Optics for a new Grendel

[okstatefan]

I've ordered an 18" upper from PSA that is scheduled to arrive on Wednesday. I will be at the range on Thursday and would like to have the rifle ready to sight.

I currently have a few options for the scope:

1. SWFA SS 3-9x42
2. Vortex Strike Eagle 1-8
3. Vortex Razor HD LH 1.5-8

I'm leaning toward the SWFA 3-9. However, it is currently zeroed on an M&P10 in .308. That would mean putting different glass on the .308 or selling that rifle.
The Strike Eagle is actually coming with the upper and doesn't have a home yet.
The Razor HD LH is mounted on a Ruger GSR 5.56. If I put that scope on the Grendel, the Strike Eagle would move over to the GSR.

The only other option would be to buy a new optic for the Grendel, in which case I'd want a 3-9 or 4-14 FFP with Mil/Mil.

[Jakegsxr11]

The Razor HD LH is mounted on a Ruger GSR 5.56. If I put that scope on the Grendel, the Strike Eagle would move over to the GSR.

This would be my course of action...

[LRRPF52]

How far and what type of shooting will you be doing and which reticle supports that the most?

My .270 Winchester has superior long range ballistics to anything that will fit in an AR15, but it's a sporter weight barrel that has always worn an old Weaver scope with the post and wire because you don't want to shoot a Featherweight .270 Winchester as a TGT rifle due to recoil, barrel heating, throat life, etc.

With a 135gr SMK in the .270 Win., it has excellent downrange performance, but I've never put a TGT scope on it and never will for the above reasons.

As a result, my 12" Grendel with the optics I use on it has far superior LR performance when looking at hit probability because of the reticle alone, which is meant for LR holds.

Matching the optic to the rifle and its intended use is a huge consideration for me, which is why I ask what you intend to use it for.

[okstatefan]

How far and what type of shooting will you be doing and which reticle supports that the most? ....

Originally, I was just wanting an intermediate hunting round. It doesn't take a .308 to take TX whitetail and most feral hogs, but that was what I had.

As I've continued to research and learn, it appears the 18" upper I have may also be my best long-range target rifle. So I would like to take advantage of that.

As far as reticle, I'm most comfortable with mil dots on FFP glass. I'm thinking I'll use my SWFA 3-9x42 FFP for the time being. I would like to eventually get to 4-16 or 5-20. I wanted to like the PA 4-16, but the glass is not quite where I want it to be. The same can be said about the SWFA 3-15. Great optic but the glass is not on par with the SWFA HD line.

[LRRPF52]

If you're going to be doing any hunting/shooting in lower light/early morning/evening, or want to see your hits better at distance, I recommend HD glass.

[karaRobert]

I've been shooting my 6.5Grendel pretty much since it came out. One of the better scopes for it that is not too far from your price range is SWFA SS HD 3-9x42. Grendel can reach pretty far out, so FFP reticle and reliable turrets are good to have.
This definitely guide help me to choose the right scope for me.

[Six5x39]

I have 3-9 swfa on my ar 16" great scope .but if u can afford razor , whew go for it . swfa has tunnel vision at low power , I found out after I bought it , but I learn to use above 3x and no issues

[waveslayer]

I am rocking a Burris XTR ii 2-10, it has been great for up close and out past 1,000 yards. I also, have another Grendel that I use my 5-25 Kahles on. If you are hunting I also recommend HD glass. I had one bad experience with a monster Bull at early light and bad Nikon glass... never again skimp on glass. On all my hunting rigs I roll Swarovski.

[FLshooter]

I have a Vortex 1-6 strike Eagle on my .223 Wilde Colt comp 16T.For the price,the glasses is clear.I shoot up to 400 yards w/it.
Really depends on what you’d like to do with the rifle. Any of those scopes work fine .Smallest I’d go is 4-12 x 50 Vortex Viper on a 6.5 Grendel.But we all have our preferences

[Valjean]

Is anyone running a scope and a red dot? If so, is the red dot mounted at a 45 or on top of the scope?

[LRRPF52]

Is anyone running a scope and a red dot? If so, is the red dot mounted at a 45 or on top of the scope?

With the new wave of LPVOs on the market, you really don't need to add a micro RDS anywhere because the scopes work so well on 1x and don't change shot times any.

My personal guideline for using RDSs now is only driven by compactness for certain guns, like a dedicated HD blaster for the house in a defensive setting.

For guns that go outside and need to cover down on everything from CQB out to the effective range of the cartridge, some of the modern LPVOs really handle all of that well.

One argument in favor of the 45˚ offset is being able to set the LPVO on a higher setting, and use the mini RDS for CQB.

This is all assuming an offensive military mission posture hunting down savages, not necessarily a civilian defensive HD posture.

Here's an article on it from the US Army SF perspective, which is just one angle among many others even within the SOF community.

Rifle Set Up







And another article:

Frank Proctor Rifle Set-up

[okstatefan]

I might be out of my mind on this, but the Grendel will likely never be a primary hunting rifle. It'll probably spend most of its days ringing steel.

Therefore, I am going to be a guinea pig on the Sig BDX system. I'll have the 4.5-14 scope with the 2200 range finder. Not a lot invested so won't be too disappointed if it doesn't live up to some of the hype.

[Kswhitetails]

I don't want to burn your barn before it's built, but the BDX stuff I've held seems like a Chinese sweatshop and a profit motivated Sig CEO had a love child that has a bad case of scurvy. I really hope you get a good one. Cabelas couldn't make it cheap enough.

Good luck...

[okstatefan]

I don't want to burn your barn before it's built, but the BDX stuff I've held seems like a Chinese sweatshop and a profit motivated Sig CEO had a love child that has a bad case of scurvy. I really hope you get a good one. Cabelas couldn't make it cheap enough.

Good luck...

I'm in for under $500 for the 2200 range finder and 4.5-14 scope. I actually like the range finder better than the Vortex Ranger 1800. I haven't mounted the scope yet, waiting for the ADM mount to arrive. If the scope is a bust, I've spent $250 on other scopes that didn't hang around long. I think I spent more than that on beer this summer.

Regardless, the scope that will likely live on the rifle is my SWFA 3-9 in a LaRue LT104. I sighted it in a couple of weeks ago, but I was limited to 100yd. I've had really good luck with that mount returning to zero on other rifles, so I'm not really worried about swapping the SWFA around. I have my sight dope to move it between the 6.5 and a .223 carbine.

[lazyengineer]

To me, the AR Grendel is the ultimate general purpose rifle. And to that end, I'm trying an experiment. What's more general purpose than being able to shoot both day and night? I'm going to play with some day/night vision systems. Just ordered one of these rigs, for about $400 delivered ($450 list price at Optics Plant, combined with 10% off coupons that are posted on AR15.com). Even comes with an illumintator.

https://www.opticsplanet.com/atn-x-sight...copes.html


Not the top end stuff that others use, but for $400, that's a lot of technology. It's heavy, so we'll see if I just leave it on there, or if I end up swapping back and forth. In my experience, most picatinny based optics actually hold zero pretty good, when you remove and then put back on, so long as you put back in the same spot in the same way. We'll see - this might be crap-night-vision, suck, and I just regret it - but reviews so far look better then that.

Meanwhile, to date, I've just been running a simple fixed 4X for day shooting, which works fine.

[okstatefan]

LE:

Just got the ADM mount a few hours ago and have the Sig scope ready. It weighs in at 30.7oz. The ATN is listed at 33.5oz. I don't think the ATN will feel overly heavy. There has been an ongoing thread on Texas Hunting Forum and most people like them. About the only negatives are that it's better with off-board battery and IR, I don't know that either a necessary for the average hunt. Some are having good luck with the Eneloop batteries and the adapters.