Good long range scope with zero stop for beginner

[gr8fuldoug]

Good glass is nice and any of the top 10 companies will have good glass. Top priority is tracking. Top priority is repeatability. Top Priority is the scope not failing.
A great warranty is nice but as Tommy Boy said "You can tuck that warranty under your pillow and get a good nights sleep on it, but I'd rather have a quality product"
Zeiss, Steiner, Athlon, Meopta, Swarovski, Kahles, Nightforce to name a few will be top quality reliable options.

Please feel free to give a call, 516-217-1000, to discuss what would be best for you

 

[Backcountry sports]

Hello all I'm looking for a good long range hunting scope with zero stop I'm just getting into long range hunting and shooting and I know good glass is top priority I've been using leupolds for years and really like them but I'm wanting a new scope after I get my rifle and would like to have one with external adjustments and zero stop if possible just would like some info on what scopes would be good to check out thanks

Vortex scopes under 600.00

 

[SamuelBerryhill308]

Good glass is nice and any of the top 10 companies will have good glass. Top priority is tracking. Top priority is repeatability. Top Priority is the scope not failing

Yes your right for sure

 

[TBell]

Hello all I'm looking for a good long range hunting scope with zero stop I'm just getting into long range hunting and shooting and I know good glass is top priority I've been using leupolds for years and really like them but I'm wanting a new scope after I get my rifle and would like to have one with external adjustments and zero stop if possible just would like some info on what scopes would be good to check out thanks

Well be prepared to hear a lot of opinions.
Mine:
1). Research mil / MOA (I like MOA, just eraser for me) and practice with the "Ballistic AE" app you can switch between mil& MOA on the reticle section.

2). nothing wrong with Vortex have one. Research several location for scope quality. Not just here but good start. I have 3 Nightforces I just like them their hard as Nails.

3). Dont scrimp first thing out of the starting line. Don't be (1) year into to this and look back and say if I just had the 800 I spent on this ' one', I could have gotten 'THIS ONE' for just 800 more.

it happens.

 

[FEENIX]

Hello all I'm looking for a good long range hunting scope with zero stop I'm just getting into long range hunting and shooting and I know good glass is top priority I've been using leupolds for years and really like them but I'm wanting a new scope after I get my rifle and would like to have one with external adjustments and zero stop if possible just would like some info on what scopes would be good to check out thanks

As you can see, unless you specify your exact parameters, the recommendations will be all over the place. For starters, consider the following:

- Budget, $$$ is the KEY
- SFP vs FFP
- Magnification
- 1" vs 30MM
- Reticle preference
- Illum vs non-illum
- Weight and length and other dimensions restriction/preference
- MOA vs MIL
- What is long-range for you?

The more pertinent information you can provide from your main post (you can add/revise it instead of a separate post), the better yield information it yields.

 

[Aussie Hunter Steve]

A S&B 3-20x50 ultra short is a nice high quality scope, great field of view too. If you wanted to change to something different down the track, it will retain its value better than most.

 

[milo-2]

Haha, I am not even going to try help you. Some get it right the first time with a woman, some maybe with a vehicle.
I have never met anyone personally who got it right with a scope purchase the first go. Optics and stock choices have been have been one of my biggest losing expenditures in shooting.

 

[arch408]

I have some Leupolds and Vortexes and wish I could afford a Night Force. I'm like the zero stop on the Vortex and they are less expensive than a comparable Leupold. Leupolds are more compact and prettier. They both have good warranties. Don't go cheap. Get the best scope you can afford. With optics, you definitely get what you pay for. I have also been playing with the Sig Sauer BDX scope and range finder system. They work surprisingly well if you have put in the right balistic data. Right now Palmetto has a sale on a combo for less than $300.

 

[ptamim]

Lol very true... sometimes hard to get it right on the first try. But as they say buy once, cry once. I personally love my Khales. Can get deals on used ones. Look into a used 624i... can find under 2k.

 

[Eatonc]

I started out with a vortex viper pst. Gen 1 4-16 FFP it was great for what I was using it for (hunting out to 500 yds) I think personally there are a few good scope brands out there. If it was me I would pick the budget I want to be in and if you want SFP or FFP and MIL or MOA. Then find a reticle you're like. Each company has a few for each model usually. Personally I like vortex and nightforce.

 

[gilk1]

First, you don't want a ffp scope for hunting unless you get an illuminated reticle b/c the reticle will disappear on low magnification and/or in low light. Illum. Adds weight so stick to sfp and get a scope with repeatable turrets.

I own scopes worth over $2k and my favorite scope is still my SS3-15 ffp I paid $550 for. This scope has never let me down. The sfp version is discontinued but If you can find a used one I'd get one. For a lightweight long range hunting scope, you can't beat the weight (16oz) and price (6-800$) of a vx3 4.5-14-40mm LR/T with M1 turrets or a Mark 4 in the same configuration. VX5 & 6 are good too. The vortex HST is also a good entry level scope. Just be aware that a graduated reticle is only true on one magnification.

You don't need a mildot or tactical reticle. You have time to dial elev and wind. It's preferable to hold off target with a reticle for wind since it changes so rapidly but, in a sfp scope, you will forgot to have it on the correct magnification and the reticle graduations won't be true.

You do not need a zero stop. That is a marketing gimmick. Zero turrets and use a pencil to scribe a "zero" line on your turret housing or place a piece of red electrical tape under the truret that will only show of your off by a full rev. I've shot multi day matches and never had an issue with this technique.

 

[arch408]

Personally I like a zero stop. with out it, you never know where your elevation is unless you reset it every time you move it. The vortex is nice because it has a shim system so that if you are not sure, all you have to do is dial it down to your sight in setting.

 

[milo-2]

First, you don't want a ffp scope for hunting unless you get an illuminated reticle b/c the reticle will disappear on low magnification and/or in low light. Illum. Adds weight so stick to sfp and get a scope with repeatable turrets.

I own scopes worth over $2k and my favorite scope is still my SS3-15 ffp I paid $550 for. This scope has never let me down. The sfp version is discontinued but If you can find a used one I'd get one. For a lightweight long range hunting scope, you can't beat the weight (16oz) and price (6-800$) of a vx3 4.5-14-40mm LR/T with M1 turrets or a Mark 4 in the same configuration. VX5 & 6 are good too. The vortex HST is also a good entry level scope. Just be aware that a graduated reticle is only true on one magnification.

You don't need a mildot or tactical reticle. You have time to dial elev and wind. It's preferable to hold off target with a reticle for wind since it changes so rapidly but, in a sfp scope, you will forgot to have it on the correct magnification and the reticle graduations won't be true.

You do not need a zero stop. That is a marketing gimmick. Zero turrets and use a pencil to scribe a "zero" line on your turret housing or place a piece of red electrical tape under the truret that will only show of your off by a full rev. I've shot multi day matches and never had an issue with this technique.

Do you own a scope with zero stop? Not being argumentative, but once most have owned one, they will never buy another one w/o. Simple feature that removes headaches from the equation.

 

[gilk1]

I do but I never found that it was something I had to have. I switch scopes btw guns often enough that I never bother setting the zero stop. I just mark a line on the turret housing with a pencil b/c I'm usually in a hurry. Zero stop isn't a bad thing at all but it's another feature you're gonna have to pay for. You can usually find better deals on old model scopes before they had a zero stop and save some money. Red tape or pencil has never failed me.