I am looking for some help in choosing some optics.

New to this, don't want to spend all that much now as I am not sure exactly what I want.

Have come up with that ideally I want something light in wt, that is one reason the 15/22 is great. I don't know if that is possible to get with something under $100.

Also want say 3-9 mag, and ideally something that will hold its zero for a while. don't need illuminated right now.

Hoping that if I spend 50-75, I can figure out what I like and don't like, then get something of higher quality. Right now I only have a range that is 50 yds, might choose another one later on. Might go a few x a month to shoot a hundred or 2 rounds each time.

Any advice for this set of circumstances would be appreciated. thanks.

My advice? Save up for some real optics. Glass in the price range you quote tends to be junk. Some guys get lucky with cheap optics. I prefer to save up and at least buy low level real brand name. Leupold is making great 3x9's and 2x7's under the Redfield brand name at great prices. And they have a great looking new AR mount that would work great. But if you buy China optics then be prepared to cross your fingers everytime you touch it.

Check out the NcStar line...

Though I am sure this comment will be soon bashed, check them out and read the reviews online. I have the mkIII 4x32 blue illuminated p4 armored (read rubberized) that has held zero for just under 1500 rds now and will be going back to the range in the next couple days to put another couple hundred through it. Its clarity is good, holds 0, had a QD mount, laser for close range, and though you say you dont need it they come illuminated in multiple colors, with 4 different reticle styles to choose... Its not a aimpoint or trijicon, but I am quite happy with what I paid for it compared to its feature/quality set.

My wifes uncle bought his 3-9x42 off amazon for about 130, but dependent on the reticle you want you can find a couple of them in the $85-95 range on there. He has that scope on his AR and says it has held 0 for the 9 months and many trips the range he has had it.

Also check the picture thread as there seem to be quite a few others who have had this scope on their 15-22...

That said make sure if you get it you buy from a reputable dealer, or market place (as you should with anything) as some have had issues and its a lot easier to do an immediate exchange if you do get a bad egg...

For a $100 3-9x

Bushnell Banner (weighs 12oz)
Bushnell Banner Rifle Scope 3-9x 40mm Long Eye Relief Multi-X Reticle Matte - MidwayUSA

If you want to try an illuminated optic....

Primary Arms (weighs 15oz)
Primary Arms 3-9x40 Scope


Pay no attention to Maximum Bob... He can't even mail an envelope across the street without having problems. (just kidding Bob)

no offense intended...so please understand...

Did you actually try looking at one of the DOZEN optics discussions posted in the Thread Index? Every week it seems we have the same discussion...

Let me put it in laymans terms--
1)you get what you pay for when it comes to optics this is especially true--Glass clarity and durability is more important than pricetags

2)Several of the Chinese Knockoffs aren't legit--they are illegally copied from the original companys design without permission--Do you want to keep people like that in buisness?

3) Check out the Picture Thread for some solid ideas--not just asthetically but also for ideas of what to research...personal preference is just as important to most of us as what will work for you might be despised by me or vice versa

Remember--Experience is the Best Teacher; Borrow someone elses notes

Good luck

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Overkill is Underrated

none taken. i have read all of them, but too much info to process and not answering my questions about lightness

agree. I sell optics of another type for a living, and with optics, you get what you pay for. However, I am new to this, and am willing to compromise. I need bifocals and have a real tough time with just iron sights at 50 yds. I think any optic will help. I am also willing to purchase something now, and then again in 6 months once I try things out.

I don't know which is knockoff and which isn't.

I did look at picture thread, but was hoping for real world feedback. There is a ton of info on this site, but not all consolidated. Lots of pointing to websites, which if i know what i want, is great, but nothing on advice. hence my post.

I wish I could borrow someone elses , belong to a very small club with lots of interest in trap. Local stores do not sell optics, they say they can't compete with online. Appreciate the feedback.

Yes, I bash the various China optics brands pretty often. I never mean to rain on anyone though. That’s part of the reason I admit that some guys get lucky with them. But filter through some of the reviews on most of them and you will see some real deplorable results. Optics with dime store quality glass that is full of halo effect, glare, and unusable magnification is often mentioned. Then you read about glass that just plain falls out or become loose. You will read about red dots or LED’s that just shut off for no reason or just die from shooting. Or you will get scopes that like on my uncle’s Camp Carbine in 9mm where the thing fails so dramatically that suddenly there are no more cross hairs visible in the tube…

And then you get these guys like ChattanoogaPhil ( )who must have been born during the year of the dragon or something and are blessed with great luck with the China mart glass…

But one thing is for sure. If you save up and buy a low end good solid brand name with a very good warranty behind it then you will never be left sucking wind through your wallet. If I were in your position I would look real hard at saving up for this combo:

Redfield Revolution Rifle Scope 2-7x 33mm 4-Plex Reticle Matte - MidwayUSA

https://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduc...tNumber=911547

Shop around and you should find a better deal, I just like using Midway as an example. My point is that with a combo like this you could still buy quality on a budget with minor saving up involved, have a warranty, and if/when you buy another flat top AR or copy then you can always hot swap this out between them.

EDIT:

I’m failing to add to this why I keep mentioning the Redfield in 2-7x-33… First off, because I have one and it rocks… Second of all, if you are buying this for a .22LR then you don’t want or need hug magnification. But the 2 to 7 will be great for your need on this rifle and again if/when you buy a .223, 6.8, 6.5, or any other AR specific chambering then it will still be strong and sturdy enough to meet your needs. The 2x won’t limit your field of view too poorly for up close shooting and you can still dial it up for longer range shooting if you ever decide to take it on a hunt. The 33mm bell up front will still gather all the light you should ever need with the quality built into the Leupold made glass and the smaller than 40mm bell will hug a barrel for a good sight alignment if you mount it on any other rifle of your choosing. And last but not least, if you ever get really tired of it then this scope will still retain some value and you could actually sell it and get some money out of it. I would never buy a used Barfska, but I would sure buy a gently used new model Redfield any day of the week that ends in d-a-y…

Being born under a lucky star never hurts, but doing a bit of homework helps too.

For example, the last couple dime store optics I purchased-- Primary Arms MicroDot. I can read hundreds of posts about them, a majority having been mounted on centerfire rifles, and they get consistent positive reviews. So I figure if it can hold up to some centerfire abuse it ought to do well on a .22 rifle. They do.

There are some things to stay away from. For example, some people buy variable high magnification dime store optics and expect them to look decent at high magnification-- they will often be disappointed. Fixed low power dime store optics will typically deliver the best optical results. This is why I bought the Primary Arms compact 4x and put it on another .22 rifle. They had such a good reputation on centerfire rifles that PA could not keep them in stock. They just came out with a new 3x compact scope. Not sure about that one.

Doing some homework, keeping these cheap optics on .22s and buying from good vendors will usually yield good results. For those who don't care to spend much time with these things, and just pick out a tacticool something from Optics Planet or Amazon.... then I agree that they should be cautious of cheap stuff because there is a higher likelihood of being disappointed.

The Redfield is great, and so is the one piece mount. Speaking of used scopes... SWFA takes trades and sells used scopes. http://swfa.com/Riflescopes-C1443.aspx

+1 to chattanoogaphil...

and glad to see that you had done a little research but wanted more specified input-- people really DO read these!

As suggested several times over Redfield's are EXCELLENT for the price range--we have one mounted on a .308 Semi-Auto thats never lost zero and another on a .30-06 thats been trekked across rough terrain by both Dad and Grandpa and held up wonderfully--

I personally havent used a magnified optic on my 15-22 because i am usually not trying to shoot distances greater than 50 yds...and i shoot it almost exclusively off-hand so i cant make a specific reccommendation....however anything that will hold up to the kind of abuse Gramps can dish out has my gold star

__________________
Overkill is Underrated

I have a Cabela's caliber specific scope on my 15-22 right now. not a bad optic at all for the $. Works quite nicely. Zeroed at 50 with second and third line for 75 and 100. Its no Leupold but does the job just fine for .22LR at short ranges (0-100YD)
Cabela's: Cabela's Caliber-Specific Scopes

+1

The vendor makes a BIG difference with inexpensive optics. Some inspect their stuff before it goes out while others just send whatever is in the box. When dealing with poor QC Chinese optics, a good vendor is the way to go.

Well, i called planet optics today, asked to speak to someone who really knew rifle scopes, maybe get their take. I figure they are an independent dealer and would give me the scoop (I am a distrib for electronic components and if a client just calls in, not a lead from a specific supplier, we are more than glad to give the person completely non biased info based on what would best solve their application).

Told him that i am just shooting targets at mostly 50 yds, non competitive, not hunting, etc etc. Just need something more than iron sights for old eyes. His first recommendation:8-32 scope. Seriously!. I am not sure if this was just the person I got or if they are all that bad.

I need another place to talk with!

What answer are you searching for?

Are you worried about how much magnification for 50 yards? If you're shooting off hand then you won't be well served with much over 4x. If you are shooting from a supported position then higher magnification is ok but you really won't shoot any better with it. I think your idea of a 3-9x or a 2-7x just to see what's what with scopes is a fine idea.

Below is a simple 4x scope. Target was at 50 yards. Rifle was slung over a range bag for support. Is this the type shooting you would like to do?



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Here is a $39 Bushnell 3-9x at 100 yards slung over a range bag. Your 15-22 will not shoot as well as this dime store optic will allow.





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If you just want to shoot at soda cans and stuff out to 50 yards then a 1x red dot is great. I have aging eyes too. Can't keep iron sights and target in focus at the same time. With a 1x red dot you only have to focus down range. I find a 1x red dot a real pleasure to shoot with. The MicroDot keeps the weight down at a mere 4oz.



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Right. I know that a mag of 2-7 or 3-9 is just fine. Wanna do both of the above, hit target accurately, and also plinking. Have progressive glasses. with handgun can't for the life of me have sights and target in focus, am constantly either adjusting glasses to look thru correct part of them or moving pistol up or down to match sights. Sounds like red dot would really help on my handgun!

Only real requirement for scope was not too expensive as not sure exactly what I am looking for, and since new to rifle, not sure what else I will do in a year, and b)hold zero sort of well over 1k rounds.

If your $39 bushnell can do that at 100 yds, it is fantastic for what i need.

I feel your pain brother... but no longer. I've been using 1x red dots on recreational handguns for many years. I just wear my long distances glasses and it's an absolute pleasure to shoot. I also use 2x pistols scopes.

1x Red dot



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2x Pistol scope



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are red dot sights for pistols different than rifles. Also, assume you want better quality for pistol? In other words, if I get one for my pistol, could i use it on my rifle? Finally, I have M&P9mm and Sig mos, are there special mounts i need to order? Sorry to ask so many questions.

The red dot on the my Ruger 22/45 pistol and the 15-22 (pics above) are both Primary Arms MicroDot (with different bases). I think Sig makes an upper rail mount attachment for the Mosquito (see pic below), so you could use the same red dot for both guns if you wanted with the correct scope mounts/risers. Your 9mm is going to require a bit more rugged optic than what I have on my .22s. Burris FastFire and their gun specific mounts might be worth looking at. I suppose you could use a FF for all your guns with the correct mounts. All that said, I think it's a real pain to try to use one optic for more than gun if you shoot the guns much.

We're getting pretty far off the subject of 15-22. You might want to talk to some of the guys in the M&P Pistol section and see what sights they use. http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-wesson-m-p-pistols/



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Where can I get one of those for that price?

Bought that one years ago, but I'm pretty sure this is the same one.

Amazon.com: Bushnell Sportsman 3-9x32 Riflescope (Black): Sports & Outdoors

Bushnell, Simmons and Tasco are all owned by the same parent company.

Right now Cabelas has the Simmons 3-9x32 scope on sale for $39.99 if you want to try it. I would think it would be very close to the scope Phil mentioned.

Cabela's: Simmons® .22 Mag Series Riflescope

I picked one up last week and it seems to work pretty well for the price. The scope rings that come with it won't work on a 15-22. I bought some Leupold see thru rings that allow me, with a 1" riser, to still use my folding BUIS sights.

Yup. Pretty much all the same stuff with different labels.

I understand your desire for a light weight scope. One of the best points of the 15-22 is it's light weight. Can't see weighing it down with a heavy scope. Installed a NcStar 2x6x28 scope that weighs about 8 oz. and have been very pleased with it. Think it was about $40.00. I also think a fixed 4x would be fine for 50 yds. For 100 yds. I would go with a 3-9.

Exactly! The wt was a big issue I choose this 22.

Can you give me the pn of this NcStar or link to it. I cannot find this model. Is it a short tactical 3 model/ Thanks.

typed to quickly. amazon and google. great tools. however, i see some scopes come with mounts, others not? for instance

Amazon.com: NcStar Courage Series Compact 2-6X60 Scope with P4 Sniper Reticle (Black/Green): Sports & Outdoors

doesn't look like it has mounts. How does one get mounts specific for the scope?

For potentially being in the market for some sort of optics, I subscribed to this thread. Lots of good info and leads.
Thanks.

__________________
sw9ve, 24/7 pro Ds, Hs M4

I think you are asking for the model number of a 3-9 compact tactical style scope. Try SC3942B, I think that may be it. My 2x6x28 is model # SC2628B. You can ck out their catalog at
ncstar.com. By the way, if you need rings, be sure and get the high rise ones!

sorry to bump this, but as i am looking at scopes, it seems like some come with mounts,others not? or do all the scopes come with mounts and the sellers just don't list them. I am trying to narrow things down have a whole bunch of sites listing things, but don't want to purchase sights and then have to pay shipping on mounts and rings a second time.

Check the full product description for the scope. Never assume that a scope will include mounting rings. Unless the product description specifically states that rings are included, they are not.

For example, this BARSKA scope listing states that flip up caps & rings are included:

This Nikon scope listing does not mention rings.

Keep in mind that depending on the scope dimensions, you may need an additional rail riser.

I purchased the NcStar high rise see through rings and they brought
the scope up to the proper hieght. I personaly would rather use high rise rings than a riser because, their again, the riser adds weight - not much,
but it all adds up. This is also why I would not get the quick detach mount unless I really needed to keep removing my scope. I don't switch
scopes from gun to gun as you would need to sight it in each time you switched. I would rather set it and forget it, but to each his own.

can you show me which rings you have from this page:

NcSTAR Riflescope Mounts, Rings & Bases FREE S&H NcSTAR, Riflescope Mounts, Rings & Bases.

thanks.