Scope Thoughts

[mcathcook]

I am beginning a search to determine which scope I should purchase as a gift. My son has a Smith & Wesson M & P 15 rifle. He would be target shooting under 150 yards for the most part. Is there a quality scope in the "Better" part of a Good-Better-Best range that anyone could recommend?
Thank you for you suggestions.

 

[fyimo]

I would recommend the Nikon P223 scope 3x9x40mm as it was designed for the AR-15 rifle. If you think it's too big you could go with the Nikon Monarch 2x7x32mm.
S&W Sport II with Nikon P223 3x9x40mm scope

PSA Freedom with Nikon 2x7x32 scope

 

[mcathcook]

Thank you very much. I appreciate you including photos, too. Does the front site impede vision more with one of these two options?

 

[UNCLE PAULY]

+1 for Nikon Optics, very good glass for the money.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

If he shoots his rifle much offhand I'd recommend something like a 1-4x or 1-6x scope. If he's shooting from the bench then I'd get a higher magnification scope.

 

[Disabled1]

If you decide on a red dot, I know where you can get one for a very good price. And, it's supposed to be an AIMPOINT clone.

 

[sgtsandman]

If he shoots his rifle much offhand I'd recommend something like a 1-4x or 1-6x scope. If he's shooting from the bench then I'd get a higher magnification scope.

Agreed with the above. It depends on what kind of shooting the OP wants to do. Until we know that, a good recommendation can't be made. It may be that a red dot is all he needs for all we know.

 

[mcathcook]

I will have to find out the answer to this. Thank you.

 

[jimbo728]

My Nikon 3x9x40 P 223 does not become obstructed by the front sight.
It works very well with my Sport with UTG rings.
Jim

 

[fyimo]

Thank you very much. I appreciate you including photos, too. Does the front site impede vision more with one of these two options?

The front sight disappears when you look through the scope and isn't there.

 

[Kadonny]

Which M&P does he have? If he has an OR version, then there is no front sight. Just a thought, if he does have a Sport or M&P with the front sight post, if you go with something @fyimo showed like the larger Nikons consider a mount (cantelever etc) that allows you to leave the rear BIUS on. That way in case anything ever goes wrong with the scope you still have sights.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Does the front site impede vision more with one of these two options?

The visibility of the front sight depends on the level of magnification. This is one of my rifles with a 1-4x scope.

1X



4x

 

[Mike25]

I'm new to AR world and very little experience shooting them. I've got the Sport II with VORTEX Crossfire II 3x9x40. It's about $150.00, I love it but then again I have nothing to compare it to. I'll try to post a pic of it along with a targe from 50 yards.

 

[C J]

Nikon makes really good scopes but they aren't really target scopes at the magnification levels listed here. A true target scope should be as powerful as practical. I use 36X scopes for target shooting.

That's not to say the 3-9X40 Nikon doesn't have uses. It does. It's a good hunting scope or a medium range varmint scope. You wouldn't want a 36X scope to shoot coyotes at 100 yards. You would be lucky to find them before they saw you and left. But you can find them with a 3-9X40 and do it quickly. You could conceivably nail 2-3 in a pack before they run away. Those scopes are good for hunting squirrels too but I doubt it's a good idea to use a Sport for that. But that's the main reason for my Nikon 3-9X40 scopes. Yes I have more than one. They really are good scopes for the money. You just want the right scope for the job.

 

[Rastoff]

Scopes are really difficult to buy for someone else. Kinda like a watch. If you give one to someone, they will like it, but is it really what they want?

The low dollar scopes all have mediocre reticles. Some will hold zero and some won't. I spent many years and too much money on cheap scopes. I won't do it anymore.

The least expensive scope I'll recommend is the Hi-Lux CMR 1-4x24 which is about $350. I have one and it has been good. Holds zero and the turrets can be finger adjusted. If you adjust them and then go back to zero, the scope still holds zero.

If your son is serious about shooting, don't waste your time with cheap scopes. That includes the Nikon scopes. They're OK and he'll be happy if he never tries anything else. But I think it's worth it to get a good one the first time. Good glass isn't cheap.


One more thing. Just because a scope has the same brand name doesn't make it the same quality. Case in point, Vortex. Vortex makes a full range of scopes. As inexpensive as $80 all the way to over $2K. The $80 scope, even though it's made by a quality company like Vortex, is still a cheap scope.



Take your time. Do your research. Get the right one the first time.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Choosing the right design for the application... 1x red dot, low magnification, high magnification, fixed or variable magnification, compact design or conventional... that's the first step. Once you got that figured out then comes the decision on what level quality. Probably the overwhelming majority of optics in the picture thread here are sub $300. Don't get too hung up on high end optics for simple recreational plinking.

Take a look at Primary Arms. They've got a wide array of optics designed for AR use. They'll gladly take your call and answer any questions you may have. They also sell a line of optics with their own label. Many are $100-$300 and get excellent reviews by AR users.

Happy optics hunting.

 

[WR Moore]

Besides the above cautions, I'd avoid the exposed turret adjustment knobs. Within the ranges you mention there's really no need to be cranking on adjustment knobs and the exposed knobs can move out of adjustment.

The word "target" covers a vast range of possibilities. I kind of doubt your son needs the 36x scope noted by one poster. I've done some literal one hole groups at the ranges mentioned with 6x. Higher magnifications exaggerate your wibbles & wobbles.

 

[Rastoff]

Besides the above cautions, I'd avoid the exposed turret adjustment knobs. Within the ranges you mention there's really no need to be cranking on adjustment knobs and the exposed knobs can move out of adjustment.

This is solid advice. However, I wouldn't throw out a scope just because it had exposed turrets. I have exposed turrets on two rifles and put them through some hard use. They've never been bumped off zero; yes I checked. That doesn't mean they won't be.

 

[mcathcook]

Thank you. Good insight...I want to get a quality scope that will be one he will want to hold onto.

 

[Bigpoppa]

I put a Bushnell TRS25 High Rise Red Dot on my newly acquired M&P15 sportII and I am truly amazed at the quality of this optic for around $100. It cowitnesses perfectly and allowed me to easily zero with actually just two shots. I actually tore the center target out at about fifty yards with a stable bench rest. It held zero through a number of shots. I will be shooting some more tomorrow. lol