March is great, the vx5hd and 6hd lines are very nice as well. If you want light and compact, the swaro z5 3.5-18, get a moa custom turret, you have a Long range optic at 16-17oz. You're not going to get any lighter than that. However a 1" tube limits you. Vx6 HD with the tree reticle is pretty solid, as well as the vx5hd, believe they're all 19oz. If you want big FOV, 1st ffp, good turrets AND lightweight, @hunterdan is correct, March all the way. I have a 3-24x42 and it's been nothing but flawless. I never shoot above 18x, eyebox is a lil tight, and the paralex is sensitive. The 52mm obj models are better. Yes it's 2800$ but half the mass is the tank razor. The amg has decent glass, but a 4x erector? Come on kotex, make something people want, 3-18x50 ffp moa hunting reticle, they'd sell a ton. Keep an eye on Burris's new xtr3 3.5-18, huge field of view, lots of improvements over last gen, attractive prices, compact, but they're still 29oz.
Dream scope
- Thread starter 556shooter
- Start date
Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum
I own the AMG and it's about as close as you can get to the Gen II in a more compact package(50MM Obj) and lighter weight. Mine is the Mil/EBR-7 Reticle.
Lot of really good suggestions so far. Another to consider would be the Steiner T5XI. It is a full pound lighter than the HD2 but At 33 ounces it isn't as light as some of the others listed It does have many of the same qualities as the rzr 2 tho like 34 mm tube and FFP which some of the others do not
Last edited:
huntandfish2983
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Aug 19, 2017
- Messages
- 48
Tangent theta 315m
Bigaldepr
Well-Known Member
Many top tier scopes use leaded glass (SiO2-PbO) for the refractive index n=1.9 (ability bend light.) Therefore they are heavy. The higher refractive index allows for flatter lenses which reduces dispersion and thus a sharper image. The best lens would be made of moissenite, a silicon carbide found in meteors n=2.65 or diamond but not practical. Leupold has moved away from leaded glass to other fine glasses that are much lower density with a slightly lower index probably n>1.6. Now the question is are your eyes actually good enough to see the difference? Mine certainly aren't.
Hondo64d
Well-Known Member
You're right - that Razor is hefty! I have the same scope - put it on my Savage BA10/110 Stealth in 6.5CM. Love the package - hate the weight. I joke about putting casters on the buttstock so I can pull it behind me. Definitely not a backpack pack-it-in rifle combo. Good luck funding one as good and as light as you want.
lightshooter
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2016
- Messages
- 84
+1
I have this T5XI and love it. When it first came out it got some bad reviews based on tracking. I haven't experienced that at all and mine has the 1st gen turrets that we're supposed to be the problem. Tracking on mine is always repeatable. The problem has been addressed. The vortex gen II was what I wanted on my next rifle but the weight is a huge deterrent. I might get another Steiner. It's a lot lighter and about $1k cheaper. It's not that compact though. The optics seem bright and sharp as well. I've looked through $3 & $4k scopes that aren't as bright as my Steiner. There's a little bit of chromatic aberration in the Steiner at 25x but not too bad.
I have the Leupold mark 5 5-25x56 and for the money,I prefer it to my March 3-24x52.Glass is clearer above 20x and paralaxx much better at same.I front carry rifle and binos so for packing it is lighter and has better low end goes to the march.
lancetkenyon
Well-Known Member
Vortex Razor Gen 2 4.5-27×56=48oz
March F 3-24×52=24.4oz
Tangent Theta TT315M 3-15×50=27.7oz
S&B PMII 3-20×50 US=32oz
March F 3-24×52=24.4oz
Tangent Theta TT315M 3-15×50=27.7oz
S&B PMII 3-20×50 US=32oz
Harvey Durham
Well-Known Member
NFS 7x35 atrac I have a 7x35 and the 5x25 and I just don't think you can go wrong with a NFS
lightshooter
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2016
- Messages
- 84
I'd be curious to hear from anyone who has experience with the swfa ss hd 5-20x50. I have a new build that I don't want to spend $2k +. At $1500 it seems like it could be good. I don't see that it has a zero stop though, which is nice option.
Other cheaper scopes I have been consider would be the vortex viper, bushnell elite.
Sorry I don't mean to hijack the post but this seems like a good thread to get some good info.
Other cheaper scopes I have been consider would be the vortex viper, bushnell elite.
Sorry I don't mean to hijack the post but this seems like a good thread to get some good info.
lancetkenyon
Well-Known Member
I had an SWFA SS 5-20×50 HD for a few years. For the price, they are a pretty darn good scope. Buy one used for $900-1100, and they are awesome. Get a throw lever and parallax gripper too.
Glass: better than Vortex Razor Gen 1 5-20×50, way better than a PST. Clear, good color, very little CA, good contrast. Similar to my Steiner T5Xi at same magnification.
Tracking: mine was dead on out to 1500+ yards and returned to exact zero every single time
Turrets: good. No zero stop, but it can be made to have a shim kit.
Eye box/relief: easy to get behind and plenty of relief when shooting my .300RUM when it was a sporter weight.
Weight/length: acceptable
Reticle: very usable. Easily visible on 5x, a bit thick on 20x for tiny targets on paper, but just fine for game, even prairie dogs at 300-500+.
Parallax: the ring is stiff. Hence the need for the gripper ring. Work it back and forth and it loosens up, but will always be "stiff". But still usable. Just not a 2 finger rotation. Parallax function works great though.
Glass: better than Vortex Razor Gen 1 5-20×50, way better than a PST. Clear, good color, very little CA, good contrast. Similar to my Steiner T5Xi at same magnification.
Tracking: mine was dead on out to 1500+ yards and returned to exact zero every single time
Turrets: good. No zero stop, but it can be made to have a shim kit.
Eye box/relief: easy to get behind and plenty of relief when shooting my .300RUM when it was a sporter weight.
Weight/length: acceptable
Reticle: very usable. Easily visible on 5x, a bit thick on 20x for tiny targets on paper, but just fine for game, even prairie dogs at 300-500+.
Parallax: the ring is stiff. Hence the need for the gripper ring. Work it back and forth and it loosens up, but will always be "stiff". But still usable. Just not a 2 finger rotation. Parallax function works great though.
