AR optic

[TX03RUBI]

Also with a good weapon mounted light I can easily and quickly kill past 200 with my day rifle. I’ve got Modlite OKWs on a couple rifles, and a Surefire Turbo on a couple other rifles. Depending on which optic is on the rifle I’m good from 250-350 quickly with those lights.

[PVDT]

I can’t imagine ever shooting far enough with a 223 to need a 24X lol and I’ve shot well beyond 1K with them. Ideally I’m at 12-14X to a mile, so yeah a 24X is far from useful for me. I’ve shot quite a few prairie dogs at 500-700 with a 1-8 LPVO, and most of the hogs and dogs I’ve killed with it have been at 1-3X. Then again I buy good glass and my eyes still work.

This was the exact comment I was expecting from somewhere. Yeah and I guess 1000 yard F class shooters have recently started using LPVO optics too. Seriously. Hitting a full silhouette with an 8x is just a little different than a much more challenging target where an 8x is worthless. And I actually hunt prairie dogs twice/year. 700 yards with an 8x…c’mon. I have no doubt that you’ve had kills at 700. But at 700, a prairie dog is completely covered by the crosshairs plus not to mention how well they blend in with the surroundings with the 8x. The OP asked for opinions for an optic for plinking and hog hunting. The ACTUAL versatility of a higher power optic vs a red dot or LPVO is without question unmatched. Try to shoot for accuracy groups at 500 or plinking small steel with the 8x vs a 24x. If the opinion is that an 8x is just as good then I’ve completely wasted my time trying to help a fella out. And as far as good glass….I use Nightforce on most of my rifles.

[Clay C]

This was the exact comment I was expecting from somewhere. Yeah and I guess 1000 yard F class shooters have recently started using LPVO optics too. Seriously. Hitting a full silhouette with an 8x is just a little different than a much more challenging target where an 8x is worthless. And I actually hunt prairie dogs twice/year. 700 yards with an 8x…c’mon. I have no doubt that you’ve had kills at 700. But at 700, a prairie dog is completely covered by the crosshairs plus not to mention how well they blend in with the surroundings with the 8x. The OP asked for opinions for an optic for plinking and hog hunting. The ACTUAL versatility of a higher power optic vs a red dot or LPVO is without question unmatched. Try to shoot for accuracy groups at 500 or plinking small steel with the 8x vs a 24x. If the opinion is that an 8x is just as good then I’ve completely wasted my time trying to help a fella out. And as far as good glass….I use Nightforce on most of my rifles.

You are assigning needs to the OP that he didn't describe. He never expressed the need for long range precision. He said hog hunting and plinking. I don't know what kind of hogs you hunt, but they are pretty easy to get close to. "Plinking" to me does not describe shooting for groups at 500 yards.

6X bottom mag is just too much for a lot of hunting situations. Especially when we are talking about pigs. Most scopes in the magnification range you are touting come with a size and weight penalty as well.

[lordvader]

3x9x40 works for me. It is what I have on 2 of my AR's. I will probably never shoot anything beyond 300 yards. I don't recall ever shooting at a deer farther than 200 yards. Honestly, I have killed a lot of deer but never with an AR platform. This will be my second year using one. No luck at a shot last year. I never hunted with them in the past because I didn't think they were as good as my bolt guns. Or at least that was my excuse for not using them. I know they are just as capable as any of my bolt guns. This year's pick will be the 6.5 Grendel.

[dclifton]

Really liking my Sig MSR 1x10 on my 6.5 grendel ruger ranch rifle. I wouldnt hesitate at all to slap one on an AR.

I like the 10X option just incase i dont have binos and want to look at something with a little more close up.

I dont see the point in not having the option. You get alot of bang for your buck with the SIGS.
This is my go to ranger gun. Fits your specifics as well. Red dots are great but when you want to shoot that coyote running across the pasture at 200 im not as confident with a red dot.

Yes ive plinked at plenty of target at 1-200yds with a red dot ar but a little magnification helps.

[TX03RUBI]

This was the exact comment I was expecting from somewhere. Yeah and I guess 1000 yard F class shooters have recently started using LPVO optics too. Seriously. Hitting a full silhouette with an 8x is just a little different than a much more challenging target where an 8x is worthless. And I actually hunt prairie dogs twice/year. 700 yards with an 8x…c’mon. I have no doubt that you’ve had kills at 700. But at 700, a prairie dog is completely covered by the crosshairs plus not to mention how well they blend in with the surroundings with the 8x. The OP asked for opinions for an optic for plinking and hog hunting. The ACTUAL versatility of a higher power optic vs a red dot or LPVO is without question unmatched. Try to shoot for accuracy groups at 500 or plinking small steel with the 8x vs a 24x. If the opinion is that an 8x is just as good then I’ve completely wasted my time trying to help a fella out. And as far as good glass….I use Nightforce on most of my rifles.

I think NF NXS glass is crap too ATACR is solid though. If you can’t hit a pig with 6 or 8X you’re likely not the person to be giving advice on this subject.

[TX03RUBI]

The funny thing is I had an 66% silhouette setup at my last lease at 485 yds. My wife didn’t find head shots to be an issue with the 1-8

[PVDT]

Since this has ended up going in the direction of a lot of social media topics, I’ll attempt a change in direction.

OP, if slinging bullets at full or 66% silhouettes and shooting pigs at relatively close distances (obviously subjective and different for everyone) then a low power optic might suit you. However, if precision (another possibly subjective term) and finding exactly which one of the million options in ammo your rifle shoots the best on paper, then a higher power optic is typically ideal. Finding the perfect ammo for your rifle makes shooting 6 and 8 inch gongs at 500 plus yards a lot of fun. And seeing just how small your groups can get on steel at distance is what makes shooting fun and a challenge (another subjective statement obviously). As a reloader, something you may not do YET (but should…it’s a blast and a challenge) higher power optics are definitely ideal.

[Joe H]

Thanks everyone. What I have discovered is all of you are right and I need to buy more AR’s. Seriously addicting. I went with a 1x6 illuminated reticle. Going to get a nice thermal next year. Shot it today just standing up off sticks and first shot was dead center. I have never mounted a scope and not have to adjust it at all. (Didn’t even bore sight first) backed up to 90 yards and shot about 8 more and maybe 3 inch max spread. I believe off a steady rest it will be a sub MOA gun easily. Thanks again

[muzzlebrake]

There's a reason the military doesn't use long range optics on M16/AR15 rifles. These guns are not really made for that. Great gun for high volume fire under 100 yards IMO and for that all you need is low power wide field of view or a red dot or reflex sight. I been shootin the AR/M16 since 1967 so I kinda have a feel for what they are good for. Now with larger calibers and extended platforms like AR10 the metrics change and the range gets stretched way on out there.
I'm just an old opinionated Army grunt so what do I know but having a 24x scope on a M16 is to me like the turtle on top of the fence post.

[TX03RUBI]

Since this has ended up going in the direction of a lot of social media topics, I’ll attempt a change in direction.

OP, if slinging bullets at full or 66% silhouettes and shooting pigs at relatively close distances (obviously subjective and different for everyone) then a low power optic might suit you. However, if precision (another possibly subjective term) and finding exactly which one of the million options in ammo your rifle shoots the best on paper, then a higher power optic is typically ideal. Finding the perfect ammo for your rifle makes shooting 6 and 8 inch gongs at 500 plus yards a lot of fun. And seeing just how small your groups can get on steel at distance is what makes shooting fun and a challenge (another subjective statement obviously). As a reloader, something you may not do YET (but should…it’s a blast and a challenge) higher power optics are definitely ideal.

Headshots on a 66% are smaller than a 6” gong , and 485 isn’t much shy of 500. I love when people talk out their rear end

[TX03RUBI]

There's a reason the military doesn't use long range optics on M16/AR15 rifles. These guns are not really made for that. Great gun for high volume fire under 100 yards IMO and for that all you need is low power wide field of view or a red dot or reflex sight. I been shootin the AR/M16 since 1967 so I kinda have a feel for what they are good for. Now with larger calibers and extended platforms like AR10 the metrics change and the range gets stretched way on out there.
I'm just an old opinionated Army grunt so what do I know but having a 24x scope on a M16 is to me like the turtle on top of the fence post.

They don’t kill worth a dang at distance. I typically keep hogs to 300 and in with a 223/556. However I’ll sling lead at a coyote any chance I get. The right barrel will shoot very well, although it’s still limited by terminal performance of the caliber.

[TX03RUBI]

Thanks everyone. What I have discovered is all of you are right and I need to buy more AR’s. Seriously addicting. I went with a 1x6 illuminated reticle. Going to get a nice thermal next year. Shot it today just standing up off sticks and first shot was dead center. I have never mounted a scope and not have to adjust it at all. (Didn’t even bore sight first) backed up to 90 yards and shot about 8 more and maybe 3 inch max spread. I believe a steady rest it will be a sub MOA gun easily. Thanks again

I’ve got 3 main AR rifles. One with a red dot, one with a 1-8 LPVO, and one with a 3-18 and a dot on top. The 3-18 replaced a 3-15. I’ve shot the 3-15 to a grand a handful of times, but regularly took it to 700-800 without issue. I didn’t ever shoot at 15X, but I did and still do use the top end mag to ID at distance. I do prefer that optic for anything over 500, but that’s more due to reticle than anything. I’m typically at 8-10X shooting anything mid range (500-800) with it anyways. My 1-8 LPVO is my go to rifle though. It gets shot a lot, and I keep it on 1X at all times until I need to crank it up. Its main use is a truck gun for hogs and coyotes at 50-300. It’s not my ideal optic for 500+ on small critters, but those who say it can’t be done are incompetent or blind. However a 223 AR isn’t exactly my ideal rifle for that shooting either, but they’ll definitely do in a when they’re all that’s handy.