Technology often has a fantastic trickle-down effect. Anti-lock brakes used to be fully optional – now they’re standard safety features.
The same kinds of dynamics are at play in the world of AR-15 optics. You’d be surprised what you can get in an AR-15 scope under $100 – while these aren’t going to be as feature-packed as more expensive options, the truth of the matter is for a recreational shooter or someone who’s not interested in dropping half their paycheck on a new scope, rest assured – there are lots of options to consider.
That said – these scopes aren’t going to be all things to all people.
In fact, you have to be realistic about what a budget scope for an AR-15 can do – and you won’t find premium brands on this list – but if you’re going to drop your hard-earned money on a new AR-15 scope rest assured we’ve done thorough testing with experts to help ensure we can steer you in the right direction.
To find the best budget scope, we had a professional shooting instructor spend over 20 hours field-testing 18 pairs against his own $2,500 high-end rifle scope.
After using our test budget scopes in the mountains and hills of Eastern Idaho, then on a mountain trip through Montana, he found that the UTG BugBuster Scope was the best of the test group, offering performance comparable to his premium scope on a few fronts for a fraction of the price.
This means you’ll see hit more targets and spend less on gear than any of your shooting buddies. This article is part of our ongoing Guide to Everything AR.
By Michael Crites
Michael Crites has served as executive editor of AmericanFirearms.org since 2016 and previously held positions as associate editor and range correspondent dating back to 2000. He discovered his passion for precision shooting at age 12 during his first visit to his grandfather's shooting range, eventually earning an Expert classification in three different shooting disciplines before age 18.
During his studies at University of Wyoming, he earned four varsity letters on the collegiate rifle and pistol teams, serving as team captain for three consecutive years. He became the first UW student to complete the NRA Range Safety Officer certification while maintaining full-time student status. He graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in Sports Communications.
His diverse career has included roles as Range Safety Coordinator for the National Rifle Championships in Camp Perry 2001; editor-in-chief, Precision Shooter Quarterly; series editor, Modern Firearms Handbook collection; managing editor, National Shooting Sports Foundation Newsletter; editor, Competitive Shooter Magazine; operations director for Western Arms & Ammunition Co.; senior editor for the Shooter's Reference Annual (Cheyenne); content director for The Firearms Report, published by the American Shooting Coalition in Billings, MT; firearms correspondent for Hunting & Shooting, produced by Outdoor Sports Media Group in Jackson, WY; and publisher for Wyoming Shooting Sports Journal in Casper. He has contributed as a regular columnist for American Rifleman (NRA Publications), technical editor for Precision, a publication of the National Bench Rest Shooters Association (Phoenix, AZ); and as firearms specialist for the Gun Owner's Annual.
As a digital content creator, he has written more than 400 articles on AmericanFirearms.org, developed shooting technique coverage for the Brownells Shooting Blog (Montezuma, IA) and Federal Premium "Range Notes" platform (Anoka, MN), and served as lead content strategist for International Defensive Pistol Association (Berryville, AR). Beyond Tactical Firearms, his current endeavors include content development for the Wyoming State Rifle Association (Cheyenne, WY) and technical manual production for High Plains Publishing of Laramie, WY.
He has contributed to the 12th, 13th, and 14th editions of Modern Sporting Rifles Guide and edited The Complete Guide to Tactical Shooting and Competitive Shooter's Reference Manual (Gun Digest Books).
View all of Michael Crites's posts.
