walserjack
Member
- Joined
- May 23, 2011
- Messages
- 24
Lets get opinions on the best scopes and reticles for long range for under 1000 dlrs.
Best optics for under 1000 dlrs?
- Thread starter walserjack
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SBruce
Well-Known Member
Depends on what you consider "long range", but in my experience; long range is beyond 400 yds with most modern centerfire rifles. Saying this because I've seen alot of guys that claim to be "long range" shooters that cant hit a paper dinner plate at 400 yds the first shot.
For my eyes, Leupold has great glass and always has. I'd go with something in the VX3 series. I believe it's the best class of Leupold you can get for under $1000. The mark 4 I have is really great, but it's over the price you mentioned.
Sightron SIII has a good following, and I recently bought one of them. Haven't played with it much yet, but color and contrast seemed really good while holding it freehand on 16X. They're "claim to fame" is positive and accurate tracking in the adjustments. Too early to tell how impressed I'll be with it yet, but my initial impression was good.
Alot of people I know have used the top tier Bushnell (used to be Baush and Lomb....sp?) and have no complaints on them. I never owned one personally. Some have said they are brighter than Leupolds....?? Likewise, some I know really like the Nikon Monarch's.
I have owned and used Burris optics. I believe they are a very good contender in the under $1000 range, but again; their top tier stuff is the only thing I'd personally look at for true LR.
Regardless of the brand name, there's alot more to long range optics than clarity, brightness, resolution and contrast. Other important things are the tracking accuracy and repeatability of the adjustments. The adjustments need to be firm enough to withstand accidental movement, but light enough that you aren't moving the whole gun while trying to dial the elevation knob. Or, they need to be covered, especially if not truely waterproofed.
Parallax and Focus adjustment is a must have IMO and it needs to work well. No one wants to have the parallax at infinity for use at 300 or 400 yds, or have it a the lowest setting for use at 100 yds, but I've seen some scopes that are like that. We shouldn't run out of focus ability before the parallax is eliminated and visa versa.
When we change powers, the poi should not move. Alot of older variable powers did that, especially the cheaper ones. I think some sort of reticle with mil or moa marks/ticks/dots is a very nice addition for a LR scope, as is a BDC type of reticle in some cases.
IMO, there are alot of low dollar scopes sneaking into the LR market. Most may have one or two features that work well.....hard to find one that has all the features working well and has good glass/good reticles too.
For my eyes, Leupold has great glass and always has. I'd go with something in the VX3 series. I believe it's the best class of Leupold you can get for under $1000. The mark 4 I have is really great, but it's over the price you mentioned.
Sightron SIII has a good following, and I recently bought one of them. Haven't played with it much yet, but color and contrast seemed really good while holding it freehand on 16X. They're "claim to fame" is positive and accurate tracking in the adjustments. Too early to tell how impressed I'll be with it yet, but my initial impression was good.
Alot of people I know have used the top tier Bushnell (used to be Baush and Lomb....sp?) and have no complaints on them. I never owned one personally. Some have said they are brighter than Leupolds....?? Likewise, some I know really like the Nikon Monarch's.
I have owned and used Burris optics. I believe they are a very good contender in the under $1000 range, but again; their top tier stuff is the only thing I'd personally look at for true LR.
Regardless of the brand name, there's alot more to long range optics than clarity, brightness, resolution and contrast. Other important things are the tracking accuracy and repeatability of the adjustments. The adjustments need to be firm enough to withstand accidental movement, but light enough that you aren't moving the whole gun while trying to dial the elevation knob. Or, they need to be covered, especially if not truely waterproofed.
Parallax and Focus adjustment is a must have IMO and it needs to work well. No one wants to have the parallax at infinity for use at 300 or 400 yds, or have it a the lowest setting for use at 100 yds, but I've seen some scopes that are like that. We shouldn't run out of focus ability before the parallax is eliminated and visa versa.
When we change powers, the poi should not move. Alot of older variable powers did that, especially the cheaper ones. I think some sort of reticle with mil or moa marks/ticks/dots is a very nice addition for a LR scope, as is a BDC type of reticle in some cases.
IMO, there are alot of low dollar scopes sneaking into the LR market. Most may have one or two features that work well.....hard to find one that has all the features working well and has good glass/good reticles too.
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Cthemfly25
Well-Known Member
Lots to choose from in that price range. I just outfitted a rig with a zeiss conquest z800 but there are plenty of competitive products in price and quality.
SBruce
Well-Known Member
Oh Yea, I totally forgot about the Conquestlightbulb
Another good one for under 1K. Glad you mentioned it.
liltank
Well-Known Member
I'll throw a plug in for Vortex optics and their Viper PST. I really like my Vortex and it is only the Viper.
Tank
Tank
walserjack
Member
- Joined
- May 23, 2011
- Messages
- 24
I personally have a Ziess Conquest Rapid Z 600 and I love it. Very bright and accurate. Its enough for me to hit vitals at 500 yrds +. plus they have an online ballistics calculator that is really cool.
winmagman
Well-Known Member
I've got 4 Conquests, a Nikon Tactical, and a Clearidge Ultra on my long range rigs.
All are under a grand and perfectly capable of long range work. They all track well, the glass is clear enough to take low light shots during leagal hunting hours.
Chris
All are under a grand and perfectly capable of long range work. They all track well, the glass is clear enough to take low light shots during leagal hunting hours.
Chris
Long Time Long Ranger
Well-Known Member
Sorry, I just bought the last one. The ER 3.5-14 Lieca at cameraland for $849. Some of the best include the conquest, leupold, nikon monarch and burris black diamond of the ones I have tried. Many I haven't tried.
I wouldn't visit the hyde with all the inexperienced, immature idiots over there if they gave me the scope. Probably a rip off but since I haven't seen it I can't comment. For inexperienced guys they may sound like they know what they are talking about over there. But for a guy who has done this for forty years some of the stuff they say and talk about is flat out laughable.
I wouldn't visit the hyde with all the inexperienced, immature idiots over there if they gave me the scope. Probably a rip off but since I haven't seen it I can't comment. For inexperienced guys they may sound like they know what they are talking about over there. But for a guy who has done this for forty years some of the stuff they say and talk about is flat out laughable.
cowboy
Well-Known Member
I guess I'm about the same age and experience as you Long Ranger - I have visited the Hide a few times but haven't seen any reason to be a regular. Way too many guys over there that I refer to as "KEYBOARD COMMANDOES".
SBruce
Well-Known Member
Starting to think maybe I should have gotten another Zeiss Conquest rather than the Sightron SIII 6-24X50.
Don't quote me on that just yet, still too early to say for absolute sure. But after playing around with it some more this afternoon/evening, I like the Conquest I have better, even the Leupolds in this price range better.
I'll keep you posted as I look into it deeper and test it out some more. I'll probably post more info on this post:
http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f18/just-received-sightron-s3-72881/
Don't quote me on that just yet, still too early to say for absolute sure. But after playing around with it some more this afternoon/evening, I like the Conquest I have better, even the Leupolds in this price range better.
I'll keep you posted as I look into it deeper and test it out some more. I'll probably post more info on this post:
http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f18/just-received-sightron-s3-72881/
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Long Time Long Ranger
Well-Known Member
The sightrons I have tried were not in the class of the ones I listed. Since I had my shop though they have come out with newer versions I have not tried. At my shop we would put scopes side by side and test them in all areas. At that time the sightrons would not match the others. That has been five or so years back.
SBruce
Well-Known Member
Alot can change in 5 years, but that doesn't mean it actually did change.
Perhaps I got a lemon, perhaps I am worried about nothing. But my 2nd and 3rd impressions of the scope are leaving me wanting.
4th impression will be tomorrow, 5th impression will be when I contact Sightron.........We'll go from there.
Thanks for the response.
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