Budget Scope for 50 BMG
- Thread starter drjoker
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rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Budget scope for a .50 cal rifle?
That seems like kind of an oxymoron to me.
If you can afford to shoot a .50 at all, you should be able to afford a good scope for it.
Never mind, it's getting too late! :banghead:
rc
That seems like kind of an oxymoron to me.
If you can afford to shoot a .50 at all, you should be able to afford a good scope for it.
Never mind, it's getting too late! :banghead:
rc
rc, it really IS getting late for you....
rc,
50 bmg barrett model 99 CAME WITH a bushnell elite 3200 scope as the original included scope!
Will someone else who is knowledgeable please answer the question. The bushnell elite 3200 scope on my barrett broke. It fell out of a tree stand last deer season.
Much appreciation and thanks,
rc,
50 bmg barrett model 99 CAME WITH a bushnell elite 3200 scope as the original included scope!
Will someone else who is knowledgeable please answer the question. The bushnell elite 3200 scope on my barrett broke. It fell out of a tree stand last deer season.
Much appreciation and thanks,
allaroundhunter
Member
What kind of magnification do you want? And what exactly is the budget?
Outlaw Man
Member
No, he's using them for New Mexico deer. His stand is in Texas.
I'd also like to know what magnification you're using.
My new Bushnell Elite feels pretty solid, but I haven't nearly used it enough to speak to how rugged it would be under .50 BMG recoil.
I'd also like to know what magnification you're using.
My new Bushnell Elite feels pretty solid, but I haven't nearly used it enough to speak to how rugged it would be under .50 BMG recoil.
rc,
50 bmg barrett model 99 CAME WITH a bushnell elite 3200 scope as the original included scope!
Will someone else who is knowledgeable please answer the question. The bushnell elite 3200 scope on my barrett broke. It fell out of a tree stand last deer season.
Much appreciation and thanks,
Holy cripes, you hauled a Barrett up in a tree stand??!!
I've got an M95 and wouldn't want to do that.
Look at Leupold, maybe not exactly 'budget' but midrange, with some more affordable models, and they have a lifetime warranty. I've had a Vari-X 3 long range model on mine for years and it still holds zero and tracks fine. Fairly compact scope, sturdy.
The more important thing is RINGS.
Get the best, most rugged, steel rings you can afford. No joke. Do not skimp on rings. I spent nearly as much on rings as I did my scope...
From talking w the Fifty Cal Shooters Association guys, any of the "True Strength" airgun scopes will hold up for at least a few shots since they have the added "foward-backward" recoil capability.
Not sure of clarity, field of vision, or magnification. But they will take the recoil- just not sure for how long.
And yes, the rings are very important.
C-
Not sure of clarity, field of vision, or magnification. But they will take the recoil- just not sure for how long.
And yes, the rings are very important.
C-
50 bmg makes hunting simple
Hunting with rifles with more curved trajectories is complicated. You either had to memorize a complicated table or bring lots of expensive and complicated equipment such as; laser range finder, wind meter, range computer, wind/range computer and/or tables. All of this changes when you change your ammo load! Besides, after you've pressed all those electronic buttons, the deer would've walked away.
However, the 50 bmg shoots very flat, is not very affected by wind, and inside of normal deer ranges (300 yds or less), the data doesn't change very much between different loads. Also, there's not much wind in Texas. The trajectory of the 50 bmg being so flat, you don't even have to turn the scope's dials before taking a shot. Therefore, you can ditch the complicated and expensive electronics and just do all the calculations mentally in a split second before immediately firing using a very simple table for a scope zeroed at 200 yds;
A. deer is 14 mil dots tall = aim with the dot that is one dot above the middle one.
B. deer is 7 mil dots tall = aim with the center dot.
C. deer is 5 mil dots tall = aim with the dot that is two dots below the middle one.
A. deer is 14 mil dots tall and 10+ mph winds = aim half a mil dot over in the direction the wind is blowing, 20+ mph winds = aim 1 mil dot over in the wind's direction.
B. deer is 7 mil dots tall and 10+ mph winds = aim 1 mil dot in wind's direction, 20+ mph winds = aim 2 mil dots in wind's direction
C. deer is 5 mil dots tall and 10+ mph winds = aim 2 mil dot in wind's direction, 20+ mph winds = aim 3 mil dots in wind's direction
Notes;
Over 10 mph, mirage is parallel to ground and tops of trees in constant motion. Over 20 mph, mirage broken up (no mirage), difficulty walking, and larger tree trunks sway.
The average adult deer is 5 mil dots height up to the head (not measuring antlers) at 300 yards, 7 mil dots high at 200 yards, and 14 mil dots high at 100 yards (on the swfa ss scope, it's roughly the entire bottom field of view plus all the mil dots).
P.S. I am looking for the least expensive mil dot scope of any magnification, as long as I can see a deer at 300 yds with it. If just has to survive the massive recoil of the 50 bmg. Thanks.
Hunting with rifles with more curved trajectories is complicated. You either had to memorize a complicated table or bring lots of expensive and complicated equipment such as; laser range finder, wind meter, range computer, wind/range computer and/or tables. All of this changes when you change your ammo load! Besides, after you've pressed all those electronic buttons, the deer would've walked away.
However, the 50 bmg shoots very flat, is not very affected by wind, and inside of normal deer ranges (300 yds or less), the data doesn't change very much between different loads. Also, there's not much wind in Texas. The trajectory of the 50 bmg being so flat, you don't even have to turn the scope's dials before taking a shot. Therefore, you can ditch the complicated and expensive electronics and just do all the calculations mentally in a split second before immediately firing using a very simple table for a scope zeroed at 200 yds;
A. deer is 14 mil dots tall = aim with the dot that is one dot above the middle one.
B. deer is 7 mil dots tall = aim with the center dot.
C. deer is 5 mil dots tall = aim with the dot that is two dots below the middle one.
A. deer is 14 mil dots tall and 10+ mph winds = aim half a mil dot over in the direction the wind is blowing, 20+ mph winds = aim 1 mil dot over in the wind's direction.
B. deer is 7 mil dots tall and 10+ mph winds = aim 1 mil dot in wind's direction, 20+ mph winds = aim 2 mil dots in wind's direction
C. deer is 5 mil dots tall and 10+ mph winds = aim 2 mil dot in wind's direction, 20+ mph winds = aim 3 mil dots in wind's direction
Notes;
Over 10 mph, mirage is parallel to ground and tops of trees in constant motion. Over 20 mph, mirage broken up (no mirage), difficulty walking, and larger tree trunks sway.
The average adult deer is 5 mil dots height up to the head (not measuring antlers) at 300 yards, 7 mil dots high at 200 yards, and 14 mil dots high at 100 yards (on the swfa ss scope, it's roughly the entire bottom field of view plus all the mil dots).
P.S. I am looking for the least expensive mil dot scope of any magnification, as long as I can see a deer at 300 yds with it. If just has to survive the massive recoil of the 50 bmg. Thanks.
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Well, I guess this is a good thing, as hunting with the big 50 certainly couldn't hurt our defense of them. Aside a handful of long range target shooters there isn't a lot of "real world" application of the cartridge for your average Joe.
Maybe I'll take mine Coyote hunting.
In Illinois we can only hunt with rifles to take Coyote. Have to use shotguns for everything else.
But there's no caliber limitations on Coyote.
I can only imagine what the game warden would say if IDNR stopped me in the woods with a Barrett.
Maybe I'll take mine Coyote hunting.
In Illinois we can only hunt with rifles to take Coyote. Have to use shotguns for everything else.
But there's no caliber limitations on Coyote.
I can only imagine what the game warden would say if IDNR stopped me in the woods with a Barrett.
Outlaw Man
Member
I'm a little confused.
I'm not debating your choice of rifle - use what you prefer, if it works.
You talk about preferring to shoot under 100 yards. What rifle were you using before where you really had to worry about elevation or windage holds for a deer at even twice that distance? Even at 300 yards, most "deer caliber" rifles require little hold over if zeroed properly.
That said, I'd look for a fixed power scope for the ranges you're shooting at. Fewer moving parts should equal more rugged. The Bushnell Elite probably wouldn't be bad, but I think a 10x is all they offer...
I'm not debating your choice of rifle - use what you prefer, if it works.
You talk about preferring to shoot under 100 yards. What rifle were you using before where you really had to worry about elevation or windage holds for a deer at even twice that distance? Even at 300 yards, most "deer caliber" rifles require little hold over if zeroed properly.
That said, I'd look for a fixed power scope for the ranges you're shooting at. Fewer moving parts should equal more rugged. The Bushnell Elite probably wouldn't be bad, but I think a 10x is all they offer...
This man speaks the truth. 308 caliber 168Gr Matchking at 2700fps:
Calculation of Maximum Point Blank Range for a Vital Zone of: 6 inches
Maximum Point Blank Range is 271 yards. Set Zero at 231 yards
Trajectory for Sierra Bullets .308 dia. 168 gr. HPBT MatchKing at 2700 Feet per Second
Now, once zeroed at the specified range.. anywhere out to 271 yards, you aim dead center in the vitals and the bullet never rises above, or drops below, 3" of point of aim.
Comparing a 50 BMG, Hornaday AMax 750 gr at 2820fps
Calculation of Maximum Point Blank Range for a Vital Zone of 6 inches
Maximum Point Blank Range is 275 yards. Set Zero at 229 yards
Trajectory for Hornady .510 dia. (50 Cal) 750 gr. A-Max at 2820 Feet per Second
The 50 cal - at the distances you hunt at - has virtually IDENTICAL ballistics to a 308 winchester.
allaroundhunter
Member
So, your gun is zeroed at 200 yards, and to make a 300 yard shot you are having to compensate for a little more than 20" of drop? I'm just going to venture a guess and say that you haven't actually shot at 300 yards with that gun.
Let me be the bad guy here and ask a question. How much experience do you actually have shooting rifles?
i think there were some training rounds for .50bmg that would have a normal trajectory for a few hundred rounds and then just fall out of the air. i can't remember what they were called. i think they were plastic or something. not recommended for deer at any rate.
and yeah, if you want flat shooting, look at a 220 swift or 243win or something.
and yeah, if you want flat shooting, look at a 220 swift or 243win or something.
And people think I am nuts for using a 375H&H for Elk... To each their own I guess
1hobie
Member
http://www.barrettrifles.com/c-537-model-99.aspx
Bushnell....really
I've got a several thousand dollar rifle firing rounds that cost 4-5 dollars a Round, am I going to put a cheap ass scope on it and drag it's substantial weight up into a tree stand to shoot a deer at less than a 1/2 mile?? 
Notice that Barrett never mentions Bushnell on it's site.
I call BS on this one.
If I've erred in my assessment of this, my bad.
Bushnell....really
I've got a several thousand dollar rifle firing rounds that cost 4-5 dollars a Round, am I going to put a cheap ass scope on it and drag it's substantial weight up into a tree stand to shoot a deer at less than a 1/2 mile?? Notice that Barrett never mentions Bushnell on it's site.
I call BS on this one.
If I've erred in my assessment of this, my bad.
allaroundhunter
Member
There are multiple levels of "nuts"... But this certainly bumps you down one of them, Robert
Sam1911
Moderator Emeritus
"Doctor Joker" is right!
Using a .50 BMG, for white-tail deer, at 300 yards or less? It's just too silly to be real.
Considering how very many cartridges shoot almost the identical trajectory as a .50 BMG -- and how many are a lot FLATTER -- this is just really good old fashioned leg-pulling.
Using a .50 BMG, for white-tail deer, at 300 yards or less? It's just too silly to be real.
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