Are there good, lightweight scopes with reliable tracking?

I mean no disrespect to anyone, but it always cracks me up when someone brings up a great warranty as part of the scopes dialing "system". It's like saying "Don't worry if your truck stops steering, Chevrolet will take care of you". What happens to you BEFORE they do? A warranty doesn't do you one bit of good if you're on a sheep hunt you've been saving 20 years for and your scope fails. It doesn't do you a bit of good if you're on an elk hunt you've been earning points for for the last 15 years and your scope fails. It doesn't do you a bit of good if you're 12 miles into the backcountry chasing mulies and your scope fails. Yes, all scopes can fail but some have a track record of doing so regularly. Don't go there if you're wanting a scope that dials.
 
I mean no disrespect to anyone, but it always cracks me up when someone brings up a great warranty as part of the scopes dialing "system". It's like saying "Don't worry if your truck stops steering, Chevrolet will take care of you". What happens to you BEFORE they do? A warranty doesn't do you one bit of good if you're on a sheep hunt you've been saving 20 years for and your scope fails. It doesn't do you a bit of good if you're on an elk hunt you've been earning points for for the last 15 years and your scope fails. It doesn't do you a bit of good if you're 12 miles into the backcountry chasing mulies and your scope fails. Yes, all scopes can fail but some have a track record of doing so regularly. Don't go there if you're wanting a scope that dials.
It's nice people are entitled to opinions. My opinion is that after purchase service does make a difference if you have a problem. Having a product tied up in warranty or repair for months can be a deal breaker if you have to use the service. I've used swaro, nightforce, vortex, leupold, Schmidt and bender, and others. So it's not part of your thinking, good for you, but it is for others. I've had an optic out of service for 2 months, had to use another optic while guiding and it didn't make me happy at all. Leupold folks in Oregon have been very easy to work with. Nightforce was a pain.
 
I've been looking around trying to a find a scope under 20oz for a lightweight setup. I see two frequently mentioned for this: the Leupold VX-5HD and the Swarovski z5. However, both have many reports of tracking issues either with wandering from vertical zero, being off 1/2MOA or more on horizontal dialing, returning to zero, or any combination of the above. Are there any out there that are durable and reliable in tracking, similar to Nightforce? I could get a Nighforce NX8 2.5-20 but it's 28oz (and FFP where I'm sure SFP would work fine for hunting) and if I can drop 1/2lb through a lightweight scope I'd prefer it. Any recommendations?
swfa 3-9hd ,also their new one ss2.5 -10x32 ultralight,9.5 oz
 
Leupold VX6-HD 3x18x50MM with a 30MM tube, side focus, CDS dials, weights 21 oz. I've never had a tracking issue with my Leupolds over 35 years. I'm a hunter, not a 18 pound 1,000 yard shooter, but that sounds like fun! Cabela's let me take this scope, a comparable Swaro, and a Zeiss outside at sundown, and there was no doubt
about which was brighter and clearer to my eyes, as a low light hunting requirement. Your budget will help you decide also! Good luck!
 
Pictures scream louder than bull poo from people who have their favorites.
tracking? Light weight? New LHT. I'm not a vortex fan boy. I'm actually going to sell the scope I've been "testing,' but facts are facts. Feelings are for little girls.
here's a box at 100 meters (Yes, meters because it's a mil scope)

the target is canted due to wet ground and I got a little over zealous on the windage.
33BC9BF9-FF07-4310-83BB-4665382D30AA.jpeg
 
I want to try a US Optics TS12 for the same reasons the OP asked. But I'm having a hard time pulling the trigger on a Chinese scope with the things going on in the world today.

If that's Not something that bothers you, looks like a really good option. But they are new like the Razor.
 
Pictures scream louder than bull poo from people who have their favorites.
tracking? Light weight? New LHT. I'm not a vortex fan boy. I'm actually going to sell the scope I've been "testing,' but facts are facts. Feelings are for little girls.
here's a box at 100 meters (Yes, meters because it's a mil scope)

the target is canted due to wet ground and I got a little over zealous on the windage. View attachment 191194
It really doesn't matter if your scope is mils. You can do yards or meters. 1 mil is 1/1000 of anything. I read somewhere where a guy was explaining mils: He said "1 mil of 1,000 Lebron James is 1 Lebron James" to make his point.
 
Warning! This thread is more than 4 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.
Top