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I prefer something like the ACOG, but I guess it’s all about what you are using the rifle for.

Agreed. I have a close friend (son of a family friend -- West Point grad) who was a Company Commander in Afghanistan who once remarked to me that the stadia lines on their ACOG scopes allowed them to make reliable hits on man sized targes as far away as 500 meters. According to the doctrine, the max effective range of the M16 is 460 meters. That says a lot IMHO.

If I were going for a scoped capability on an M4 or M16 variant, I'd be using the Colt "shortie" scope designed for the weapon which has the multiplex reticle and is only a 4X because it also has a BDC (Bullet Drop Compensator) and costs FAR less than any ACOG. No tritium but that's not too bad. The idea is not to use the weapon as a sniper rifle anyway. No "one shot one kill" is needed here. Remember too that the ballistics on the 5.56mm is not designed for that, especially at distant targets.

This platform with a scope attached is used to spot the hits and guide the rounds onto the target using some "Kentucky windage." If you want a sniper rifle, get such. I love my M1A with the 10X Shepherd Scope. I had that worked on by ROBAR with suggestions made to me by a SEAL sniper. But I wouldn't use that in the same role as I would use my AR's. Neither would I use the AR's in a sniper role.

Ideally the AR is a blessed mix between CQB and intermediate range foes. As far as the build itself, I'd go piston only. If I were doing this myself again (my AR's are from that gas tube era) I'd go with a free floated barrel and Piston design. Flat top with GGG fold down sights as backup to the optics.

I may or may not go with a forward accessory rail but all I'd put on it might be a grip (short so it wouldn't dig in the dirt if I had to low crawl or otherwise seek cover fast) and maybe a laser. MAYBE.

Any more bells and whistles invites malfunctions at the worst possible moment as well as more weight to haul. The KISS Doctrine has to be in full force here.