 1-4x?
                            NRA Basic, Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, RSO

                            CCW, CQM, DM, Long Range Rifle Instructor

                            6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbooks & chamber brushes can be found here:

                            www.AR15buildbox.com

                            Comment

                            • Dcommoncents
                              Warrior
                              • Jul 2017
                              • 164

                              #15
                              Originally posted by LRRPF52 View Post
                              That pistol build in MC looks awesome.

                              Is that the 1-4x?
                              Thank you kindly sir, I quite like it. And yeah it's the 1-4 bushnell on an aero ultralight mount.

                              Comment

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