DougB
Member
I recently purchased a Tikka T3x CTR (Compact Tactical Rifle) in 6.5 Creedmoor with a 20" barrel. I need to get a scope for it. I will use this mostly for informal target shooting out to about 400 yards, but occasionally may shoot to 1,000 yards. I want it to also be practical as a deer/pig hunting rifle - though that will be an infrequent use. I bought the shorter rifle to keep it an easily manageable length, and to keep the weight down. I think I'll lose roughly 80-100 FPS buy not getting the 24" barreled version.
Anyway, one scope that seems very tempting is the Primary Arms 3-18x50. Its MSRP is just under $500, and I can get one for a bit less. One of the six or so versions is optimized for the 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge. It has a pretty nice reticle with aiming points for ranges out to 1,000 yards, and also for wind correction (5-20MPH in 5 MPH increments). It also has target turrets if I want to adjust for range. It has an illuminated reticle, side parallax adjustment, 30mm tube, etc.
One thing that appeals to me about this scope is that it can be dialed down to 3x - which would be nice for any short ranger shooting (I would probably carry it on this power when hunting). Yet I can dial it up to 18x for really long range shooting. A friend who does a lot of long-range shooting says I should get a Vortex PST 6-24mm, but I'm concerned that 6x is high for a scope that might have to be used for a close shot when hunting. Would a 6x optic be usable for a quick 25 yard shot?
I am concerned that the bullet drop compensation reticle may be off because of the slightly lower velocity of my rifle (I'm guessing it is calibrated for a 24"-26" barrel). Would this be significant?
Also, I don't really know how good the quality (clarity, brightness, repeatability, etc.) is with these scopes. I've got some other Primary Arms scopes that I like, but they are 1-6x. I don't expect these to be equal to scopes costing several times more, but I do want to get the best for my money, so if you can recommend something else that you think is better in this general price range, please do.
Anyway, one scope that seems very tempting is the Primary Arms 3-18x50. Its MSRP is just under $500, and I can get one for a bit less. One of the six or so versions is optimized for the 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge. It has a pretty nice reticle with aiming points for ranges out to 1,000 yards, and also for wind correction (5-20MPH in 5 MPH increments). It also has target turrets if I want to adjust for range. It has an illuminated reticle, side parallax adjustment, 30mm tube, etc.
One thing that appeals to me about this scope is that it can be dialed down to 3x - which would be nice for any short ranger shooting (I would probably carry it on this power when hunting). Yet I can dial it up to 18x for really long range shooting. A friend who does a lot of long-range shooting says I should get a Vortex PST 6-24mm, but I'm concerned that 6x is high for a scope that might have to be used for a close shot when hunting. Would a 6x optic be usable for a quick 25 yard shot?
I am concerned that the bullet drop compensation reticle may be off because of the slightly lower velocity of my rifle (I'm guessing it is calibrated for a 24"-26" barrel). Would this be significant?
Also, I don't really know how good the quality (clarity, brightness, repeatability, etc.) is with these scopes. I've got some other Primary Arms scopes that I like, but they are 1-6x. I don't expect these to be equal to scopes costing several times more, but I do want to get the best for my money, so if you can recommend something else that you think is better in this general price range, please do.