Lets get a debate going!

AR-10 or AR-15

Which platform do you prefer? Is it stopping power and the ability to have a great long range with a .308? Maybe, It's the cost efficiency and known reliability of a 5.56?

Debate on! 

Speaking from personal experiences, I prefer the time ole 5.56. Most likely due to my stint in the Marine Corps. I find the platform and round in general to be fantastic for multiple uses from hunting small game to larger animals, as well as self defense. With a variety of rounds and twist options for barrels its virtually a perfect system for anyone. Not to say a AR-10 isn't a great platform either it all comes down to personal preferences.

Please comment and let me know what you prefer and maybe convince me to join the darkside and build a AR-10.

3-12x Magnification Tactical Rifle Scope with Adjustable Objective Lens and Mil-Dot Reticle

3-12x Magnification Tactical Rifle Scope with Adjustable Objective Lens and Mil-Dot Reticle

The Monstrum Tactical S31242-M-RGAO is a full-featured scope suitable for hunting, target shooting, or tactical use. The scope comes equipped with:

• Adjustable 3-12 times magnification, for targeting out to 500 yards and beyond..
• Adjustable reticle illumination with 5 brightness levels in both red and green, allowing for better reticle visibility at night or in low light environments.
• 1/4 MOA/click windage and elevation adjustment dials with locking turrets.
• Adjustable objective lens - or AO - that allows for sharper focus of the target image, elimination of parallax, and range estimation.
• Mil-dot reticle with markings that allows you to estimate range or compensate for bullet drop.
• Aircraft grade 6061 aluminum construction, for lightweight and durable performance.
• Sealed, nitrogen charged scope tube for resistance to fog and water.

The S31242-M-RGAO weighs 1.4 pounds. It has a 1 inch diameter tube and requires a mount with 1 inch diameter scope rings. The scope is 11.5 inches in total length. The cylindrical segments of the tube where the mounts can be attached are 2 and 1.4 inches in length and are spaced 1.3 inches apart.

The package includes a pair of Monstrum Tactical Offset Reversible 1" Scope Rings. The rings mount to any flat top Picatinny rail equipped rifle.

Also included is one 3V CR2032 battery and a set of lens caps.

Choosing the Right Rifle Scope for your Gun

When choosing a scope for your gun, there are many considerations to take into account. The first and biggest decision is deciding how the scope will be used. This will determine the type, magnification and other features you should look for when making your choice. Some general things to consider are target distances, target size & speed, and the lighting conditions you expect to be shooting in.

Another consideration is the type and caliber of firearm that you’re installing your scope on. Think about the distances you’ll realistically be shooting at, and what the particular cartridge is capable of. Is it a rimfire pistol or a magnum hunting rifle? Lower power magnification is usually more suited for shorter distances and smaller calibers, and higher magnification for longer distances and larger calibers. Ideally, you’ll want to match the capability of the scope to the range of the cartridge.

If you’re shopping for a hunting scope, you’d probably consider a lightweight design that’s easy to carry, maybe with a rangefinder and a large objective lens for stalking at dawn and dusk when your quarry may be active. You’d want an optic that makes vital shot placement easy – and at the distances you expect to engage your target.

For a purpose-built carbine dedicated to urban environments, you may want to choose a fixed low-power optic. Because of the relatively short engagement distances this style rifle is designed for (usually up to around 200 meters), a prism scope is a great solution, blending its compact size with a wide field-of view to maintain situational awareness. Better quality prism scopes also incorporate illuminated reticles to aid in quick target acquisition.

For medium to long distance work on a shooting range, consider a high magnification scope with an adjustable objective. The high magnification will help identify targets farther away, while the adjustable objective will reduce parallax at given distances, and can also assist with rangefinding. First focal plane scopes are ideal for long distance shooting because the reticle grows larger as the magnification increases, making relative shot placement easier.

For a 3-gun scope, you’ll probably want an extremely versatile optic to handle everything from “door-kicking range” out to the bonus target distances beyond 500 yards. This large variation requires a scope that can quickly handle up-close-and-personal shots while moving or shooting offhand, as well as barrier-supported or prone long-range shots. A one-to-four, or one-to-six power scope with an illuminated reticle is an easy way to split the difference.

As you can see, there are many things to consider when deciding which scope is best: magnification, focal plane, weight, reticle type and more all need to be evaluated. But the most important thing is to match the scope to your own usage. 

Click here to check out some affordable Optics.

Building vs Buying your first AR-15

Here are some decent products for a great price,Monstrum Tactical

Have you caught the AR-15 bug yet? It’s America’s most popular rifle, and it’s not hard to see why. It’s lightweight, easy to shoot, easily customized, and increasingly affordable. It’s been in production since 1959, served as the basis for the M-16 in 1963, and it still continues to be popular worldwide. Although Colt still holds the trademark to the AR-15 name, variants of the firearm and the various components to modify them are made by dozens of companies in the present day.

That brings us to one of the biggest advantages of the AR-15 platform: modularity. Because it has been around for so long, and so many companies have made parts for it, the prices of those parts have gone way down, and the options available to the civilian consumer are richly diverse. Like Barbie dolls or Legos, you’ve got lots of ways to accessorize.

Customizing your AR-15 isn’t rocket science, either. If you can put together that Lego set or Barbie dollhouse, you can probably put together the parts to make an AR-15. Some modifications will take a basic hand tool or two, but nothing that you couldn’t figure out with five or ten minutes of fiddling, or a quick trip to YouTube. As a result, many gun enthusiasts like assembling their entire rifle part-by-part, picking up components that specifically contribute to the kind of rifle they want to shoot.

 So, the question we’re discussing is this: Should I build or buy my first AR-15? Let’s talk about the advantages and disadvantages of both.

BUILDING YOUR AR-15

 Cost: If you wait for sales on components, or even full rifle kits, you can get your rifle for far cheaper than buying it outright. There are some really great deals to be had if you’re willing to wait for them and shop around. Even without the sales, though, you’ll almost always get more value for your money by building instead of buying. However, you still have to decide your budget, and it’s easy to spend more money than you intended when you’re buying a piece here, a piece there, and not paying attention to what your total cost is.

Familiarity: I can tell you from experience that putting together your first rifle will make you appreciate its internal workings more. If you have a problem on the range, you’ll be more likely to know how to troubleshoot the problem, because you’re the one that put all those parts together and you’ll know which parts are probably not working. The flip side to this is that if you have a problem that you can’t fix, there is usually no warranty or customer support beyond the man in the mirror. 

Customizability: You will build exactly the rifle you want. You will have a fine-tuned shooting machine that does exactly what you want it to do, and nothing you don’t want or need. There’s a lot of satisfaction that comes from that kind of customization. If you buy one out of the box, and then spend the money to upgrade all the parts you don’t like, you’ll be spending a lot more money than if you just bought the parts you wanted in the first place. However, if this is your first rifle, and you haven’t shot a whole bunch of them before, you may not know exactly what you want.  Options range from grips to handguards to sights and triggers. 

BUYING YOUR FIRST AR-15

Instant gratification: You walk into a store, you plop down your money, get a background check, and you go shooting that same day. Buying your first AR-15 will get you shooting much sooner. If tinkering isn’t your thing, then I would definitely suggest buying a rifle that suits your needs as closely as possible.

No hard decisions: Seeing how this is your first rifle, you might not even know what you’re looking for. Starting with a basic off-the-shelf model gives you a good opportunity to figure out what you actually want in your rifle. Once you’re familiar with the platform, it’s easier to know what you like and don’t like, so then you can know what to buy to build the second, third, fourth, and fifth AR-15s. 

Manufacturer’s warranty: The major manufacturers of sporting rifles will stand by their products and fix them if something major goes wrong. That’s peace of mind that you’ll rarely have with the creation of your own hands, even if you don’t have the sense of pride that goes with making it yourself.

For an entry-level AR-15, you have lots of options. I would take a look at the Smith & Wesson M&P Sport, Ruger AR 556, Colt 6920, or a Palmetto State Armory prebuilt. Other popular options include STAG Arms, Larue Tactical, Windham Weaponry, and Spikes Tactical.

AR-15 Extended Quad Rail Handguard with FSP Cutout | Carbine Length | Drop-in

AR-15 Extended Quad Rail Hand-guard with FSP Cutout | Carbine Length | Drop-in
The Monstrum Tactical drop-in AR-15 extended quad rail handguard with FSP cutout is a quick and easy install on any carbine length AR-15 rifle platform. It allows for the mounting of tactical accessories such as bipods, flashlights, and sights. The unique forward extension installs in place around your front sight post and provides for added rail space for accessory or hand placement.

Crafted from aircraft grade aluminum, both sturdy and lightweight, it weighs in at 18 ounces. It is 10.5 inches in total length, 2.5 inches in height, and 2.5 inches in width. The internal diameter is 1.7 inches at its narrowest.

• Easy install drop-in design, installs in minutes without gunsmithing tools or expertise.
• Allows for the mounting of standard picatinny rifle and AR-15 accessories such as bipods, grips, lights, and sights.
• All Monstrum Tactical AR-15 Quad Rail Handguard products are backed with a lifetime warranty.
• Available in black.

Please note that the Extended Carbine Length Quad Rail with FSP Cutout will not fit on Ruger AR-556 model rifles without modification.  For more details, please read the following: Quad Rail with A2 FSP Cutout Modified for Ruger AR-556

Welcome to Rifle Talks

Welcome and thank you to everyone for checking out my blog! Everything posted or updated on here will mostly be information on rifle parts and current hot topics in the Tactical world. Thank you and I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer I am a Affiliate for Monstrum Tactical and will periodically have items from them in my posts, but that means I also have to ability to post discounts.