Scope help please !!! long sorry

[dieseldr99]

I have on order a rock river arms varmint a4 in .223. I am looking to use it for varmint hunting, predator hunting, and punching paper. I am not necessarily an accomplished long range shooter, but I am very interested in it. I need some scope help. Initially I felt like I should keep the low end of the magnification at 4 for a close moving target. But I am considering a scope and a reflex dot mounted on the ff tube.

I have basically an $1100.00 budget and i would like that to include a mount. I can keep saving if I have to but would like to move on to other projects.

1st I was thinking Bushnell elite 6500 4.5-30x50 tactical mil-dot because of the magnification range. But I have read several accounts that they are not very clear in the upper end of the magnification and have parallax issues around 300 yards

2nd I have strongly considered the Zeiss conquest 4.5-14x50 originally mil-dot with target turrets. However I really like the zr800 reticle but I can not find it with turrets all other reticle I can find with turrets. I feel I want turrets. the zr1000 does not match 223 very well so I guess it is mil-dot?

3rd Bushnell elite 3200 5-15x40 tactical mil-dot and putting the extra cash toward a range finder budget

4th stretch the budget and get my hands on a used 3.5-15-56 nightforce nxs

with so many choices out the any help is appreciated
Thanks
Justin

 

[Warning Shot]

If you go with a Zeiss (which I'd recommend), you'll probably be best off with the Rapid Z Varmint reticle. The various Rapid Z reticles are engineered to work optimally with specific calibers and the RZ Varmint reticle matches ballistics for the .223.

Since the Rapid Z reticles are "holdover" reticles, target turrets are really a non-issue. Once you sight in your particular load using Zeiss's Ballistic Calculator (link is on Zeiss's reticle page), there's really no further dialing required until you change loads.

I have the Rapid Z 1000 reticle on my scope and it does have the big ol' target turrets but I really think Zeiss includes them for aesthetics more than anything. It's a great scope.

 

[jwp475]

Nightforce without question is the better long range scope

 

[Chas1]

The NF you mention new is $1483, I would think with $1100 your within striking distance of a used one.

 

[mtelkhntr78]

I also recommend the Zeiss. I have several Conquests and I love them. If you use any of the ballistic plex reticles the Zeiss web site has a pretty good set-up to help you calculate everything for use with it. my $.02

 

[dieseldr99]

Wow I have never changed my mind so many times on a piece of equipment.
I have decided I really want a nightforce so I am gonna have to work on the budget. Now I am flipping back and forth between the 5.5-22x56 and the 3.5-15x56, I tend to always want more magnification. whether I need it or not I am unsure. If I go with the 5.5 I will more strongly feel the need for a reflex site as well. I am thinking of going with a larue tactical mount. I can get an adapter to put a burris fast fire on one of the rings for like 70 bucks plus 200 for the fastfire putting the entire budget if i buy new over 2k in (2100 or so) I am along way from that but I can get there. (sorry this is getting long again).
With the 3.5-15 I would probably not need the fastfire, heck I may not need it with the 5.5 but would like it.
I want to shoot crows with this gun from as far away as I can get my ability up to. probably not over 300-400 yards due to finding large enough openings to hunt.
I want to hunt other varmints and vermin as well including coyote. But I do have another ar already that is lighter and has a 4-12 on it.

Please feel free to chime in
Thanks
Justin

 

[Chas1]

Justin, my eyes aren't what they used to be so generally I like to go with the higher X however, if you have pretty good vision then I think for the distances your talking about a 3.5-15x should work well for you.

 

[Gene]

Right after the Shot Show, accurateshooter.com reported that sometime in May, NF would bring out new models and all prices would go up. You might want to opt for a used NF. I agree a variable is what you need; you can always move magnification up for close spotting or down for wider FOV.