What scope would be best

[Go_Vols!]

I'm buying an AR with a 24" barrel with a 1in8 twist. I have looked at a lot of scopes and really like Counter Sniper scopes. I just want to know if a 5-25x42 or a 4-16x42 would be best for short to mid range target shooting. The price is only about $50 difference but if I don't need the extra power why by it.

[eaglescouter]

For my Appleseed rifles I like the 3-9 power optics.  Higher magnification is not helpful to me and can be detrimental at times.  I have one scope that is a 10-24X, I keep that one at 10X unless I have it on a bench where it is being used as a spotting scope, then it moves to the 24X which is otherwise unused.

Given the two choices you list, I would arrange to physically look thru each and would select the one with the brighter sight picture.  Since both choices have the same objective diameter, the lower magnification will also tend to be the brighter one, but also be sure to examine image quality in both optics at the full range of magnifications. 

[9mm4545]

I would tend to concur with the previous comments. With an AR shooting 5.56x45 I think it would be doubtful that you would ever find the need for the higher magnification scope as that cartridge is just not going to be useful as distances where really big magnification might be needed. If you plan on shooting mostly off the bench, perhaps 10 power or more might be usable but shooting from field positions like at Appleseed? Not so much. Go with the brighter scope with the eye relief that is workable on your rifle.

[GEmanuel]

I currently have mounted on my AR a 4 to 16. It is usually set on 6 to 8 out to 200 yards which is all I have available. If I had a longer distance I might crank it up to 12, but, beyond that brightness as well as resolution drop off pretty quick.
Stick with the lesser power, and be prepared to use the middle range for best balance of power/brightness/resolution IMHO

[Cory Mathis]

As stated before.......it depends on what you want to do with it.  I have a Burris AR332 comp drop 3x fixed on mine.  It helps with seeing targets out to 500 yards.  Also the comp drop reticule you don't have to worry about hold overs.  Just put the right reticule on the target and do the six steps.  I have really liked mine.  Adjustments are right on.

Just more info for ya.

Casper

[Sly223]

Then again for $50,
Why limit yourself!
Could you post some info. on your upper 24" that's awsome.

[oladcock]

Then again for $50,
Why limit yourself!
Could you post some info. on your upper 24" that's awsome.

LOL, Yep, I'm more interested in the 24" barrel! Got a 20" in 1-9 and it's a tack driver.

We've got 3-15's and an AR-10. 2 of the 15's we're using the 2x7 Redfield Revolutions with the accuplex or what ever they call it and they're great out to 500. Strawberry had a Leupold (who now makes Redfield) on the AR-10, next thing I know she's yanking the Leupold and putting a 3x9 Redfield Revolution on it. I agree with the above, for "rifleman" duties, much more than 4x really isn't needed or desired....O.L.

[nyrasgt]

Folks,
FWIW, Gun Tests mag (no advertising) tested inexpensive scopes last year.  Froze 'em. pounded them on wooden workbench, threw 'em into barrel of water.  ONLY one that survived all three tests was the Simmons .22 Mag scope w. Adj. Obj...believe is 3x9x40...can be found at many outlets @ appx $55 and sometimes has a rebate attached. 
  Unsolicited testimonial; outstanding for the price.  Icing is that it comes WITH RINGS.
Excelsior,
madMark

[TN_Dadx5]

You've seen my AR-10 and my scope is a 3-9x40.  Even though the 308 will reach farther than the 223 I don't need anything more than 9.  On our KD last fall, I used 6 power at 400 yds and that was plenty to keep 10 rounds under 6". 

The recticle choice is a little harder to make.  I bought the Nikon BCD but now wish I had bought a mil-dot.  If you have the time to make scope adjustments then any recticle should suit, but with the mil-dot, you can hold over/under once you understand the math.

[Go_Vols!]

The AR is the Stag Model 6 (Super Varminter), 5.56 NATO Chamber,24" Stainless Steel 1/8 Twist. Price about $950 at my local gun shop CHI RHO FIREARMS.

The scopes both have mil-dot Reticals, adjustable objective/parallax, first focal plane, Proprietary-Hi Fluorite Leaded 99.997 % Pure Optical Glass, -230- 485°F degree stable  multicoated optics on both primary, secondary and interior lens groups. Price is about $499 for 5-25x42 or a 4-16x50 and the 4-16x 42 is $449. They are contract overruns.

[Nickle]

Be careful about going for too much magnification, it can work against you.

Personally, I use several different power scopes on the rifles I own, depending on their use.

My M4 clone (16") wears an Aimpoint CompM4 (2 MOA red dot), but it's not intended for over 500 yards.

My Fed Ord M14 is getting a V8 Weaver put on it (I know, an antique).

My .17 HMR boltgun wears a 6X Lyman target scope, my Rem 600 deer gun wears a 2-7 Leupold.

My .308 boltgun (custom built, extremely accurate) wears a 6-24 mil dot scope. Then again, it's been known to shoot well under 1 MOA.

[Roland]

What purpose is said AR intended for?

Roland

[slim]

Brightness and clarity over magnification any day. Reticle choice is important too. As others have said, get mil dots or the BDC, etc. Much more field expedient than a simple cross hair.

And why buy a $450 scope when you can buy a $99 scope, a complete lower, and 500 rds for the same price? I can understand if you're building your ultimate AR varminter (which sounds like the direction you're going) but for Appleseed purposes, why not get something that's "good enough" and then put the rest of the money towards practicing?

How about this... for now, buy the Barska scope with the illuminated mil dots that's shipped to you for under $99 and shoot an extra 1,500 rds of .223. Once you've shot all those rounds, reassess your glass needs. I'd bet my paycheck you'll worry less about your glass and more about how much ammo you can buy!

I wish I had a dollar for everyone with a whiz-bang rifle that gets outshot by a 10-year-old girl. As YHJ says, "you can't buy skill in a bubble pack in aisle nine." Not dissing your abilities or anything like that. Just saying if you improve you software... the hardware doesn't matter so much!

[Nickle]

Slim's right.

Myself, I'm real partial to old steel tubed Weaver scopes. Rugged, clear and since they're all used, moderately cheap.

Another scope I really like is the PSO-1 copy that came on my PSL (Romanian "Dragunov"). Almost certainly made by IOR Bucharesti (not many scope factories in Romania, especially Bucharest), 4 power, extremely clear and I do like the Dragunov reticle, though it isn't for everybody. Even good in the woods.

I've personally watched 2 guys with M4's, one with an ACOG (4X), one with an Aimpoint (2MOA red dot), getting lots of hits at 800 meters, better than the M249 SAW's were doing. These were rack grade, as issued M4's with as issued optics. I know exactly how many hits they were getting, as it was on a military machine gun range with computerized pop-ups, and I was in the tower running the computer.

[Go_Vols!]

I thank everone for their input. It helped a lot. So after thinking it over and talking with my gunsmith. I am going with a Rock River Arms standard A4 with a 20 inch barrel. Scope, I'm staying with a Counter Sniper scope 4-16x42. It's a great scope for the price.