So many scopes so little time

[bigrich]

myself for field rifle comps from 25 yds out to 200 yds , on my 222 i use a 4.5-14 x40 leupold VX3 . retails about $960 has all the vision i need for this comp as well as precision shots on grey grasshoppers out to 200

my only other preference in this price range would be a meopta meopro

hope this helps

Thanks Bigrich.

So far leaning towards the Meopro but will have a look at the leupolds too[/quote]



meopta meostar are REALLY good glass for about $1300 , but i've found with meoptas the eye peice (like a lot of european scopes ) is quite large and doesn't give much clearance for bolt throw sometimes

leupolds are more compact in this regard , and the clarity on a VX3 scope is very good . the other thing about loopys , i could go out tomorrow, buy a second hand loopy, and if it breaks or is faulty i can ship it to a loopy dealer or the factory and they'll fix it or replace it for free . lifetime garuntee on loopys

[SCJ429]

[quote="Denno"][.[/quote

Give me a bit of time and I will check out what everyone is using in comps.
Sorry but I assumed some of you blokes would be just the people I'd see at the comps
/quote]

I am a competition shooter, currently compete in long range benchrest. Previously competed in 3P, smallbore and Metalic Silhouette with a centrefire. If you go along to most competitions you will notice most of the competitors use one brand of scope. There is a reason for this and it is not because they are all employed by the company.

It makes no difference to me what you buy and I was giving you some advice based on my experiences.

[bigrich]

[quote="SCJ429"

Give me a bit of time and I will check out what everyone is using in comps.
Sorry but I assumed some of you blokes would be just the people I'd see at the comps
/quote]

I am a competition shooter, currently compete in long range benchrest. Previously competed in 3P, smallbore and Metalic Silhouette with a centrefire. If you go along to most competitions you will notice most of the competitors use one brand of scope. There is a reason for this and it is not because they are all employed by the company.

It makes no difference to me what you buy and I was giving you some advice based on my experiences.[/quote]


i wish they ran 3P at my range . as i understand it , it's a slower version of feild rifle centrefire . the rapid fire part of field rifle wouldn't be good for barrel throats . i'd get more of a chance to use some of my other rifles without worrying about burning them out . you've given me a idea SJC , might have a word to someone about changing the comp to 3P

[SCJ429]

I really enjoyed 3P, I used an Anschutz 1413 back then. I am on the lookout for another Super Match to get back into 3P however my Olympic dreams are now long gone.

[SCJ429]

I really enjoyed 3P, I used an Anschutz 1413 back then. I am on the lookout for another Super Match to get back into 3P however my Olympic dreams are now long gone.

[sungazer]

Deno you dont know what need. You might think you know what you want. A Nightforce 8-32 just sold on used guns for $850. It is the best scope you will get for $1000. It is SFP. The 8-32 even though you are not hunting is also the scope I use for hunting on my rifles. They are a brilliant scope that will last and last and the is a lifetime transferable warranty.

[Member-Deleted]

Deno you dont know what need. You might think you know what you want. A Nightforce 8-32 just sold on used guns for $850. It is the best scope you will get for $1000. It is SFP. The 8-32 even though you are not hunting is also the scope I use for hunting on my rifles. They are a brilliant scope that will last and last and the is a lifetime transferable warranty.

Yeah I get it’s the scope of choice and if I’d seen that one I probably would have bought it.
And you’re dead right I don’t know what I want. That’s why I’m here asking you blokes.

All good info fellas

Cheers

[bladeracer]

Deno you dont know what need. You might think you know what you want. A Nightforce 8-32 just sold on used guns for $850. It is the best scope you will get for $1000. It is SFP. The 8-32 even though you are not hunting is also the scope I use for hunting on my rifles. They are a brilliant scope that will last and last and the is a lifetime transferable warranty.

I agree, buying a scope before you've determined exactly what you need from it may just result in having to buy a different scope later on.

I would find 8-power to be too much for a hunting rifle, even 6-power is too restricted for finding close targets quickly. 8-32x would be nice on a varmint rifle though, as long as you accept not being able to easily take shots of opportunity on the way in and out of your shooting position. I have a 10-40x I use sometimes for target shooting, but had way too many missed opportunities due to the restricted view, so it doesn't get used for hunting

[bladeracer]

Something to keep in mind perhaps for a .22LR, if you want to reach out to longer ranges, you need lots of elevation adjustment, 100-minutes to go from a 100m zero out to 500m, that's 400 clicks on most scopes with quarter-minute clicks. When you get up into very high magnification you tend to lose adjustment range. I'd have to check, but I think my 10-40x50 only has 40MoA compared to the 105MoA of the 4.5-18x40. You can buy very expensive minute-adjustable mounts though that circumvents this.

You'll also have to decide whether you prefer to work with an MoA scope or a MilRad scope. As a carpenter, I'm intimate with degrees, minutes and seconds so I prefer MoA. I can use Millirads but I find them cumbersome.

Minutes are roughly 29mm at 100m, or an inch at 100yds. A minute is simply one-sixtieth of a degree.
Mils are a thousandth of the distance, so 100mm at 100m.

[sungazer]

Deno if you have a look at the 50m 22LR target you shoot a round of 25 scoring shots, 1 shot on each target the centre is a dot the size of what a ball point pen would leave perhaps a tad bigger but not much if any. There are also sighter targets around the edge..

So you see you have to have a pretty high power scope to see that centre of the target very well. I prefer not to have the dot type reticles but rather the thin lines if you have reasonable eyesight.

[Member-Deleted]

Something to keep in mind perhaps for a .22LR, if you want to reach out to longer ranges, you need lots of elevation adjustment, 100-minutes to go from a 100m zero out to 500m, that's 400 clicks on most scopes with quarter-minute clicks. When you get up into very high magnification you tend to lose adjustment range. I'd have to check, but I think my 10-40x50 only has 40MoA compared to the 105MoA of the 4.5-18x40. You can buy very expensive minute-adjustable mounts though that circumvents this.

You'll also have to decide whether you prefer to work with an MoA scope or a MilRad scope. As a carpenter, I'm intimate with degrees, minutes and seconds so I prefer MoA. I can use Millirads but I find them cumbersome.

Minutes are roughly 29mm at 100m, or an inch at 100yds. A minute is simply one-sixtieth of a degree.
Mils are a thousandth of the distance, so 100mm at 100m.

Don’t think I’ll be shooting out that far Bladeracer, at least not for a while.
I guess I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it and lash out on a specialty scope

I’ve sussed out the moa vs mil and I think moa is for me. I just find it easier on the brain to understand.

Cheers

[Bill]

I run the 3-16x42mm Sightron Stac duplex on my 6.5 Grendel and love it for banging groups or gongs out to 400m

I have 4 x Meopros and I had a Meostar R1 recebntly and I rate the Sightron Stac to be a better scope at the range hands down, The new Optika 6 range whiclst a new scope is still runge the same Meopro standard glass

I almost went with the 4-20x50 Stac before I bought the 3-16 as it would have overbalanced my stubby 20inch HB Grendel

I reckon I will end up with one of these in the next 12months

https://www.australiantacticalprecision ... icle-26014

[Member-Deleted]

Deno if you have a look at the 50m 22LR target you shoot a round of 25 scoring shots, 1 shot on each target the centre is a dot the size of what a ball point pen would leave perhaps a tad bigger but not much if any. There are also sighter targets around the edge..

So you see you have to have a pretty high power scope to see that centre of the target very well. I prefer not to have the dot type reticles but rather the thin lines if you have reasonable eyesight.

Yes the centre is bloody small hey.
That’s my delimma with reticles.
I want something simple and thin for just that reason. I don’t really want bdc or anything fancy. In a perfect world I would get a fine cross with just moa dots on it. I don’t think I want the ones with all the hold over points. I’d like to learn using the turrets

Cheers

[JimTom]

Anther vote here for the Meopta Meopro mate. In my honest opinion they are good value for money. I own several.

[SCJ429]

Something to keep in mind perhaps for a .22LR, if you want to reach out to longer ranges, you need lots of elevation adjustment, 100-minutes to go from a 100m zero out to 500m, that's 400 clicks on most scopes with quarter-minute clicks. When you get up into very high magnification you tend to lose adjustment range. I'd have to check, but I think my 10-40x50 only has 40MoA compared to the 105MoA of the 4.5-18x40. You can buy very expensive minute-adjustable mounts though that circumvents this.

Very true, the 32x Nightforce has about 50 MOA of elevation and the 42x has 40 MOA. Still enough to get you out to 500 shooting a 223. You may need a canted rail to get you out to 1000 metres.

[Strikey]

For the rimfire comps you are saying that you might have a crack at with your new Lithgow forget about mounting a Nightforce BR, these scopes are optically brilliant but are bloody heavy and you don't want all that weight sitting on top of your rifle when trying to shoot offhand plus there are rifle weight limits to adhere to. 99% of silhouette and field rifle shooters will use Leupold scopes for their reliable tracking, shooting these disciplines you will use the elevation turret a LOT, they are lighter than most scopes in the same magnification category, optics are more than adequate and their lifetime warranty that others are now offering but Leupold have had it since forever. My silhouette rifles all have either Leupold VX2 6-18 x40's or VX3 6•5-20x40 EFR scopes, one rifle is using a fixed 12, all these scopes have enough elevation adjustment to get a 22lr with standard velocity ammo to 100m or centrefires to 500m without canted bases or adjustable rings, my preference is the fine duplex reticle although these can be had with a dot reticle.
On Usedguns.com there are a couple of Leupold EFR's for sale, not mine but I have looked at them but don't really need them atm

[sungazer]

Strikey, that is for Silhouette if it was a Bench rest comp then the weight doesn't matter. I would say that reliable and prolonged tracking ability is one of the Nightforces main strengths. In the f class ranks there are a few Leupolds but very few and they are know to have to be serviced regularly because of tracking problems. The NF just go and go f class is constant elevation and windage adjustments. elevation can be from 3moa to 27 moa in a single comp and then back to the start the next week or mid week.

[Strikey]

Strikey, that is for Silhouette if it was a Bench rest comp then the weight doesn't matter. I would say that reliable and prolonged tracking ability is one of the Nightforces main strengths. In the f class ranks there are a few Leupolds but very few and they are know to have to be serviced regularly because of tracking problems. The NF just go and go f class is constant elevation and windage adjustments. elevation can be from 3moa to 27 moa in a single comp and then back to the start the next week or mid week.

Correct if I am wrong, but ol'mate bought a Lithgow 101 which is 22lr,so what relevance does recommending a popular FClass scope have to do with shooting a rimfire to 100m and his budget, Rimfire Benchrest still has rifle weight limits in the rules. And yes I have shot FClass and had a Nightforce BR 8-32, if I was to get back into it seriously that would be my scope of choice but for rimfire silhouette, field rifle and benchrest a Leupold is hard to go past

[sungazer]

Well there are plenty of people using them in small bore 22LR Bench Rest comps since the competition model has come out they even use that and some higher end march scopes as well. Thats only out to 50 yrds.

[bman940]

I have never had an issue with any Meopta eye pieces ingereing with bolt thro and I have 5 different Meopta scopes on 5 different makes of rifles. Zero issues and fantastic glass. Their new Optika6 line has great features and an even better price. I have a 3-18x50 on my deer rifle that took 4 deer this year. The longest shot ranged 327 yards. Here's a pic of my deer rifle and Optika6 3-18x50 on it. Winchester Model 70 action done by Hill Country Rifle.

https://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd ... _5036.jpeg

[bigrich]

I have never had an issue with any Meopta eye pieces ingereing with bolt thro and I have 5 different Meopta scopes on 5 different makes of rifles. Zero issues and fantastic glass. Their new Optika6 line has great features and an even better price. I have a 3-18x50 on my deer rifle that took 4 deer this year. The longest shot ranged 327 yards. Here's a pic of my deer rifle and Optika6 3-18x50 on it. Winchester Model 70 action done by Hill Country Rifle.

https://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd ... _5036.jpeg

What caliber is the Winchester ?

[SCJ429]

[

Correct if I am wrong, but ol'mate bought a Lithgow 101 which is 22lr,so what relevance does recommending a popular FClass scope have to do with shooting a rimfire to 100m and his budget, Rimfire Benchrest still has rifle weight limits in the rules. And yes I have shot FClass and had a Nightforce BR 8-32, if I was to get back into it seriously that would be my scope of choice but for rimfire silhouette, field rifle and benchrest a Leupold is hard to go past

Leupolds were well represented at rimfire competitions in the 80s and 90s, unfortunately now you are more likely to see a fixed power 36x Weaver than a Leupold. I have nothing against Leupold, I have five of them but couldn't recommend one for competition.

If I were convinced that I was correct in my competition for example, using Reloder powder and Sierra Matchking bullets but everyone beating me was using ADI and Bergers. I would have to consider if I had made the right choice. If you go to a competition you can see what choice they made in optics, it is plain to see. These guys will use what ever works the best, money is no impediment.

[Mark223308]

Be wary of Bushnell these days there not the brand they were , many built in China .

[bladeracer]

Be wary of Bushnell these days there not the brand they were , many built in China .

Nothing wrong with being made in China these days, they probably built the machines that they export to companies to make their "not made in China" products with.

[Sergeant Hartman]

Well being built in China is no issue... I have a 4wd that is built in China and an Athlon Argos 6x24 scope.

What's more important is how they treat you as a customer, I had an issue with the athlon scope.. turrets stopped working about 18 months after I bought it. Emailed the seller and he replied within the hour and suggested the best way to go for me, I sent the scope on Monday via post. Even though Christmas, I had a replacement scope in my hands on Friday... I wonder if meopta or even Leopold/vortex would be that good in Australia.

Ofcourse if you buy a Alibaba scope then no warranty on that...If it works it works, if not.. just buy another. Or but 2 to start with

[SCJ429]

Be wary of Bushnell these days there not the brand they were , many built in China .

Hi Mark257458,

Have you had any issues with Bushnell scopes?

I bought a $150 Visionking 6-24x Chinese scope six months ago and have been trying to make it fail. First I bolted it to a rimfire and have wound the elevation up and down constantly. I have now bolted it to a hunting weight 7mm Rem Mag but nothing has fallen off it. I am now going to bolt it to a big bore to see if that can shake something loose. I have to admit that the thing is half usable, granted it doesn't have outstanding glass but good enough to hit something.

[Sergeant Hartman]

What did you pay for your visionking. And what mag

[bladeracer]

What did you pay for your visionking. And what mag

How did you read "Visionking" in his post without reading the "$150" and the "6-24x" wrapped around the brand name?

[Sergeant Hartman]

Hmm....I swear I didn't see it..... I dunno. Maybe I am going blind, or was super tired. No I don't think he edited his post. Sorry

[bladeracer]

Hmm....I swear I didn't see it..... I dunno. Maybe I am going blind, or was super tired. No I don't think he edited his post. Sorry

No worries, Ziad