I know that the community is made up of more hunters with bolt action rifles than AR-15’s but I really value your opinion and input. I have a 16” AR which I need to get a low power variable optic (LPVO) for and want to see what the community recommendations would be. I have older eyes and am considering at least a 1-8x zoom capable LPVO.
I have a Vortex Strike Eagle 1x-6x and I love it. I know its only a 6x and not an 8x but most LPVOs are fairly similar in function it just comes down to specific features and brand preference.
I would through this into the mix if I were shopping an LPCO. Tract seems to build a great scope. TORIC Low Variable Power Optic Rifle Scopes
Leupold vx-5hd 2-10 power. 30mm tube would be what I would recommend. But im not sure what your budget is and if those are out of your price range I would maybe look at a vx-3 or a vortex viper.
You didn’t say your price range but I can tell you the Riton x3 tactix 1x8 power is now on my RR predator 2 and so far it’s pretty darn good. Got it sighted in with no problems and shot 1.5 in group at 200 yards. Lighted reticle and clear glass. Veteran owned and I have 3 different models now and all seem great so far. I’m a scope nut and have a bunch from cheaper to higher dollar range and these are good scopes.
but the Strike Eagle does come in a 1x8 FPP.
The one I bought is a 1x6 since I didn’t really need the extra zoom for any of the shooting I planned on doing. Even only going up to 6x I love it and I’ve had no issues at all.
Thank you for all of the great recommendations. Certainly a lot to think about. I really appreciate it.
Leupold vx-6 1-6x24 firedot LPVO is pretty damn sweet
I know you’re looking for 1-8, but look into the Vortex Viper PST Gen 2 1-6x It’s commonly considered 75-80% of the Vortex Razor for 30% of the price. You can find them pretty often for $425-450 online from places like Focus Camera or Euro Optic. I’ve gone through a bunch of LPVO’s (Crossfires, Strike Eagles, Burris RT, Swampfox and Primary Arms) and haven’t found anything that bests the Viper PST for the price. You can definitely spend more but in my opinion the return on money spent isn’t yielding enough results to make it worth spending the extra cash. I’d say the one negative with the Viper PST is the weight. It’s not the lightest out there.
The things I look for in an LPVO are:
- No magnification of the image at 1x. I want it to look just like I’m looking out a window.
- Clear glass with little to no blur at the edges.
- Little to no chromatic aberration.
- Daylight bright illumination.
- Price
- Warranty
I’ve been a bolt action rifle hunter my whole life but stepped outside my traditional box and bought a 10.5” barreled AR15 in 300 Blackout. I wanted an AR to hunt deer and hogs with within 200 yards but needed something with more power than the standard 5.56 NATO. Since this rifle is being used for hunting, I wanted a scope that went higher in magnification than the typical 1x4 or 1x6. After doing some research, I went with the Swampfox Arrowhead 1x10. I’m really liking this scope. The optics are clear and it gathers plenty of light. My only complaint would be the fact that the eyebox is a little tight. It’s nothing that hinders the scope too badly though and I would definitely give it a consideration. Here’s a link to a good review of it on YT: Swampfox Arrowhead 1-10x24 - A Better LPVO or a MPVO? - YouTube
Nice! Hope it works well for you. I also saw that Riton came out with a 1x10. I’m very interested in this one.
I have the Vortex Strike Eagle in 8x and love it.
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