Wy Will
Well-Known Member
Meopta Optika
New scope
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MudRunner2005
Well-Known Member
I own both, and use both, but I prefer SFP, as well.
MudRunner2005
Well-Known Member
I have a bunch of the SWFA SS 3-15x42 SFP scopes (before they discontinued them) in both MQ and MQ-DMR reticles, and they're reliable, clear, and built like tanks. The turrets are super positive, stiff, and reliable/accuate. I also have a bunch of rifles with Vortex HS-T 6-24x50 MRAD scopes, and I really like them, as well. I feel for the money (under $750) they're both the best bang for the buck. For around $1000, the Zeiss V4 seems to be really hard to beat.
Viper PST Gen 11 5x25
J Doss
Active Member
Leupold has products with which ever focal plane you want. Do a little research on the product lines please before you start ditching a brand because it is "old school". The old dogs have taught the young guns a lot over the years, and are still developing and moving right along with newer tech.
I'm not saying that Leupold is the best out there. There are others in the market with premium glass, turrets or whatever if you're willing to pay.
I have other glass on about 1/3 of my scoped long guns and am happy with those. That means I have Leupold on the other 2/3s. I have scopes from the 70's through today, of multiple brands, each bought for specific purposes.
I like trying some of the new companies products as I go along. You never know when you might find a gem.
When looking for a scope for a specific gun, I do my due diligence and weigh my options and my green.
As to some of the new companies glass, I have a couple of old shooters that I play with the new stuff I try on.
The original topic of the thread was about a scope for a new build rifle. Based upon what you are primarily planning on using the rifle for, do a search by dollars in your price range of scopes on some of the retail websites. Find a few you are interested in and research them on their company sites. See about reviews or comparisons from online sources, being aware that some will be company produced and skewed toward certain products - use reputable sources.
Find one you feel good about and go for it. If it doesn't work out quite like you want, you can replace and/or repurpose it at a later date.
We are fortunate today to have a lot of good glass to choose from.
Good luck!
Litehiker
Well-Known Member
Yeah... well, I just bought a Bushnell Elite LRTS 4.5 - 18 x 44 FP, illuminated reticle, mil/mil (28 oz.) for my upcoming 6.5 PRC Browning X-Bolt Pro.
If'n I had the money I'd have preferred a MARCH 3 - 24 c 42 FFP. mil/mil illuminated reticle (24 oz.). However, that's $2,000. more than I paid for the LRTS! (Check Optics Planet for a sub-$1,000. LRTS price.)
I needed FFP so I could use my laser rangefinder binoculars that gives me a hold over for my factory cartridge and bullet weight.
The 10x42 LRF binoculars give me a mil hold number and regardless of my FFP scope's power setting I can use the reticle hashmark for a hold. With SFP I'd have to crank it all the way to the highest power to be accurate.
Eric B.
BTW, Kreedmire is keerect about the SWFA scopes value for the money. I have an SWFA SS 3 - 15 x 42 on a 6.5 CM Browning X-Bolt Pro but, the SWFA, good as they are for the money, have no locking turrets or zero stop! I used clear packing tape as my "redneck zero stop". Still, FFP & mil/mil for their price and quality is amazing.
So you can see that I like the LRTS a lot more for another $350. or so.
If'n I had the money I'd have preferred a MARCH 3 - 24 c 42 FFP. mil/mil illuminated reticle (24 oz.). However, that's $2,000. more than I paid for the LRTS! (Check Optics Planet for a sub-$1,000. LRTS price.)
I needed FFP so I could use my laser rangefinder binoculars that gives me a hold over for my factory cartridge and bullet weight.
The 10x42 LRF binoculars give me a mil hold number and regardless of my FFP scope's power setting I can use the reticle hashmark for a hold. With SFP I'd have to crank it all the way to the highest power to be accurate.
Eric B.
BTW, Kreedmire is keerect about the SWFA scopes value for the money. I have an SWFA SS 3 - 15 x 42 on a 6.5 CM Browning X-Bolt Pro but, the SWFA, good as they are for the money, have no locking turrets or zero stop! I used clear packing tape as my "redneck zero stop". Still, FFP & mil/mil for their price and quality is amazing.
So you can see that I like the LRTS a lot more for another $350. or so.
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I recently purchased a LRP FFP in 6.5-20 for my .264 WM and surprised of its clarity. The last Leupy I purchased was in 2003.
I have the 5-20 HD FFP on my.300 WSM and they are simply awesome.
MudRunner2005
Well-Known Member
You can buy zero-stop kits for the SS scopes on eBay. They're like $20 or something for the kit.
I bought an Athlon scope this time when I built my new remage toy in 6.5 creed. It's a Midas Tac 6-24×50 , FFP, MIL, has a nice recticle, a solid zero stop, HD glass, clear, crisp viewing at all power levels, tracks great, and a lifetime warrantee. Retail for this particular piece is about 750.00, but the street price is around 600.00. It's made in China , but the company is American. They claim they stay on top of the company in China that produces it and demand and test for the very best they have the ability to make. I've owned American , Japanese, Philippine , and Chinese scopes and this is as bright and solid a scope as I've owned . Athlon has higher and scopes than this one, some are manufactured in Japan. It's a sign of the times we live in. If you want to stretch your dollar, this is a hard scope to beat.
I've owned/ own a good bit of big names through the years and while Leupolds have some really good scopes they're far from top tier. I still use a 8-25 mark 4 on my 50 bmg ands few others but I wouldn't buy much they offer right now. Upper end Vortex vipers or their razor line is really good and on par with higher cost scopes. Also really impressed with Meopta meostar r1 and is probably my vote for best bang for your buck in a variable power scope.
For pure"value" it's pretty hard to beat my two Nikon scopes.
For my .308 a 4X12 BDC Prostaff; for my 300 WM a 4X16 BDC Monarch 3 (includes parallax adjustment). About $300-$350 each. Obviously not a Zeiss or Swavorski, but they work just fine and they are durable and include a lifetime replacement guarantee. Also Nikon's "Spot On" ballistics app works great, for me anyway.
For my .308 a 4X12 BDC Prostaff; for my 300 WM a 4X16 BDC Monarch 3 (includes parallax adjustment). About $300-$350 each. Obviously not a Zeiss or Swavorski, but they work just fine and they are durable and include a lifetime replacement guarantee. Also Nikon's "Spot On" ballistics app works great, for me anyway.
22Kreedmire
Well-Known Member
Got my first swfa ss on sale for 249 bucks. (Moa version) Always heard how tuff and reliable they were. Hmm perfect test subject LOL. I first mounted the bottom halves of some leupold QRW rings on a pic rail. Clamped the rail in my vise. And set the scope in them. I turned the vise to point outside across the street at my neighbors fence. Picked a spot and dialed the scope to center the reticle on the spot,then set the turrets to zero with the Allen wrench. I then proceeded to dial out to 40 Moa seeing if the turrets match the reticle. They did almost exactly perfect. As far as I could tell. Then I took the scope and grabbed the turret and spun the scope till the turrets bottom out then spun opposite till they topped out. And on and on and on maybe 15-20 times. Keeping in mind where my "zero" is. Then I set the turret back to my "zero" and set it back in the ring halves. Hmm. Still exactly where it was to begin. Cool, more testing. Took the scope to work in my lunchbox (I work nights). And whenever I got the chance I would hold the turret and spin the scope top to bottom . No clue on how many times I did this. Ballpark 100-130 times top to bottom maybe. At one point my boss asks what I'm doing. I said these are supposed to be tuff, as I handed it to him. He grabs it and immediately drops it from chest height onto the hard concrete floor. "WHAT THE HECK" I said Then kind of laughed. Well I guess we'll see if it's still on my mark tomorrow morning. Picked it up. Now The built in sunshade is bent. Oh well. Get home at 6am and set in my rings. Yep. Still pointed at the same spot on the fence. COOL. So far so good. Couple days later I mount it in some ARC rings and place it on my 17hmr ruger American predator. Zero the rifle for 25 yards and proceed to shoot a few groups. Ragged holes at 25 like is expected. Then I dialed the scope out to 40 MOA and shot another couple groups. Measured them with a tape at 10.5". Pretty dang close to 10.47. We'll call it good ! So I take the scope off the 17 and grab it by the eyepiece and proceed to whack it on the bench in similar fashion to the nightforce videos. Now the other side of the built in sunshade is bent LOL. Then as before, I grab the turrets and spin the scope top to bottom. Probably 5 times.. remount and re-torque on my 17. Make sure the turret is on my "zero" and shoot a group. first thing I notice is there's a couple spots next to the etched reticle that look like a rock hit the windshield of your truck. A couple little "dings". Or similar. Great I've now broken my scope. Proceed to shoot. SAME EXACT SPOT as before. Well crap, it held zero. So not only did the scope perform well, my ARC rings returned to zero also. Sweet. Then I dialed to 40 MOA and shot my group , it slightly opens up the first group from before. I guess this thing is tuff after all! I'm still using that scope to this day on a ruger RPR rimfire. ( been about a year ago ). And it still performs flawlessly. the dings on the etched reticle and the bent sunshade are the only things "wrong" But who cares it was a blast to test it! . Would I do this to a expensive scope ? Nope lol. But it was a heck of a lot of fun and made me a SWFA customer for life! Now I have 7 others in mil, mostly 10x and 2 12x's and a 3-15 that's pretty sweet too. other than a zero stop, there's really nothing these scopes are lacking for me personally . And that can be fixed for 20ish$ like other members have said. And IMO the 10x is the best because for $300 , let's face it , your NOT getting the BEST glass out there, but The 10x gives a good balance of magnification and clarity and low light transmission from what I've experienced. I'm Just another hillbilly who likes things that work , HATE junk , but will try new things. and I have never believed "expensive" means "good quality". That's mostly true but not ALWAYS. Just my experience for what it's worth! Pick your favorite scope and burn some powder! It's the funnest thing on the planet!
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