Suggested scope for an AR-15 Varmint rifle

[cysoto]

I am thinking of purchasing an AR-15 Varmint gun and I need to figure out what scope to get for it. This will be a range gun and I have no plans of taking it to the field. The targets that I will be engaging (mostly paper and some steel) will be placed between 100yds and no farther out than 400yds. I believe that a 10x42 scope will serve my purposes but I keep debating whether I should get a variable scope such as a 6-24x42. I am not too concerned with different brands right not. I am mainly looking to choose the magnification factor first. Your recommendations are welcomed!

[Hoser]

Leupold 6.5-20s are easy to find used for $300-400.

Or the 6-18 is a good choice.

[StagLefty]

I just finished building a Varmint rifle (7 month wait on upper ! ) and have a 6-25x56 side focus Millet I bought several months ago from a member here and so far I've been happy with it. [Beer]

[PsyKo]

i hear very good things about the super sniper line, i will be picking one up for my 7mag when i can get some extra funds.

[BadShot]

I'm not a huge fan of variable magnification optics for such a short range AR unless you're looking at lower range magnification like 1-4x or similar. It's a personal preference because I've realized that on the few I've had I have generally (had others make the same observation from their own use) either have it cranked all of the way down or all of the way up.

I use 10x one my lone LR AR and a 1-4x on the medium range setup. Just taking one more variable out of the shooting process for me, YMMV

[StagLefty]

^ ahhh if I had your eyes grasshopper [Beer]

[ronaldrwl]

Big difference from 100 to 400 yrds. At 100 yards anything will do. At 400 you need something a little better than the $100 scopes. I like the lager 30 mm tubes over the 1". This is not the lens diameter but the diameter of the tube assembly. I have two 40 mm Burris scopes which I think are the best value, one is 1" Fullfield II 40 mm, the other is 30 mm Euro Diamond 44 mm. The 30 mm gives vastly superior brightness.

BTW - I have the 223 Reminton R15 varmit rife. The gun was made for coyotes.

Can't image using a fixed scope unless you are strickly using it for target (as you did say).

[tophoto]

Swift has a new 4-12x40 scope that would work nice and they are working on a 6-24x50 with a fine wire reticle. They are a local company with great optics!
http://www.gunsmagazine.com/newproducts.html