Home AR-15 Budget AR Scope Selection with Navy SEAL Mark "Coch" Cochiolo

Budget AR Scope Selection with Navy SEAL Mark "Coch" Cochiolo

728
42

Retired Navy SEAL continues his talk about high-value products. Here, he discusses various AR scopes and optics.

A budget AR scope can work perfectly fine for your application. If you can afford a high-end scope, go for it. They are great but aren’t necessary for most people.

TACTICAL HYVE LINKS
– Tactical Hyve Website |
– Marksmanship Standards |

FOLLOW US
– Instagram:
– Facebook:
– TikTok:

RECOMMENDED
– AimCam | (Use code TACHYVE for 10% off)
– CCW Safe Insurance |
– Dry Fire Mag |
– Mantis Blackbeard |
– Mantis X10 Elite |
– Mystery Ranch Backpacks |
– NeoMag | (Use code Hyve10 for 10% off)
– Nutrient Survival | (Use code TACHYVE for 10% off)
– Tenicor Concealed Carry Holsters |
– Safariland Tactical Holsters |

VIDEO EQUIPMENT WE USE:
– Sony Alpha 7S III Camera:
– Sony FE 24-70 mm Lens F2.8 G Master:
– Ronin-S Gimbal:
– GoPRO Hero 10:
– GoPRO Max:
– Sennheiser EW 112P G4 Lav Mics:
– Rode Microphones Wireless GO II:

(DISCLAIMER: This post may contain paid advertisements or affiliate links. What is an affiliate link? It means that if you click on one of the product links, Tactical Hyve will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps support the channel and allows us to create more content for you! Thank you for the support!)

#tacticalhyve #navyseals #optics

Note to readers: Please click the share buttons above or below. Forward this article to your email lists. Crosspost on your blog site, social media, internet forums. etc.

42 COMMENTS

  1. Consider that it’s all relative. All the optics he shows which vary in price greatly, are better than service duty optics during the 90’s and early 2000’s. You really can’t go wrong with any of them and so it boils down to how extra cash you have to spend on a name brand.

  2. In my opinion, you hit on the top picks for many who knows how to pick good budget friendly optics. PA and Arken are my go to glass, the EP5 is an improvement over the EP4 you showed here. Thank you for your service and hard work.

  3. Video suggestion: Difference between red dot sights and reflex sights. Also good options between the two types. (I'm making the request on behalf of myself and a few friends who aren't so clear on the difference.)

  4. Great video! I retired in 2015 and was lucky enough to see the progression in weapons and optics during my time in the military. I did my first 5yrs in the Corps, then another 17 with 7th and 19th group. SF had some really cool (really expensive) toys whereas the marines had a bunch of broken, hand me down shit from the Army. Now that I'm a nobody dad with a ton of kids, I've been reduced to having top shelf whiskey taste on a PBR budget. That high end pill is really hard to swallow when the funds are coming out of your own pocket and have kids needing braces on top of regular expenses. I literally have to tell myself, "I'm not falling out of aircrafts or rolling down mountains anymore…" to keep my impulse buying at bay.

    When i was young and single, I would turn my nose up at anything that wasn't Trijicon, Leupold, Nightforce or Schmidt & Bender. I've opened up my optics selections to Arken, Primary Arms, Vortex, Holosun and now Swampfox. The first time I bought any of those brands, I had buyers remorse. But that was only during the wait for those items to arrive at my door. Once they were in my hands, a huge relief would fall over me knowing I didn't blow my cash on junk.

    I think the key is, if you're going to take a chance on something less than top tier, make sure the company stands by their product and back that up in their warranty.

    The majority of those brands I listed, since it's my dime; if I had to, I would be ok trusting those optics to protect my family. Would I prefer an ACOG? Sure, but I was an infantry marine first, so I know how to make due with what I got. LOL

  5. Coch, I really like your videos. I'm not an operator and never will be, but I love the gear. I learn a lot from your vids. You take it seriously, but know how to laugh and aren't preachy. I have to ask a dumb question. What are the two black things on your shirt collar? Thanks.

  6. I own an Arken 4-16 and a vortex strike eagle 5-25, love them both. I will tell you another one I am pretty impressed with for the money is my swampfox arrowhead 1-8x LPVO.

  7. As a consumer, non military background, I run the same Vortex Strike fire 1-8/24 on a ddm4v7. Note, the 1-8 model has cleaner glass at 6 power than the same Strike Eagle 1-6 at 6 power. I have been leaving the LPVO at 6x and running a 45* Vortex Razor red dot for close up social work. Aging eyes are keeping me on the porch for any distant work. 400+ yard elk are pretty safe these days.

  8. It's refreshing to watch a review by a professional who isn't pushing high-end glass that I can't afford. BTW, I have the Arken for the reasons you outlined and it has been exceptional!

  9. So dang useful. Been thinking about this topic recently and yesterday's quick search revealed some snobbery. But I'm just a civy wanting some decent products. Thanks for showing some brands that are new to me.

  10. Great content sir! I use a Vortex Diamondback, beautiful scope. “Noobs”, conquer iron sights first before moving into scope. It doesn’t make sense to buy a scope and put back up irons on if you don’t know how to use them. It makes for handling/ understanding the scope a lot easier. Don’t skip on iron sight training. These are the fundamentals!

Leave a Reply