Glass vs Power; Where do I Put My Money?

[calicojack]

What's better for a longer reach; a 12X with nice glass or a 16X or 18X with average glass? I have a Monarch 12X that I was thinking of replacing for a bit more reach but I am thinking don't bother unless I want to put down good money.

 

[TheOriginalMexicanBob]

I don't have a definitive answer but I liken it to both stereo or photo equipment. To get the best results plan on spending 50% of your total outlay on either stereo speakers or the lenses.

 

[Squaregrouper]

This is a killer deal on a darn good scope.
.

Vortex Viper PST 6-24x50 MOA EBR-2C Riflescope PST-43127

Buy Vortex Viper PST 6-24x50 EBR MOA Riflescope at Eurooptic.com. Get free shipping on this XD Lens Elements, Waterproof, Fogproof, and Shockproof Vortex Viper Rifle scope. Call 570-368-3920 for the best price on Vortex Scope. SHIPS FREE!

www.eurooptic.com

 

[Allen65]

Go with the better glass, you may find you can get away with less magnification with the higher-quality, clearer, distortion-free optics. Once you've used a Nightforce, Steiner, or higher-end Leupold, you'll never go back to the cheap stuff. In the long run, you won't regret buying better glass rather than specs.

 

[Boats]

What's better for a longer reach; a 12X with nice glass or a 16X or 18X with average glass? I have a Monarch 12X that I was thinking of replacing for a bit more reach but I am thinking don't bother unless I want to put down good money.

Glass quality, hands down.

Most of the longest military sniper confirmed kills were done with low powered (considering the ranges they occurred) but good quality glass (Hathcock used an 8x Unterl Scope, for example, The MacMillan TAC-50 has a scope that tops out at 25x.)

From personal experience, I would rather have a fixed 10x power scope with excellent glass and repeatability than a variable power scope with average glass and mechanicals.

 

[calicojack]

I don't have a definitive answer but I liken it to both stereo or photo equipment. To get the best results plan on spending 50% of your total outlay on either stereo speakers or the lenses.

This is a killer deal on a darn good scope.
.

Vortex Viper PST 6-24x50 MOA EBR-2C Riflescope PST-43127

Buy Vortex Viper PST 6-24x50 EBR MOA Riflescope at Eurooptic.com. Get free shipping on this XD Lens Elements, Waterproof, Fogproof, and Shockproof Vortex Viper Rifle scope. Call 570-368-3920 for the best price on Vortex Scope. SHIPS FREE!

www.eurooptic.com

Yeah - I think the Viper model is the minimum I should consider.

 

[ohen cepel]

Glass quality. Crappy image magnified to 16x is just more crap.

 

[teratos]

Glass. What’s your budget?

 

[teratos]

I have this on my bench rest rifle. It’s silly. A comparatively good bargain.

Nightforce BR Benchrest 12-42x56 NP-R2 C104 - Nightforceusa.com

www.nightforceusa.com

 

[AlBeight]

The two aren’t always mutually exclusive. High “power” (magnification) optics can also have really good quality glass. Neither feature will be cheap though despite what all the curmudgeons will tell you.

I’ll submit to you that most people can’t really tell ‘quality glass’ from standard or average glass. Some you can tell a difference if you look at them immediately one after the other if viewed at the same object in the exact same lighting. Same thing with speakers, headphones, etc...it’s just too subjective. Kind of like when you see a hidden camera video of people pranking wine “experts” with cheap box wines in expensive labeled bottles, they'll regale you with their ‘knowledge’ of it’s vintage, its ‘earth tones’, its ‘nutty flavor’, and so on. Same with the beer “experts” that extoll the virtues of the “craft brew” they’re drinking when it’s actually just Budweiser in a fancy draft glass.

Buy the most “glass” you can afford, in whatever magnification you need (or just want). I doubt you'll end up with poor “glass” quality. If you can attend a PRS or long range shooting match, ask a few shooters to look through some of their optics. Some will be incredible, others will be just very good, though I seriously doubt you’d turn away thinking that ‘boy that one sucked’.

 

[4g64loser]

If your budget forces a compromise, go with optical quality every time. And a reticle that fits your needs.

 

[smokey]

This is a killer deal on a darn good scope.
.

Vortex Viper PST 6-24x50 MOA EBR-2C Riflescope PST-43127

Buy Vortex Viper PST 6-24x50 EBR MOA Riflescope at Eurooptic.com. Get free shipping on this XD Lens Elements, Waterproof, Fogproof, and Shockproof Vortex Viper Rifle scope. Call 570-368-3920 for the best price on Vortex Scope. SHIPS FREE!

www.eurooptic.com

That is a great friggin deal. I have it's little bro(5-25×56 venom) on my grendel and paid just a couple bucks under. It's very impressive and makes me feel like I'm cheating at 300 yds and in.

 

[gwchem]

I would put your money on being sure the elevation turret will track properly. Swfa, trijicon, night force. Vortex is known for their great warranty, because tons of people have to use it.

 

[AlBeight]

If your budget forces a compromise, go with optical quality every time. And a reticle that fits your needs.

In theory this is sound advice, but for someone shopping for a new optic, how can you discern “optical quality” while shopping in a catalog, or website? It’s a highly individually subjective quality. It’s not like it’s an actual score or number provided in the product specs.

 

[Kman]

Quality. I was a notorious magnification ho. I learned, regretted and I have repented.

 

[E.Shell]

I'd add my own 1.5 cents - buy better glass and don't go overboard on chasing magnification. The atmospheric conditions are usually such that by the time you get beyond 22-25x, you can can't see any better due to haze and mirage. Not only is the target magnified, but so is everything else in between and I have often dialed down below 20x to see better at 1k and beyond.

 

[Uncle Duke]

Optics are always a challenge, and usually even moreso because very few folks have the money to buy examples of the higher end products to be able to sample differences.

All scopes are compromises. Try to remove as many of the many variables up front as you can. For example, what duties will it serve? Hunting or bench or both? Reticle type? Mil or minute? First or second focal plane? Straight power fine, with money dedicated instead of variable mechanics to good straight power glass? Or you'll want to pay more for the mechanics of variable, because you see need or want for variable? High end magnification matters more, which can be great on a bench but effectively useless in a woods? Or what matters more is low end magnification and field of view functionality?

Try to boil things down to a handful of possible makes and models. Then publish your thoughts, and see if someone here has what you're considering. You might get lucky. Hard to know what you've getting, with a product you've never been and can't otherwise afford to get behind.

 

[RRomig]

I get sensory overload every time I go optics shopping. So many choices but use your budget then priorities with some trusted brands. Midway is a great site to see many different brands and specs whether you buy there or not. As someone said get your short list together and post up to see if anyone has personal experience. GL

 

[4g64loser]

In theory this is sound advice, but for someone shopping for a new optic, how can you discern “optical quality” while shopping in a catalog, or website? It’s a highly individually subjective quality. It’s not like it’s an actual score or number provided in the product specs.

Actually, there are some testable values in th world of optics. And I do my comparison shopping at matches or in the lockers of my friends. They do the same with my locker. I have multiple Razor two vortex scopes, a kahles, a zeiss, and couple burris xtr2 variants. When I bought the kahles, it was after trying two out that belonged to friends. My first razor was based on playing with one that belonged to a guy in my squad at a match.

You should hang out at a couple of precision rifle matches. It will offer you the "gun counter" of top shelf optics to check out.

 

[Boats]

I would put your money on being sure the elevation turret will track properly. Swfa, trijicon, night force. Vortex is known for their great warranty, because tons of people have to use it.

I throw Sightron into the consideration pile too.

Kinda have to agree about Vortex. Would rather have a primary arms, if I had to choose