red dot magnifier vs. 2-7x32?

[trubulator]

I am putting together an AR in Grendel with a 16 inch barrel. I am trying to keep it short, easy to maneuver and relatively light. I am toying with the idea of either a 2-7X32 scope in an Aero lightweight mount, or a red dot with a 3X tip off magnifier. Looking at the ballistics tables I don't see myself ever taking more than a 200 yard shot with this rig, although I suppose I could push it to 300.

3X not enough? Something about a magnified red dot that is a bad idea?

[LR1955]

I am putting together an AR in Grendel with a 16 inch barrel. I am trying to keep it short, easy to maneuver and relatively light. I am toying with the idea of either a 2-7X32 scope in an Aero lightweight mount, or a red dot with a 3X tip off magnifier. Looking at the ballistics tables I don't see myself ever taking more than a 200 yard shot with this rig, although I suppose I could push it to 300.

3X not enough? Something about a magnified red dot that is a bad idea?

TB:

Big question is what will you be shooting and under what conditions.

If it is hogs that are running amok in the Okefenokee where I used to hunt, a six or eight minute red dot without a magnifier would do better than a magnified optic.

If it is stationary steel targets or game in open areas where you will be shooting to 300 then a 2 - 7 or higher would probably be a better choice.

I have not heard many reports from guys who have used the magnifiers in front of the dot sights. I will say this much from using clip on NVD's. The heat from the barrel will fog the lenses if you shoot it in rain or in real damp conditions. Also I would think that such magnifiers would have major problems with parallax but that is just a hypothesis of mine.

LR-55

[trubulator]

Interesting. I suppose for what I do a scope is more practical. Just tempted to play with something new.

[BluntForceTrauma]

See if the Primary Arms 3X MicroPrism might fit your requirements.

[Harpoon1]

See if the Primary Arms 3X MicroPrism might fit your requirements.

Exactly!

+1

[Harpoon1]

[SDW]

What's wrong with PA's 1x prism scope? Not a simple red dot reticle, but still a very simple tiny-chevron-in-horseshoe. Checks all your other boxes:

https://www.primaryarms.com/primary-arms-slx-1x-microprism-with-red-illuminated-acss-cyclops-gen-2-reticle

[lazyengineer]

What 2-7 are you looking at?

[Harpoon1]

What's wrong with PA's 1x prism scope? Not a simple red dot reticle, but still a very simple tiny-chevron-in-horseshoe. Checks all your other boxes:

https://www.primaryarms.com/primary-...-gen-2-reticle

[SDW]

Yeah, I have one of those too. The Gen 1. The little chevron isn't perfectly in focus for me either. Imperfect eyes also. I just put the top of the blurry triangle on the target. It's close enough for what that rifle is intended for. I also have a earlier version of the 3x. Gen 2, non-compact model. It's reticle does have a center dot, which to me is very crisp; l like this reticle overall. But there are a lot of other optical elements around that dot (it's still an ACSS after all). I don't know the size of the center dot; PA doesn't really publish that info with many of the ACSS optics.

Vortex makes a 1x Prism, the Spitfire, which has a 3 MOA center dot. Unfortunately, they stuck two plain rings around the dot for some reason. I don't care for the two rings. But the Spitfire is on sale at Midway for half off at the moment. $150:

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1008761722

[Harpoon1]

Yeah, I have one of those too. The Gen 1. The little chevron isn't perfectly in focus for me either. Imperfect eyes also. I just put the top of the blurry triangle on the target. It's close enough for what that rifle is intended for. I also have a earlier version of the 3x. Gen 2, non-compact model. It's reticle does have a center dot, which to me is very crisp; l like this reticle overall. But there are a lot of other optical elements around that dot (it's still an ACSS after all). I don't know the size of the center dot; PA doesn't really publish that info with many of the ACSS optics.

Vortex makes a 1x Prism, the Spitfire, which has a 3 MOA center dot. Unfortunately, they stuck two plain rings around the dot for some reason. I don't care for the two rings. But the Spitfire is on sale at Midway for half off at the moment. $150:

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1008761722

[kmon]

With my eyes a good quality 2-7 any day of the week and twice on Sunday

[Tx264]

[lazyengineer]

With my eyes a good quality 2-7 any day of the week and twice on Sunday

What models do you like? 2-7 is a power range of interest to me, as 2x is low enough for snap field shooting and even CQB, while 7X lets you get out there pretty good. But there doesn't seem to be a lot of models offered. While at times you can see 1-8X, which I suppose tends to make the 2-7 market a bit light. So I'm curious what you've found. I'd love to find a light weight FFP unit with a mil-dot grid at full mag, and a large fast viewable outer reticle at low range. The 2.5-10X Primary Arms Griffen FFP scope is a personal favorite, as it's one of very few FFP that does well on the low end, as well as the magnified end. It's also heavier than a truck. For some systems, a 2-7x would suit my needs nicely; but I just can't find one that interests me. The only ones I can find are simple Duplex models made for .22's and the like.

[Tx264]

LaZ,March