Opinions Needed on New Scope... thinking nightforce

[HAMMERHAND]

Hey everyone!
Currently I have a Zeiss 4.5-14 power scope with the Rapid Z-800 reticle. I love the scope for elk out to 800, but this last weekend I was noticing on antelope the reticle center is a bit heavier than I like, and covers a good deal of the target 600 yards and beyond. Additionally for plains mule deer, antelope, and longer range elk I would desire a bit higher power.

Some of the nightforce reticles look promising and I was looking at the velocity 1,000 reticle in the 5.5-22. Anybody have any experience with the velocity reticle in comparison to the rapid Z?? Even the Rapid Z-1000 looks a bit heavy in the subtension department.
Any other suggestions on scopes?? I really like the ease of the "christmas tree reticles" as opposed to dialing up...particularly at our elk location because often you get less than 20 seconds for a shot from ranging to firing.

I appreciate the opinions!! Thank you!

 

[joseph]

Take a look at a FIRST FOCAL PLANE (FFP) scope. As you increase the power the target increases the same as the reticule. This means the reticule won't cover up your target.

I have a Vortex PST 6-24x50mm FFP MOA scope with a Vortex Custom Turret which is dead nuts accurate at all ranges. The glass is as good as a Leupold VX3 IMHO. I have cranked the turrets hundreds of times and it always goes to the range you turn it to.

I highly recommend it.

Here is a target I shot at 1,000 yds. at 24 power with my hunting rifle. If the reticule got to thick I would not be able to shoot 15 shots in a row over about 2 hours which would hit the boiler room of an antelope at 1,000 yds. The scores & 5 shot group sizes are in the lower right of the target. A perfect score for each group is 50 points.

joseph

I have nothing to do with the Vortex Company.

Vortex 6-24x50 Viper PST 30mm Rifle Scope

 

[trebark]

Take a look at Leupold scopes with their TMR (tactical milling reticle). The stadia are graduated in .5mils and the stadia don't actually 'cross' in the center. There is a tiny little gap. So no matter the magnification setting, the reticle will never cover-up the target.

As for more magnification than your current scope, the Luepold MK4s are available in 6.5-20x and 8.5-25x. I have both and recommend them.

 

[COBrad]

Take a look at Holland's ART reticle. I have on in a 4-16 Schmidt Bender. It is fine enough I have shot numerous marmots out to over 1100 yards this year. It has up to 30 MOA built into it. He offers it in Leupold scopes as well.

 

[.284]

I also like the Christmas tree type reticle for the same reason you mentioned. I found the Swarovski brh/brx to be the most suitable one so far. Its not too thick like the conquest series. I also found those be too thick for load development and longer hunting shots. The draw back to the Swarovski is that it only goes to 4.5 mils in .5 increments. 5.5 if you use the top of the bottom post. This will get you out there but will limit you to about 700-800 yards depending on your caliber. What I find to be a benefit though is that it's graduated in easy to remember measurements. If you look at the velocity reticles they are exactly what I am looking for except instead of using easy to remember spacing on the reticle it is more geared toward having your bullet match up at even yardages like 500, 600 etc. I like what they did but I want to use a scope with a ballistics program for different atmospheric conditions and trying to remember random moa reticle measurements and perhaps hold in between them while hunting doesn't really appeal to me.
If you come across any other Christmas tree type reticle please share it

 

[COBrad]

The beauty of a reticle calibrated in some sort of MOA increment, is that you don't have to remember what mark to use, or which one to hold two and a half inches low with. You can switch loads, use it on another rifle, or calculate truly accurate solutions with a hand held computer and real time atmospheric data, expressed in MOA.
By far the fastest system I have used is the G7 rangefinder coupled with either my Holland ART or Nightforce RR-2 reticles. The G7 ranges, measures atmosphere and incline, and in just a second or two gives me a corrected elevation in MOA, and a windage hold off expressed in 5 MPH increments up to 50 MPH.
Hold that on your reticle and shoot.

 

[curiousaussie]

G'day,

I find the Nightforce Velocity 600 HV reticle perfect on my 22-243 to 660 yards.

The reticle is so fine that you can quarter a crow at 550 yards on only 10x power.

Maybe a velocity 1000 in the correct format to match your cartridge would work.

I found their reticle calculator on the internet to be very accurate in choosing the correct reticle to match the load.

Cheers,

Matt

 

[bman73]

I have the sightron SIII 8-32x56 LRMOA with the picket fence reticle and am very happy with it, very tiny dot in the center and looking at an elk at 1800 yards if I was to try and make the shot ( I'm not there...............yet) the reticle covering any of the vitals would of been a non issue. Very clear optics and reasonably priced as well

 

[Greyfox]

I have Nightforces with the velocity and RR syle reticles and both styles have very fine reticles than can resolve small targets well beyond 1000 yards. The Huskemaw 5x20, and Leupold Mark 4's with Tactical Milling, or Mildot reticles are also fine enough for 1000 yard shooting at woodchuck sized targets.