Strict qualifications were required for high placement on the Top AR-15 Scopes under $100 List. Among the highest ranked are:
1. UTG 3-9X32 1″ BUGBUSTER SCOPE, AO, RGB MIL-DOT, QD RINGS , BLACK
The UTG BUGBUSTER SCOPE 3-9X32 1″ is a highly efficient red dot UTG product. This red dot product can change from red to green once the light switches on. It can be attached to a Picatinny 21mm rail and is used mainly for Airsoft assault rifles. Benefits: – Shockproof – Rainproof – 2 lithium-metal batteries included – 1/4 MOA (Per-Click Adjustment) Features: The UTG BUGBUSTER SCOPE provides the best light transmission and clearest view thanks to an emerald-coated lens and 1-inch tube. The superior resettable and zero-lockable turrets offer a 1/4 MOA adjustment (per-click). Optimal shooting and aiming performance are easy to achieve thanks to the mil-dot range-estimating reticle. Users also get to enjoy an adjustable-objective that provides a parallax-free view. The green/red dual illumination promises high-performance in every type of weather or light condition. This product includes quick-detachable rings and premium-quality flip-open lens caps. It also comes with a 2″ sunshade along with other useful and practical features. The 32mm adjustable, objective lens features a 3-9x magnification ideal for mid to close-range targets. The optical range falls between 300 to 400 yards, yet it can also be used well for a target between 100 and 500 yards. The eye-relief is 4.2″ to 3.2″, while the Field of View is 37.7′ to 12′ at
2. PINTY RIFLE SCOPE 3-9X32 RANGEFINDER ILLUMINATED REFLEX SIGHT 4 RETICLE GREEN DOT LASER SIGHT
Pinty Rifle Scope Product Description This 4-in-1 rangefinder rifle scope from Pinty is designed with hunters in mind. It’s equipped with two sights: green laser sight as well as a red/green dot sight, giving you the options you’ll need. It provides an impressive 3″ to 3.4″ of eye relief. The dot sight offers unlimited electronic brightness control, making this scope well-suited to a variety of environments. It’s extremely accurate and is an excellent alternative to holographic sights. The brightness levels can be adjusted with a push of a button. The 32mm objective lens is reinforced and was made to be resilient. Not only is it waterproof, but it’s also shock-proof and fog-proof. With magnifications from 3X up to 9X, you’ll be able to see clearly even from a distance. The scope comes with free lens covers so that you can keep your lens protected. The scope can easily be mounted to virtually all 22mm rails. Thanks to its stellar mechanical performance, you can effortlessly make adjustments for elevation, windage, and more. The riser mount is made from sturdy aluminum. Thanks to its fantastic optical clarity and light transmission, this scope will allow you to see clearly and aim even in dark environments. If you hunt regularly, you’ll find yourself using this scope on all your hunting trips.
3. BUSHNELL TROPHY RIFLE SCOPE WITH MULTI-X RETICLE, MATTE BLACK, 3-9 X 40MM
BUSHNELL TROPHY RIFLE SCOPE 3-9 X 40MM With MULTI-X RETICLE The Bushnell Trophy riflescope is reasonably sized, making it convenient and easy to transport. These riflescopes provide high-zoom capabilities and the magnification ranges from 3X to 9X. This magnification has made it possible to bracket a target at 3X magnification followed by zooming in with the 9X magnification to arrive at exceptional up-close shots. The optics on these riflescopes are fully-multicoated. This multi-coating ensures no reflection or glare when the riflescope is in use. The lenses are also O-Ring sealed to ensure the scope is 100% waterproof. The barrel contains dry Nitrogen which keeps fogging at bay. The last-focus eyepiece operates perfectly allowing a user to focus in real-time before taking a shot. The focus is also very clear even from longer distances. With an impressive 91% light transmission, the Bushnell Trophy Rifle Scope provides fantastic light-gathering capabilities. The Field Of View at only 3X magnification is an impressive 40-feet at 100 yards. When using the 9X magnification, the user can achieve a 13-feet Field of View at 100 yards. Pros: – Budget-friendly price – Fingertip elevation and windage adjustments – Excellent magnification – Fantastic light transmission Cons: – No rings included – Multi-X Reticle does not come with range-compensation markers
What should you look for in an AR-15 scope for less then $100?
If the scope shopping process is making you stressed, first and foremost, relax and take a deep breath. Take a look at Field and Stream magazine and think about the meaning of life beyond the boom stick.
For what purpose do you need an AR-15 scope? Do you just want to shoot at those paper targets? Are you looking to take out your adversaries in competitive shooting? Do you want to build a new rifle that can kill the furry little creatures your girlfriend or wife loves? Do you plan to take this sucker to a meat shoot? Do you have a lifelong goal to see the.223 fly?
Before you buy an AR-15 scope, it is important to know the scope of your mission. You can’t expect a scope to do every job well so think carefully about how you will use it.
This section of the guide will discuss important information you need to know before you begin searching for an AR-15 scope. You don’t have to be a pro if you already know the ropes. Simply scroll down to the list of scopes, or use the quick navigation menu.
Pricing: You might consider selling your boat to purchase a scope. The scope should be roughly equal in quality to the firearm it will marry.
You don’t want them fighting each other, do you? This is a costly mistake as they will not cooperate and give you the performance that you deserve.
You shouldn’t buy a scope if you have spent more than $1000 on your AR. The scope should be as high quality as your AR-15. While they may not be the same price, it is important to have quality scopes.
It is a rule of thumb that smaller objective lenses and tubes are generally cheaper. This is not always true. There are many variables that can affect this. Fixed focal lengths or scopes without a range in magnification are usually less expensive than their variable counterparts.
Light Many people believe that the bigger the objective lens (or lens), facing forward, the greater the magnification. This is often false and misleading. The front-facing lens controls how much light the scope can take, which in turn determines the brightness and quality the sight picture.
Targets in woods or dimly lit areas might not be as apparent with a small objective lens. This can cause you to miss them. This won’t matter if you shoot in well-lit areas. However, if you intend to hunt, there are a few targets that may be visible in shadowy areas.
Tube size is another variable that affects light. The tube size is also an important factor in light transmission, so these rules apply.
You should also consider the weight of your rifle when you are trekking across the tundra with it. You’ll need more glass to carry around than a larger tube or lens. Glass is heavy so choose a smaller scope if you don’t use it. You’ll be able to use your muscles later on to thank you for selecting the smallest scope that does the job.
Effective Range It sounds great to shoot a mile if you have the right ammunition. This guide will focus on AR-15s that fire the 5.56 NATO rounds or.223 NATO rounds. This ammunition is not recommended for long flights.
For area targets, their maximum effective range is 600 meters. Point targets have a 500 meter range. This means that scopes with a maximum effective range of 600 meters or more are not recommended.
AR-15s will most commonly be used to shoot down targets less than 400m. You should ensure that your scope is appropriate for this distance. If you have a mission that requires a longer range, make sure it can reach the specified distance. You might consider an AR10 (effective up to 1000m) or something more powerful than an AR-15.
Magnification While more magnification sounds good, it can cause problems if you are using your rifle for hunting or moving targets.
Higher magnification allows for a smaller field of view, but at greater distances. High magnification is great if you are perched high on a shooting range. You have all the time you need to find the targets and know where they will be.
Variable power is a feature that some high-end scopes offer. This allows you to cycle through different magnification levels. These are great for finding targets and then focusing in greater detail once they have been identified.
Red dot optics guide discusses the possibility of using a 1x sight such as an EOTech holographic scope paired with a prism magnifier. This will allow you to get the same results as a scope but with the added benefit of being able to quickly switch between close-up targets and engage them with ease. It’s not fun to shoot from 40 meters with a 25x scope. But, if you can quickly switch between 1x or 30x magnification with just a flick of your wrist, it will be a limitless array!
Weight: I have already mentioned weight but I would like to emphasize this aspect. Even though a scope is not a significant contributor to weight, it can be used unattached to the rifle.
All of these small additions can add weight to the rifle, which can drastically alter the rifle’s dynamics. You may be used to using lightweight optics, or the attached iron sights. The added weight of a scope will cause you to lose your sense of balance.
You will feel the weight of all that glass on your rifle, so practice with it before you put your new set into action. It may be more difficult to deploy your weapon in windy conditions or hold it steady with a heavier weapon.
These are the major factors at long distances. They are distances that you are aiming for by attaching a scope.
What Do the Numbers Mean
You will be confused if you shop before you understand all the numbers with X’s between them. What are these Xs, MM’s? I want meters!
Example: 3-20x50mm
The power of magnification is the first number. This means that targets will appear three times larger than normal in the example.
Wait, there are two numbers that have been combined with a hyphen. These numbers represent a range in power. This illustration shows that the scope can handle magnifications as low as 3x and high as 20x.
The diameter of the objective lens is the last number given in millimeters. This will affect how much light is transferred to your image, but it will also make it heavier and more difficult to maintain steady performance.
Reticles While an inexperienced scope buyer may not be aware of the reticle that comes with their scope, you should.
Many reticles are different and will vary based on the individual. While the difference between a crosshair and a dot won’t affect the rifle’s performance, one of them may be better for your eyes.
Many of these reticles come with useful tools that will help you on your way to professional marksmanship. These are known as bullet drop compensator (BDC) reticles. These reticles have helpful lines or dots at different ranges. You will typically dial in your center at the range where you are most likely to shoot and then adjust the lines once you have found targets. These lines are most useful in hunting and variable target situations, where range information is not available before engaging.
Mil-dot may seem like these sights are intended for military purposes. However, the mil in mil–dot is not related to the military. Mil is milliradian (1/1000radian). The mil-dot will display tiny dots that are evenly spaced across your crosshairs. These provide advanced information to the shooter, allowing them to use complex mathematical equations for range estimations.
Focus Adjustments Most scopes come with a dial or turret that adjusts the focus. This is usually located at the ocular end or near your eye when you are looking through the scope.
If you can’t locate it, either your scope doesn’t have one. Or you are looking at the opposite end. You may need to take your hunter safety course again!
The focus adjustment is a tool that allows you to adjust your sights to make them more comfortable. Every person has different vision so you will need to adjust the focus adjuster until it feels smooth.
Sometimes scopes of foreign brands will call a turret the “focus”, but it is not the focus. This can be confusing, and it may cause you to lose your way. However, don’t assume that all dials or turrets labeled “focus” are for focusing. Parallax is most likely to be the reason they aren’t useful for focusing.
Parallax If you purchase top-end scopes you won’t have to worry about this. However, if you are unable to imagine dumping all your children’s college funds and only a portion of them you might want to look into whether the scope has the parallax effect.
Parallax simply means the variation in the sight depending on your angle. Parallax is when the crosshairs seem to move and point to different things when viewed from different angles.
Parallax can cause serious damage to your shot and is extremely dangerous. Technically, every scope has parallax, but many claim to have zero parallax. You will need to experiment with it until you find the right adjustment.
Eye Relief: No More Excuses about How Someone Punched you in the Eye for Outshooting You. Eye relief can be how relieved it is after you’ve had your dinner. Right? No? Are your eyes still not relief? Hmmm.. okay. How about being able to place your dome piece farther back from the sight, while still maintaining a clear view? This is a relief! The distance that your eye can be placed away from the edge or ocular lens of the scope will determine how much eye relief you get.
Some scopes require that your eye be at least half an inch from the lens. This is hilarious when you get slapped in the face by the recoil!
Other scopes, which are typically more expensive, allow for several inches in eye relief. A scope with more than 6 inches of eye relief is often referred to as a long-eyed scope.
A greater eye relief means a better shooting experience, safer eyes, and fewer dark circles. You don’t have to make up stories about how you were punched by someone for outshooting you. Your rifle has just KO’d you.
Fancy Features: Most furry critters don’t use cutting-edge technology to escape you. The same technology that your grandpappy used for hunting these critters is still perfectly safe today.
These new functions will make the deer tremble at any thought of being hunted down by the terminator.
Illuminated reticles: These are very self-explanatory. They typically use batteries to illuminate your reticles. These can be very useful in low-light situations. They allow the shooter to clearly see his/her reticles.
Range fingers Some scopes are equipped with lasers The lasers will not burn holes in the hearts of your enemies. That’s why your 5.56 is there. It will however display detailed range data to help advanced shooters calculate bullet drop and choose the right BDC line.
Heads up Display: Advanced scopes can include ballistics for the ammunition you use, windage and range, holdover points and parallax adjustments to ensure that every shot is perfect. These scopes can be used to take long shots, but we are referring to tactical AR-15 scopes. These scopes can even be equipped with accelerometers to measure inclination or bullet rotation patterns.
Smartphone Buddy: Your smartphone can do everything, welcome to the new technology era. You might be interested to know that you can send data directly to your smartphone via Bluetooth if you love your smartphone. You can send videos and pictures to them so that people can see you ruthlessly slaughter those adorable prairie dogs!
“Bro, with my tactical AR-15 I was able to snipe an ant three miles away.”
You can now use the photos or it didn’t happen motto for guys like that!
Dialing In: You have a fancy scope with a lot of dials. Do not be the guy who doesn’t know what all those little clicky clickers do to his optics.
Let’s assume you are all sighted in, and are ready to go according to your standards. You reach the range, but you curse constantly. Your sights are RIGHT ON BRO! But your group is two inches lower and two inches to your right.
Don’t blame the gun. Instead, use the clickers! If you want to be firearm-correct, these are called turrets. Your scope should be adjusted by 2 MOA (minutes of angle) to the right and 1 MOA to the east. This will adjust your scope to place the target on the dot or reticle.
There’s so much more you can learn about scopes. But this guide should have been enough to get you started.
Here are the top AR-15 scopes available at different price points. These scopes are ones that I like.
Depending on your preference for features and how tacticool one is, which scope you choose will determine what you do. There are many options. Consider the ones I have shown you, but also look for other options.
This list is mainly for those who want to get in on the range sooner than shoppers, who are stuck behind computers reading every scope on the market.
Looking for the most up-to-date rankings for AR-15 Scopes under $100? View the list at https://shootingguide.co/best-ar-15-scope-under-100/. Companies who would like to be considered for the next list may contact ShootingGuide.co via their website, https://shootingguide.co.