Best Optic For FN Scar 17: Leaving A Mark!

The FN Scar is a weapon that has been around since 2009. While there are several different models available of the gun, the Scar 17 has a separate fanbase. Despite arguably having alternatives at different prices, the 17 still holds a large share of the tactical shooting market.

As you know already, the weapon is great for CQB and medium-range combat practices. Scar 17 chambers a 7.62 ammo and the 6.5 Creedmoor gives it a new layer by increasing shooting length.

Finding the best optic for FN Scar 17 is not an easy task. As the weapon can handle almost all range shooting, you will need to find the sweet spot for yourself. Don’t worry, I’m here to help you find that! Without further ado, let’s get right into it.

Best Close-Range Optic For Scar 17

Close range is one of the most effective ranges of Scar. It’s devastating at CQB and a perfect length for tactical assault. That’s why, security services and private firms do include this weapon in their arsenal. Let’s find out some CQB optics for Scar 17.

1. Aimpoint Micro H-2 Red Dot Reflex Sight

The Aimpoint Micro H-2 is one of the best red dot sights in the market. The accuracy and performance of this sight are unparalleled. The sight features a durable 7075 T6 CNC machined housing and the inside of the sight is also purged with chemicals to make it immune to moisture.

Outside of the scope is coated in matte and it looks and feels premium. The main selling point of this scope is accuracy. It’s dead accurate at close range and the illuminated reticle is also excellent.

The 2 MOA reticle is just point-and-shoot. You will find ways to adjust windage and elevation. The brightness setting on this optic can be selected from 12 adjustable brightness settings. The stock mount of this optic works on Picatinny rails. If that’s not sitting right with you, then you can always use the Geissele Automatics Super Precision Optic mount.

For unobstructed FOV and shooting to your heart’s content, you will need this red dot in your life. The first target acquisition feature of this optic is quite excellent and flawless. You pair a fast weapon like the Scar 17 and you can shred your target to bits. Another selling point of the optic is the feature that you probably saw coming already.

That’s right, I’m talking about a magnifier. Yes, you can add an Aimpoint 3x-C magnifier with the optic if you want. As the magnifier comes with a flip-to-the-side mounting system, you can use the sight with magnification and as a reflex sight if you want to as well. This gives you the ultimate freedom of close to medium-range shooting.

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2. EOTECH EXPS3 Holographic Weapon Sight

Scar Eotech combination is a match made in heaven! And when it comes to holographic sight, no one comes close to EOTech. The brand has been nailing every single release out there! Sure, they are on the expensive side of the scale. But the price is well worth it.

The sight is made out of high-quality CNC machined aluminum. The lens in the optic is fully multi-coated. On top of that, the lens is equipped with anti-failure tech. Let’s say, somehow you managed to break the lens, the reticle will still work on the visible area of the lens. That’s why all users say this holographic sight is made for war!

The reticle of the sight is also illuminated. On top of that, you can adjust the brightness of the optic as well. If you are anything like me and can’t do without some nighttime adventures now and then, you will love this optic! That’s right, this optic is capable of night vision as well. Do keep in mind tho, that you will need to buy night vision goggles or devices separately.

As you can see, the sight does offer night vision with an NV button on the side. But that’s not all, you can add a magnifier with the optic. For magnifying, you can use the G45 magnifier from EOTech themselves.

This magnifier is also equipped with a flip-to-the-side mounting system. When you want to use the EXPS3 at its full glory, you can use it and when you want to take a shot at the 600-yard mark, you can do that with the magnifier.

If you are looking for the best holographic sight for Scar 17, this is it. EOTech knows how to make good holographic sight. This sight is also used by the military and other security firms. So, you can guess just how good the sight is. When the military vouches for this sight, who am I to question them?

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3. HOLOSUN HS507C X2 Circle Dot Solar Failsafe

Holosun red dots are extremely well-built and their price tag is the key selling point for them. They are competing against much more renowned brands and delivering a top-of-the-line performance for a fraction of their price!

The sight is made out of extremely durable CNC-machined aluminum. The material is 7075 T6 aluminum. This forged aluminum variant is lightweight and extremely durable as well. The lens of the optic is fully multi-coated. It’s also fog, shock, and waterproof. If you are tired of your red dots failing on you, take this and you won’t face that issue again.

Besides the build quality, the sight features an incredibly well-lit lens. Even if you use this as a canted sight, it will not fail on you or break on you from a neck height drop. That’s why, this sight has been recommended for all sorts of guns. That does include handguns, SMG, and rifles.

You might be wondering why am I recommending a reflex sight for your Scar 17. Well, simply put, you will need to put this in an offset mount. What is offset mount? Offset mount is a mounting system that puts the reflex sight in the offset position. You will need a Montrum 45 45-degree offset Micro Red Dot Mount to install this in the offset position.

Why should I use an offset sight? Well, this way you can use two scopes on your gun. Let’s say, you are scouting long-range or just practicing long-range shooting. If you have to switch to close range, you will need to lower the magnification and then start again. If you have an offset sight, you can just tilt your weapon toward the side and use the offset sight!

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4. Aimpoint PRO Red Dot Reflex Sight with QRP2 Mount

Aimpoint sights are not a new recommendation. They are often equipped with great accessories and mounting gear. As the name suggests, this optic comes with a QRP2 mounting system. This mounting system is often sold separately for other Aimpoint sights. The mounting system features a quick-release system. Let’s say, you want to change the sight for a scope in the future, you don’t need a tool to do that.

Aimpoint Pro is made out of high-quality aluminum. The aluminum is lightweight and extremely durable. The inside of the tube is purged with nitrogen to make it immune to moisture. On top of that, the lenses are properly sealed to make the optic waterproof as well. If you are looking to take scope in your next diving project, this can be it. Then again, I never recommend submerging your optic at all.

But it can handle a little bit of rain and snowdrops if you are concerned about that. Aimpoint also includes some lens covers for your optic. If you are not using it, you can just cover it up and the scope will not get scratched at all. I like how Aimpoint thought this through. Besides the durable housing, the lenses of this optic are also fully multi-coated. They are extremely bright and have no chromatic aberration.

Aimpoint also gave 4-night vision compatible settings and 6 daylight settings on this optic. On top of that, there is an extra bright setting for extremely sunny days. If you are shooting under the noon sun, then you can utilize that setting to shoot under the bright sun.

The reticle size of the optic is at 2 MOA. Using a DL 1/3N battery, you can power up that reticle for 30k hours! That’s amazing battery life when you think about it! Do keep in mind that is applicable for settings from 7 to 10. If you are looking for the best bang for the buck, Aimpoint Pro is recommended by the US Army soldiers as well!

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Best Fixed Magnification Scope for Scar 17

Now that we are done with the close-quarter combats, let’s move up the ladder a bit and look at the pick for the mixed magnification category.

5. Trijicon ACOG 3.5×35 Riflescope

Now that we are done with the red dot and reflex sights, let’s move to the bigger fishes. ACOG from Trijicon has been the go-to tactical shooting riflescope for many. The ACOG series from Trijicon is fixed magnification and they fancy a lot of different reticles. Depending on the ammo you shoot, you can buy with the reticle tuned for that ammo.

The scope is made out of high-quality aluminum. The entire housing looks “retro” but it’s made out of extremely durable forged 7075-T6 aluminum. This material is known for being nearly indestructible. The exterior has a coating to prevent scratches. The inside of the scope is purged with nitrogen to make it immune to moisture and fogging.

The exterior is also sealed to make it waterproof. The housing is shockproof. Rest assured, the Scar 17 isn’t putting a single dent in it. You cannot either, unless you deliberately trying to damage it. Another benefit of the ACOG is the feature “both eyes open”. You are used to seeing this feature in red dot sights. But here, it’s applicable in a fixed magnification scope as well.

If you are looking for the most durable scope for Scar 17 that also is paired up with a fixed magnification reticle, then you can look into this. Speaking of reticles, the reticle here is illuminated. But you don’t need a battery to illuminate it. How? Well, Trijicon used fiber optic illumination to illuminate the optic. This way, Trijicon eliminated the need to use a battery. Thanks to that, you can practically use the scope for as long as you want.

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Best Variable Magnification Scope for Scar 17

On we march. Time to take a look at the variable magnification options. We have a lot of those as well!

6. Vortex Razor HD Gen III 1-10x24mm Rifle Scope

If red dot or fixed magnification doesn’t pique your interest, Razor is here to lure you into the magnification club! Vortex is not a new name to anyone. They have been in the industry for long enough that even non-shooters are aware of their existence. Whether you are a hunter or a competitive shooter, Vortex has got something for everyone.

The Razor series from Vortex is part of their premium lineup of products. Besides riflescopes, they also make spotters and binoculars as well. The one I’m recommending to you guys features a base magnification of 1x and 10x maximum magnification. In between the magnification, there is not a single shred of motion blur or edge blurriness present on the optic.

That’s because the optic lenses are coated with multiple layers of chemicals to remove glare from the optic and increase its brightness as well. That wouldn’t mean much of the housing of the scope wasn’t on par with the rest of the scope. Thankfully, the scope’s exterior is anodized and the chassis is made out of CNC machined aluminum. The inside of the scope is purged with nitrogen to make it immune to all sorts of moisture.

To prevent water from leaking inside, the lenses and the turrets are also sealed with O-ring gaskets. This prevents all sorts of water from leaking inside. The exterior is also shockproof at the same time. While it’s not scratch-resistant by any means, it’s quite decent against drops and scratches.

A key selling point of the scope is CQB to long-range mode. As you can see, the base magnification of the scope is 1x. If you want to suddenly shoot a long-range target from close quarters, you can do that almost immediately with no motion sickness involved! This is a great feature for folks who don’t want to compromise on quality and still want to have the best of both worlds experience!

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7. NightForce ATACR 4-16x50mm Rifle Scope

NightForce ATACR series of scopes are top-of-the-line products for military applications. They are often used for plinking as well. I know they are expensive, but hey, anything for mental satisfaction, right? If you are a long-range connoisseur, you are going to love the NightForce ATACR.

The base magnification of ATACR is not suitable for CQB. If you are planning to do close-quarter shooting as well, I would suggest you skip this and get the Razor instead. But if you are all about long-range practices, then keep on reading.

NightForce used CNC machining to create the body of this scope from aluminum billets. The exterior of the scope is hard anodized in black. While it’s not exactly matte, it’s not glossy either. Something in between. The lenses on the scope are fully multi-coated. They are extremely bright and scratch-resistant to some degree. While I would have preferred a seal of scratch-proofing, but cannot expect them to do everything right!

Don’t worry, that doesn’t mean the lenses are weak or will get scratched instantly. They don’t pick up oil or dirt and they don’t reflect either. Unless you are deliberately trying to scratch up the lenses, I doubt if you will naturally scratch them anytime soon. As for the range, the effective range of this scope is around 900 yards. That depends on the barrel length of your Scar 17!

This scope is a great way to lean into long-range shooting with your Scar 17. And if you want to switch to a DMR down the line for hunting or tactical long-range practices, you can learn the process of that with this combination. In short, it’s the best long-range scope for Scar 17.

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8. Leupold Mark 5HD 3.6-18x44mm Rifle Scope

The last scope I want to recommend to you guys for all the adventurers out there is from Leupold. This scope is also a great option for long-range shooting if you don’t want the extra features of ATACR. The Mark 5HD is an upgraded variant of the Mark series scope featuring HD lenses.

The housing of the scope is made out of CNC-machined aluminum. The inside of the housing is purged with chemicals to make it immune to moisture. To prevent water from leaking inside, the scope is sealed with O-ring gaskets. This prevents water leakage and makes the scope 100% waterproof.

Leupold has always made great quality lenses for their scopes. The Mark 5HD is no exception. As I said earlier, the scope features a pair of lenses made of HD glasses. HD glasses are known for their clarity and vision in low-light quality. On top of that, the Mark 5HD features Leupold’s twilight light management system. Thanks to this, Mark 5HD has been a go-to recommendation to hunters for a long time.

Don’t worry, it serves equally well in competitive and casual shooting as well. The point of the twilight light management system is to improve the low-light environment performance. You have the optimal clarity of HD glasses and then you add in the artificial layer of light management filter, and you get a scope that will perform the entire day.

One downside of the lens is the lack of illumination. Besides that, the scope is nearly flawless.

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Best Scope Mounts For Scar 17

Now that you are aware of the scopes and which is suited for what, how about you find a good set of mounting gear as well? In case you didn’t notice, most of the optics will not come with any mounting gears. Let’s find out the best mounting rings for Scar 17.

Best Aimpoint Micro Mounts

Build Quality

When it comes to Aimpoint, there are quite a few options present on the market. Such as Scalarworks Leap, LaRue Tactical QD, and Geissele Precision. Scalarwork offers a higher mounting height. This will reduce neck strain a lot. So, think twice before purchasing the mounting gear. Choose the one suitable for your needs and fits your budget as well.

Best Mounts For Long-Range Scopes

Build Quality

When it comes to these two scopes, you would want to spend a good amount of money on mounting rings. They are quite heavy and big. They also shoot at long range. Overall, you would want a solid pair of rings. Just remember to pick 34mm for ATACR and 35mm for Mark 5HD.

You can choose from Spuhr Precision Mount for Leupold, Spuhr Precision Mount for ATACR, Geissele Super Precision SOPMOD certified mounts (they are rated for Scar), and Badger Ordnance Scope rings.

They all are great pairs of rings and will serve you for a long, long time!

Best Mount For Trijicon ACOG

How can we forget this beauty? Well, my recommendation for the ACOG will be from Geissele once again. their ACOG mount with keeper nut is made out of extremely rugged and durable aluminum. They got 2800 lbs of clamping force and 4 recoil lugs for maximum rigidity.

How To Choose The Best Scope For Scar 17?

Now that you are aware of what your options are, how to choose the right one? After all, it won’t matter if the selected scope isn’t the right one for you.

While it’s ultimately your decision, allow me to help you a little bit in that decision-making.

Build Quality

The build quality of your optic needs to be durable. If you ever used a Scar 17, you know how ridiculously unforgiving it can be when it comes to optics. You wouldn’t want to add a poorly crafted scope on top of it. Guaranteed, it will end up with a cracked lens before you know it! Don’t cheap out on the build quality folks.

Spend a bit if necessary, but get the one built like a tank.

Lens Quality

In my opinion, lens quality is the most important part of a scope. The lenses of the scope portray the target to you. If it isn’t portraying it correctly then what use do I have for it?

Make sure the scope lens quality is great in any condition. You don’t want it to perform any worse depending on the weather.

What Do You Want To Shoot?

Ask yourself. What do I want to shoot? Are they close-range targets? Maybe long-range competitions? Something in between? Well, you will know the answer when you see your shooting habit. Find out what kind of range is the most comfortable for you.

Depending on that, you can either go for a versatile scope or stick to specific ranges. Hopefully, that clears up the confusion.

Closing Thoughts

And that’s about it folks. I hope you enjoyed the read and found it useful. I know it’s quite a lengthy read and you might need a couple of glasses of coffee to finish this through. But I promise you, by the time you end up stacking your coffee, you will end up learning a lot more about scopes for Scar 17. And with that newly found knowledge of yours, you can easily find the best optic for Scar 17 with ease.

As always, much appreciate for hanging around with me. Hope you learned something useful. That will be all for now. Will see you on the next one. Take care of yourself and the gun buddy meanwhile.