"Mountain Rifle scopes (that you would consider)

[Litehiker]

OK, so I'm impatiently awaiting the arrival of my 6.5 CM Browning X-Bolt Pro next week.
And I am beginning to look for a scope of the same quality as this semi-custom rifle
-> Presently I have, from another rifle, a SWFA 5 - 15 x 42, FFP, mil/mil turrets and reticle, side focus and, amazingly, quite good glass. (But no turret locks!)

My Requirements:
1. FFP (I'm very used to it from competition)
2. mil/mil turrets and reticle (same as above)
3. 30 mm tube - if posible, for weight reduction.
4. 44 mm objective bell - if possible, for weight reduction
5. 30 oz. or less (The bare X-Bolt Pro weighs 6 lb. 1 oz.)
6. at least 12 power max, 18x is better
7. less than $1,500.

Yes, this rules out by almost $1,000. that Vortex Razor AMG 6 - 24 x 50 that I lust after. (

So I have found only a few that meet my long list of requirements.
1. Bushnell Elite Tactical LRHS 4.5 - 15 W/ or W/O illuminated reticle
2. Leupold VX6 3 - 18 x 44 (but finding mil/mil for sale is very difficult)
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Feel free to add to this list. Yeah, sadly the scopes I've listed are out of production but still on sale.

Eric B.

 

[dmj]

This one hurts the pocket book a little. I keep drooling over them. I'm a moa person but do believe that they have what you are looking for also. One word. MARCH

 

[RiverSink]

The LRHS 4.5-18x44 sounds perfect. GAP did have them for $750.00, they may still do.

 

[35 Whelen]

I like Leupold scopes very well. My newest one is a vx-3i 2.5-8x36mm on my 35 Whelen. I'm planning on getting on in 3.5-10x40mm for my 270 WSM. I don't like much higher power in a scope than that, it just doesn't work well with my eyes. That is one thing I think people for get with optics is making shore it works for them. Optics are just like our eyeglasses, they mush match our eyes, so we should chose mostly on that and not so much on what others say. As for power I would recommend one that goes to a low setting (the ones you list look like a good power range). I usually just set my scopes to 6x and go, it works for me 90% of the time. I know a guy who has missed being able to shoot a deer a couple of times because he keeps his scope turned way up and the deer was so close he could not tell what he was looking at, with the deer coming in so close he could not turn the scope down fast enough before the deer was gone. I think it is better to have the scope on a low setting, you usually have much more time to turn the scope up for a long shoot, but almost never time to turn down for a close shoot. I'd say your on the right path for what your looking for.

 

[lancetkenyon]

I didn't think the VX-6 was available in FFP (your very first criteria)?

If you did not have that #7 requirement, I would also say March F 3-24x52 (24.4oz) or....Tangent Theta TT315M 3-15x50 @ 27.7oz. I have both....TT beats March in all aspects except weight and top end mag range. But both are amazing scopes.

Steiner T5Xi 3-15x50 w. SCR
Burris XTR II 3-15x50 or 4-20x50 w. SCR
Bushnell DMR or DMR2 3.5-21x50
Vortex Viper PST II 3-15x44 w. EBR-2C
Weaver tactical 3-15x50

 

[cheechin]

2.5x8 Leupie is a good scope for mountain rifles. Especially with Remington long actions it just looks like it belongs there. Only thing I have against the 2.5-8x36 is in thick woods at last shooting light the Vari-xIII 2.5-8x36 is not as bright as it should be,supposedly they have updated the optics but reports I hear are thats not true. I'll know more about it this week when I look thru a 3.5-10x40mm a friend has on order. If you are going to use this as an all around rifle you may want to look at 40MM objectives if its just for western hunting it should be fine as is? Another good choice would be a Nikon 2-7 or 3-9 Monarch variable both are lightweight and the 40mm on the 3-9 would help out if your hunting in lowlight conditions. If you want the ultimate lightweight scope for this look at a Swarovski 3-9x36 or 3.5-10x42 . Both are compact lightweight and will not affect the handling of that gun and should be better then Leupold or Nikon in the brightness department.

 

[Litehiker]

Thanks gents, I'll begin looking tomorrow morning at your suggestions.

 

[35 Whelen]

2.5x8 Leupie is a good scope for mountain rifles. Especially with Remington long actions it just looks like it belongs there. Only thing I have against the 2.5-8x36 is in thick woods at last shooting light the Vari-xIII 2.5-8x36 is not as bright as it should be,supposedly they have updated the optics but reports I hear are thats not true. I'll know more about it this week when I look thru a 3.5-10x40mm a friend has on order. If you are going to use this as an all around rifle you may want to look at 40MM objectives if its just for western hunting it should be fine as is? Another good choice would be a Nikon 2-7 or 3-9 Monarch variable both are lightweight and the 40mm on the 3-9 would help out if your hunting in lowlight conditions. If you want the ultimate lightweight scope for this look at a Swarovski 3-9x36 or 3.5-10x42 . Both are compact lightweight and will not affect the handling of that gun and should be better then Leupold or Nikon in the brightness department.

I just got mine last year and I have not had any problems with it. But I can not afford more expensive scopes and all my other scopes are vx-1 & 2's and cheaper brands on less used guns, so for me it is a big step up and works grate.

 

[Mike 338]

The LRHS 4.5-18x44 sounds perfect. GAP did have them for $750.00, they may still do.

I think they're out of them. Can't understand why Bushnell let that one go. It really was a great hunting scope.

 

[Bravo 4]

Will the shim kit not work on the FFP SWFA 3-15? I have the SFP model and use them.
I put this on my rifle to take to the mountains this year, dropped 1/2 pounds in scope alone.

 

[Litehiker]

Bravo4,
Need to get that shim kit for my SWFA. Had a source but misplaced it so if you can point me in the right direction I'd appreciate it.

I'm hoping there are a few Bushnell LRHS in 4.5 - 15 x 44 still around in a couple of months. I think it's pretty much what I'm looking for. If not my SWFA 5 - 15 X 42 fills most of my needs and I'll just use it. "Scope Snobs" may look down at SWFA scopes but that's only because they are ignorant of the quality.

Yeah, the lack of locking turrets is the only thing I don't like about that SWFA 5 - 15. It's glass is as good as my much pricier Bushnell ERS 3.5 - 21 x 50 tactical scope I use for competition. I was so amazed at SWFA's glass for the price. But no middlemen and no advertising means SWFA passes the savings to the customer - and quietly sells a ton of very rugged quality scopes.

Eric B.

 

[Canhunter35]

Burris veracity with the scr reticle might work for ur wants also. A little lighter than the xtr

 

[Bravo 4]

Bravo4,
Need to get that shim kit for my SWFA. Had a source but misplaced it so if you can point me in the right direction I'd appreciate it.

I'm hoping there are a few Bushnell LRHS in 4.5 - 15 x 44 still around in a couple of months. I think it's pretty much what I'm looking for. If not my SWFA 5 - 15 X 42 fills most of my needs and I'll just use it. "Scope Snobs" may look down at SWFA scopes but that's only because they are ignorant of the quality.

Yeah, the lack of locking turrets is the only thing I don't like about that SWFA 5 - 15. It's glass is as good as my much pricier Bushnell ERS 3.5 - 21 x 50 tactical scope I use for competition. I was so amazed at SWFA's glass for the price. But no middlemen and no advertising means SWFA passes the savings to the customer - and quietly sells a ton of very rugged quality scopes.

Eric B.

Fella goes by TimK on Sniper's Hide:
https://www.ebay.com/p/Zero-Stop-Shim-Sets-for-SWFA-Super-Sniper-Scopes/21002974928

 

[Litehiker]

Thanks Bravo 4 for the shim kit link. I bookmarked it.

Just looked at a Swarovski scope in the $1,300. range but it has only a 1" tube (with less reticle movement available). So I'll pass on it.

The discontinued Bushnell LRHS 4.5 - 18 x 44 still looks like the best candidate. I can get an illuminated one for the same price as the Swarovski. I own a Bushy ERS 3.5 - 21 x 50 tactical scope and I'm sure the LRHS is just as good in quality, which is **** good.