Reasonable Expectation(s)???and left and right?

I would hold on to that grand and wait until i had 2, then go get one that you wont have to question. Just my opinion, but i think its worth having the best optics you can afford and swap between rifles if needed. Sell some unwanted ones and save every dollar you can until you can afford the scope you know will perform (NF, S&B, March, etc.) I went through so many scopes and rifles and different systems trying to save money, after never being satisfied with them i added up what i had spent over the years and it cost me a lot more. I finally cashed in on good equipment. In the long run it has saved me a lot of money doing it that way and the results have been far better performance wise. Even though the sticker shock of the top end glass is scary, if you're serious about performance, there is no short cut that will be "just as good".

thanks RM97. That's way more informative than let us know when you're ready to buy a real scope! Ha!

B

BJH said:

I would hold on to that grand and wait until i had 2, then go get one that you wont have to question. Just my opinion, but i think its worth having the best optics you can afford and swap between rifles if needed. Sell some unwanted ones and save every dollar you can until you can afford the scope you know will perform (NF, S&B, March, etc.) I went through so many scopes and rifles and different systems trying to save money, after never being satisfied with them i added up what i had spent over the years and it cost me a lot more. I finally cashed in on good equipment. In the long run it has saved me a lot of money doing it that way and the results have been far better performance wise. Even though the sticker shock of the top end glass is scary, if you're serious about performance, there is no short cut that will be "just as good".

Click to expand...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I agree with that. I've done that rodeo several times over and always wind up getting bucked off at about 7.5 seconds! I've got a Savage 112 M/T 338 with dies and 200 once/twice fired lapua and Fed brass I'm gonna sell when I get it back from their shop. I sent it in once to have some burrs removed fm chamber and when they sent it back they had adjusted the trigger from 18 ounces down to something way to light. I t eventually quit even hitting the firing pin. Tried to take the action off the stock and rounded off 7 allen wrenches in the process. Still had the return box fm the original trip to the shop in a closet so I mailed it back to them today. Gun has less than 100 rounds through it. Will definitely shoot SIE 250 BTSP's. 5 shot groups under 2" at 400 yards. Love the gun, just know thrilled with their warranty work at all.

Beelzebub said:

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I feel like the gun, the ammo and I are all three up to the task of shooting a group at 800 yards tight enough to notice that the point of impact has moved as much as 60" from one volley at 800, one volley at 400 and then back to 800 again. I'm talking about a difference of 2 mills after scope changes and then back again.

MOA scopes didn't do as bad as MilDot scopes, but they were disappointing also.

Not saying NWFA isn't a great value. But tonight is the first I've heard of them. All I usually hear is Vortex and NF.

Click to expand...

Ya, SWFA scopes are the best kept secret in the rifle scope world.
Just a basic , almost old fashion design . At a time when scopes are coming out constantly that will do everything short of pull the handle on your press.
But, they work. And they keep working . for $ 299. They can't be beat.

I have had the same problem with older scopes. I now paid the big bucks for a Steiner, problem solved.

After many decades of "paying for my education" by buying cheap scopes and guns, I have learned that if you just want to shoot, buy anything....If you want to be accurate and enjoy yourself, only buy the best...PERIOD. $500 spent now on a cheap scope, is just $500 thrown away. I wish I had someone to tell me this as I was growing up as it would have saved me a lot of wasted money. If you love accurate shooting, don't rush, wait, save and buy once but buy the best. It is a lifetime investment at that point, while cheaper purchases are disposable. Just my two cents (spent many thousands of times on wrong purchases). Good luck.
I am aware this might not be the exact answer to your question, but if you want a scope to track, you have to go top shelf. A Camry is a great car, but it cant handle and corner like a Porsche...Both run, both get you there, but if you goal is a Porsche, why start with the Camry?

For around a $1000 look at the Nightforce SHV 5-20. It's a touch over but I've yet to see one that doesn't track and provides great bang for your buck.

There's also a whole can of worms you opened with your question/issue. First off long range precision shooting is a system that the optic is one part of requiring an accurate firearm, ammo, quality mounting solution, and bipod with it.

Another thing you mentioned is the ballistic calculator, and although this is a great starting point, it is just that. You then need to range verify and adjust the FPS until it matches up. After that at longer ranges as environmentalists change so will your POI. Now comes where you need a Kestral or rangefinder that updates with the changing conditions.

I would say the first step is more time researching and learning.

I just added my third SWFA to my herd of scopes. I have yet to take it the range as it just arrived last night. My first SWFA variable scope.

I'm an infant still in diapers when it comes to long range shooting so I'm far from an expert, but SWFA scopes look to me to solid as a rock. I have only shot out to 600yds because that's the max range at the shooting center I use.

I have compared them side by side with upper end Vortex and my little $299.00 SWFA fixed power was way more impressive.

So count me in on another vote for the SWFA line of scopes.

I agree with the buy the best train of thot. However. It may take a while to save up 3 grand or possibly more. A guy will want to do a bunch of shooting in the mean time. That's where the SWFA comes in imho.
There are so many skills that need to be learned for precision long range shooting.
It's not that hard to come up with a consistent 1/2 moa rifle and load
308, 6.5 Creed, 243. Easy shooting , not burning a ton of powder, bullets aren't overly expensive.
It all adds up to being able to do a Lot of shooting , which equates to lots of practice. Paired with an affordable , dependable optic and you have a great platform to learn on.

Some of my observations may be helpful.
Nightforce has since the NXS days used a strong, highly polished Titanium spring to center the erector tube. They do this to achieve repeatability, and I believe they are the only company doing it that way.

This in my experience is the most likely cause of the symptoms you describe (failure to return to setting). An old trick was to first, always dial against the spring (it sits at 7:30, or there is one at 9:00 and another at 6:00), so you would dial over and then back to compress against the spring, and second, give the turret a thump with your knuckle to 'settle' it.

No scope, regardless of cost is going to always move exactly 30 MOA for a 30 MOA input (across a large sample of scopes), but almost all Vortex and higher quality scopes will move the same amount in either direction repeatedly. When you perform a 'Tall Target Test' you will measure the rate at which your turrets move your crosshair, and calculate an adjustment factor. Any ballistics solver worth having will use your measured adjustment factor to improve its solution. If you don't want to use a solver, then use a DOPE book, and record enough information to be useful in the field. Better yet, do both solver and DOPE.

Bottom line is that you don't need to spend a lot to get a scope that will work for long range, but you do need to document the operation of the scope to successfully achieve first round hits.

Another observation; time is a greater threat to your scope's ability than recoil. An old scope may seem ok, until you get results similar yours. Could be caused by grease inside the scope becoming hard, or could have been wiped off by operation, in any case it might be correctable by returning scope for service.

Zen Archery said:

You get what you pay for. Just saying.

Click to expand...

This is an internet myth. I paid $1,675 for my first Swaro z5. It was not as good as my Bushnell 6500 for $875. Returned it and got another z5. It was not as good as the first. Returned it. Same for the next one. The forth was almost as good as the Bushnell but during two hunting seasons it went in for repairs twice. Both times the note in the scope said they replace the erector. I don't have any Swarovskis but do have four Bushnells.

You get what you shop for.

Sightron S111 are known for perfect tracking. Biggest con was they did not have a zero stop. But starting this year Sightrons custom shop will now install a retrofit zero stop turret on the s111 exposed turret models. I believe making this scope one of the best bangs for your buck. The cost of scope and cost to have zero stop installed keeps you under 1K. And hard to beat that they are only 24Ozs for the 6-24x50!

hunterdan said:

Sightron S111 are known for perfect tracking. Biggest con was they did not have a zero stop. But starting this year Sightrons custom shop will now install a retrofit zero stop turret on the s111 exposed turret models. I believe making this scope one of the best bangs for your buck. The cost of scope and cost to have zero stop installed keeps you under 1K.

Click to expand...

THIS++

hunterdan said:

Sightron S111 are known for perfect tracking. Biggest con was they did not have a zero stop. But starting this year Sightrons custom shop will now install a retrofit zero stop turret on the s111 exposed turret models. I believe making this scope one of the best bangs for your buck. The cost of scope and cost to have zero stop installed keeps you under 1K. And hard to beat that they are only 24Ozs for the 6-24x50!

Click to expand...

Hunterdan, when does this retrofit start? Do you know how much it costs or have any other details? That is awesome!