Who does custom scope reticles?

[henschman]

OK here's the deal: I have an ACOG and really like the reticle design and how it helps me get quick hits on man-sized targets at unknown distance. Hoewever, it is set up to mount on an AR flat top, and isn't ideal for mounting on other rifles. I would like to get a standard tube-bodied scope with a similar reticle, which has the stadia lines for the round's trajectory in 100-meter increments, which are the width of a man-sized target at each distance. I also like the large chevron as an aiming point for 300m and under targets.

Who can do a completely custom reticle like this? I am interested in possibly getting it done on a scout scope as well as a regular eye relief scope.

I have seen several places that will give you dots or stadia lines matched to your trajectory, but I have not heard of anyone who will make the stadia lines a different length for each distance like an ACOG or an ELCAN has.

Any ideas would be most appreciated!

 

[Andrew Wyatt]

US Optics. Bring Money.

 

[Offfhand]

Check with Premier Reticles, they have done a few trajectory reticles for me.

 

[rori]

Doesn't Leupold do it? Seems to me they have a custom shop. Might be worth checking it out. FRJ

 

[DougJr.]

Scope conversions

I have used T.K.Lee Co do several conversions for me. They did great work at fair prices. Tel.# 205-913-5222. Give them a call.

DougJr.

 

[henschman]

I called the Leupold Custom Shop about this, and they said that they can only do custom BDC reticles with dot aiming points for each distance -- they can't do different-length stadia lines for each distance like I want.

Thanks for the tips on Premier and T.K. Lee. When browsing Leatherwood's website I also found out about an outfit called Iron Sight Inc., who apparently does custom reticles for them. I sent e-mails to all 3 of these.

Apparently US Optics can make any kind of reticle you want in one of their scopes, but it costs an extra thousand bucks over the base price of the scope. That's a lot of dough, but it is possible that they might be the only ones who can do something like I'm wanting.

Any other ideas would be appreciated!

 

[Kendal Black]

Not exactly as you describe but similar in concept: http://www.shepherdscopes.com/

 

[kfgk14]

US optics.
Start breaking your piggy banks open now.

 

[Skylerbone]

I might be off target here but unless you're looking for a long range riflescope to hunt two-legged creatures with why would you choose the ACOG reticle?

I can understand the desire for quick shots at unknown distance but unless the target is the specific width of a human it's still just a guess. You may be better off with something like the Burris Eliminator which has a built-in range finder that illuminates your holdover point on the crosshair.

A number of manufacturers produce tube scopes that include additional side chart info within the reticle. One example: http://swfa.com/IOR-25-10x42-Hunting-30mm-Rifle-Scope-P48799.aspx

Again, not an exact answer but perhaps a few alternative ways to skin a cat. Best of luck.

 

[henschman]

That is exactly what I want -- the ability to quickly range human targets at unknown distances.

It turns out TK Lee only does dots, Iron Sight Inc. doesn't have the capabilities, and Premier might be able to do it (only on their own scopes though).

However, I found a tube scope that has pretty much exactly what I want -- the Pride Fowler RR-900. In addition to a ranging BDC reticle for man-sized targets, it also has aiming points for a 10 mph. full value wind, and it's first focal plane. http://www.rapidreticle.com/Main/ScopeItem.aspx?ID=17&grpID=2

The prices I've seen on them are really high, considering what else that money could buy in the way of optics (around $1800 from what I've seen), but it looks like nobody else really makes a tube bodied optic with this type of reticle. I overlooked Pride Fowler because their original rapid reticle wasn't any help for ranging man-sized targets, but this one looks like just what I need.

I'm still open to suggestions on getting a custom reticle made, though.

 

[Skylerbone]

I had forgotten about the 900, I have the RR-800 mounted on a 700 and it does indeed work as advertised. Took a moose last week with the very same with 3 minutes of legal light left. Excellent optics and design with the limitation being the ammo you can load for it.

Hope by man sized targets you mean silhouettes or JIC.

 

[MistWolf]

There are mounting options to allow ACOGs to be mounted on rifles other than ARs. This mount is a rail and will let you put an ACOG on a bolt action, for example

http://swfa.com/Leupold-Mark-4-1-Piece-Base-P12797.aspx

 

[henschman]

Yeah, I don't know why they have the 900 priced so high compared to their other scopes... maybe they think its worth more since the Army used some of them for trials, or maybe it's to recoup the cost of developing that newer reticle. Good to hear that you like your P-F. I hear good things, but jeez, you could buy a pretty solid rig from one of the top-end guys for $1800. Yeah the reticle only works with certain loads, but this will be going on a battle rifle that will likely only see surplus ammo, so it works out. For man-sized targets I mostly practice on steel silhouettes; but it's a 2nd Amendment purpose rifle so it needs to be ready for the real deal, god forbid.

As for mounting ACOGs on other rifles, I know you can slap a picatinny rail on anything and mount up the ACOG -- but the problem is that it sits really high on a traditionally-stocked rifle, being that it is intended for an AR with the stock in line with the bore. You can slap on a high cheek riser and sort of get it to work, but it causes some positional problems.

 

[MistWolf]

If you're talking about mounting it on an M14, you're gonna have cheekweld problems regardless of the optic. To a lesser degree, the same is true of the HK & FAL and the FAL has other problems mounting an optic as well.

Dig deeper into ACOG mount options. Not all are going to mount them really high. There are other reticles in other types of scopes that will work as good as the what the ACOG offers, but there's nothing wrong with getting one custom made

 

[BADUNAME37]

I sold this guy an antique scope, decent to do business with, and I believe he is in the scope restoration and repair business.

Click on his name below to send him an email.
Larry Weisz

 

[henschman]

MistWolf, believe me, when it comes to mounting an ACOG on an M-14 I have been down that road and then some. I figured out a setup that works, but which is still not ideal. I could definitely get a tube-body scope a lot lower on an ARMS #18 than any of the ACOG setups out there... other than cutting the carry handle mount part off of the ACOG and welding a picatinny mount up higher on it. And I am kind of loathe to do cutting and welding on a $1500 scope... especially when I might end up selling it to finance something like that RR-900. I know a guy who is a pride fowler dealer, so I might be able to pay for one for what I could sell that ACOG for.

FDF, thanks for the tip, I'll check it out.

 

[Skylerbone]

I think P-F takes their cues from other manufacturers and when you consider what Leupold and the like upcharge for illumination in addition to the limited market for a scope like the RR-900 I'd still consider it in the ball park.

I mounted my 800 with a set of A.R.M.S. #22 low mounts and still had room for caps. Wife's cousin used a set of Burris Tactical lows on an EGW base and his sits too low for me. Definitely better than trying to lower an ACOG.

 

[MachIVshooter]

I won't exactly be addressing your question here; I'm questioning your logic for "needing" such a thing.

Anything far enough away that you need to compensate for holdover is far enough away that either A) the target is unaware that it is such, in which case time taken to range is not such and issue or B) is on the move, and lead is just as important as holdover, but more difficult to calculate. No extra-special reticle will get that one for you.

I guess what I'm saying is, as someone who's hunted my entire life and taken some really long shots, that I can't see this as a practical venture. People who make their living shooting at things really far away use high quality glass, rangefinders and ballistic calculators. They do not use scopes with a crazy matrix of lines forming a modern art reticle.

It's your money, do as you see fit. I just think it would be better spent on ammo, learning how to make hits on distant targets, both stationary and mobile, in adverse conditions. Try varmint shooting on the open plains. Small, unpredicatble and quick targets at great range in an often windy environment.