Rifle Scopes Best scope for Me...?

[TroyMN]

Okay I know there is no such thing as one BEST scope, but I am looking for another one. It will be used for mostly paper punching 100 to 600+ yards maybe some varmint shooting. I an trying to switch most of my scopes over to Mil-dots. I want to use for ranging and possible hold over. My current scope history/collection. Had 2 fail 15 plus years ago <$80 scopes, but the current all work as designed & hold zero. I do not have total faith in any of my that are not Leupolds, the Vectors Brand are proving themselves but still a cheap China scope. Everytime a group opens up or shifts I start thinking scope vs. cold bore, dirty bore, poor rest, poor load, or I just pulled it.
6.5-20x40 vari x-III ao, target dot, target elv. turret
2.5-8x32 vari x-III duplex (older)
4-16 x 40 oa target turrets Tasco older
3.5-10 x 40mm Mil-dot mil/mil turrets Leupold mk4 Clone-Vector Brand, tracks well
4.5-14 x 50mm Mil-dot moa turrets Leupold mk4 Clone Vector Brand, tracks very well
6-25 x 56 Mil-dot, FFP, Ill reticle moa turrets, Vector Brand, tracks very well
36x 44mm Target dot 1/8 moa turrets (about 80 moa elevation) FM brand POOR optics. Tracks perfect
not used ,3-12x40ao mil-dot moa turrets, illum reticle, 1" Firefield, 4x 32 duplex bushnell banner OLD

Most important features to me in a new scope.
Mil-type reticle
Very clear glass
Repeatable-accurate tracking, (handle recoil .308 and .270 maybe more)
FFP
COST
High magnification 20x ish
Mil Turrets
Large amount of Elevation
Smaller than my current HUGE 6-25 monster 17inches and 36 ounces
Warranty in USA
Has all the bells and whistles like Iluminated reticle

Top scopes on the wish list.
Bushnell Tactical Elite 3-21 ET3521G , G2DMR, FFP non illum
IOR Valdata 3-18x42 or?50 FFP, MP-8 illum
Vortex PST 6-24 FFP mil/mil
Sightron III 16x or 20x 42mm mod mil-dot , non illum

The "cheap China scopes" the first one came on the gun and I was Very impressed with the clarity, fit, finish. Enough so that I bought the 6-25, that one also was very clear similar to the Vari-xiii at 20 x. I then bought 3 of the 4.5-14 and found the problem with China scopes. 2 of the 3 did not track well, reticle off center one could not even get to zero. The 3rd I kept but am not happy with the small FOV, clearity again is very good. I have not used a VX3, VX7, SIII, NightForce, Mk 8, IOR so my idea of good clarity may not be accurate.

Does anyone own some of the ones I am considering? They all have FFP mil-dot with the G2dmr being a upgrade... Glass clarity; IOR, Sightron III, Tact Elite, PST. Many may disagree with the ranking but I have not read anything that would indicate IOR and SIII would not be the gold standard?? The best prices are Bushnell $1100+, IOR $1500+, Vortex $950, SIII clearance $379. The SIII I could buy now and just find a gun for it or use as load testing scope. The other 3 I would have to wait til the 6-25 takes a dump or sell it to buy one of the more expensive scopes. The SIII 16x or the 20X? Someone from FL posted the problem with shooting through mirage Re: fixed 20x.....how common is that? I rarely see that as a issue. Is it much less of a factor in Minnesota? I may praire dog hunt in 100 degree temps but have not in several years so... When ever I pull my gun out of the case is is mostly on max power, so a fixed power may work well. Kinda hope I get talked into a SIII 16x or 20x, but let me know what you think. I am going to post this on another site with shooters of a different back round.
Thanks
Troy

 

[IPSC]

Re: Best scope for Me...?

Here is one man's opinion on the never-easy quest of dollar-value vs goodness vs your stated use--->

Bushnell Tactical Elite fixed 10X, mil-dot reticle, mil-adjustments ( a "Midway" store exclusive, not available with Mil-adj elsewhere). Special price of $199. You "just" missed the end-of-October $75 rebate that Bushnell ran. Still a tremendous value at this price-point. (http://www.midwayusa.com/product/950843/...t-reticle-matte)

For $100 more, would go with the SS 10X from SWFA, it adds a 30 mm scope body, an adjustable objective (AO) and uniformly good reviews. (http://swfa.com/SWFA-SS-10x42-Tactical-Riflescope-P53712.aspx). If you go thru the catalogue there are identical scopes up to 20X you may want to consider if you always shoot long range from a bag or rest.

For the same $299 you might want to compare to the Weaver Grand Slam 3-10. Variable lower power range may be an advantage if you want a more well-rounded scope including shorter distances (http://www.midwayusa.com/product/598484/...t-reticle-matte)

 

[Glassaholic]

Re: Best scope for Me...?

Troy, I feel your pain as I am going through a similar process and I have already tested 3 of the scopes you mention and am waiting for some others.

I have tested the Bushnell Elite Tactical 3.5-21x50mm G2DMR, the Valdada 3-18x42mm and the Vortex PST 4-16x50mm. I have been writing a full review of all of my experiences, but so far, the Bushnell Elite Tactical is my top choice if you don't need illumination. I am waiting on the Valdada 3.5-18x50mm to come in and then I will compare that as well but at the price of the Bushnell at less than $1300, and better if you do your homework, and their 100% satisfaction guarantee (Bushnell will refund you what you paid for the scope if you decide you'd rather have something else for up to a year from your purchase date). I don't think you can go wrong.

All three scopes performed nicely during the day, but when the light got low in the evening the Bushnell was the clear winner against the other two.

 

[TroyMN]

Re: Best scope for Me...?

Bill thanks for your response. Do you have a link to your reviews about the scope?
After more thought, I am going to wait a little and take some advise. More trigger time! So just spend more of my moldy money on reloading supplies. I also took my 6-25 vector to a gunstore and compared side by side with a Vortex 6-24x50 SFP. Had a great test, a newspaper on the wall across the store (medium light conditions) @58yards but you could see some font size but not the smallest. The PST and Vector(china) scopes I could see the same. The Trijicon had higher contrast than either but resolution was about the same not fair test 20x vs 24x. To my eye I could not see the extra clarity with the PST. I did like the reticle in the Viper HS XLR (different store)but it is MOA. I just going to hold off buying until I find the right " christmas type" Mil reticle or I have a scope failure. This is just a fun hobby for me scope failure is not going to cost any matches or lives. Just would be frustrating.

 

[PatrickChewing]

Re: Best scope for Me...?

The 3-21 Bushnell is going to be hard to beat!

 

[scudzuki]

Re: Best scope for Me...?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Bill3@8</div><div class="ubbcode-body">All three scopes performed nicely during the day, but when the light got low in the evening the Bushnell was the clear winner against the other two. </div></div>

I'm interested to hear you say this, and I realize you are not the only one giving props to the DMR optics.

The reason I'm bringing it up is I recently bought a used HDMR (H59) from a hide member and it took a few days for me to get it to the range. My first optical impression was very discouraging; 100 yards from my home office window is a shed parked 10 yards from the edge of the woods. At various times of the day it presents different optical challenges, like glare in the morning and shadows nearing dusk. The day after the HDMR landed was overcast and foggy, and the HDMR really could not "cut through" the fog and required focusing to 300 yards to bring the 100 yard target into focus (there is a plaque with the shed builder's name over the door to the shed) at 21x and the sign still never focused sharply. An S&B PMII 5-25 at 20x focused at 110 yards on the parallax and I could read not only the manufacturer's name on the sign but the 2nd line of much smaller print. A Bushy Elite Tactical 6-24x50 (at 20x) focused at 100 yards and I could clearly read the first line but not the 2nd line, and the same with a Simmons .44 Mag 6-21x44 at 21x. The HDMR would not even focus on a tree 200 yards away (ran out of adjustment). I found this very odd; no other scope I've used focuses at a different parallax setting in different lights at the same range. I tried several times during the same overcast foggy day and to my eye it was exactly the same every time.

I was not enthused to say the least.

The next day the sun was high in the sky and the HDMR was clean and bright, and focused on the 100 yard target at 100 yards on the dial.

I got to the range twice at the end of this week with the HDMR and it is easy to see why it is so popular... solid construction, good eye box, positive tracking (and I LOVE the knobs, even with only 5 mils per rev) and a reticle that I've only begun to tap the capabilities of.

I can still repeat the low light issue I had with the HDMR, though; on an overcast day, it suffers more than some of the other scopes I can compare it to, and the "wandering focus" issue is still there.

Joe