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Long range scope for light rifle help needed.

MallardAddict

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2005
Messages
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Location
Rainy Western Washington
As many of you probably know I recently bought a custom rifle in 7 Sherman Short Magnum. My only loose scope currently is a Burris XTR II 5-25 with a 34mm tube. The rifle itself weighs just over 7#'s so adding a 2# scope and ring combo makes it very top heavy.

So I'm looking for suggestions for new glass. My desired use is steel too 1k and hunting deer and elk to 800yds.
My desired things are:
- 30mm tube
- reticle with hold overs for elevation and wind
- turrets
- milrad adjustments as all my other rifles use mils
- ffp those this may be arbitrary.
- budget $1500
 
With FFP, I'm thinking the March 3-24, but those are around $2500. The Mark 6 is almost double that price. Vortex PST is there too at 23 oz.... Razor is at about double the weight of the PST let alone price.

If you know someone in the industry, you could get much better pricing than retail as well.
 
The only scope I can think of with those specs is the Vortex PST or HSLR. Like Tract said above, they are around 22-23 oz. The 2-10x32mm is under 20 oz. The glass is good enough for the ranges you're thinking of. Everything else I know of is either much heavier or comes in MOA/SFP. If you can live with that you have plenty of options under 20 oz, such as Leupold VX-6, Swaro, Vortex Razor HD LH, and others.
 
Leupold Mark 6 3-18. I bought a used one for $1600. FFP, lightweight, short, mils, capped windage turret, zero stop and locking turret. It's now my favorite hunting scope.
 
The announced but not yet available Athlon Ares will give you all of what your are looking for at a price well below your top end, but it still weighs 27 ounces. Agree with Tract that March and Leupold Mark 6 are the lightest with all the features you want, at around 22-23 oz. But, they are over 2000. The Mark 6 is more available on the used market.

But, if you use a LRF and dial for elevation for shots at 400 yards or more, you might want to consider SFP to give yourself more lightweight options.
 
I just took delivery of a March 3-24x42. I haven't gotten to stretch it out past 200yds yet but so far am seeing the 162 eld-m's running 3100fps and shooting 5 rds groups around 3/8" at 100yds. To say I'm happy with this set up would be a huge understatement!
 

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I think Wedgy has made two great recommendations; SWFA and Sightron. I have a Sightron SIII 8-32x56 (6.5 Creedmoor benchrest rifle) and a SWFA SS 10x42 fixed power on my 7mm-08 hunting rifle. Both scopes track extremely well and have great glass for their respective price ranges. IMHO, the classic SWFA SS 10x42 scope may be the best scope I own under $500, and I own several in this price range.
 
I have the nightforce 3-10x42 on my light rifle 7-08. I have rung steel at 800yds effortlessly with it. The turrets are capped but they are target style turrets when uncapped. I have the MOAR reticle. Very pleased.

Sorry I missed in the original post where you said Mil.
 

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Leupold Mark 6 3-18. I bought a used one for $1600. FFP, lightweight, short, mils, capped windage turret, zero stop and locking turret. It's now my favorite hunting scope.

I've been using this scope for my go to hunting scope for a while now. Great scope, light weight and tracks perfectly.

Recently used it at a shooting school for shots with my 6.5 Creed out to 1260 yards. Plenty good for normal hunting applications at longer hunting ranges.

Good choice for your application.
 
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