Perfered scope for LR

[bplumcrazy]

So what is the rule of thumb for power and distance. I'm in the process of gathering all the info I need for a LR setup. Currently I'm leaning towards a 338

 

[FEENIX]

So what is the rule of thumb for power and distance. I'm in the process of gathering all the info I need for a LR setup. Currently I'm leaning towards a 338

This boils down to "personal preference", esp when it comes to SFP vs FFP. I recently transitioned (my last 2 scope purchases) to FFP. My personal minimum magnification is 14X for 1000 yards. There are members here that have no problem with 10X or lower ... you might have to experiment for yourself.

There also shooters like Dave that have no problem with open sights at 1300 yards ...

[ame]https://youtu.be/YRaRCCZjdTM?t=34[/ame]

 

[bplumcrazy]

good I'm looking at NightForce 8-32x56mm NXS Riflescope.........I have a Zeiss 4.5x14 conquest that pretty much stays on max power for my 270wsm. All of my shots have been around 200 yards

 

[BallisticsGuy]

Kinda depends on you like the man said. I use 10x for well over 1000m sometimes but it's not easy. For a beginner it's hard. Too much magnification just makes it harder for a beginner. To little doesn't help much though either. You're going to need to try some. For a .338 you can reach way way out there where 25x makes sense anyway so I'd say a 5-25x might just be your ticket. Go high quality like you're looking at. 8-32x NF isn't a bad option.

 

[bplumcrazy]

Kinda depends on you like the man said. I use 10x for well over 1000m sometimes but it's not easy. For a beginner it's hard. Too much magnification just makes it harder for a beginner. To little doesn't help much though either. You're going to need to try some. For a .338 you can reach way way out there where 25x makes sense anyway so I'd say a 5-25x might just be your ticket. Go high quality like you're looking at. 8-32x NF isn't a bad option.

thanks for the reply....... you say too much makes it hard, can you go more in detail around this. what makes it so hard, setting the parallax?

 

[J E Custom]

I prefer something around 3 to 6x by 14 to 20x on the big end with good glass, crisp clicks on the turrets that track well and can return to the exact POI every time it is changed.

I have an 8x25x50 and most of the time in hunting situations it is to much (Mirage and movement)
and I have to crank the power down. it is very good at extreme distance as long as conditions are good and I have a very good rest/position.

I have used the 32x target scopes for long range target matches and still prefer something with less power. (Just Me)

So my recommendation would be a variable scope with a 50 to 55 mm objective, 30mm tube (More
adjustment range) in 14 to 20 power.

With the new line of laser range finders (A must for longer shots) I don't see the need for front focal plane scopes any more, and they are more expensive. (Again, just my opinion) I have lots of Mill Dot reticles and no longer use them to range with because the laser range finders are more accurate.

There are good scopes for $400.00 but they are not consistent from one to the next (They vary in performance) and recommend looking for something from $600.00 up. you will have to decide how far you are willing to go. But,you don't have to spend $3500.00 to find a scope that will do the job
if you look at as many as you can.

J E CUSTOM

 

[BallisticsGuy]

bplum: Too much magnifies shake and wobble and makes newbs take too long to fire as well as encourages muscling the gun instead of getting natural point of aim. There are also issues with exit pupil size in some cases. Too little just makes it hard to see the target finely enough to get the required fineness of aim. Features like adjustable parallax don't make it harder but they are things you need to learn to use correctly.

For clanging steel or long range hunting I'd want a scaled reticle as a backup to the LRF but mostly for determining fire corrections. Other than that I'd generally agree with JE Custom. Which I realize is sorta a duh except to say that I've found that scopes at the top end tend to bring some really very high resolution glass to the party which I think justifies the cost because we're talking about very long range where a .338 is concerned. That's not to say that I wouldn't slap a 300 dollar Leupold VX2 on my hunting rifle. I already own the scope I'd use on a .338... US Optics ER-25 5-25x58. The one's OP is considering, I'd think 8x as the low end would be a little much in a lot of cases but I don't envision that being used much under 500m. Just no point in shooting things that close with a .338. Still a 5-25 might be more flexible and easy to use.

OP... being as you're beginning long range here's some advise you can take or leave: Get a mentor and a smaller bolt gun like maybe a .223 or a .308 or a 6.5somethingorother, slap a 4-16x-ish scope like a vortex viper or SWFA 5-15HD on it and learn on it from too close out to 1000yrds. You'll save thousands on ammo while you learn about using the gear. Then you can take that .338 out with whatever scope you decide meets your newly educated needs and shoot $5 bills all you want while actually hitting the target. Definitely get a mentor though. Check state specific forums here and ask. Someone will probably be happy as pie to teach you some things.

 

[ultraedge]

If going with a Nightforce, I would get an NXS 5.5 x 22 or an ATACR 5x25 . They have enough power and 100moa (NXS) or 130 moa (ATACR) elevation adjustment. The 8x32 has only 65moa elevation. About 50moa of the elevation adjustment is used to get zeroed at 200 yds. That doesn't leave enough elevation for much past 1000 yds. I use 20moa rails. Gary

 

[Wachsmann]

I would say not the best but you scope on your 270WSM if you havn't tried it already should hold its trueness up and down the turret. I have one on a 6.5x284 and use it to dial up and down a lot. it hold its zero and it makes the mark out to 1000yards. Mine are about 12 years old so I don't know if the quality has changed since then on the zeiss conquest scopes. I have another on a 243 that works the same. With that said both these rifles don't recoil that much. For a 338 though I would go with something in the 5x20 or to 25. I don't think you will ever go wrong with a night force.

 

[bplumcrazy]

thanks for the replies everyone.....I'm actually rethinking the 338 and might just go with a 300 something

 

[BallisticsGuy]

Now you're talking. As long as you're pulling back the go stick, an old fashioned .308 is a heck of an easy way to go for learning out to 1000m without the magnum wear, cost and recoil. Lots of match grade ammo and components available off the shelf. After you put a couple years under your belt with that going to 1000 then jump right into that .338 and you'll have a heck of a lot of fun getting out 2km.

Whatever scope you get, it'll work for a .308 to 1000m and then you can slap it on your .338 and find another hunk of glass for your .308.

 

[Sully2]

good I'm looking at NightForce 8-32x56mm NXS Riflescope.........I have a Zeiss 4.5x14 conquest that pretty much stays on max power for my 270wsm. All of my shots have been around 200 yards

You NEED a 14 power scope for 200yd shots with a 270..???

If thats true then for LONG ange shooting you had better be looking at a scope that says "CELESTRON" down the side of it!

 

[Rich Coyle]

good I'm looking at NightForce 8-32x56mm NXS Riflescope.........I have a Zeiss 4.5x14 conquest that pretty much stays on max power for my 270wsm. All of my shots have been around 200 yards

I go by my own drummer. I have a 5-20X44 on a .308. On my big 6.5mm I have a 4 1/2-30X50. The difference is I keep mine on their lowest settings unless I have lots of time to play with my toys. Some years I trophy hunt and some years I meat hunt.

 

[bplumcrazy]

You NEED a 14 power scope for 200yd shots with a 270..???

If thats true then for LONG ange shooting you had better be looking at a scope that says "CELESTRON" down the side of it!

lol I don't have to have a 14 for 200 yrds but why not use it if its available. When I purchased the scope the plan for the 270 was to shoot out to 500-600 yrds