Offset or 12 o’clock?

[SimpleMan]

I have been reeled in by Ruger’s 16” SFAR. I’m settled on a NF NX8 2.5x20. I want to add a red dot as well. What do y’all prefer, offset or up top? What mounts and why? I know I’m doubling or tripling the cost on optics for a $1K rifle, but when someone else comes out with a sub 7 pound .308 AR, I’ll move them over to it. I don’t want to debate the rifle or the optics, just the mounting positions and mounts for red dot. Pics would be greatly appreciated! TIA.

I did search (the fist 3 pages) and figured there may be newer stuff out by now.

 

[rdinatal]

While "I" would never do it, it is yours...

Red dot offset 45deg (side of preference).

 

[Tim]

Will you be in a fixed, supported, position? Or shooting on the move?

Fixed, 12 o’clock
Moving, 45*

 

[SimpleMan]

Will you be in a fixed, supported, position? Or shooting on the move?

Fixed, 12 o’clock
Moving, 45*

I know this may sound silly, but the main intent for this rifle is going to be hunting deer, but, I also intend to use it for anything from 25 feet to 800 yards. In other words, my “if you could only take one” rifle. But mainly hunting deer, occasionally ringing steel 2-800 yards.

I think I saw some one piece mounts that incorporated the offset in the mount. I like the cleanness of that set up. Mounting the red dot directly to the scope looks a little busy to me, but for some reason I think I would prefer 12 o’clock. I definitely see your point, 45 moving and 12 o’clock for still.

 

[Tim]

I don’t want to debate the rifle or the optics,

Yeah…like that’s gonna work around here. 🤣

At 2x on the low end, why bother with offsets at all?

 

[SimpleMan]

Yeah…like that’s gonna work around here. 🤣

At 2x on the low end, why bother with offsets at all?

That may be a very viable point, one I haven’t considered. I’m just assuming my field of view would be greater with a dot, meaning I would retain more peripheral vision with a dot than focusing on a scope. This obviously applies to a “moving” situation, not hunting. I’m guessing the responsible thing to do would be to mount the scope and try it on low power. I’m also hoping for that deer that walks under the stand and is not 150 yards out.

 

[thrillhill]

I cobbled this rig together after watching a coyote hunting video. Dude was out west somewhere sitting on ground expecting the coyotes to be around 200 yards or so.

One came streaking by him about 25 yards to the front, right to left. He was scrambling trying to turn his zoom down to 3x but the coyote was long gone before he could readjust.

@SimpleMan my situation/setup is not the same as yours. On this rifle (5.56) I'm using the ACOG 4x so there is no dropping back down to 2x anyway. And in the scenario I described I wouldn't be sure if I'd even have time.

So my red dot (green) is for 0-40 yard possibly "fast developing" situations. 12 o'clock wouldn't make any sense for me given those ranges. The height over bore wouldn't make the dot TOTALLY useless but pretty close to it given the size and speed of my potential targets.

These pics are from the same hunt. The bobcat carrying the squirrel came out first. Pretty fast trot. Got him with the green dot on 45 degree offset at about 20 yards. 10 minutes later shot the 9 pointer with the ACOG at about 90-95 yards.

I will add, walking up on deer or varmints with rifle aimed at them in case they jump up and take off is significantly easier with the dot on the 45.

There's probably no solid right or wrong. But the 45 degree offset works best for me.

 

[Cole_McD]

I'm a big top mount fan.

To me the benefits are a natural / reflexive head position for the 1x, and the ability to find a target with the dot while scanning, and then drop into the magnified optic. I also shoot a lot of 2.26 height red dot risers and have a gigantic head so that may acount for some of that natural feeling.

my main gripe with offset is the unnatural feel of rolling the rifle, it's still a relatively low mount, and depending on muzzle device selection, it can create really goofy recoil impulses (looking at you NOX and Warcomps).

Edit: adding pics for attention

 

[NKD]

I'd do 45 as my scope mount is fairly high already. Top mounted would be too high. Rolling rifle over easy for me.

With that particular scope I would learn the Binden Aiming concept. Pretty easy with 2X and your field of view can't be bigger because you are target focused. I'm too skinny to lug the extra weight, lol.

 

[Supermatch]

On my 16" AR, I have a PA prism with a true 45 degree offset mount. It's great - you just pivot in your shoulder and boom, red dot is right there without changing head position.

On my SBR, I have a Reptilia mount with the 45 degree offset scope ring. I don't like the red dot position anywhere near as much. You have to switch from cheek to chin weld when rotating, which means a little bit of having to hunt for the dot, and your mechanical offset becomes more critical for stuff closer than your zero because of the height over bore. It takes some practice/training for the muscle memory, so going from dot to scope is pretty easy, but scope to dot is a little trickier/bit of guesswork.

If I had to do it again (assuming no use of NODS), order of preference would be receiver mounted 45 degree, 12:00 ring mount, 45 degree ring/scope tube mount.

 

[Frack N Cylons]

I don’t want to debate the rifle or the optics,

 

[SimpleMan]

View attachment 759893

Alrighty then, there will be no debating the rifle, it made its way to the house today. I will debate the optics since that’s not one of my most familiar areas. I’m prepared to spend $2K on really good glass, whatever that is.

I’m feeling really drawn to the Night Force NX8 2.5x20. I’ve compared it over and over to a Leupold Mark 5 3.6x18. I prefer the reticle available with the NF, and with Leupold offering so damn many reticles, I’m not sure any are illuminated. If they are, they’re way too busy for me.

Try and talk me out of the Night Force…

 

[Frack N Cylons]

Alrighty then, there will be no debating the rifle, it made its way to the house today. I will debate the optics since that’s not one of my most familiar areas. I’m prepared to spend $2K on really good glass, whatever that is.

I’m feeling really drawn to the Night Force NX8 2.5x20. I’ve compared it over and over to a Leupold Mark 5 3.6x18. I prefer the reticle available with the NF, and with Leupold offering so damn many reticles, I’m not sure any are illuminated. If they are, they’re way too busy for me.

Try and talk me out of the Night Force…


View attachment 760972View attachment 760973View attachment 760976

It seemed to me that 20x is overkill on a 16” .308. It’s also negating one of the nicest features of the SFAR, that being it’s light weight.

Perhaps if you stepped down to a scope with true 1x, maybe a 1-8 or 1-10, you could skip the red dot all together.

You’d still have no issues hunting out to several hundred yards and hitting steel out to the limits of the rifle.

 

[SimpleMan]

It seemed to me that 20x is overkill on a 16” .308. It’s also negating one of the nicest features of the SFAR, that being it’s light weight.

Perhaps if you stepped down to a scope with true 1x, maybe a 1-8 or 1-10, you could skip the red dot all together.

You’d still have no issues hunting out to several hundred yards and hitting steel out to the limits of the rifle.

I guess in my mind I need 20x to be accurate out to say 6-800 yds. Maybe this gun wouldn’t be capable of the accuracy I’m hoping for, but I’ve watched a few guys (via the internet) ring steel out to 6-800 with a 16” .308. In other words, I feel like I’d need 20x, maybe not. I don’t have any experience shooting beyond 300 yds.

 

[Frack N Cylons]

I guess in my mind I need 20x to be accurate out to say 6-800 yds. Maybe this gun wouldn’t be capable of the accuracy I’m hoping for, but I’ve watched a few guys (via the internet) ring steel out to 6-800 with a 16” .308. In other words, I feel like I’d need 20x, maybe not. I don’t have any experience shooting beyond 300 yds.

I don’t have the experience some of the guys around here do, but for the type of shooting I do 1x per 100yds is plenty.

I run a 6x on my 5.56 3 gun AR and hit at 700 all day. I guarantee you could get hits at 800 yards with 8x on an IPSC torso with that rifle.

Check out the Long Range Shooting Handbook by Cleckner for a good read about this. He actually advises against high magnification in some cases.

No matter what, follow your heart.

 

[Fullboost21]

For that lighter weight rifle, I'd go with a nx8 1-8 with the DMX reticle and a rmr on top.

For a heavier rifle with a bipod, I would go with the nx8 2.5-20 or the mk5 3.6-18.

 

[SimpleMan]

I don’t have the experience some of the guys around here do, but for the type of shooting I do 1x per 100yds is plenty.

I run a 6x on my 5.56 3 gun AR and hit at 700 all day. I guarantee you could get hits at 800 yards with 8x on an IPSC torso with that rifle.

Check out the Long Range Shooting Handbook by Cleckner for a good read about this. He actually advises against high magnification in some cases.

No matter what, follow your heart.

For that lighter weight rifle, I'd go with a nx8 1-8 with the DMX reticle and a rmr on top.

For a heavier rifle with a bipod, I would go with the nx8 2.5-20 or the mk5 3.6-18.

Hmmm…y’all are not the first to suggest what I guess is an LPVO. Maybe I’ll go with a mid grade LPVO and see how it works for me. Then, I can pass it on and get some good glass in the right power. Thanks for the info!