300 Blackout Optic..Help Me Choose

[KYShooter73]

Help me choose an optic for my 14.5 in 300 Blackout. I want to be able to switch between magnification for load development and longer shots, and zero magnification for general use and hunting whitetail, and switch back and forth plinking. This rifle has an Eotech for hunting that I swap out with a cheapie 12x scope for load development. I am thinking either a Vortex Viper PST 1x4 w/TMCQ Reticle, or a magnifier for my Eotech. I can't afford either this instant, but need to keep my budget in this neighborhood. Other suggestions are welcomed, but I'm leaning toward the Vortex .... This one... http://www.vortexoptics.com/product/...eticle/reticle

Thanks.

[KYShooter73]

No takers? Anyone used the Vortex?

[StratsMan]

Personally, I prefer to not worry about eye relief so I use Reflex for optics... I have considered a 3x magnifier behind it, but haven't made that step...

[garym1a2]

An EO tech on an AR with a 3x behind it is plenty good for most usages.

[Lloyd Smale]

4x acog. Near as fast as a dot sight up close. 4x for the long shots. No batterys to go bad, No magnifier needed. Much better in low light then an eotech and much more rugged then a variable scope. Only downside is cost but ive seen them in the 700 dollar range used and thats what youll pay for either of your other choises. Ive got two of them on ars and if i had the money all my ars would wear one.

[27judge]

I put a weaver 1 1/2 to 5 on mine , it works real well . tks ken

[sdcitizen]

Been real happy with all the vortex products I've tried, haven't used any of the PST line, but I'm sure they are worth the money.

[45 2.1]

4x acog. Near as fast as a dot sight up close. 4x for the long shots. No batterys to go bad, No magnifier needed. Much better in low light then an eotech and much more rugged then a variable scope. Only downside is cost but ive seen them in the 700 dollar range used and thats what you'll pay for either of your other choices. Ive got two of them on ars and if i had the money all my ars would wear one.

+1.... Excellent choice. In low or almost no light, if you can even make out the target however slightly, you can hit it. Add a laser designator and you have capability to the limits of the cartridge.

[KYShooter73]

+1.... Excellent choice. In low or almost no light, if you can even make out the target however slightly, you can hit it. Add a laser designator and you have capability to the limits of the cartridge.

Lol, you fellas are being awfully free with my money!

[Love Life]

Sell the Eotech, save up the rest, and buy you an ACOG. A solid optic for close quarters and for longer shots. It's a lifetime optic investment.

[45 2.1]

Lol, you fellas are being awfully free with my money!

Actually, we are trying to save you some in the long run. If you haven't tried an ACOG, you should.... at least look thru it and see what you're missing out on.

Sell the Eotech, save up the rest, and buy you an ACOG. A solid optic for close quarters and for longer shots. It's a lifetime optic investment.

An accurate summation............................

[Lloyd Smale]

if i had to go cheap id just put a vortex strikefire on it. there less then 200 bucks. Battery life isnt what an aimpoint has and i dont know if there battle tough like an aimpoint but i guess few of us are going into battle. Bottom line though is its a compromise unlike the acog that will do about everything well. Even if you have to go used and go with one of the cheaper priced acogs that dont have fiber optics. Ive seen them used in the 500-600 dollar range. I look at it this way anymore. I dont think theres 5 guns in my safe that dont have scopes differnt then the ones i originaly bought. Compromised when i bought them because of budget. two years later couldnt take it anymore and bought better and took it in the shorts on the original ones reselling them. Anymore if i cant afford to put the optic i want on a rilfe i stick it in the safe until i can save the money and buy it the first time.

[Love Life]

^^My thoughts exactly. Be patient, save up, and buy the ACOG. If you sell the rifle later, keep the ACOG...forever.

[bruce drake]

I bought a Leupold 4x fixed scope for my 300BLK AR and its worked just fine for hunting and plinking to the limit of the cartridge's usefulness (200yds). The magnification is low enough you can easily switch to a set of 45 degree offset or Backup Iron iron sights for close work during 3-gun matches or keep using the glass with the 4 inches of eye relief. It has wide duplex crosshairs and at 200 yards, I use the thicker vertical portion as a quick hold off for my 125gr loads with the sight's crosshairs centered for 100yrds. It only weighs 9oz and has 1/4" click adjustments. Also, its a lot cheaper than an ACOG (~$300) I mount it using Warne Quick-Release Maxima rings which allow me to take the mount off quickly while retaining a good zero when reinstalling.

Bruce

[KYShooter73]

Thanks again everyone. My goal with the blackout was to whitetail hunt, while casting my own boolits, with my AR platform. Kentucky hill country is 150-300 yard shots max excepting river bottoms and such. I like the no battery aspect of the acog, but really want something I can use fast and both eyes open at zero magnification. I don't want to sell off my Eotech, especially with a stripped lower in the safe yet to be built. ( I feel another blackout coming). Anyone had personal experience with the Vortex? I have a SPARC, and like it more than my Eotech at half the price. I guess I'm persuading myself here. Thanks everyone.

[Cmm_3940]

Got an Eotech with a 7x magnifier on the carbine, wish I had an ACOG instead. I ended up building me a whole 'nother AR rifle for longer range with a 4.5-14x42

[Lloyd Smale]

youd be shocked how fast you can use an acog with both eyes open. With a couple days practice id bet your just as fast as you are with that eotec and if not it sure isnt going to slow you down enough to miss a deer or even slow you down enough if your in combat. I have had two strikefires and will say that in my opinion your not going to get any other sight for twice the money thats any better. Id personaly take one over an eotech even if the price was the same. Problem is that to me anyway about the end of the usefullness of a dot sight in the hunting field is 200 yards. Any farther then that and you need an awful small dot and some magnification. Personaly i dont like any flip over magnification on my ars or even flip off or take off mounts on optics to allow you to use open sights. Your not going to have time when something is up close to pop off your scope or flip over your magnifier before you shoot it anyway and to me rather then spending my money on fancy mounts and back up sights id rather spend it on the best, toughest optics i can buy and rely on them and imo that means an acog. Lots of our boys in uniform agree and if its good enough for what they use it for im sure not going to tax it any harder. Nothing comes close to an acogs combination of fast in close and precission out far and optical peformance in low light. Only downside to them is the cost. But like in about anything. Real performance doesnt come cheap.

Thanks again everyone. My goal with the blackout was to whitetail hunt, while casting my own boolits, with my AR platform. Kentucky hill country is 150-300 yard shots max excepting river bottoms and such. I like the no battery aspect of the acog, but really want something I can use fast and both eyes open at zero magnification. I don't want to sell off my Eotech, especially with a stripped lower in the safe yet to be built. ( I feel another blackout coming). Anyone had personal experience with the Vortex? I have a SPARC, and like it more than my Eotech at half the price. I guess I'm persuading myself here. Thanks everyone.

[Doc Highwall]

As you stated you are going to use this for deer hunting I would lean towards something with some magnification being that places that I hunt require the deer to have 3" min antler length or you will have become a poacher. I like low power scopes like 1-4x 1.5-5x or 1.5-6x. At 300 yards @6x would be like looking @ 50 yards with your naked eye.

[Love Life]

You can use the ACOG with both eyes open. The vortex isn't on the same level as the ACOG.

[gzig5]

Nikon makes a 300 BLK specific scope with a BDC reticle configured for the cartridge. Probably not perfect for every load but not bad for $200. I think a 2-7 power is plenty for what you described. If you don't like the reticle, any 2-7 would do.