Well I was just stopping to take a break and stretch my legs after a long drive when I stopped at a gun shop....
I've been thinking about getting a bolt rifle (.308 or .260) to get into the long distance game, but was not ready to part with funds until I was able to buy new high-quality equipment. Of course low and behold on the used rack a rifle "called to me". It was a stainless Howa 1500 set in what I think is a Bell & Carlson straight-combed Medalist stock. It has a 24" 1:9 inch twist sporter barrel. And it looked as if it were almost new...probably no more than a box of ammo ever put through it. I took it home for under $400!
So now I'm dying to see what this rifle can do. But I still need a scope and mounts. In my haste, I ran down to Sportsmans Warehouse (80 miles away)and picked out some kit that I could afford and thought would work for me. I had a Burris MTAC 4.5-14x42 scope (Ballistic Milling Reticle w/ 30mm tube) mounted on some Talley aluminum rings (integrated rings/bases). I bought it thinking that MIL/MIL was going to be the way to go and that this scope was a good deal at under $400 [discounted from close to $600]. Well I got it home and discovered a couple things:
1)It was very difficult to see the reticle in low light. The subtensions were very difficult to distinguish and the whole center of the reticle would disappear.
2)The subtensions on the lower elevation axis appeared to be in MOA...the hash marks appeared to be spreading apart like on a BDC-type MOA reticle. So I did not think it was a true mil/mil setup.
So I returned the scope/rings the next day, wanting to exchange for another scope and mounts. I decided unless I was going to spend at least $600-$800 on optics that I would not get a mil/mil setup since it seems that option is a bit pricier. I went ahead and chose a setup in moa/moa and settled on a 4-16x42 Vortex Diamondback with Parallax Adjustment, thinking it had bright glass and that I liked my Vortex Viper 6.5-20x44 with BDC reticle. Of course they did not have the 1-inch low Talley rings, so I left the store empty-handed.
I was hoping to get some suggestions for scope/mounts from you guys. I intend to use this rifle for a "walking" varmint/predator rifle (coyotes, jack rabbits, prairie dogs). I would also like to use this setup as a light target rifle. Maybe I'm asking too much for this setup? I'm thinking I could take this rifle to 500 yards and beyond with the right bullets and if I do my part, with a lot of work to do between 100 and 300 yards. Next step is to start reloading. I would like to have "enough scope" for these tasks but don't want to weigh it down with the typical heavy 6-24x varmint scope. I'm thinking that 3-12x would be my minimum, going to 4-16x as maximum, with 4.5-14x the sweet spot since this is not a bench rifle.
I would like some suggestions as to what might be a good scope and mounts within my price range. I know you shouldn't go cheap on optics, but as I said before...I wasn't ready to "pull the trigger" on a new rifle. My window is probably $250-500. I want to get shooting! I'll make a decision on finances after I finish my taxes tonight :scared:. I want to keep the whole setup under $1000, but would go even less if I could find an economical option that will do the job :thumbup1:. What do you think of the Talley 1-piece mounts? Another friend recommended the DNZ Products "Dead Nutz" one-piece rings/bases.
I've been thinking about getting a bolt rifle (.308 or .260) to get into the long distance game, but was not ready to part with funds until I was able to buy new high-quality equipment. Of course low and behold on the used rack a rifle "called to me". It was a stainless Howa 1500 set in what I think is a Bell & Carlson straight-combed Medalist stock. It has a 24" 1:9 inch twist sporter barrel. And it looked as if it were almost new...probably no more than a box of ammo ever put through it. I took it home for under $400!
So now I'm dying to see what this rifle can do. But I still need a scope and mounts. In my haste, I ran down to Sportsmans Warehouse (80 miles away)and picked out some kit that I could afford and thought would work for me. I had a Burris MTAC 4.5-14x42 scope (Ballistic Milling Reticle w/ 30mm tube) mounted on some Talley aluminum rings (integrated rings/bases). I bought it thinking that MIL/MIL was going to be the way to go and that this scope was a good deal at under $400 [discounted from close to $600]. Well I got it home and discovered a couple things:
1)It was very difficult to see the reticle in low light. The subtensions were very difficult to distinguish and the whole center of the reticle would disappear.
2)The subtensions on the lower elevation axis appeared to be in MOA...the hash marks appeared to be spreading apart like on a BDC-type MOA reticle. So I did not think it was a true mil/mil setup.
So I returned the scope/rings the next day, wanting to exchange for another scope and mounts. I decided unless I was going to spend at least $600-$800 on optics that I would not get a mil/mil setup since it seems that option is a bit pricier. I went ahead and chose a setup in moa/moa and settled on a 4-16x42 Vortex Diamondback with Parallax Adjustment, thinking it had bright glass and that I liked my Vortex Viper 6.5-20x44 with BDC reticle. Of course they did not have the 1-inch low Talley rings, so I left the store empty-handed.
I was hoping to get some suggestions for scope/mounts from you guys. I intend to use this rifle for a "walking" varmint/predator rifle (coyotes, jack rabbits, prairie dogs). I would also like to use this setup as a light target rifle. Maybe I'm asking too much for this setup? I'm thinking I could take this rifle to 500 yards and beyond with the right bullets and if I do my part, with a lot of work to do between 100 and 300 yards. Next step is to start reloading. I would like to have "enough scope" for these tasks but don't want to weigh it down with the typical heavy 6-24x varmint scope. I'm thinking that 3-12x would be my minimum, going to 4-16x as maximum, with 4.5-14x the sweet spot since this is not a bench rifle.
I would like some suggestions as to what might be a good scope and mounts within my price range. I know you shouldn't go cheap on optics, but as I said before...I wasn't ready to "pull the trigger" on a new rifle. My window is probably $250-500. I want to get shooting! I'll make a decision on finances after I finish my taxes tonight :scared:. I want to keep the whole setup under $1000, but would go even less if I could find an economical option that will do the job :thumbup1:. What do you think of the Talley 1-piece mounts? Another friend recommended the DNZ Products "Dead Nutz" one-piece rings/bases.
