Long Range Scopes?

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j.chappell

New member
I am looking for opinions on long range scopes for shooting out to 1000 yards. What is the best all around style; fixed, variable, power range, and reticle.

High power fixed:

  • Brand
  • Line
  • Power
  • Windage and elevation adjustments
  • Reticle

Medium power fixed:

  • Brand
  • Line
  • Power
  • Windage and elevation adjustments
  • Reticle

High power variable:

  • Brand
  • Line
  • Power range
  • Windage and elevation adjustments
  • Reticle

Medium power variable:

  • Brand
  • Line
  • Power range
  • Windage and elevation adjustments
  • Reticle

Thanks in advance for your opinions.

J.
 
K

kraigwy

New member
I've done a lot of 1000 yard matches in the last 30 years. I found that too much power dosnt work as it get washed out by mirage.

I use the Weaver T-10, and see no reason to change. With the 10 Power you can see the scoring disk and read the number boards so you dont cross fire (hopefully).

When I was coaching for the AK NG Rifle team we had a 100 MM team scope with differant power eye pieces. I got rid of all them but the 24 X for the same reason.

Another thing, most matches you shoot 40 to 60 rounds. Barrels get hot and mirage coming off the barrel also interfere when using a scope. To help this I use a barrel band that covers the top of the barrel from the scope to the muzzle.
 
J

Jimro

New member
Like anything else, this is just my opinion

High power fixed:

Brand: Leupold or IOR
Line: Mk4 or Tactical
Power: 16x
Windage and elevation adjustments
Reticle: Mildot or MP8

Medium power fixed:

Brand: USO, Leupold, IOR
Line: Custom, Mk4, Tactical
Power: 10x, 10x, 10x or 6x
Windage and elevation adjustments
Reticle: Mildot or MP8

High power variable:

Brand: Nightforce, IOR, USO
Line
Power range 4-16, 6-24 or 3-18, custom
Windage and elevation adjustments
Reticle: mildot or mp8

Medium power variable:

Brand: S&B, IOR
Line: the Marine Corps model, Tactical
Power range 3-12, 4.5x14
Windage and elevation adjustments
Reticle: Mildot, MP8


I highly recommend taking a look at the 6-24x IOR tactical. Seldom do people only shoot a rifle at 1k.

Jimro
 
B

bobn

New member
while not quite at a thousand yards, i also use a t10 weaver. i found my burris signature 6.5 to 20 too bright durring the miday sun. perhaps it was the coatings aimed at hunting. i also have a titanium 10x burris. still like the t10. i do have a 4.5 to 14 mildot scope but find it a nusiance at the range. bobn
 
J

j.chappell

New member
All of my shooting is going to be informal. No matches just fun.

I'll tell you guys what I was going to do and you tell me if you think it is a good idea or not.

I have a Leupold Vari-X II fixed 12x that is not in use at the moment. I was going to send it back to Leupold and have a Mil-Dot reticle installed along with different elevation and windage adjustments. Do you see this being a good choice? I like fixed power scopes and have never felt handicapped while using one.

J.
 
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J

j.chappell

New member
MeekAndMild,

Nightforce is the best variable IMHO. Lots of second bests but my favorite second best is Nikon.
Click to expand...

Wow, you go from Nightforce to Nikon? Why do you like them so much? I'm not doubting their quality I would just like to know why you like them over the other companies.

J.
 
P

popeyespappy

New member
Alright, I wasn’t going to reply to this thread because I’ve seen a lot of people knocking my favorite scope but here it is anyway. The scopes on my list are all scopes I currently have mounted and use. I have been really happy with my Super Snipers. I have a 10x and a 20x. No it’s not a $2000 Nightforce but for the money they are darn good scopes. Sturdy, decent glass, 150 MOA of adjustment in both planes and absolutely repeatable. What else could you ask for in a fixed power scope? I like the Bushnell Elite 3200 10x40 too but it is not as nice as the Super Sniper. Cost $200 less though. The Elite 4200 8-32x40 is a nice scope too but it is really hurting in the range of adjustment department. I personally would have been happier with the 6-24x50 Tactical Model but I picked up the 8-32 for $250 less than what I could have got the 6-24 for.

High power fixed: $300
• Super Sniper
•
• 10x, 16x, or 20x42
• 150 MOA Windage and elevation adjustments, ¼ MOA per Click, Tactical Turrets
• Mildot

Medium power fixed: $210
• Bushnell
• Elite 3200
• 10x42
• ??? MOA Windage and elevation adjustments, ¼ MOA per Click, Tactical Turrets
• Mildot

High power variable: $460
• Bushnell
• Elite 4200
• 8-32x40
• 20 MOA Windage and elevation adjustments, 1/8 MOA per Click, Covered Turrets
• Multi-X
 
M

MeekAndMild

New member
Wow, you go from Nightforce to Nikon?
Click to expand...

In my experience Leupold reticles are too easily knocked loose and the scopes seem delicate.

Burris doesn't have positive enough clicks and sometimes goes off a few clicks when you tighten the lock, Zeiss is more expensive than Nikon for the same perceived quality, Weaver may be better than Nikon but I don't have any good local sellers. This is all my opinion/prejudice and isn't based on any externally verifiable facts and I have gone through a long process of change in opinions through the years.

Concerning Nightforce I got the chance to try one recently, a 5.5-22x50NXS and find there is no comparison with anything else I've ever seen. Its like a whole other world.
 
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J

j.chappell

New member
In my experience Leupold reticles are too easily knocked loose and the scopes seem delicate.
Click to expand...

Really, I have used them forever on everything from 22LR to my 300's, 338's, 45-70's, and one 458 and never had an issue.

If I would have had an issue I would have the same opinion as you do but I have not.

Thank you for your input.

J.
 
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MeekAndMild

New member
Maybe it was a bad scope, I don't know, but it was a V-II on my favorite rifle, back in the time when I really couldn't afford the shooting hobby and I never really got over it. I tried another but now they're in their boxes. More a trust issue than anything else.:(
 
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ndking1126

New member
Nightforce

My dad was recently in town and we went to our Sportsmans Warehouse. He saw a Nightforce for just over $1200 and about fell over. He said, "Do people actually pay that much for a scope?!".

It was pretty funny.
 
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decpat

New member
I only shoot out to 500m, but please check this link and see if the information there answers some of your questions. I would do eveything he recommends except I may go bankrupt in doing so.
demigodllc.com/articles/practical-long-range-rifle-shooting-optics

Hope it helps
 
J

j.chappell

New member
So...is my idea to have my Leupold fixed 12x worked on not a good idea?

I see lots of fixed 10's with mi-dots being suggested what would be the drawback of my fixed 12x with a mil-dot and new elevation and windage adjustments?

J.
 
K

ken22250

New member
" have a Leupold Vari-X II fixed 12x that is not in use at the moment. I was going to send it back to Leupold and have a Mil-Dot reticle installed along with different elevation and windage adjustments. Do you see this being a good choice? I like fixed power scopes and have never felt handicapped while using one."



thats the way i am, i was fixed power scopes allmost exclusivly ( i have a 3-9x40mm bushnell 4200, but i dont use it), i have never felt underscope, and i have shot deer at over 300 yards with a leupold 2.5x, i really like the Leupold FX-III 12x, fine duplex reticle, i have shot prarrie dogs with it at over 600 yards, and at 1000 yd. targets, i would think it a litle beffer than the 10x, its got high profile 1/4MOA adjustmens, very posutive and precise, and exelent scope, and its price is generally arround $550.
 
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ken22250

New member
Medium power fixed: $210
• Bushnell
• Elite 3200
• 10x42
• ??? MOA


the 10x40mm bushnell 3200 has 80 MOA of adjustment range.
ken
 
J

Jimro

New member
j. Chappelle,

A fixed 12x will do you just fine for most applications. The fixed 10x is recommended a lot because a lot of quality fixed 10x's are on the market, you can trace that back to the Marine Corps Unertle 10x sniper scope.

If you live somewhere where the mirage gets hard to shoot through a 12x might be a bit much. Heck, in Vietnam a 1/8 moa dot reticle was used by some Army snipers and they did just fine. It is less about reticle and magnification and more about the quality of glass and the repeatability of adjustment.

And leupold is good glass, and few people complain about the adjustment.

Jimro
 
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