I've got a 16" DSA paratrooper FAL carbine on hand. It's currently wearing an Aimpoint Comp-C3 in a Larue mount, but I can't help but feel I'm not getting the most out of a .308 with a 1x optic.
Whatever I end up with, I'm going to save up for, so cost isn't a huge factor (though a Schmidt & Bender Short Dot will likely remain out of my price range).
What is a factor is versatility. This rifle is a battle rifle, not a "counter sniper" or "designated marksman" setup. I'm looking for an appropriate "general purpose" scope. The optic has to be good from short to medium ranges, maybe 400 yards on the high end. It's got to have generous eye relief for odd shooting positions. It's got to be durable and reliable, and illumination is a must.
I'm probably not going to be doing a lot of door-kicking or across-the-room shooting, so I can get away with sacrificing a bit of close-in speed. Anyway I prefer to engage zombies at longer ranges; they're only dangerous at contact distance!
I'm milling fixed and variable scopes. If fixed, no more than three or three-point-five power.
I'm considering a Leupold Mk.IV MR/T 1.5-5x20. On the upside, it'll allow for excellent accuracy at long ranges. On the down side, it's battery dependent and the illumination isn't visible in the daytime.
I'm also looking at the Trijicon ACOG 3.5x35mm with the red chevron reticle. It's bright enough to use the "Bindon Aiming Concept" at close ranges (though still not efficient as a 1x optic for that) and will be very tough. It has generous eye relief and doesn't need batteries. On the downside, nearly every mount for it will sit too high on the FAL.
Another ACOG, the 3x30mm, has the same pluses and minues, but has a narrower field of view. On the upshot, it's lighter and costs a lot less.
Another Trijicon I'm looking at is the 1.25-4x Accupoint. Again, it has a daylight-visible reticle, and requires no batteries. On 1.25x, it's better at very close ranges than the three scopes above. I'ts very affordable as well. On the downside, the reticle lacks any ranging capability whatsoever, and it maybe isn't as durable as a military grade optic.
I keep going back and forth on this. I know if I just pick something I could be happy with most of these; I just want to get the most bang for my buck, so to speak. I kind of like the simplicity and soldier-proof ruggedity of the ACOG line, but I'm mainly worried about mounting options that'll work on the FAL. I *think* DSA makes a Para scope mount that allows you to mount the ACOG right to it now, but I'm not sure.
Thoughts?
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