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What scope?

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sprice

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Jun 25, 2008
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.308, Tactical, target, and hunting rifle. Which range finding scope and why?

The ones I've found that I like so far are Zeiss Conquest 4.5-14x44 AO MC with rapid z 1000 and the pride and fowler RR8002 (10x) and rr8001 (3-9x). Which one is better between those ones? Maybe a shepard?
 
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The Ziess would be a very nice scope to have. The Zies has great glass and is good quality. I don't like a really cluttered sight picture and I don't recall the Ziess being that way.
 
My experience in hunting has been that 4X is about as high as the low magnification of a variable should be. It's a field-of-view thing. I personally think that 3X is even better. I know from experience that 3X wll suffice for Bambi at 350 yards. :) 9X is plenty good for prairie dogs to 400.

Precision target? More is better, probably. I had a 6x24 on a Bushmaster Match Target, and it made half-MOA at 100 yards to be a lead-pipe cinch.

IOW, I guess, figure the predominant usage before choosing the magnification.
 
I'm with Art. I like the Zeiss Conquest and you can get the 3-9X-40 for $399 from a lot of places now. If you cannot do it with that scope a little more magnification and 4mm larger objective will not be of much more help.
 
I agree that less is more but wouldn't want anything more than a 1-4x, 1.5-5x, 1.75-6x, 2-7x or 2.5-8x on a big game rifle. I consider the Leupold VXIII 1.5-5x to be near perfect. You don't need a monster scope to pop deer within 300yds.
 
I agree that less is more but wouldn't want anything more than a 1-4x, 1.5-5x, 1.75-6x, 2-7x or 2.5-8x on a big game rifle. I consider the Leupold VXIII 1.5-5x to be near perfect. You don't need a monster scope to pop deer within 300yds.

What CraigC said...

4X will give you all the magnification you need at any range you should be shooting game at. Mine has a 1x5 Burris on it - I don't know if they make that any more, but they have a 2x6.

The problem with high power variables is that you can't see anything at close ranges - so when that monster buck jumps up ten yards away and trots into the brush, you're blind! If you buy a high power variable, you're decreasing the number of shots you can take, not increasing them!
 
.308, Tactical, target, and hunting rifle. Which range finding scope and why?

What rifle? Sounds like the primary use is probably target/tactical and you might do a little hunting with it. If so, your choice is probably a good one. Have you checked out the Bushnell 6500 2.6-16x42mm scopes? http://www.opticsplanet.net/bushnell-elite-6500-riflescopes.html

For a hunting rifle, I prefer a 2-7, 2.5-8, or 3-9x variable. Its better to have the lower end magnification at 2-3, IMO.
 
under a grand a vortex viper pst 4-16 has all the correct features for a field type scope.
half mil reticle,mil adjusted, ffp, zero stop, illuminated.

http://www.vortextactical.com/produ...-16x50-ffp-riflescope-with-ebr-1-mrad-reticle

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRnU0LK_m1w

it will be available sometime around june. just make sure you get the reticle to match the adjustments. mil/mil or moa/moa.

add a badger or seekins 20moa picatinny rail and rings. Then you will be set.

only time will tell if this will be durable enough for field/practical shooting.

ballistic reticles are nothing but frustrating. stick with mil or moa reticles and learn your dope.
 
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my pentax is good and nikko stirling the same, that said my dad has a two zeiss scopes and loves them! I would say they are three steps above my scopes and two above the leupolds and nikons I have had.
 
"Tactical, target, and hunting" -- You might fudge on two out of three, but you'd be stretching.

Leupold, but what you'd use for tactical and/or target won't be functional for hunting. It will be too large, too heavy and won't provide a sufficient field of view. You opt for "hunting" and you won't have the magnification for target. You don't want scope knobs on a hunting scope -- bang, crunch.

As for "range finder" -- The pros use a mil dot reticle.

Just for the record, I set up a Rem. 700 SPS in .308. Jewell trigger and a Leupold Mark 4, 50mm in 6 - 22x. Mil dot. Long lens hood, bipod. Works for "target" and "sniper" -- I like shooting stuff at 600 yds. No field of view for "hunting" (3 - 9x works), and it's a bit on the heavy side for "tactical" (unless you're a sniper).

For "tactical/hunting" I opted for a Win. Mod 70, "stainless Classic" (post 1992) in 30-06 Spfd. w/ Leupold VX II 3 - 9x 40mm, duplex reticle. Put a sling on it, and I can carry it in the field. It's good out to 600 yds. Beyond that, I want more magnification in a scope, bigger glass -- also a heavier gun, heavy barrel, target trigger, which gets into a "bench gun" more like the Rem. above.

I'm not sure what you mean by "tactical." It gets over-used. My idea of "tactical" is a semi-auto, high capacity, and more like a carbine. -- Unless you're working at distance, and then a scoped bolt gun like the Win. above, but not a heavy "sniper" rig w/ a huge scope like the Rem. SPS.

But hell . . . I've seen scoped SKS and AK out hunting. Locally, the lever carbines are considered "tactical" and the truck is a "redneck Hummer." :D
 
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I haven't heard of a Shepard in a very long time. They are either a really niche market, popular in a limited region, have limited usefulness, or just never caught on. I'd love to know which. It always seemed like a great idea.
 
9X is plenty good for prairie dogs to 400. (Posted by Art)

The least magnification i have is 6x18. Maybe you can see a whole p-dog at 400 yards but a lot of the time all I get to see is the top of the head just sticking out of the hole. 9x wont do it!:) I also have Nikons with 5x20 and 6x24. You can always turn them down when not needed but you cant get more out of them if it isnt there. jmo
 
The least magnification i have is 6x18
and that is on my .22 Hornet. It isn't absolutely needed, but I like high magnification as well. I can always turn it down if the mirage is bad. I have a 2.5 X 8 on my .308 hunting rifle. Love it. For target or varmint I like lots of magnification. That is just a personal preference. 36X on my BR rifle.

For tactical purposes I do not see high magnification scopes being used. (No experience here), and it makes sense to me. Really high magnification isn't practical for some things. Harder to find a target for one thing. It won't always be sitting on the target frame like a good little boy.
 
Agree with several of the preceding posts. One scope for tactical, target and hunting use is simply asking too much of one scope. I have tactical and target scopes that could possibly serve in both roles, but scopes well suited for hunting are a different beast altogether.

Don
 
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