The pros far outweigh the cons of living in the middle of nowhere but after moving to Nevada, I quickly discovered a con in the form of unmanaged predators. I arrived with 70 birds (geese, chickens, guineas, ducks, peafowl) and due to the excessive amount of coyotes and small predators in the area, that count made a drastic drop to a measly 6 in no time flat. It was the geese that survived in case you were wondering. I decided it was pointless to purchase any more birds until I had the means to somewhat control the thriving predator population. Thus began my hunt to find a scope for my AR-15 (I’d been running irons) that could accurately perform, withstand country life abuse but wouldn’t put my bank account in the red.
Enters Sightmark
Sightmark is a reputable company that has been producing quality products since 2007 and they are committed to providing “…state-of-the-art optics and accessories to make the modern sporting rifle, shotgun and pistol as accurate as possible.” It came as no surprise that they had a scope that would fit my criteria. Their Citadel 1-10×24 CR1 riflescope made its way to my mailbox.
It comes with capped low-profile turrets, ½ MOA per click windage and elevation adjustments, multi-coated lens, illumination and is also waterproof, shockproof, and fogproof.
Trying it Out
The wind blows a lot in Nevada and the day we took the scope for a test drive was no exception. I wanted to stretch it out and while we could shoot almost any distance imaginable I was somewhat limited by ammo and the AR-15 platform.
The target we mounted on the hillside was 500 yards away.
Tracking
The Sightmark Citadel 1-10×24 CR1 isn’t a target scope that is designed to be dialed for each shot. So I didn’t do a box test. However it did move the appropriate half MOA with each click while zeroing it and I’ve had no problems with it holding zero.
For shooting out to 500 yards I used the excellent CR1 reticle holdovers. I had no problem hitting the target over and over again once I figured out how much wind to hold for 15-20 mph!
Optics
Okay, let us be honest, this is a budget project and it’s somewhat of a budget optic. It’s a 1-10 power scope that retails for $479. Is it as clear as scope that costs $1500? Absolutely not. Could I see good enough on 10 power to hit the target at 500 yards? Absolutely. It’s a lot of scope with a lot of features for the money. On 6-8 power the glass looks pretty good. On 10 power it’s very useable but you can tell that it’s not expensive glass.
Conclusion
With everything going on in the world right now, there are many people looking for affordable optic options for their newly obtained AR’s. I have been nothing but satisfied with my Sightmark riflescope and would highly recommend it to someone wanting a feature-packed, quality optic that’s affordable.
Features
- CR1 Reticle with ½ MOA click adjustments
- BDC Reticle calibrated for .223 55-grain ammo
- Capped low-profile turrets help protect turrets and remain at zero
- Second focal plane reticle
- Single piece 30mm tube
- Hard anodized finish
- Red-illuminated reticle with 11-brightness settings
- Aircraft-grade aluminum tube
- Fully multi-coated lens
- IP67 waterproof, shockproof and fogproof
- Throw lever and flip-up caps included
- 10:1 zoom ratio
- MSRP: $479
You think the Strike Eagle is 1-8×24 is a superior scope? Nah! Pretty sure they’re made in the same factory, both have lifetime warranties, Citadel as 2 power more mag and same glass. It’s also about $20 less than the Strike Eagle. I let my SE go with a rifle I sold. Not letting the Citadel go. I like the fact that I can go long with an “LVPO” type optic. Great scope, IMHO.
I’ve had some experience with sight mark and wasn’t impressed. I don’t see how this scope out performs a vortex strike Eagle that’s cheaper and is of better quality. Only major difference is the Eagle is 1-8 power
You think the Strike Eagle is 1-8×24 is a superior scope? Nah! Pretty sure they’re made in the same factory, both have lifetime warranties, Citadel as 2 power more mag and same glass. It’s also about $20 less than the Strike Eagle. I let my SE go with a rifle I sold. Not letting the Citadel go. I like the fact that I can go long with an “LVPO” type optic. Great scope, IMHO.
I am thinking , a good scope should hold zero with heavy handling. Out in the bush I could hit rough terrain and while not dropping the rifle swing it around abit , for better balance next , I feel cost as least as possible to get the job done. Not a hard budget but not unlimited bank roll ?