Best AR 15 Scope Reviews – 2018 Top Models Reviewed By Expert
AR 15 rifles are some of the most versatile firearms, especially in the case of rifles, and so they deserve to be paired with the most versatile and best AR 15 scope possible as well. That is why it is best to equip a AR 15 rifle with a variable scope.
Variable scopes enable hunters to zero in on their targets and fire precise, speedy shots. When using variable AR 15 rifle scopes, the field of view tends to be quite large when the optics/lenses have been adjusted at 1x.
The AR 15 has become a popular choice for today’s shooters that the number of the platform-specific rifle scopes has exponentially increased in the last couple of years. Consequently, there are now lots of available options on the market which has made it very confusing to get the best AR 15 scope.
Here there some few options on the best AR 15 optics in the markets. The most crucial thing about the AR is the conditions in which the rifles optics are used.
Furthermore, if you’re shooting in an environment which offers humid and wet conditions than you need a scope that provides an anti-fog feature and so on.
Top 10 Best AR 15 Scope Reviews
Hunting AR15 Tactical Rifle Scope Combo C4-16X50EG
This is one of the best AR scopes in the market. All parts work properly and the green laser is visible for a long range. Besides, this features 5 levels of red or green illuminations which enables you to see objects clearly can night.
The Holographic dot is very easy to operate as you change to different patterns of the dot. This scope is best suited for a wide range shooting with an optical clarity at 4 to 12 times magnification and a 50 millimeters objective diameter which allows for a quick acquisition of fast-moving and close quarter targets.
It also features a multi-optical coated sight that has 33mm reflex lens aperture which offers a wide vision which is suitable for rapid-shooting of silent or moving targets.
The Combo C4-16X50EG comes with a fast focus eyepiece with a 025′ fingertip resettable windage and elevation adjustments.
Moreover, the red laser can focus on about 200 to 500 meters distance. Also, the detachable red laser sight comes with an independent switch and you can install a flashlight in the side rails. The Picatinny mount is easily mountable to any 22 and 11 rails (Picatinny or Weaver). In addition, this scope has a sturdy built and it can hold to zero even after 100 rounds.
Feature-wise, this hunting rifle has a high grade coated optical lens, it is 100 percent waterproof and is filled with dry nitrogen. Besides, it is fog proof and shockproof.
Overall, this is a great gun with awesome features that make the shooting experience smooth and fun. The proprietary rear and front sites are incredible and it is very worth it keeping it in mind which is very affordable.
Nikon P-223 3-9×40 Mate BDC 600
Nikon P-223 is a high quality rifle scope which is designed to survival in all environments. It also allows you to get a first round hit even at long ranges. This slope weighs only 17.1 oz and has an overall length of 12.4″.
The lightweight feature makes it portable and allows your rifle to effectively support without it slipping. Furthermore, Nikon P-223 is made from 100 percent quality materials.
It also has a matte black finish prevents light reflection that makes it awesome for shooting or hunting in situations where camouflage is essential.
The P-223 is 100% waterproof and it’s filled with dry nitrogen which makes it fog proof. Therefore, you can use it in adverse weather conditions, outdoors, or on rain as the quality of the target object will not be affected in any way.
It also has a 40 millimeters objective lens that offers you a magnification of 3x to 9x, making it the perfect optic for a wide range uses. The lens provides incredible optical quality and offers great resolution and clarity. You will also be able to adjust or zoom the magnification easily.
The optical system is fully coated to prevent and minimize unwanted reflections and help in gathering light. It also offers effective light transmission of around 98 percent and extreme brightness which allows you to view clear images of the target even in poor lighting conditions.
The Nikon P-223 also features zero-reset turrets that simplify field adjustments makes the shooting experience very easy. You just need to sight-in, lift the adjustment knob, rotate to ‘zero’ and then re-engage.
Vortex Optics Diamondback 4-12×40 Dead-Hold BDC Reticle
Vortex Optics Diamondback provides exceptional durability, works over longer distances, and gives a very clear view of the target. Feature-wise this rifle scope is incomparable. It is solidly built and it uses a one-piece grade aluminum which allows for construction for ultimate durability.
The aluminum material makes this scope extremely resistant to recoils. The scope can also get rid of the internal fogging by using the Argon gas while also offering protective properties over an extreme range of temperatures.
Besides, when it comes to clarity, Vortex Optics Diamondback provides a crystal clear vision and you will fully enjoy the multi-coated optics which are capable of transmitting around 91 percent of the light available. This scope is equipped with a protective lens and it features easy to use and fast elevation pop-up dials.
This scope is best suited for rifles which are designed for hunting gear. It has long range capabilities, and it’s also a good choice for target practice. Its dead hold reticle makes use of a modified design which gives it a unique and effective method of operation. The result is that you will be able to get rid of the guesswork associated with hold-over and windage corrections.
Besides, the Argon gas used in this scope has the benefit of not reacting negatively to water. This makes this rifle scope ideal for a wide range of applications, weather conditions, and terrains. It is solely designed to make it fast and easy to make quick elevation and windage adjustments, and it is based on zero reset accuracy system.
The glass on this scope is very bright and clear. This enables you to get a very clear view of your target even at its edges. The focus adjustments are very accurate and will not obscure your shot.
The UTG 3-9×32 Bug Buster scope
This is a fully sealed, durable and versatile scope for the AR 15 rifle. The UTG 3-9×32 Bug Buster scope is designed for use in various types of shooting environments.
Moreover, it is fully functional in a variety of weather conditions. The scope has a number of features which make it easy to use right after the purchase with no preparation required.
The UTG 3-9×32 Bug Buster scope has a collection of features that increase its functionality. They include:
- A fully sealed construction and 100% nitrogen gas filling
- Durable build that is resistant to rain, fog, and shock red and green illumination
- Eye relief
- 2-inch sunshade
- Lens caps that you can flip open Quick- detach rings
- Lockable target turrets that are easy to manipulate
- Side-wheel for illumination
The UTG 3-9×32 Bug Buster scope is constructed on a special True Strength (TS) platform. This construction form increases the scope’s durability.
To further increase stability during use, this scope has a Smart Spherical Structure (SSS). This structure increases the joint-interaction between the scope’s inner tubes and their outer parts too.
A number of real-life situation tests are conducted during development of this scope. Information about the usage statistics of the scope is collected, analyzed and used to adjust the scope’s dynamics for use on weapons with varying rates of recoil.
Thanks to advanced optics, the UTG 3-9×32 Bug Buster scope has a view that is parallax free from distances of 3 yards going forward. The scope’s lens has a wide angle front objective lens which is fully adjustable.
Moreover, this scope is built to guarantee accurate shots every time thanks to a mil-dot reticle that helps in estimating the range.
Upon purchase, this scope comes with a number of accessories. They include flip-open lens caps, a 2″ sunshade and 15 mm heavy duty rings. All accessories can fit on Weaver or Picatinny rails. Also, they are all fitted with detachable lever locks. The UTG 3-9×32 Bug Buster scope weighs 13.9 ounces. It also measures 8.1 x 2 x 2 inches in size.
Nikon 8496 P-223 3×32 Matte BDC Carbine
This scope is one of the products available in the Nikon line-up of precision optics for AR 15 rifles. It is a brand new model which is designed to increase your speed while sighting the target. In addition to that, the Nikon P-223 scope has high levels of accuracy for long range targeting.
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It is a compact unit which is especially useful on short-barrel, quick handling AR 15 rifles. Here is more about this scope’s features.
This precision optics unit from Nikon has a number of features. They include:
- Multi-coated optical system
- 3×32 Carbine optic
- BDC Carbine reticle which is fast sighting
- Tactical-style turrets
- Zero-Reset knob
- Spot On Ballistic Match Technology from Nikon
The internal tubing of this scope is coated with multiple layers of special materials. This is done so as to increase the transmission of light up to 98%. This construction style also boosts the scope’s levels of brightness.
The Nikon P-223 scope has a brand new 3×32 BDC Carbine optic. This particular feature was specially designed and built for the .223 Remington cartridge. By using it, you can engage targets quicker and with higher levels of accuracy up to 600 yards away from you.
Making field adjustments with the Nikon P-223 scope is very easy. This is made possible by the tactical-style turrets. They have a Zero-Reset feature. The 3032 BDC Carbine optic is compatible with Nikon Spot On Ballistic Match Technology just like all other AR 15 rifle scopes from this brand.
As such, you can use this optic to discover all the aiming points in your scope view that can be achieved with your load and an exact amount of ammunition.
The Nikon P-223 scope weighs 12.2 ounces. In addition to that, it measures 142 x 3.2 x 3.2 inches in size.
Monstrum Tactical 3-9×32 AO Rifle Scope
Built to be versatile, this is a scope that can be applied in various environments with consistently impressive results. It can be used on a AR 15 for hunting, shooting targets and tactical purposes. To accomplish this, the Monstrum Tactical 53932-R-RGAO scope has some unique characteristics.
The Monstrum Tactical S3932-R-RGAO scope is built to ensure favorable results and smooth operation in a variety of environments. Its characteristics make this possible. They are:
- light-weight aluminum construction
- Adjustable magnification
- Adjustable illumination in the reticle
- Easy click dials to adjust the scope for elevation and windage
- Lockable turrets Adjustable objective lens
- Range finder reticle
- Sealed scope tube that is filled with nitrogen
- Additional accessories upon purchase
The Monstrum Tactical S3932-R-RGAO scope is made of aircraft grade aluminum. This material allows it to be durable and light at the same time. You can adjust its magnification between 3 and 9 times. As a result, you can accurately hit targets that are up to 300 yards away.
To give you complete control over your view, this scope also has adjustable illumination in the reticle. Available in both red and green, the illumination can be adjusted to a total of 5 different levels of brightness. As a result, it is easier to see your targets in low light using the Monstrum Tactical S3932-R-RGAO scope.
The objective lens on this scope is fully adjustable. By making adjustments, you can eliminate parallax, increase focus on the target and estimate the range better. The scope is resistant to water and fog.
Moreover, it comes with 2 Monstrum Tactical High Profile Scope Rings which measure 1 inch in size. Some other accessories include a set of lens caps and a 3V battery. This scope measures only 93 inches. Hence, it is compact in size.
Nikon Prostaff 3-9×40 Riflescope
For hunting conditions where the contrast and light are both low, the Nikon ProStaff BDC 3-9×40 is one of the most ideal AR 15 scopes for a rifle. The optics of this riflescope are fully multicoated as a result of which the light transmission is increased. The brightness offered by this riflescope is outstanding because of the 40 mm objective lens it is equipped with.
Up to 1/4-MOA positive-click, hand-turn adjustments can be made to the BDC reticle. This can enable a hunter to quickly zero in on the prey/target. Furthermore, even if the rifle’s recoil is heavy, the setting will still be maintained.
When using this rifle scope, the prey/target and its surroundings are always visible in high-resolution no matter how undesirable the conditions and environment might be.
This riflescope is quite flexible because it can be used in a variety of different hunting scenarios, whether a hunter is hunting out wide in the open or is surrounded by heavy timber. The magnification range that this riflescope offers is really versatile.
In the past, holding “dead-on” at certain ranges was believed to be impossible, but this riflescope’s BDC reticle makes it possible for hunters.
The reticle can be aligned to perfection since it has hand-turn adjustments. The reticle’s ballistic circles are see-through, which is ideal for long range shooting, but at the same time, the crosshair can still be used as an aiming point during shorter-range shooting. The reticle’s 0-rings are fog-, shock- and water-proof since they are nitrogen-filled and -sealed.
As mentioned, all of the lenses included in this riflescope are multicoated. This is usually not the case with other AR 15 scopes available at the same price. As a result of being multicoated, the light transmitted through the lenses is increased by up to 90%, ensuring extreme brightness, illumination and visibility.
CVLIFE Hunting Rifle Scope 2.5-10×40
Compared to the other two AR 15 rifle scopes reviewed here, the CVLIFE Hunting Rifle Scope 2.5-10x40e is unique because it also happens to equipped with gun sight laser. That makes this riflescope even more accurate.
This is a very durable riflescope because has been constructed out of high-strength aircraft-grade aluminum. This riflescope offers a field of view of up to 100 yards and its laser can reach a distance of up to 100 yards as well.
The reticle of this riflescope offers 5 different levels of green and red illumination, which means that hunters can use this scope in just about any lighting condition.
This riflescope is equipped with a Kellner eyepiece, which features a dioptric adjustment lens. As a result, hunters using this riflescope receive an additional field of view and any potential image aberrations are eliminated.
As mentioned, a dioptric adjustment lens has been used for the ocular, so any farsighted or nearsighted hunters will not have to wear their eyeglasses in order to see clearly when aiming. The exterior lenses will not be affected by dirt, oil and scratches as they are all scratch proof.
This riflescope comes with two different mounts, an 11mm one and a 20mm one. This means that different rails can be used to install this riflescope onto a AR 15 rifle.
Apart from the 2.5-10×40 mm riflescope itself, it also comes with an Allen key, a cleaning cloth, a CR 2032 x 1 reticle, an LR1130 x3 gun sight laser, a lens cover, and the two mentioned scope mounts. The power of the included gun sight laser 2mW and the class of the laser is IIIA.
Bushnell Optics Drop Zone-223 Reticle Riflescope
The versatile Bushnell Optics Drop Zone-223 Reticle Riflescope is one of the most accurate, precise and reliable AR 15 scopes available today. Like the Nikon Prostaff 3-9×40 Riflescope, all of its optics/lenses are fully multicoated.
It has been designed to be completely waterproof and features a parallax adjustment on the side and target turrets. The fully multicoated optics/lenses also greatly brighten up the view when aiming, and its fast focus eyepiece makes this riflescope even more accurate and reliable.
This riflescope comes equipped with a Drop Zone-223 BDC reticle, which has been calibrated for 55 to 62 grain, and 223 REM and 5.556 loads. Up to 500 yards, rounds can be accurately placed on targets using this riflescope.
This rifle scope features an aluminum alloy construction, which makes it extremely durable, and it has also be coated with an anodized finishing. It has also been purged with nitrogen and sealed to avoid moisture from developing within and to protect the scope from the elements. Even its 0-ring is sealed, so no dust or moisture can enter into this rifle scope.
The reason accurate adjustments can be made when using this riflescope is that of the 0.1 mil click value target turrets that it is equipped with. When combined with the caliber-specific reticle, every round accurately hits the target every single time when aiming with this reticle.
Using scope rings that are rather low may not be possible with this riflescope because of its erector cap assembly, which is present beneath it contact with the cap can be avoided by using rings that have a medium height.
In addition to all the above, this riflescope will prove to be quite long lasting, considering that it also happens to be both rustproof and scratch proof.
What You Need to Know When Buying AR 15 Scopes
Below are several factors to consider when purchasing a scope for your AR 15 rifle?
Magnification
The more you zoom the more the image distorts. Different scopes have been designed to reduce this distortion. What matters most is the needs you have from your rifle.
Once you know this, you will be able to know the best zoom for your scope. A hunter will need a greater zoom for his scope and on the other hand, a tactical shooter will consider less magnification and more clarity.
Focal Plane
This is simply what you see when looking through your lens. Focal planes are of two types; the front focal plane and the rear focal plan. The front focal plane is mainly used for tactical purposes while the rear focal plane is used in low light environments.
Reticles
There are different styles of reticles depending on their uses, these are;
Duplex Reticle
They are the most basic and popular They offer a simple cross placed over the target which allows for easy target acquisition. It allows the shooter to decide on the range he/she needs.
BOO Reticle
Unlike the duplex long range, the BOO reticle shows typically 25-600 yards. This makes it more versatile especially in the tactical theater of the AR 15. Mostly used by tactical shooters and law enforcement.
Mildot Reticle
Features rings for different distances, this helps in covering the vertical distance of the scope. This comes in handy when shooting a moving target no matter the speed at which it is moving.
Minute of angle and MRAD
This is a mathematical equation that determines the exact distance of what an inch means in your scope. This is how it works, a circle is divided into 360 degrees, each degree is further divided into 60 minutes. This formula will help you account for ” leads” when shooting.
Parallax
This is when the focal plane is not aligned. When looking at a target through the scope at about 100 yards, try glancing to a different part of the target and see if the image moves. If not then it means that your Parallax is not aligned, though many scopes have adjustments for this.
Conclusion
Over the recent years, hunters have been using rather power cartridges with their AR 15 rifle, just by using different barrels, bolts, and magazines. Therefore, knowing what the rifle will be used for, whether for hunting, long-range shooting or something else, is very important when looking for the best AR 15 scope.
Fortunately, all three of the AR 15 riflescopes reviewed above can be used in a myriad of different hunting and long-range shooting scenarios. All three of them are pretty dynamic, flexible and versatile, while their respective features make them quite accurate, precise and reliable.
For all those who have read this, one of the above three AR 15 riflescopes is sure to suit your particular hunting or shooting needs.
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