light or optic next

[muddywings]

Background (because everybody asks):
Building my first AR, a 16 inch middy-
AX556 lower w/ SSA trigger group
BCM upper with VTAC alpha rail
magpul this, magpul that
Troy BUIS sights
(stop me if you have heard this before)
Anyway, this is a general home defense, possible 3 gun rifle, fun to shoot, and SHTF weapon.
(personally, every time I visit Walmart I pray a little bit for the zombie apocalypse...but then again, every time I'm in Walmart I wonder if it has already started)

So I have pretty much everything I need for the build but what is next on the X-mas list? Should I go with a light or a red dot? My two options I'm looking at are a surefire x300 or an Aimpoint PRO.

The gun is to be an ambi based gun because my wife is lefty (and likes to shoot) and I'm a righty. So with the Troy Alpha rail, I'll put a small pic rail on the bottom front and have the light mounted underneath (reason for the X300). As for the PRO-good pricepoint, and all I think I would need for my applications.

One or the other would be the next purchase (a few months down the road).
What would you get?

[Mick-Boy]

If this is being used as a home defense gun I'd go with a light next. An x300 is fine for inside of a room. If you're looking across a field an x300 won't have enough throw to ID a target past about 50M.

I'd go with a minimum of 200 lumens for a rifle light. 500 would be better. The best value on the market today (in my opinion) is the Surefire Fury and the VTAC mount.

[Wiggity]

AR's aren't my favorite for HD. I much prefer a shotgun or a pistol. If it is for HD I'd agree with the post above and get a light. For ALL other intensive purposes, the aimpoint.

For indoors I'd probably get the Streamlight TLR1 as it is way cheaper than the SF and accomplishes the exact same thing while basically giving up nothing.

[muddywings]

AR's aren't my favorite for HD. I much prefer a shotgun or a pistol. If it is for HD I'd agree with the post above and get a light. For ALL other intensive purposes, the aimpoint.

Agree and we have a Mossberg 590 SPX but the problem is my wife and I will get in a fight on who gets it if there is an intruder in the house. Yeah...neither of us are good at sharing so this way she can have one and I'll have the other.
And we have two CCWs handguns nearby so the AR is just icing on the cake.

Thanks for the input so far!

[Wiggity]

Gotcha. Simple solution. Get another Mossberg and make the woman happy! Hell I have a 500 with heatshield and folding stock I'll sell you if you're interested.

[Great-Kazoo]

Agree and we have a Mossberg 590 SPX but the problem is my wife and I will get in a fight on who gets it if there is an intruder in the house. Yeah...neither of us are good at sharing so this way she can have one and I'll have the other.
And we have two CCWs handguns nearby so the AR is just icing on the cake.

Thanks for the input so far!

The wife and i have our own AR, S/guns and pistols for home & office
I suggest a good light. Things can happen so fast aiming is not even in the cards.
So, Shotgun would be a 1st suggestion, followed by which ever low light gun you are better with.

[muddywings]

Gotcha. Simple solution. Get another Mossberg and make the woman happy! Hell I have a 500 with heatshield and folding stock I'll sell you if you're interested.

tempting....very tempting. I think the second will be an autoloader for duel use in 3 gun.

[muddywings]

For indoors I'd probably get the Streamlight TLR1 as it is way cheaper than the SF and accomplishes the exact same thing while basically giving up nothing.

oh and thanks for the lead on the TLR1...might go that route.

Obviously leaning towards light now. Light for in the house defense makes sense. I don't see a need to push it out to far. Obviously, in case of zombies you don't want to highlight yourself from 100M away.

[Wiggity]

haha precisely. Aimpoint PRO's arent super expensive so you will probably have one pretty soon anyways. Great optic btw

[Tim K]

Skip the light, you have your home covered. Buy and optic. You'll use that every time you go out. I'm not a big fan of unmagnified optics. Consider a 1-4X variable with an illuminated reticle. At 1X, you get a pretty effective optic for up close stuff, and at 4X you have some help out farther.

Go look at what the 3 gun guys are using, they are typically on the bleeding edge of what works. They may have no interest in low light shooting though, which is why I added the bit about the illuminated reticle.