Impossible Scope?

[AKSavage]

I'm building a new long range sheep/deer rifle and I've been checking out a lot of scopes. I haven't found anything that quite matches what I'm looking for, so I'm sort of wondering if maybe it's just not possible. Basically I'd like a tactical style scope that doesn't weigh too much.

1) weight near or under 20 oz.
2) First Focal Place (FFP)
3) low magnification in the 3 to 4 range and high magnification in the 18 to 24
4) flawless and repeatable tracking and return to zero
5) turrets are short (or at least not too tall), and either capped or locking (capped windage and locking elevation might be ideal)
6) a hold-over and hold-off (tree-style) reticle with either 1/4 MOA or .2 mil subtensions, matching units with the turrets (MOA/MOA or mil/mil)
7) tough enough to handle backpack hunting
8) Above average to excellent glass (good enough for long range work)
9) price under $1500

A zero stop and rotation counter would be nice too, but not a total deal breaker.

Not all of these are required to be a good long range hunting scope, but for me, this would be the "no compromise" LRH scope. For example I plan to dial for elevation but want the option of holding off for elevation and windage if time is short (why NOT have both options?) I'll be backpacking this rifle for DAYS so weight is a big minus, as are tall turrets, especially non-locking ones.

The March 3-24 comes very close, but it's more than I can afford. The new Athlon scopes are definitely in the running, but they are either heavy or SFP, and lack zero stops. The Leupold VX6 3-18 scopes are excellent glass, light weight, and plenty tough but they are SFP and don't offer much in the way of a tree-style reticle. The Burris Veracity is a great scope too, but it's a bit heavy.
The Vortex Viper HS LR with the XLR reticle is about the closest I've seen, and I may end up with one of those. I really wish they would do a FFP 3-18 or 4-20 version of the Razor HD LH with the XLR reticle. Bam. All the boxes ticked.

It seems like all the pieces are there, in one scope or another, and now all it takes is to put them all into one PERFECT LRH/tactical scope (for me, but I suspect others, especially tactical shooters who use their skills for hunting, would love it too.) But would it HAVE to weigh more than 20oz, or cost more than $1500, be SFP, or be too whimpy to hunt with? Is this a pick three out of four situation?

 

[HARPERC]

I'll follow along.

 

[Rich Coyle]

tag

 

[6mm Remington]

4.5-14x40mm Leupold with the B&C reticle. Or the Zeiss conquest 3-15x44mm with the Z600 reticle.

 

[FEENIX]

But would it HAVE to weigh more than 20oz, or cost more than $1500, be SFP, or be too whimpy to hunt with? Is this a pick three out of four situation?

The simple answer is yes! Or simply take a big dump before you head out or take a couple of pounds off your pack or both and be done with it. gun)

By the way, welcome to LRH and enjoy!

 

[HARPERC]

4.5-14x40mm Leupold with the B&C reticle. Or the Zeiss conquest 3-15x44mm with the Z600 reticle.

A little light on the top end from the OP, none the less good scope.

 

[B-P-UU]

The 4-18 bushnell LRHS is about as close as you'll get with those requirements, but it's 26 oz. Probably a small price to pay to check all the other boxes IMO.

 

[nateisw]

The 4-18 bushnell LRHS is about as close as you'll get with those requirements, but it's 26 oz. Probably a small price to pay to check all the other boxes IMO.

I agree

 

[FEENIX]

The 4-18 bushnell LRHS is about as close as you'll get with those requirements, but it's 26 oz. Probably a small price to pay to check all the other boxes IMO.

Agreed! It's even a lot smaller price to pay and a lot more choices to choose from if the OP goes to <30 oz. range, i.e., the Burris Veracity 4-20x50 E1 FFP at 27.2 for under $800 (I paid $629 shipped for mine) and it's a lot of scope for the money.

 

[adrexco]

Burris Veracity in 4-20x50 is everything on your list, plus 7oz more. It' way better then my Vortex Viper HS 4-16x50. There's no comparison between them, hands down the Veracity is way better in all aspects.

 

[AKSavage]

Thank you all for your replies. I have both the Burris and the Bushnell on my short list and will give them both a closer look. I've been reading this forum for some time and enjoying all the combined experience of it's members. Of course in the end I think we all have to make compromises, and decided what matters more and what matters less. In this case it just seems like all the pieces are there, and I was wondering if it was possible to put them all in one package. If so, maybe all I have to do is wait.

Feenix, as a bike racer and a climber (when it's not hunting season), I'm verrrry familiar with reducing weight, but in the end half a pound is half a pound. Trust me, I'm already making tough choices about what goes in my pack, and I'm spending any necessary time on the pot too! It's not really the way in but the way out, with a pack full of meat, that hurts the most. My current rifle weighs 6 pounds, scoped, with a sling, and fully loaded. It's not that I can't or won't carry weight, it's a matter of trying to find the BEST option. In the end I might compromise, but it's always fun to look, and hope!

 

[FEENIX]

Feenix, as a bike racer and a climber (when it's not hunting season), I'm verrrry familiar with reducing weight, but in the end half a pound is half a pound. Trust me, I'm already making tough choices about what goes in my pack, and I'm spending any necessary time on the pot too! It's not really the way in but the way out, with a pack full of meat, that hurts the most. My current rifle weighs 6 pounds, scoped, with a sling, and fully loaded. It's not that I can't or won't carry weight, it's a matter of trying to find the BEST option. In the end I might compromise, but it's always fun to look, and hope!

Sounds like you're in much better shape than I am. Believe me I know all about hauling a heavy pack and I have a bad back. In 2013, my buddies and I put in 28 miles out in the MT wilderness to pack out my buddy's MT bull elk just go out the following day to pack mine out. Luckily, another hunting buddy had 4 horses and it still took us all day. I will admit though that nearly 54 years young, it's getting harder and harder.

I used to be a terrible "packer". About 8 years ago, we did a backpacking trip at the Bob Marshall wilderness with our boy scout troop. The goal was for our backpacks (gear and food, etc ...) to be 20-25% or less of our body weight and 50 miles in 10 days. Well, that did not quite pan out for as I ended up with a 63 pound pack; I overshot my goal by 28 pounds. Because I was stubborn and I felt that I would rather the items I packed and don't need it out in the wilderness. Furthermore, while others packed freeze-dried food, my sons opted for MREs because of the calorie they needed; both my sons are competitive swimmers all year around and occasionally do triathlon. Anyways, it turned out, the pack was not my problem but rather blisters, we all suffered from it as we under estimated our goal of 50 miles in 10 days; we ended up with 85 miles.

Not to gross anybody out but here's my MT size blisters (... and yes, we all took the necessary precautions) ...

Most of my rifles are 8-10 pounds hunt ready. Below is my .270 AI at ~12 pounds (30" Lilja barrel .750" at the muzzle with Burris Veracity 4-20x50 FFP and Horus Vision HSLI). Yes, it is not ideal but as you can see, I somehow make it atop.

In short, "I" stop worrying about the weight of my hunting rifles. Depending on terrain, I also use deer sleigh (along with a harness tucked inside when rolled) that easily hang on my vest or pack instead of using my pack to haul the game out. I also have different kinds of game carts to include a game hauler with snow skis (primarily used for ice fishing).

Good luck on your quest for scope and happy safe shooting/hunting.

Cheers!

 

[gohring3006]

**** ED!!! Those feet sure made memories you won't soon forget....

 

[Axl]

My pack rifle has a 16oz Z5 Swarovski 3.5-18 with the Ballistic turret. Hunted with a LOT of different scopes in my 40 yrs of hunting and this is the best for me.