The 3 Best Carry Handle Scopes for Your AR-15

Lots of folks think it’s nearly impossible to put a scope on the carry handle of your AR. Despite the “modern” AR designs with full length hand guards and modular components, it’s still cool to own a classic Colt style AR sporter rifle.

So there’s two ways you can go about doing this for your classic-look AR. You can either buy a scope that is designed to mount on top of the carry handle or you can buy a rail that mounts to the top of your carry handle which will allow you to put any scope you want on there.

We found the best scopes that will fit on top of your carry handle so keep reading so see which scopes made our cut. The scopes/sights below are all designed to mount directly on the carry handle but here’s a post we did about the best scopes for AR-15 if you go the other route.

NCSTAR XRS Series 2-7 x 32 Compact Scope

Customizability is part of the fun of owning a black rifle. When it comes to AR-15 pattern rifles, the NCSTAR XRS Series 2 optical set is an outstanding option for anyone looking for a carry handle mounted optic. It comes with an oversized 34mm scope tube that vacuums up ambient light and illuminates your targets in challenging lighting situations. Whether you’re shooting on a range at twilight or are running a 3-gun drill in a shoot house, this is going to be a versatile scope that will see you from the range to the field and back.

The versatility of this optic is one of its key selling features. It’s designed with a quick release feature that allows you to swap it onto any rifle that features a Picatinny/Weaver rail in a matter of seconds and without ever needing to resort to specialized tools. If you mount it to your carry handle, the base of the scope was designed with iron sight shooters in mind and the iron rails are left completely unobstructed.

Pinty Rifle Scope 4-16×50 AOEG Illuminated Rangefinder Reflex 4 Reticle Red & Green Sight Green Dot Laser

Interested in a rail mounted sighting system that supports your AR pattern weapon of choice as you transition from distance shooting to close-up action without missing a beat?  The AOEG Reflex 4 offers versatility that is hard to find at a competing price point. Its primary optic system is a 4-16x 50 illuminated scopes that provides uncompromising views of your target or your game. The illuminated optic provides 5 levels of distance markers to allow you to transition from 500 yards to 100 yards without needing to adjust for elevation.

If you’re interested in competition shooting, the scope also has both a green laser and a reflex style sight that toggles between red and green sights. The top scope provides unlimited brightness control so you can preserve night vision without losing sight of your target. The system also sports 4 different reticules so you can always pick one that matches your specific shooting style.

The durability of this system is hard to ignore. It’s a fully shockproof and fogproof system that is factory sealed with nitrogen to protect against moisture intrusion. A feature of Leopuld and other more expensive scopes, the factory vapor sealing lets shooters have a level of confidence that would be hard to find in cheaper pieces of glass. A 12 month factory warranty adds to that sense of comfort and makes this a great gift for yourself or your nearest AR-15 fan.

BARSKA 4×20 Electro Sight Scope

Want to preserve a traditional appearance for your black rifle? Not interested in putting every possible attachment onto your favorite AR-15 or AR-10 style rifle? The BARSKA 4×20 Electro sight is a great rail mounted scope option that you should consider. It’s a scope that outperforms its price tag and looks great while doing what it does best – putting rounds on target.

Optimized for close and medium range shooting, this scope features a mil-dot reticule with four opaque elevation and windage dots placed at the typical locations. It preserves an enormous field of view that exposes 22 feet when covering a target that is 100 yards away. If you want to stretch this scopes legs, it is adjustable for elevation and windage with the use of side knobs.

The biggest compliments owners give this scope is that it is perfect for shooters who focus on sub-200 yard shots. The mount is elevated above the iron sights to preserve your ability to rapidly acquire targets and transition to closer ranges. It also mounts without the need of any additional equipment to common carrying handles. Whether you’ve got a Colt or a Bushmaster, this is ready to go as soon as you attach it to your factory mounted handle. Once placed on the mount, you’ll see that it is a snug fit that is going to keep you on target round after round.