Thoughts on Mark 4 LR/T 4.5-14X40mm

[fireroad]

How about some Mark 4 LR/T 4.5-14X40mm...from those who own one...and those who considered one but choose something else? For the price, is there a better scope (optics wise) for the ptice for medium range shooting and big game hunting?

 

[kiwi3006]

I have the VX III 4.5 -14 x 40 LR and like it. It is not too big and heavy and can be mounted very low. I got the normal turrets because I use my rifle for hunting in the forest etc and wanted the lower profile. I think in retrospect that I should have gone for target turrets.
The mark 4 would be a better scope because of the double spring system to give positive adjustments.
14 power is a smidgen low at longer ranges but 4.5 is a little bit high at close ranges. The 6.5 -20 might be better for longer ranges but is too much for things in close.
I have noticed right on dark that 14x with a 40mm objective is a little bit dark but winding the magnification down fixes that problem.
Can't help with other options of scope for same price.

Stu.

 

[Michael Eichele]

If you cant or wont spend the money on a higher end scope (which I dont know how really neccesary they are) the mark 4's are a dang good alternative. IMHO, they are very practical for most LR applications. I use a Mark 4 (original version) Fixed 10 power x 40mm and LOVE it for my sheep hunting rig. It offers extreme durability for the rugged bumps and bangs and positive adjustments, good optics but is considerabley less bulky and is much lighter than my NF's. Most of my sheep are nailed at 600 yards or less so I dont mind the 10x. With a little practice I was and am able to get on target at 25 yards without any trouble even for it being a fixed 10x.

 

[BillR]

I bought one of the MK4's in 6.5X20X50 with the TM Reticule in it earlier this year. I didn't think I was going to like it as the eye relief seemed to be really critical. I mounted it on my .308 with the Leupold 20MOA base and tactical rings and did a look through the bore and adjust the scope kind of bore sighting as I didn't have my bore scope with me at the time. When I went to sight it in I started at 25 yds and wow. I had a heck of a time getting it sighted in. Crank it and shoot. Crank it and shoot. Didn't seem like the cross hairs were even moving. Finally had a buddy shoot it and I spotted for him and again WOW. It took a whole heck of a lot of cranking on the turrets to get it on target. Seems the book said it had 1/4" clicks and figuring how far it moved when we cranked on the turret it must have 1/8" clicks. Once we figured that out then life got a whole lot better.
I also have an adjustable butt and cheek rest and once I got it just right then the problem with the really critical eye position went away. Just slap your face on the cheek piece and its right there.
I really like the TM Reticule. Once sighted in its really easy to use the lines to get your drops without adjusting your elevation out to around 600. You can move from one range and back to another really quickly once you get onto it and keep track of your drops and once you have that either you or your spotter can call your drops and ranges and your right there.
I thought the glass was really clear and what I liked even better was the color contrast. It was very easy to see the 1" lines at 100 and 200 yd ranges to tell how much to adjust when sighting in and I used the side focus to work back and forth to get my best sight picture and I actually think I improved my groups due to this. When I put the whole thing together I used a torque wrench set at the recommended inch lbs to tighten everything down including the H.S. Precision tactical stock. This gun is a hog to carry far as it weighs about 13 + lbs with the scope but boy did its accuracy improve doing all this. It started as a Rem 700 VSFII .308 and its now getting very very small groups. Even using Federal Blue box ammo. But I will say this, I accredit most of its accuracy to being able to see what I'm shooting at very clearly.