18" AR10 Long Range Scope Recommendations

[AliasNeo07]

Hey all,

Tried to scroll through a bunch of pages here but didn't find exactly what I was looking for.

Kind of new to long range shooting, just got my first AR10. 18" barrel. What sort of glass would you recommend for longer range shooting? I can't imagine I'd ever shoot past 500 yards but would like to be able to push it to 800 if possible. Trying to keep it $2500 and under.

Is 18 enough to bang a 36" steel plate at 800yrd?

Also, I'm assuming FFP, mil dot instead of moa, standard reticle?

This is what I was looking at, but would love some feedback before I drop that much coin.

Mark 5HD 3.6-18x44 M5C3 FFP Illum. PR1-MIL

Pick up a Mark 5HD™ 3.6-18x44mm and you'll feel the difference. It's up to 20 ounces lighter than other riflescopes in its class, giving you an advantage in the field or at the range. The versatile 3.6-18x magnification range helps you engage close targets, while also giving you the flexibility...

www.leupold.com

Thanks!

 

[rbird7282]

Hey all,

Tried to scroll through a bunch of pages here but didn't find exactly what I was looking for.

Kind of new to long range shooting, just got my first AR10. 18" barrel. What sort of glass would you recommend for longer range shooting? I can't imagine I'd ever shoot past 500 yards but would like to be able to push it to 800 if possible. Trying to keep it $2500 and under.

Is 18 enough to bang a 36" steel plate at 800yrd?

Also, I'm assuming FFP, mil dot instead of moa, standard reticle?

This is what I was looking at, but would love some feedback before I drop that much coin.

Mark 5HD 3.6-18x44 M5C3 FFP Illum. PR1-MIL

Pick up a Mark 5HD™ 3.6-18x44mm and you'll feel the difference. It's up to 20 ounces lighter than other riflescopes in its class, giving you an advantage in the field or at the range. The versatile 3.6-18x magnification range helps you engage close targets, while also giving you the flexibility...

www.leupold.com

Thanks!

18 is more than enough to reach out to 800 yards, I personally prefer more magnification. I run a Vortex Viper PST at 24x. I prefer FFP so the marks on the reticle are accurate at any magnification.
MIL or MOA makes no difference, I’d use what you’re comfortable with.
You can certainly get a great scope for less than that but generally speaking the more you spend the better the glass will be.
At your price point I’d also look at Nightforce as well as the Vortex Razor series


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[trickg]

For that budget there are plenty of choices, but I’m not sure you’ll make the most out of a high end scope on an AR10 platform rifle.

You could mount an Arken EP5 that could get you to 500+ yards, and that scope is running $500 or so depending on what promotions are going on.

 

[dontpanic]

At that budget, I would get this.

Trijicon Tenmile 4.5-30x56 FFP Long-Range w/ Red/Green MRAD Precision Tree, 34mm, Matte Black Riflescope 3000013

FREE SHIPPING on Trijicon Tenmile 4.5-30x56 FFP Long-Range w/ Red/Green MRAD Precision Tree, 34mm, Matte Black Riflescope 3000013

www.eurooptic.com

Otherwise there are plenty of models from Nightforce and Sightron that will work for you.
Don't limit your magnification just because it will work. If you want to just see if you like FFP scopes. The Vortex Venom is a good choice. It's only $500 but punches above its price

 

[trickg]

At that budget, I would get this.

Trijicon Tenmile 4.5-30x56 FFP Long-Range w/ Red/Green MRAD Precision Tree, 34mm, Matte Black Riflescope 3000013

FREE SHIPPING on Trijicon Tenmile 4.5-30x56 FFP Long-Range w/ Red/Green MRAD Precision Tree, 34mm, Matte Black Riflescope 3000013

www.eurooptic.com

Otherwise there are plenty of models from Nightforce and Sightron that will work for you.
Don't limit your magnification just because it will work. If you want to just see if you like FFP scopes. The Vortex Venom is a good choice. It's only $500 but punches above its price

Watch the shootout videos on YouTube - the Arken scopes tend to do better in almost every regard against the Vortex Venom, and they actually cost less. A possible better option if we're still looking at Vortex - a bit higher priced, but better in almost every way - would be the Strike Eagle.

I have two Arken scopes, and both seem to be very good. Then again, I don't have a ton of experience with rifle scopes, but it compared quite favorably to my friend's Nightforce NX8. Was it as good? Not quite. Was the Nightforce $1200 better? (My friend paid roughly $1800 for his - I paid just over $500 for mine) Arguably no.

There's a video that does a direct comparison of an Arken EP5 against a Nightforce ATACR - it's actually a 2-part video with each video is about 40 minutes long. The guy really goes through the nitty gritty, and the Arken actually compared very well given the massive price difference between the two.

 

[Squaregrouper]

A $2500 scope on an 18" AR platform is not a good use of money. Get one of these and call it a day...

Vortex Viper PST 6-24x50 MOA EBR-2C Riflescope PST-43127

Buy Vortex Viper PST 6-24x50 EBR MOA Riflescope at Eurooptic.com. Get free shipping on this XD Lens Elements, Waterproof, Fogproof, and Shockproof Vortex Viper Rifle scope. Call 570-368-3920 for the best price on Vortex Scope. SHIPS FREE!

www.eurooptic.com

 

[trickg]

A $2500 scope on an 18" AR platform is not a good use of money. Get one of these and call it a day...

Vortex Viper PST 6-24x50 MOA EBR-2C Riflescope PST-43127

Buy Vortex Viper PST 6-24x50 EBR MOA Riflescope at Eurooptic.com. Get free shipping on this XD Lens Elements, Waterproof, Fogproof, and Shockproof Vortex Viper Rifle scope. Call 570-368-3920 for the best price on Vortex Scope. SHIPS FREE!

www.eurooptic.com

I thought similarly - I can see it on a precision bolt gun, but not on an AR.

 

[Bountied]

18 is more than enough to reach out to 800 yards, I personally prefer more magnification. I run a Vortex Viper PST at 24x. I prefer FFP so the marks on the reticle are accurate at any magnification.
MIL or MOA makes no difference, I’d use what you’re comfortable with.
You can certainly get a great scope for less than that but generally speaking the more you spend the better the glass will be.
At your price point I’d also look at Nightforce as well as the Vortex Razor series


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I like MOA since the increments are slightly smaller than MIL. .36" per .1MIL Vs. .25" per 1/4MOA.

 

[erwos]

~3-18x is about the sweet spot for the shooting you're describing, IMHO. 4-20 could also work.

 

[Bountied]

A $2500 scope on an 18" AR platform is not a good use of money. Get one of these and call it a day...

Vortex Viper PST 6-24x50 MOA EBR-2C Riflescope PST-43127

Buy Vortex Viper PST 6-24x50 EBR MOA Riflescope at Eurooptic.com. Get free shipping on this XD Lens Elements, Waterproof, Fogproof, and Shockproof Vortex Viper Rifle scope. Call 570-368-3920 for the best price on Vortex Scope. SHIPS FREE!

www.eurooptic.com

Why not the Gen II in 5-25? BTW I have a PST 6-24 in an ADRECON mount for sale. PM if interested. On an AR I would definitely get a one-piece QD mount.

 

[teratos]

In case you are shooting and wonder if Saturn still has rings...

Nightforce BR Benchrest 12-42x56 NP-R2 C104 - Nightforceusa.com

www.nightforceusa.com

 

[steves1911]

I run a 2.5-10x ffp bushnell on a 16" ar10 and have no trouble on a 12" gong at 500yds. One day I hope to get the time to take that rig out to pntc to stretch it out more and find out where that 16" tube falls on its face. A 3-18x would fit nicely on a 18" and be plenty of scope for gongs as far away as you care to try with a 18" 308.

 

[Trappemann]

Primary Arms SLx 5-25x56 FFP Rifle Scope - Illuminated ACSS Athena BPR MIL Reticle - BLEM

DetailsThese blemished products are guaranteed to function correctly but may have minor cosmetic defects. Their original warranties still apply.This rifle scope is part of the SLx optics line. SLx optics built the reputation for innovation, reliability and value. All SLx optics undergo rigorous...

www.primaryarms.com

 

[Bountied]

Primary Arms SLx 5-25x56 FFP Rifle Scope - Illuminated ACSS Athena BPR MIL Reticle - BLEM

DetailsThese blemished products are guaranteed to function correctly but may have minor cosmetic defects. Their original warranties still apply.This rifle scope is part of the SLx optics line. SLx optics built the reputation for innovation, reliability and value. All SLx optics undergo rigorous...

www.primaryarms.com

That's a lot of useful features for cheap. How is the glass on this compared to the PST GEN I?

 

[AliasNeo07]

In case you are shooting and wonder if Saturn still has rings...

Nightforce BR Benchrest 12-42x56 NP-R2 C104 - Nightforceusa.com

www.nightforceusa.com

It would be nice to be able to satisfy my ballistic and astronomic curiosities simultaneously...

 

[gtodave]

A $2500 scope on an 18" AR platform is not a good use of money. Get one of these and call it a day...

Vortex Viper PST 6-24x50 MOA EBR-2C Riflescope PST-43127

Buy Vortex Viper PST 6-24x50 EBR MOA Riflescope at Eurooptic.com. Get free shipping on this XD Lens Elements, Waterproof, Fogproof, and Shockproof Vortex Viper Rifle scope. Call 570-368-3920 for the best price on Vortex Scope. SHIPS FREE!

www.eurooptic.com

+1.

I have a 20" AR10 with a bull barrel with a similar scope. It's the second scope I've had on the rifle. Anything more costly is just wasting money. The 10 is so much looser than a bolt gun, high-end optics are useless unless you're shooting low light or prefer to spot and aim with the same optic.

 

[firemn260]

I have a Burris XTR 2 5-25x 50 on my 18” but I have yet to take it out to any distance beyond 100 yards. It’s probably more scope than I need on a gas gun. It will probably move over to a dedicated long range bolt gun whenever I get around to putting one together.
I feel like a good 2.5-10 would do just fine on it so one of the mid range vortex is probably what it will get.

 

[erwos]

I have a 20" AR10 with a bull barrel with a similar scope. It's the second scope I've had on the rifle. Anything more costly is just wasting money. The 10 is so much looser than a bolt gun, high-end optics are useless unless you're shooting low light or prefer to spot and aim with the same optic.

I'm not sure I agree with this line of thought. I know where you're coming from, but I think you absolutely do need the ability to spot your own hits (or, rather, misses). You will not always have a spotter. AR-308s can also be quite accurate if you choose the right barrel; I've made hits out at 1000+ with a ~1 MOA rifle, it's really about what you're shooting at and having the platform and gear to do it.

All of this is to say, if someone wants to slap a Razor GenII or III on their high quality AR-308, I don't see that as wasting money per se. Look at what the PRS gas gun guys are doing.

 

[gtodave]

I'm not sure I agree with this line of thought. I know where you're coming from, but I think you absolutely do need the ability to spot your own hits (or, rather, misses). You will not always have a spotter.

unless you're shooting low light or prefer to spot and aim with the same optic.

 

[erwos]

I don't think it's a preference, though. I think it's a necessity if you shoot enough. Keep in mind that my context is shooting steel at 1000+, though.