Small, lightweight optic

[stanc]

Never paid attention to optics. Always shot with iron sights.

What's available in a non-electronic optical sight, of minimum size and weight?

[warped]

Check Meopta, I think they have a fiber optic type sight, no magnification though IIRC

[stanc]

:confused: Couldn't find any such critter on their web site.

And the prices on their other scopes are waaaaay more than I want to pay. :eek:

[bwaites]

Price range, magnification desired?

[stanc]

Magnification: Anywhere from 1X up to 4X.

Price range: < $200 preferably, up to $300 if necessary.

[WillD]

Check Optics Planet. Burris has a 2.75X Scout for about $250 and a 1 - 4X TAC30 for about $310. I'm unsure of the TAC30 reticle YMMV. I had a straight power Burris that I loved and sold with rifle BIG mistake. Good prices on other brands as well!

Cheers, Will

[Whelenon]

swfa a good site for price and spec. info for optics

http://swfa.com/default.aspx

[ss355]

Stan, the Weaver 1-3x is pretty small and lightweight for a variable power scope. The glass certainly won't rival a Nightforce or S&B, but for $150 it's a decent bet.

[LRRPF52]

I've had good experiences with the Burris 1-4x24 XTR with doughnut and stadia reticle, even though I wrote Burris off as a prospective compan years ago. Only reason I gave them a chance was because they were carried by LaRue, and he used one personally for his Elk Hunt with a Grendel. It's been holding up well so far through two extreme winters, and two very hot summers in high humidity.

The Weavers are hit & miss from what the reviews indicate, and they are made in China.

[stanc]

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone. It's sorta looking like it may be necessary to go with a red dot sight to get the desired size and weight.

[warped]

If you do that buy the SPARC you won't be sorry

[stanc]

As chance would have it, when I first began seriously thinking about buying an AR about three weeks ago, I looked at the SPARC and the Lucid HD7.

The SPARC is a neat, compact package, nice and light. Came with a screw-on 2X magnifier. Didn't get to check the reticle, though, because the battery was dead. When the clerk tried to install a new battery, he was unable to get the cap screwed back on, despite numerous attempts. That immediately ruled it out as an option for me (unless I wanted to depend upon someone else to install/change batteries).

The HD7 was about twice as big and twice as heavy as the SPARC, but kinda neat looking. Very cool reticles, IMO, although for some reason unknown to me I could only switch through three of the four; never found the crosshairs. I dunno if I was doing something wrong (which is highly likely), or if there was a malfunction in the sight. I think I'll have to pass on it, too, as I found the battery cap impossible to remove by hand, even without it being mounted on a rifle. The clerk said it's really best to use a pair of pliers to remove the cap, which I'm sure would chew up the cap in short order.

That's when I decided to look for a conventional, non-battery powered optic. An ACOG, especially a compact model, may be closest to meeting my desires, but sooooo expensive...

[LRRPF52]

+1 for the SPARC. We've been testing them for about a year now, including shooting with it during the extreme winter in high humidity, plus shooting in hot weather with high humidity, and they have held up and kept zero just fine.

Sounds like a 2x ACOG would be nice for you, but they are pricey. A lot of guys who have experienced deteriorating eye conditions really love the non-magnified red dot sights. You could also look at the Vortex StrikeFire Red Dot. That's a great RDS for the money as well.

[jp3731]

Check out the Burris Timberline series for a compact scope.

[hm2 clark]

For me the burris FFII 2-7 is just right. My 4x Burris is brighter and clearer than my 4x Weaver. Right now Midway has a sale on the Burris 1-4, I would look @ that one.

[LR1955]

As chance would have it, when I first began seriously thinking about buying an AR about three weeks ago, I looked at the SPARC and the Lucid HD7.

The SPARC is a neat, compact package, nice and light. Came with a screw-on 2X magnifier. Didn't get to check the reticle, though, because the battery was dead. When the clerk tried to install a new battery, he was unable to get the cap screwed back on, despite numerous attempts. That immediately ruled it out as an option for me (unless I wanted to depend upon someone else to install/change batteries).

The HD7 was about twice as big and twice as heavy as the SPARC, but kinda neat looking. Very cool reticles, IMO, although for some reason unknown to me I could only switch through three of the four; never found the crosshairs. I dunno if I was doing something wrong (which is highly likely), or if there was a malfunction in the sight. I think I'll have to pass on it, too, as I found the battery cap impossible to remove by hand, even without it being mounted on a rifle. The clerk said it's really best to use a pair of pliers to remove the cap, which I'm sure would chew up the cap in short order.

That's when I decided to look for a conventional, non-battery powered optic. An ACOG, especially a compact model, may be closest to meeting my desires, but sooooo expensive...

Stan:

Sure that SPARK thing isn't made in the same CHICOM sweat shop as the Burris. Both look identical and apparently both have the same problems. Your decision was a good one.

I caution you about getting a very low power optic of any sort. You will find optics that are less than four power to be more bothersome than of value. They magnify enough so as to distract your attention and basically screw up how your eyes are supposed to function. Yet they don't magnify enough to give any sort of advantage.

ACOGs are a grossly overpriced optic, worth far less than half of what Trijicon charges.

Not sure what you want this thing for but if you are blasting at things that are ten minutes or less, get a very good dot sight such as an Aimpoint. As you can see already, go cheap with electronic sights and you get what you stated.

One more thing if you continue to try and find a electronic sight. Test it outdoors and look at something with a bright sun shining towards you. The Aimpoints that are issued are good enough that you can still see the dot. The Burris and other cheapo dot sights won't hold up to bright sun or extremes of weather and use.

I take the word of LRP-52 on the Vortex optics which guys have written about on the optics threads before.

LR1955

[wrsteve]

I have a trijicom accupoint 1x4 on a couple of my rifles. The model is a TR24G. It is a nice scope. Clear glass and no batteries. Uses fiberoptics in the day and tritium for night. A little pricy but not compared to the ACOG's. Also a little heavy. I have an aimpoint T1 on one rifle. Small and really nice 1x red dot. Got it for $425 on botach on a special. They even gave a mount and 15 pmags with it. Botach at times has some really good deals. The battery lasts for 3 years even if you leave it on so it is not a big deal.

[Jaywalker]

I caution you about getting a very low power optic of any sort. You will find optics that are less than four power to be more bothersome than of value. They magnify enough so as to distract your attention and basically screw up how your eyes are supposed to function. Yet they don't magnify enough to give any sort of advantage.

That's kind of general, I think. I've spent much of my hunting life with 2.5 power, and haven't been dissatisfied on deer. There's plenty of field of view, and the crosshairs are in the same plane as the target, removing the need to decide which to focus on. For long-range shooting I'd agree with you, but with virtually all of my deer inside 150 yards, a low power scope has been ideal.