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Which scope would you pick for my new project? Very disappointed by european scopes offerings

simone

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2017
Messages
252
Hi guys, I write from Italy. I aleeady posted a couple threads about my new setup but now i think i got to the right decisions. To sum it up, i write from Italy. I currently have a early 2018 made bergara b14 hunter topped with a khales helia 2-10×50i with the standard german IV-like reticle and capped turrets. I love that gun, it's very accurate (0.3-0.7 MOA groups all day with geco 170 grains softpoints or rws dk 165 grains). This setup is very versatile but gives its best for relatively short ranges and low light situations.
I started hunting also in more open areas so i want a new rifle with more range for those places, while i will keep the rifle i already have for less open areas. So, since i really love my old b14 and since i don't like the look of most other rifles with all these fancy curves and fluted stuff, i decided to buy another b14 (still undecided between another hunter and a sporter while i excluded the wilderness series cause of the shorter barrels and fixed muzzlebrakes). Also i am young and in good shape so i prefer the relative heaviness of the b14 to the super low weight many hunters look for today. Plus i already own a b14 and i know that rifle very well so i thought keeping the same system (same trigger and ergonomics) but with another scope and a bipod would be a good idea. The caliber of the new rifle will be .308, again, but i will keep it zeroed for a more aerodynamic bullet like accubonds, eld-x or sst. I choose this caliber for availability, longer barrel life (i train with my hunting rifles constantly), good terminal performance for my max hunting range, mild recoil, no need for muzzlebrake etc. I will hunt mainly roe deer (up to 60 lbs), boars (up to 400 lbs) and fellow deer (up to 250 lbs), very rarely red deer (up to 550/600 lbs). I will keep distances inside 400 meters (450 yards).

That said, back to the topic: which scope would you put on this rig, considering that budget is not a concern?
I have always looked at european scopes but i don't find any offering i like looking at swaro/zeiss/khales/leica/S&B scopes.
The first option could be a FFP, with a Mil reticle for wind holds and a BDC exposed elevation turret. So i would dial for elevation and hold for wind. These brands sell some scopes with these features but they are in the tactical area: heavy, bulky with huge max powers. I would like a 3-12×50i or something like this for hunting. That's weird because this looks like an ideal scope setup to me.
Another option could be a SFP with a simple german IV reticles but, at this point, i would need exposed turrets both for elevation and windage. It seems like european hunting scopes have exposed turrets only for elevation tough. This doesn't make much sense to me since wind is a big variable when shooting past 300 meters or so..

So my questions:
-what do you think of the setup in general?
-which scope would you put on my new rifle?

Thanks guys, greetings from Italy!!
 

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Thanks, i didn't look into Meopta because i tend to favour more renowed brands like the one i listed above but I have only heard good things about meopta and i will look more into it now that you reminded me about it. As i said, my ideal solution would be to dial for elevation and hold for wind but it seems like european hunters don't do it! That's weird. What do you think of the general setup aside from the scope?

I am always happy to get feedback cause a different point of view on things with so many variables such as hunting is always useful
 
Thanks, i didn't look into Meopta because i tend to favour more renowed brands like the one i listed above but I have only heard good things about meopta and i will look more into it now that you reminded me about it. As i said, my ideal solution would be to dial for elevation and hold for wind but it seems like european hunters don't do it! That's weird. What do you think of the general setup aside from the scope?

I am always happy to get feedback cause a different point of view on things with so many variables such as hunting is always useful
I have never shot that rifle so I can't speak about it opinion wise. The 308 is still an awesome accurate caliber. My 14 year old just bought one. It is in a Savage tactical and it shoots very well. We still need to get about another 150 rounds through it to break it in fully. I had a 30-06 and a 7 rem mag. We are both loving the 308!!! So I think it is a great choice.

I only have two "quality" scopes. One is the Meopta R2 and the other is a Swarovski Z8i that I bought my wife. When it comes to clarity and low light capability they are almost identical. My two boys and I have compared them side by side in the evenings off of our deck watching our cows and calves out to about 200 yards. The Swaro has maybe a minute and a half advantage of shooting time as it gets dark. Now that being said it usually gets to about 45 minutes past legal shooting time before these scopes become unshootable. So in reality neither has an advantage over the other.(legally) The Swaro maybe is a little better edge to edge as you look at the extreme edges of the glass staying perfect, but again I bought my Meopta for my old eyes that are somewhat affected by pigment dispersion glaucoma. I wanted brightness as light fades at dusk. It has been awesome and just plain blew my brother in laws Leupold vx5hd completely out of the water at dusk in side by side comparison. Five of us all agreed it was no comparison. With my Meopta at 600 yards I could still see detail on individual soybean leaves and tree leaves. The Leupold "died" about 15 minutes earlier than my Meopta. Details totally faded out and then you couldn't tell trees from the beans and then blackness. My Meopta still had individual leaf definition.
 
I have never shot that rifle so I can't speak about it opinion wise. The 308 is still an awesome accurate caliber. My 14 year old just bought one. It is in a Savage tactical and it shoots very well. We still need to get about another 150 rounds through it to break it in fully. I had a 30-06 and a 7 rem mag. We are both loving the 308!!! So I think it is a great choice.

I only have two "quality" scopes. One is the Meopta R2 and the other is a Swarovski Z8i that I bought my wife. When it comes to clarity and low light capability they are almost identical. My two boys and I have compared them side by side in the evenings off of our deck watching our cows and calves out to about 200 yards. The Swaro has maybe a minute and a half advantage of shooting time as it gets dark. Now that being said it usually gets to about 45 minutes past legal shooting time before these scopes become unshootable. So in reality neither has an advantage over the other.(legally) The Swaro maybe is a little better edge to edge as you look at the extreme edges of the glass staying perfect, but again I bought my Meopta for my old eyes that are somewhat affected by pigment dispersion glaucoma. I wanted brightness as light fades at dusk. It has been awesome and just plain blew my brother in laws Leupold vx5hd completely out of the water at dusk in side by side comparison. Five of us all agreed it was no comparison. With my Meopta at 600 yards I could still see detail on individual soybean leaves and tree leaves. The Leupold "died" about 15 minutes earlier than my Meopta. Details totally faded out and then you couldn't tell trees from the beans and then blackness. My Meopta still had individual leaf definition.
Interesting, thanks for the input. I wouldn't have thought the light transmission was this high. Did you try if clicks are reliable with the turrets? I will do some research btw

In the meantime i am still open to suggestions!
 
Interesting, thanks for the input. I wouldn't have thought the light transmission was this high. Did you try if clicks are reliable with the turrets? I will do some research btw

In the meantime i am still open to suggestions!
I haven't done any box tests or tall target tests yet, but I have sighted it in a couple of times on different rifles.
I was very happy that when I needed to move it 4.5" up and 8.75" right(just an example) that it has moved perfect. Basically a
1 or 2 shot sight in. Shoot it..... dial it.... confirm it. Done.

Good luck with your search!
 
I haven't done any box tests or tall target tests yet, but I have sighted it in a couple of times on different rifles.
I was very happy that when I needed to move it 4.5" up and 8.75" right(just an example) that it has moved perfect. Basically a
1 or 2 shot sight in. Shoot it..... dial it.... confirm it. Done.

Good luck with your search!
This sounds really good. Especially because the common saying is that Meopta's weak point is tracking.. but on forums you hear a lot of BS in the middle of very useful informations so I tend to give credit only to direct experiences with products. Otherwise everyone should own a Tikka or a Sako and buy a 3k scope otherwise you can't go hunting
 
Interesting.
This is the first i've heard about Meopta having weak tracking.

While not their top of the line, i've had zero complaints with my Optika 5.

Have you looked at US Optics Foundation series of scopes?
I've handled a few, but alas out of my budget.

Nightforce would be another excellent option.
Along with the Vortex Razor or Golden Eagle.
Highly used by competition shooters for a reason.

If you wonder why so many people say Tikka for a rifle, there are reasons.
First among those is the smoothness of the action. The only way to get a smoother action is to go with a full blown custom action at about 3 times the cost.
Add in decent fit/finish, accuracy and halfways decent trigger.
Also the aftermarket is catching up with stocks & triggers and such.
 
Hi guys, I write from Italy. I aleeady posted a couple threads about my new setup but now i think i got to the right decisions. To sum it up, i write from Italy. I currently have a early 2018 made bergara b14 hunter topped with a khales helia 2-10×50i with the standard german IV-like reticle and capped turrets. I love that gun, it's very accurate (0.3-0.7 MOA groups all day with geco 170 grains softpoints or rws dk 165 grains). This setup is very versatile but gives its best for relatively short ranges and low light situations.
I started hunting also in more open areas so i want a new rifle with more range for those places, while i will keep the rifle i already have for less open areas. So, since i really love my old b14 and since i don't like the look of most other rifles with all these fancy curves and fluted stuff, i decided to buy another b14 (still undecided between another hunter and a sporter while i excluded the wilderness series cause of the shorter barrels and fixed muzzlebrakes). Also i am young and in good shape so i prefer the relative heaviness of the b14 to the super low weight many hunters look for today. Plus i already own a b14 and i know that rifle very well so i thought keeping the same system (same trigger and ergonomics) but with another scope and a bipod would be a good idea. The caliber of the new rifle will be .308, again, but i will keep it zeroed for a more aerodynamic bullet like accubonds, eld-x or sst. I choose this caliber for availability, longer barrel life (i train with my hunting rifles constantly), good terminal performance for my max hunting range, mild recoil, no need for muzzlebrake etc. I will hunt mainly roe deer (up to 60 lbs), boars (up to 400 lbs) and fellow deer (up to 250 lbs), very rarely red deer (up to 550/600 lbs). I will keep distances inside 400 meters (450 yards).

That said, back to the topic: which scope would you put on this rig, considering that budget is not a concern?
I have always looked at european scopes but i don't find any offering i like looking at swaro/zeiss/khales/leica/S&B scopes.
The first option could be a FFP, with a Mil reticle for wind holds and a BDC exposed elevation turret. So i would dial for elevation and hold for wind. These brands sell some scopes with these features but they are in the tactical area: heavy, bulky with huge max powers. I would like a 3-12×50i or something like this for hunting. That's weird because this looks like an ideal scope setup to me.
Another option could be a SFP with a simple german IV reticles but, at this point, i would need exposed turrets both for elevation and windage. It seems like european hunting scopes have exposed turrets only for elevation tough. This doesn't make much sense to me since wind is a big variable when shooting past 300 meters or so..

So my questions:
-what do you think of the setup in general?
-which scope would you put on my new rifle?

Thanks guys, greetings from Italy!!
Wish Nikon was still in business, I have Nikon on all my rifles. They have gave me great performance over the years.
 
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