Best AR 15 Scopes

Finding the best AR 15 scope in 2018 can be a challenge.

With so many AR 1`5 optics on the market, how do you choose …

With rigorous testing and actual field study of hundreds of scopes, we have narrowed down the list for those of you looking to get the best AR 15 scope for the money!

Narrowing the list wasn’t easy, as there is a big range of the best ar scopes to choose from, but we were able to come up with a great Top 10 list.

Top 10 Best AR-15 Scopes​

1. Nikon P-223 3×32 BDC Carbine
2. Aimpoint Pro 30mm
3. Burris Fastfire III 3 MOA
4. Vortex Optics Strike Eagle 2 1-6×24
5. Trijicon 1×25 MRO 2.0
6. EOTech 512-A65 Tactical
7. Barska 1-4×28 IR
8. Bushnell Optics Drop Zone-223
9. Bushnell Trophy TRS25 1×25
10. Vortex Viper PST 1 4×24

Technology has brought the cost of AR 15 optics down substantially so you no longer have to buy an extreme tactical military AR 15 scope which would set you back thousands of dollars.

In fact, you can now find the best AR 15 scopes under $400 or $200 now.  Sometimes less. The idea though is that you find the best AR 15 scope for the money. Where can you find the best bang for your buck?

For a few hundred dollars you can get a solid AR 15 optic that not only looks great on your AR but it will help your shooting performance.

We have put this post together so that you can find the best AR 15 optic without having to break the bank.

Best AR-15 Optics in 2018 – Top 10

These scopes won’t be for everyone and there are others that didn’t make the list, but very well could have. With so many different types of AR optics, from reflex / red dot sights to holographic sights, to heads up and tube styles, it was difficult to narrow it down to the Top 10 best when reaching into each category.

The AR optics below we feel are the best that you can get today. In the future, we will narrow down the Top AR optics in each category, but for now, enjoy our Top 10 best AR-15 Optics in 2017!

The AR 15 has become one of America’s favorite rifles – and for good reason!

The AR 15 was first designed for military and tactical applications however now there are models built for sport shooting, hunting, and plinking.

This is the reason that the best AR 15 optics need to be matched to its intended use.

For example, you wouldn’t use the BSA Sweet 17 for competition sport shooting. The AR 15 scope has become mainstream with a ton of different quality optics offering different features depending on what you are looking for. Some of our favorite brands of AR 15 scopes are Vortex, Nikon, Bushnell, Aimpoint and EOTech.

Many people don’t know that AR-15 was originally developed by Armalite, so it stands for Armalite Rifle. However Armalite ran into financial issues and sold its design to Colt and after making its own modifications, Colt started selling the rifle as the M-16, then later the Colt AR-15.

The AR-15 is sold under many different names and under various manufactures. The AR-15 is used by the military, law enforcement, and civilians because of the accuracy, affordability, and modular design of the rifle.

There are some differences between what you as a civilian can get compared to what the military or law enforcement use. Most notably, the semi-automatic AR-15 that you can buy compared to the fully automatic M-16, will have different trigger mechanisms, slightly different designs, and some internal modifications so that the civilian model cannot be converted into a fully automatic weapon.

Will you be shooting varmint at 50 yards?

Will you be sport shooting and need to reach out to 200 yards? 500 yards?

Are you taking your AR-15 out hiking for 5 days in the bush?

Are you trying to find the best AR-15 scope for coyote hunting?

AR15 optics specs may say that it is good for all of the above but that is rarely the case.

AR 15 scopes are built for different purposes so make sure do check out the best AR 15 tactical scopes reviews and do some research!

A general rule of thumb for purchasing AR 15 optics is that the more expensive it is, typically the better the optic you will get. This is not unlike basically everything else in life.

With that being said, there are definitely solid brands and models of AR 15 scopes that provide better value. As with other rifle scopes, the larger the objective lens the more light the scope will allow in and provide you with a clearer image especially in low light conditions.

Keep in mind that the physical size and weight of the AR rifle scope also goes up so it is a constant trade-off. If you are looking for a variable magnification AR 15 scope, the lower the bottom end of the magnification range means the bigger field of view you will get and the easier it will be to acquire your target.

Buying the best AR-15 optic also requires you to decide if you want a standard variable or fixed magnification scope or whether you want a budget AR red dot sight.

Both have their pros and cons and in fact, many people will choose to own at least one of each. A red dot sight (sometimes called green dot) is built for short and medium-range shooting as they are generally not magnified or are only magnified slightly.

These AR riflescopes are easy to set up and allow for fast target acquisition as the dot appears on the intended target.

Generally speaking, if you are looking for the best AR 15 scope for the money and want variable magnification, we would recommend something on the lower end of the magnification scale.

In fact, you can get a good AR15 scope that features a 1-4x or 1-6x magnification range. This provides versatility as you will get good target acquisition at close range while still being able to shoot out to 500+ yards.

Check out our guide for choosing the best scope as it provides some good general information about purchasing a rifle scope.

Must-Have Features for AR 15 Optics

When you are looking for the best AR 15 optics, there are certain features you need to look for:

• Choose an AR15 optic produced by a well-known brand
• Choose an AR15 optic that is durable, compact, and lightweight
• Choose an AR red dot optic or a holographic sight for your AR15 scope

Best Brands for AR 15 optics

When it comes to rifle scope manufacturers and brands, there are a lot to sift through. For your AR-15 optic, regardless of whether you choose a reflex sight, a red dot scope, or a holographic sight, it should be made from high-quality materials and feature quality construction.

Not all of the best AR scopes brands are created equal. It is best to choose an optic produced by a well-known brand with a good and established reputation for producing high-quality ar 15 optics.

Stick with proven brands such as:

• Nikon
• Bushnell
• Leupold
• Burris
• Hawke
• Vortex
• Redfield
• Aimpoint
• EOTech
• Trijicon

These brands are proven brands that make great AR 15 optics. I’m sure there are some others that I failed to mention, but the brands above you cannot go wrong when choosing your next AR-15 scope.

Have you heard the saying, “you get what you pay for?” This applies to AR15 scopes as well and only the best brands will be able to provide this kind of high quality.

However, this does not mean that you have to spend $500 or even $1,000 in order to obtain a high-quality AR 15 rifle scope, especially if you are looking for the best AR 15 optics for the money!

It simply means that you need to determine what level of performance you will require out of your scope depending on the use that you intend to put it. Then you choose the appropriate price range depending on those requirements.

Choose AR 15 Optics That Are Durable, Compact, and Lightweight

AR-15 rifles are specifically designed to be compact and lightweight. Because of this, it only makes sense to choose an optic that is also compact and lightweight as well.

But durability is also something that you need to make sure that your AR15 rifle scope has. AR 15 optics are designed for defensive/tactical use and must be both rugged and durable so that they can withstand not only minor impacts but the major impacts of use as well.

The recoil is also something to consider that is generated by rapid and/or repeated firing of the AR-15 and still and still maintains its zero. This is the main reason why the scope needs to be made of high-quality materials and feature high-quality construction.

The Right Type of AR 15 Scope or Sight​

When choosing a AR 15 rifle scope for defensive/tactical or for close-range hunting, the ability to acquire the target quickly is extremely important.

Because of this, both red dot sights and holographic sights are often the optic of choice for the AR-15.

However, when shooting at longer ranges, finding your target quickly isn’t as important so AR 15 optics with minimal to moderate magnification are often the best choice here.

In either case, you want to be able to see your target clearly at various distances and in varying light and atmospheric conditions so looking at optic specifications such as the magnification power, the size of the objective lens, the size of the exit pupil, the size of the tube diameter, the amount of eye relief the type and number of coatings on the lenses, and the type of reticle all affect the quality of the sight picture.

In the end, whichever AR 15 scope sight you decide to choose if you intend to use it in bad weather, be sure that it is also both waterproof and fog proof.

The only negative thing with getting an electronic sight is that is will always require some sort of power source, so the life of the power source (usually a battery) is a concern here.

Various Types of AR 15 Optics

I want to break down the various different types of sights you can get for an AR-15. As mentioned above some of the various types of AR-15 optics we recommend are:

• Reflex Sights (Red Dot Sights)
• Holographic Sights

Reflex / Red-Dot Sights Breakdown

So what is a reflex sight or red dot sight? First of all, it should be noted that red dot sights do not employ a laser. What this means is that there is no significant amount of light that is emitted forward of the shooter.

Most red dot sights fall into this category due to the fact that they consist of an objective lens with a partial mirror coating which is used to project the reticle from a point behind the objective lens which is then reflected off the back of the objective lends toward the shooter’s eye.

Also, some AR red dot sights make use of the ambient light which is gathered by a fiber-optic system, while others are supplemented by a tritium beta lamp unit for use in low light conditions.

So what it comes down to is the red dot sight requires a wider bandwidth of light in order to project the reticle onto the objective lens. This alters the color of light passing through the lens coating but more than those that employ an LED to generate the reticle (known as illuminated scopes).

Red dot sights are generally available in a couple of different styles:

1. Heads Up style – incorporates only one lens mounted in a bezel with the source of the reticle contained in a small box positioned behind and below the lens resulting in different appearances from the tube-type reflex sights. The heads-up style sight can usually be mounted lower on the firearm than tube-type reflex sights.
2. Tube-Body style – This style of red dot sight incorporates a tube with a lens positioned at each end so it looks like a normal rifle scope.

Best Red Dot Sights for AR 15

Scope	Model	Specs	$	Rating
	Bushnell Trophy TRS-25 Red Dot Sight Riflescope	1 x 25 mm	$
	Trijicon MRO 2.0	1 x 25 mm	$$$
	Vortex Optics StrikeFire 2	1 x 30 mm	$$

Holographic Sights Breakdown

The only manufacturer with a holographic weapon sight (HWS) is a company called Electric-Optic Technologies or EOTech. They sometimes are marketed under the Bushnell brand as well.

Holographic sights have a reticle that is superimposed on the target using a laser that illuminates a hologram that is contained within the objective lens (not projected onto it).

Due to this, there is no need for a reflective coating on the objective lens. Instead, a photograph of the reticle is taken which is then sandwiched between two layers of optical glass and illuminated by a laser mounted behind the objective lens.

Then the picture is projected forward away from the shooter which creates a reticle image that is meant to appear at a virtual 50 yards in front of the shooter.

All holographic sights use the heads-up style which many shooters prefer anyways due to is compact size and lightweight.

In addition, because the reticle is a virtual hologram, it can be any size or shape. ​EOTech has incorporated a 1 MOA dot (smallest in the industry) combined with a 68 MOA circle which not only provides extremely quick target acquisition, but it also provides greater precision at longer ranges than the 2 MOA or 4 MOA dotes used on reflex sights.

What this means is at 200 yards the 1 MOA dot only occludes 2 inches of the target whereas, the 2 MOA and 4 MOA dots occlude 4 to 8 inches of the target respectively.

When holographic sights are combined with a special 3x magnifier, only the target is enlarged while the dot remains the same size. But when a magnifier is added to a reflex sight, both the target and the dot are enlarged.​

Best Holographic Sights For AR 15