Scope for an AR-15 varmint gun

meatmachineman · Nov 8, 2012

I'm not exactly looking for scope brand suggestions, but more for type of scope, magnification power and mag range, reticle, objective size, etc. Brand will be dictated on what I can reasonably fork out at the time. The build I'm waiting on will be a 20" bull barreled 223 with a flat top receiver. The intended use is going to be whistle pigs to coyotes out to a few hundred yards. Although I've done plenty of whistle pigs shoots, I've not done coyote hunting yet, but looks like I'll be doing some late fall/winter. I know what I'd e looking for in a piggy scope... something in the 3-12 or 4-16 neighborhood, thin crosshair, clear optics (gone cheap before and realized the headache from eyestrain sucks). Anyhow, I figured if I could score a ZA5 Minox 3-15, that might work... just wasn't sure what I'd need for coyotes. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

BK · Nov 8, 2012

That is one application wher a 50mm scope wouldn't offend me... that 3-15x50 Minox would work great, I would think. I don't like 15x scopes without an AO/SF, so the 3-15x42 is out.

I think of what I have sitting around the Casa de BK unmounted and my Vortex Viper Tactical 3-15x44 would probably get the nod.

Guy Miner · Nov 8, 2012

I gave my oldest son a 6.5-20x Leupold for his AR-15 heavy-barrel varmint rifle. It's worked out real well for him.

SJB358 · Nov 8, 2012

BK":14s3u90o said:
That is one application wher a 50mm scope wouldn't offend me... that 3-15x50 Minox would work great, I would think. I don't like 15x scopes without an AO/SF, so the 3-15x42 is out.

I think of what I have sitting around the Casa de BK unmounted and my Vortex Viper Tactical 3-15x44 would probably get the nod.

Kurt stole my thunder. That would be a fine application and also to allow you to dial some if you wanted.

meatmachineman · Nov 8, 2012

Sounds like I'm on the right track in looking for something not too different than what I'd want for a whistle pig scope. I'm hoping to be under 300, but might be able to live with 400... so a nice Leupy like the one pictured... probably not gonna happen. I was thinking Minox as I have 3 already and have proven themselves to me as being excellent. Looking at sampelist, there's some very serviceable options and some at lower cost to boot. One would be the Burris FFII 4.5-14x42AO. I see those on there sometimes in the low 200s. Also looking at the Vortex D-Back series. Then again, I may not have to worry about it anytime soon. I have the rifle kit ordered, but who knows when it'll actually show up.