Take a look at the Steiner T5xi series. Honestly for the money they can't be beat. The next best thing costs $1000 more. You can find them every now and then for around $1000. Most will be between $1250-1500. I have 4 of them. All are awesome. They are heavy, but they are simply built like tanks, and built right here in the USA. For a FFP scope, with a decent reticle (SCR), mil/mil, 23 mils of adjustment, zero stops that are easy to set and work perfect, illumination, excellent glass, excellent tracking, excellent transferable lifetime warranty, excellent customer service, good/practical magnification ranges and excellent place of manufacture, IMO they're by far the best value for most people. What's not to love? I'm not rich, but I'm also pretty picky about the gear I run. I don't baby any of my **** and I expect it to perform in every condition, because I hunt in all conditions. Steiner has never let me down; through mud, water, heat, ice, simply ever. Furthermore, for every 1 Nightforce BEAST you buy you can buy 3 or maybe 4 T5's.
Which scopes track accurately?
- Thread starter NoCuntryForOldMen
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Danny Butler
Well-Known Member
Chase.. the comparison with the Beast is not a fair comparison...Steiner does make a fine product... they are heavy. I don't have any experience with service after the sales but the Nightforce service Dept is outstanding. I personally don't use Mils especially on a hunting scope because your average hunter has no experience with such. The MOAR reticle is a champ. Everybody knows inches..
milanuk
Well-Known Member
@Alex Wheeler have you ever ran hunting scopes on your scope checker?
I was just making the point that there is a point of decreasing returns on your investment, that tons of money doesn't always equate to a vastly superior product, and that essentially 100% reliable can be relatively affordable. My furthest shot to date is 1367 yards and never once have I felt like I needed better glass, a better system, more reliable turrets, or more magnification. The reality is that most of the time I shoot somewhere between 10-12x so that I can spot myself, which seems to be a common finding amongst other long range shooters. 0.3 Mils=~1 MOA. Personally I switched from MOA to Mils because the numbers are smaller. For example that 1367 yard shot was an 11 Mil correction vs a 38 MOA. That really doesn't matter at all though so long as your reticle and your adjustments are in the same units (Mil/Mil, or MOA/MOA) The average hunter likely isn't looking to shoot beyond 400 yards, let alone 600-1000, so knowing your equipment and your system whether MOA or Mil matters a lot.
Alex Wheeler
Well-Known Member
Yes, if a guy is serious he needs one, because some scopes are BAD. I bet it would surprise most readers to know that most scopes shift poa 1/4-1/2 moa from their lowest to highest power settings, regardless of price tag.
I just picked up a Premier Heritage Light Tactical to try. 3-15x50, FFP, 30mm tube, 12 mils elevation, weighs 25 to 26 ounces. Will be comparing it to the S&B PMII 3-12x50, with single turn turret gets 13 mils elevation. When someone like lancekenyon says great things, I have a feeling I'm going to like it.
For lightweight, go with the PMII 10x42, it's only 20.2 ounces on my postal scale...
For lightweight, go with the PMII 10x42, it's only 20.2 ounces on my postal scale...
jlvandersnick
Well-Known Member
I have 5 of the Leupold Mark 4's and they have all tracked perfectly. Not sure why they discontinued them as they also have better low light glass than the new Leupold HD series... although they don't have quite the color resolution in full sunlight.
I also have a couple of the Swarovski X5's. The glass is incredible and they have also tracked perfectly. They are about 1/2 pound lighter than the Nightforce NXS but are also an extra $1000.
my 2 cents.....in optics ...you get what you pay for
I also have a couple of the Swarovski X5's. The glass is incredible and they have also tracked perfectly. They are about 1/2 pound lighter than the Nightforce NXS but are also an extra $1000.
my 2 cents.....in optics ...you get what you pay for
graywolf
Well-Known Member
Hensoldt 4-16x56 LT is my favorite all-round scope. Incredible eyebox and optics and bomber turrets and tracking. A bit heavy, ~30 oz but compact. Sometimes pretty good deals come up.
Danny Butler
Well-Known Member
Bomber turrets....
I like that...
I like that...
i quoted my own post just to say that it's led me into several searches for the quest for knowledge on everything from turrets to focal planes to parallax to shooting schools.I'm learning alot by fallowing along here. I appreciate all the knowledge.
Just edited because grammar is 'potentabbey an m ta the I
Thanks folks
I missed something, what is this, please.
milanuk
Well-Known Member
There was a 50+ page thread over on accurateshooter.com about testing various high-end BR & F-class scopes for not only tracking, but actually holding POI and not shifting, ever so slightly, under recoil. The general premise was to use a 'frozen' scope - one with all the springs and guts removed and put in solid mechanical mounts that once set *can't* move - on an outrigger style mount alongside the scope under test. Line up both reticles on the aiming point, fire the gun, and then return to battery. *Both* cross hairs should be in the same spot. If one moves... there is a problem. Some (a lot) of scopes move a very small amount (<1/8 moa) that first shot, and then settle down. Some... kept moving around. Not good.
The original thread eventually got pulled because it got to the point where it was just too long and arduous to read thru start to finish, so people were asking the same questions over and over and over and... you get the idea. There is a new thread that should have a link to some of the condensed test info.
Part of the problem early on was that the old scope checker mounts (Hood, etc.) were not being actively made any more, nor a whole heck of a lot of 'frozen' scopes to use as references. The first half of that problem was addressed by new production of an updated version(2018 version).
FWIW, if someone one wants one and is willing to 'settle' for the 2017 version (still pretty good), let me know... I have an extra (long story).
