Help me choose my glass...

[ClutchyMcClutcherson]

So I picked up my Savage 10 FCP-SR from "Hog Sniper" today. Great transaction and I'd highly recommend him for anyone looking to buy a firearm. Now.... it's missing some glass. I get a discount through Vortex but I suppose I'm open to other brands also. Let's keep the price under $1000.00 and if you're able to, try to compare whatever you recommend to the Vortex equivalent. This would really help me out in this decision. If there's a recommendation out there for less $ I suppose that's better.

The use will be mainly for benchrest shooting out to 300 yards for now. But... I really wanna get into some long range stuff moving up in distance as I develop my skill. I'd eventually like to be out to 1000, which is where as I understand it, the 308 really loses effectiveness anyway. I wanna buy this scope one time, meaning I don't want to get something that needs to be replaced as I go. I understand MOA but I'm sure I could figure out Mildot too.

So let me hear, and help me choose, your recommendations on some glass / reticle.

Thanks in advance everyone. I'll post pictures as I go with this rifle. This thing is freakin sweet! Thanks again Gary!

 

[DaemonAssassin]

Vortex Viper PST 6-24x50 FFP EBR (MOA).

/thread

 

[ClutchyMcClutcherson]

http://www.vortexoptics.com/product/vortex-viper-pst-6-24x50-ffp-riflescope-with-ebr-1-moa-reticle

It says this one is discontinued. I can probably find it on Amazon but I don't get a discount because I'd have to buy factory direct to get it.

 

[INMY01TA]

That's cause the Viper PST gen2 5-25 is coming out this spring. Either wait for this one or go Burris XTRII 5-25 scr-mil. Both of which will cost a little more than $1,000. You should be able to get a smokin deal on a PST gen1 closeout sale, I've already seen them. Athlon Helos coming out soon will be well below $1,000, alot of guys talking about it on the Hyde.

http://athlonoptics.com/product/helos-btr-6-24x50-apmr-ffp-ir-mil/

 

[Pinecone]

Vortex Viper PST 6-24x50 FFP EBR (MIL).

FTFY

 

[C.Alls]

Vortex Viper PST 6-24x50 FFP EBR (MOA).

/thread

Nailed it. I have this exact scope on my Tikka CTR in 260 Rem and the clarity of the glass is amazing. It always returns back to zero even if I dial it to max elevation for shooting 1000 yards. When they discount them after the new generation stuff is released I will buy another one.

 

[engineerbrian]

That's cause the Viper PST gen2 5-25 is coming out this spring. Either wait for this one or go Burris XTRII 5-25 scr-mil. Both of which will cost a little more than $1,000. You should be able to get a smokin deal on a PST gen1 closeout sale, I've already seen them. Athlon Helos coming out soon will be well below $1,000, alot of guys talking about it on the Hyde.

http://athlonoptics.com/product/helos-btr-6-24x50-apmr-ffp-ir-mil/

Agree on the Burris. Most of my rifles are sporting a Burris optic now days. I've become a big fan of them and their lifetime warranty

 

[sailskidrive]

What is it chambered in, 6.5 Cr?

Do you need illumination?

I have several Vortex PSTs but feel the Leupold Mk4 4.5-15x50 is a better scope and is priced right at about $1k.

The Nightforce SHV line uses the same glass as their NSX line, however you will sacrifice exposed turrets. I also have one of these and feel it's definitely clearer than the PSTs and doesn't have that Vortex yellow tint.

 

[ClutchyMcClutcherson]

It's 308. Thanks for the advice so far.

 

[Speed3]

all scopes mentioned above are great choices. If your shooting unknown distances or need to "range" targets using your rectile get a FFP. If you have a range finder or shooting known distances FFP not required, saves you a few hundred bucks.

MOA or Mil is based on what your used too. I find MOA easier since most things your ranging will be in inches already and it's easier for me to convert in my head. 2nd, MOA is a finer adjustment, think 1/4" increments(1/4 MOA) @ 100 yards vs MIL 1/3" increments @ 100 yards with mils (1/10 mil).

To be honest most people that recommend FFP don't actually use it to its full purpose (ranging in rectile).

One last thing to mention, I will trade clarity for magnification any day of the week. Don't get hung up on magnification, you can shoot 1,200 yards all day with a 20x scope, probably less as long as it's clear.

 

[INMY01TA]

all scopes mentioned above are great choices. If your shooting unknown distances or need to "range" targets using your rectile get a FFP. If you have a range finder or shooting known distances FFP not required, saves you a few hundred bucks.

MOA or Mil is based on what your used too. I find MOA easier since most things your ranging will be in inches already and it's easier for me to convert in my head. 2nd, MOA is a finer adjustment, think 1/4" increments(1/4 MOA) @ 100 yards vs MIL 1/3" increments @ 100 yards with mils (1/10 mil).

To be honest most people that recommend FFP don't actually use it to its full purpose (ranging in rectile).

One last thing to mention, I will trade clarity for magnification any day of the week. Don't get hung up on magnification, you can shoot 1,200 yards all day with a 20x scope, probably less as long as it's clear.

I never range with the reticle but for doing holdovers you want an FFP.

 

[Speed3]

I never range with the reticle but for doing holdovers you want an FFP.

Touche, very valid point as I don't shoot timed stages where adjustments under a time crunch aren't allowed. But a PRS shoot or a DMR shoot FFP would certainly be beneficial. Although SFP usually has a fixed magnification(usually max) where the holdovers are correct, those aren't great for all types of shooting.

 

[Pinecone]

all scopes mentioned above are great choices. If your shooting unknown distances or need to "range" targets using your rectile get a FFP. If you have a range finder or shooting known distances FFP not required, saves you a few hundred bucks.

MOA or Mil is based on what your used too. I find MOA easier since most things your ranging will be in inches already and it's easier for me to convert in my head. 2nd, MOA is a finer adjustment, think 1/4" increments(1/4 MOA) @ 100 yards vs MIL 1/3" increments @ 100 yards with mils (1/10 mil).

To be honest most people that recommend FFP don't actually use it to its full purpose (ranging in rectile).

One last thing to mention, I will trade clarity for magnification any day of the week. Don't get hung up on magnification, you can shoot 1,200 yards all day with a 20x scope, probably less as long as it's clear.

You can shoot the difference between 1/4" and 1/3" clicks????? That is 0.08 inches per click. At 500 yards, making a 1 MPH mistake in your wind call is more than the difference in 10 clicks. BUT, 10 clicks of 1/4 MOA = 2.5" at 100 yards, versus 7 clicks of mil = 2.33" or a difference of 0.17"

Oh, and I don't know about you, but I range in yards or meters, not inches.

Mils or MOA is a personal choice, as long as the turrets match the reticle. That makes life easier. Also, it depends on who you shoot with and what they use. If everyone around you is using mils, it is easier to also be using mils.

Oh, and the other use of the reticle other than ranging, is determining miss corrections. If I dial in a correction, and shoot a center hold, and the bullet impacts 0.3 mils high, I dial in 3 clicks to fix.

Oh, and 20x is way too much for most shooting, and you will be seeing mainly mirage. You can shoot to 1000 - 1200 yards fine with a fixed 10 power scope. The Super Sniper 10x from SWFA is a great inexpensive long range scope.

 

[Pinecone]

Touche, very valid point as I don't shoot timed stages where adjustments under a time crunch aren't allowed. But a PRS shoot or a DMR shoot FFP would certainly be beneficial. Although SFP usually has a fixed magnification(usually max) where the holdovers are correct, those aren't great for all types of shooting.

I dial elevation, but hold for windage. And as mentioned in the last post, use the reticle to make corrections in my elevation dial in.

 

[Speed3]

You can shoot the difference between 1/4" and 1/3" clicks????? That is 0.08 inches per click. At 500 yards, making a 1 MPH mistake in your wind call is more than the difference in 10 clicks. BUT, 10 clicks of 1/4 MOA = 2.5" at 100 yards, versus 7 clicks of mil = 2.33" or a difference of 0.17"

Oh, and I don't know about you, but I range in yards or meters, not inches.

Mils or MOA is a personal choice, as long as the turrets match the reticle. That makes life easier. Also, it depends on who you shoot with and what they use. If everyone around you is using mils, it is easier to also be using mils.

Oh, and the other use of the reticle other than ranging, is determining miss corrections. If I dial in a correction, and shoot a center hold, and the bullet impacts 0.3 mils high, I dial in 3 clicks to fix.

Oh, and 20x is way too much for most shooting, and you will be seeing mainly mirage. You can shoot to 1000 - 1200 yards fine with a fixed 10 power scope. The Super Sniper 10x from SWFA is a great inexpensive long range scope.

I range in yards also, but if using the rectile to range a deer, how tall is the average deer in yards?

Depending on what discipline your shooting, 4x would let you hit a target put to 1000 yards.

When walking down the midrange fclass line at camp Perry, do they all have 4x scopes? Do they all say that 20x is way to much to make hits at 600 yards? The mistake is applying what you typically do to all shooting disciplines (I did the same thing above)

I mainly shoot fclass with a 10-50x scope, early in the morning I can be up past 40x woth no mirage. Later in there afternoon I'm still well above 20x and it's clear.

Shooting Ed's class I had a 20x and wanted more. Personal preference again

No more derailment from me OP, good luck on your quest. Lots of data to look at

 

[ClutchyMcClutcherson]

Yes I see there are a ton of options. I suppose the hardest part is I don't know what I like because I haven't shot at those distances. My hope is to be able to buy once and get it right the first time. Thanks for all the info.

 

[Broncolou]

Im a Vortex guy but these are looking pretty nice and should be available soon..... I know the predecessors are/were very nice for the money........
http://bushnell.com/tactical/riflescopes/elite-tactical/dmr-ii-3-5-21x-50mm

 

[rbird7282]

Vortex Viper PST 6-24x50 FFP EBR (MOA).

/thread

That's what I have (except MIL) and would recommend.


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[Boom Boom]

Pay for glass quality over maximum magnification. If you haven't shot 1,000 yards, mirage is a big issue and cheaper glass or more magnification will make it considerably worse.

 

[rbird7282]

Yes I see there are a ton of options. I suppose the hardest part is I don't know what I like because I haven't shot at those distances. My hope is to be able to buy once and get it right the first time. Thanks for all the info.

I was in the same boat last year. Bought the Vortex and don't regret it one bit.


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