Scope options for .223 Remington

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Scope options for .223 Remington

Post by Rikta » 26 Nov 2017, 10:34 pm

lookin for a decent replacement for my milldot scope on my 223, not fond of its thick crosshairs and other "tacticool" crap, looking for suggestions on fine crosshairs without massive posts either side or tacticool crap all over the reticle. having a hard time at local shops, they all seem to be stocking this milspec tac crap.. dont wanna mortgage the house either. so anyone in the know about any dandies out there that will do the job prefer 44mm or bigger for spotlighting, and 12 power or more. cheers in advance
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Re: lookin at options for 223

Post by Westaussieguy » 27 Nov 2017, 12:24 am

I have a Nikko Stirling Panamax 4.5-14x50 half mil dot scope on my tikka .223 varmint. It has good glass and a nice wide view, it works well with a spotlight and ranges out to 500m without problems. It was around $250.00 a couple of years ago. The reticle is not particularly thin but it doesn't cause me any problems when shooting bunnies or foxes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3OjubQVTfU
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Re: lookin at options for 223

Post by Sub.4MOAHowa » 27 Nov 2017, 7:38 am

Bushnell Trophy Extreme 4-16x44 DOA LR600 30mm
Very fine reticle, optical clarity equal to my Viper Vortex HST out to 400M
Has some holdover points relevant to .223 and not too cluttered. Also has SF which is a bonus for shooting at the range.
Can be found for $400 out there and I've just bought a second so 'nough said.
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Re: lookin at options for 223

Post by fxol » 27 Nov 2017, 7:47 am

A mate uses a Bushnell Extreme 2.5 - 15 x 50. Great value scope according to him and he has a 72mm Zeiss Diavari to compare to.

I'm looking for the 6 - 20 extreme for my 223.
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Re: lookin at options for 223

Post by Kenny » 27 Nov 2017, 7:53 am

Sub.4MOAHowa wrote:Bushnell Trophy Extreme 4-16x44 DOA LR600 30mm
Very fine reticle, optical clarity equal to my Viper Vortex HST out to 400M
Has some holdover points relevant to .223 and not too cluttered. Also has SF which is a bonus for shooting at the range.
Can be found for $400 out there and I've just bought a second so 'nough said.


I have the same scope on my 30-06. Good scope for the $. Looking at a 223 now, and will get the same scope again
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Re: Scope options for .223 Remington

Post by Norton » 27 Nov 2017, 9:40 am

What are you calling 'tacticool' here exactly?

Mil dot or some basic holdovers can be very handy IMO.

Is that the long way of saying you just want a vanilla crosshair?
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Re: Scope options for .223 Remington

Post by Rikta » 27 Nov 2017, 11:14 am

Norton wrote:What are you calling 'tacticool' here exactly?

Mil dot or some basic holdovers can be very handy IMO.

Is that the long way of saying you just want a vanilla crosshair?


Too many bits and bobs and useless knobs lol

most the terrain where I am shooting there is no need for anything outside of 200m... and I zero my 223 at just shy of that range. so holdovers arent really anything im interested in on that particular rifle. and tacticool, big fat crosshairs with fat milldots, 101 holdover/bdc markers... just chasing straight old fashioned uncluttered reticle with fine hairs
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Re: Scope options for .223 Remington

Post by Gwion » 27 Nov 2017, 2:08 pm

On a hunting rifle in 223rem, if i had to replace a scope and was only shooting out to 200m and also under a spotlight, i would go for a fixed 8×50mm of decent quality. With good clear glass, 8× is plenty out to that distance. No screwing around. Just point and shoot out from close in to far out.....
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Re: Scope options for .223 Remington

Post by bladeracer » 27 Nov 2017, 5:28 pm

What is the current scope?
My Bushnell AR Optics have hold-over stadia but it's hard to notice them in the reticle.
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Re: Scope options for .223 Remington

Post by Rikta » 28 Nov 2017, 6:12 pm

bladeracer wrote:What is the current scope?
My Bushnell AR Optics have hold-over stadia but it's hard to notice them in the reticle.



current scope: cheap 4-16x50AO Milldot scope.
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Re: Scope options for .223 Remington

Post by bladeracer » 28 Nov 2017, 7:06 pm

Rikta wrote:
bladeracer wrote:What is the current scope?
My Bushnell AR Optics have hold-over stadia but it's hard to notice them in the reticle.



current scope: cheap 4-16x50AO Milldot scope.


Shame you're not a bit closer, you could try one of mine.
The AR Optics has a very fine reticle.
I just had a look across the paddock and at 100m I reckon it's barely thicker than a fence wire, so maybe 3mm.

Actually, I just checked and Bushnell say the reticle is 0.25MoA, so about 7mm at 100m, doesn't seem anywhere near that thick to me though.

https://enoughgun.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=7383
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Re: Scope options for .223 Remington

Post by Stix » 28 Nov 2017, 9:50 pm

Rikta wrote:lookin for a decent replacement for my milldot scope on my 223, not fond of its thick crosshairs... ... .. dont wanna mortgage the house either.... ...


How much you want to spend Rikta...?
(For some people $300 is too much for a scope, others wont buy a cheap scope for less than $1000...)
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Re: lookin at options for 223

Post by Stix » 28 Nov 2017, 10:37 pm

Sub.4MOAHowa wrote:Bushnell Trophy Extreme 4-16x44 DOA LR600 30mm
Very fine reticle, optical clarity equal to my Viper Vortex HST out to 400M
Has some holdover points relevant to .223 and not too cluttered. Also has SF which is a bonus for shooting at the range.
Can be found for $400 out there and I've just bought a second so 'nough said.


The comment of "very fine reticle" surprises me...!
I dont have that exact scope, but i do have the Trophy Extreme in both 2.5-15x50 with LR600i, & 6-24x50 with LR800 (varmint style).

I havnt had the 2.5-15 on live game yet but have shot paper, & have bowled over enough foxes to 120m with the 6-24 (only on 6x under spotlight) & targets out to 200m, & i would say neither scope has what i would call "very fine reticle", in fact, they are very heavy IMO--not great for daylight shooting at all really. But good for spotlighting--cant miss the reticle....!

Either they put a very fine version of that reticle in the model you have, or you havnt seen through a scope with a very fine reticle...
Ill make a point of checking one out when i can, & if you're correct about it being fine ill definately buy one.

I also dont understand what you mean by optical clarity is equal to your vortex out to 400m...are you saying the vortex is better optically beyond 400m, or the bushnell suddenly looses quality...??...i dont get it...

The optical clarity/resolving power of any given set of lenses does not suddenly change based on target distance, it is just as good as it is.

I have a bushnell elite 4500 4-16x40 that is optically superior to both the trophy extreme scopes i have, & that includes under spotlight, & can be attained for not much more $.
I also have a Zeiss 5-25 hd5 that has a thick reticle, & the Trophy Extreme scopes i have are at least as thick, if not probably thicker.
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Re: lookin at options for 223

Post by fxol » 29 Nov 2017, 5:10 am

Stix wrote:[quote="

I have a bushnell elite 4500 4-16x40 that is optically superior to both the trophy extreme scopes i have, & that includes under spotlight, & can be attained for not much more $.
I also have a Zeiss 5-25 hd5 that has a thick reticle, & the Trophy Extreme scopes i have are at least as thick, if not probably thicker.


Stix, optically, how would you rate the extreme scopes ? Better off buying a 4500?
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Re: lookin at options for 223

Post by bladeracer » 29 Nov 2017, 10:46 am

Stix wrote:
Sub.4MOAHowa wrote:Very fine reticle, optical clarity equal to my Viper Vortex HST out to 400M.



I also dont understand what you mean by optical clarity is equal to your vortex out to 400m...are you saying the vortex is better optically beyond 400m, or the bushnell suddenly looses quality...??...i dont get it...


I would guess he hasn't used it further than that to be able to judge its performance?
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Re: lookin at options for 223

Post by bladeracer » 29 Nov 2017, 10:56 am

Stix wrote:The comment of "very fine reticle" surprises me...!
...would say neither scope has what i would call "very fine reticle", in fact, they are very heavy IMO--not great for daylight shooting at all really. But good for spotlighting--cant miss the reticle....!


I wouldn't say it's very heavy, I've seen much heavier, but it's not fine. I would guess it's around 1MoA.
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Bushnell AR Optics 4.5-18x40 Reticle .223 BDC.png
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Bushnell Trophy Xtreme 4-16x44 Reticle doa-lr600.gif
Bushnell Trophy Xtreme 4-16x44 Reticle doa-lr600.gif (13.75 KiB) Viewed 5770 times
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Re: Scope options for .223 Remington

Post by Stix » 29 Nov 2017, 11:32 am

I wish i could grab them & have a look through them now, but i would say the 4500 elite range is far superior to the trophy extreme...but then that depends on how trained your eye is i guess, & what you call "good".
I just ordered another elite 4500 4-16x40 for another hunting rifle im yet to order (because i can get it $100 cheaper than the last one i got, & $300 cheaper than the next best price i can currently find one-a bludy bargain...!).

The Elite i have is low(er) contrast & better saturation, along with better edge to edge sharpness & no chromatic aberration, as compared with the Extreme 6-24 w/varmint reticle.
These features dont really have much immediate noticable effect at night under spotlight, but for day time hunting are measurably better...you (well, I) have considerably less eye fatigue, & when i look through my Elite on a sunny day, im also not "blinded" by bright light, and yet the image appears "brighter" (considerably better detail in highlights & shadows & distance/fine detail).

Blade, those pics you put up--i find trying to shoot tight groups/rabbits head at 200m, the finer lines (is it called stadia...?) the better & more accurate shot placement is.
To me the difference in the lines between those reticles is huge...one will never win a target shooting comp or shoot their tightest groups at 200m or over with the Trophy Extreme reticles (at least the ones i have)...& to me that equates to being more confident in the field, potentially adding 50m-80m in effective range to target.
That said, those reticles have their place & i use them...the 6-24 i have on a Tikka .204 for spotlighting, & apart from the scope being too heavy, the reticle is great for VERY fast target acquisition--im getting shots off on moving foxes in rapid time & nailing them every shot, faster than ever before--& i put it down to the thick unmistakable reticle.
I will hopefully get one or two of those 223 bdc bushnell scopes if they dont run out...i want one on my .222, despite someone saying they will switch off if on a .222...LMAO...!
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Re: lookin at options for 223

Post by Stix » 29 Nov 2017, 6:20 pm

[quote="fxol"
Stix, optically, how would you rate the extreme scopes ? Better off buying a 4500?[/quote]

I believe so if its for a hunting rifle mostly for day use...
Mine is superior to the extreme in my opinion, while being a good size & better weight.
The better lens quality makes up for smaller objective.

Again, this is my opinion.

If interested, PM me & ill tell you the dealer selling them cheap--hopefully they have some left if you decide on one.
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Re: Scope options for .223 Remington

Post by Stix » 29 Nov 2017, 8:43 pm

Come to think of it, i do have bad eyes & so wind the dioptre out quite a ways...does anyone know if this actually magnifies the image at the same time as make it appear sharp...?

If this is the case, it may be the reason i see the reticle as 'fat'...
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Re: Scope options for .223 Remington

Post by fxol » 30 Nov 2017, 9:12 pm

PM sent Stix
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