I'm looking to buy a new scope for a custom tikka 7-08 that I have Jon Beanland building for me. The three I have narrowed down to are Schmidt and Bender 3-21 exos, Leica Magnus 3-16 and a Swarovski X5 3-18. This rifle will primarily be used for hunting whitetails and shooting steel on occasion. So low light ability and cutting the glare at those times are the main attributes I'm looking for along with being able to reach out touch one in the 5-600 hundred yard range. Also will be shooting steel out to a thousand. Which one of the three would be best?
Best of the three
- Thread starter Boomer44
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THE SHADOW
Well-Known Member
I'm very happy with the X5 that I have on my hunting rifle.
Can't comment on the leica but I just sold an x5 and currently have an exos for sale ( i am switching to mil). Glass is very comparable, the x5 has a little bit better color to me. I prefer the illumination and lrh reticle of the s&b. The exos extra magnification and floating center dot makes precise aiming easy. The x5's tall turrets are not my favorite, exos has capped windage and lockable elevation. Parallax on the exos seems a bit more forgiving and has labeled knob for quick reference.
Comparing glass on the x5 vs exos is similar to picking fly **** out of chili. To me swaro has better color, s&b has more crisp image. Swaro lists light transmission at 91%, exos listed as >90% both will perform well past legal hunting hours. I would base my decision on other features than glass if I was you.
for your eye's or mine.........?
iirc the x5 reticle disappeared needing illumination before the exos
Does weight matter to you? I'm really tagging in to see if there are any Leica comparisons. Good luck with your search. I am keeping all options on the table for a rifle in the works, but limiting max weight to around 25 ozs.
ultraedge
Well-Known Member
I have Swaro X5i and also owned a S&B Ultrabrite advertisng 96% light transmission. After extensive comparision in low light situations I prefer the X5i.
JustMe2
Well-Known Member
Have you looked at the Revic PMR 428? It does everything you requested plus it has a built-in ballistics calculator which I find ideal for hunting. I don't have to pull out a ballistics calculator/phone app in the field. The scope constantly monitors the temp, altitude, cant, tilt, Coriolis, etc. You just aim at the target pointing rifle level, up hill, down hill, or whatever and dial the range displayed inside the scope on a heads-up display. You don't have to try to read a scope turret in low light conditions or take your eye out of the scope. Couldn't be easier, quicker or more accurate for hunting since the scope knows exactly what you are doing with the rifle and your atmospheric conditions when you're taking the shot not what it was an hour before the shot. Everything you need to make the shot is illuminated inside the scope during those low light conditions you were worrying about.
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Beauty and Best are in the EYE OF THE HOLDER! ( not beholder in this case)
^^^This!^^^
