Rifle Scopes 3-18 power scope for a new AR15 SPR build

[Jayjay1]

Hey guys,
I´m building an AR15 SPR in 223 Rem for mid-range shooting and hunting.
The rifle is a Savage MSR with an 18" Proof Research barrel, which I hope to stretch out to 800yds. or nearby.

For this build I want a 3-18 power scope for max. 1,500 bucks.

My specs are
- FFP
- adjustable pralaxe
- easy adjustable height
- reticle like the MSR or MSR2 prefered (not to nervous)
- robust (!)
- not to heavy
- not to big
- mil/mil
- zerostop
- illuminated

Does this scope exist?

 

[Chasing3]

You described the Steiner T6Xi 3-18x56. It’s the only scope I know of that offers the MSR2 close to your price range. There are few for sale used in the PX.

 

[Chasing3]

You could find a Kahles k318i in MSR but even used will probably be 1800-2300 range.

 

[Jayjay1]

The MSR reticle is just an example, I just don´t want to have an overloaded reticle for hunting.

 

[hafejd30]

Burris XTRIII

 

[Jayjay1]

Burris XTRIII

Is it not illuminated?

I have to add illuminated center dot or reticle to my specs, sorry.

 

[Birddog6424]

Is it not illuminated?

I have to add illuminated center dot or reticle to my specs, sorry.

It is illuminated red or green.

It checks every single box.

Only 13" and 29ozs. FFP, with the widest FOV in its class, 35mils of total elevation, SCR2 reticle.

I think these go for around $1200. They're VERY hard to beat at their price point.

 

[BCP]

Check the classifieds for a T5XI, Leupold MK5/6, older Steiner/Kahles/Meopta 3-12 military scopes

The hard part is the weight, almost everything weighs 2lbs or more except the leupolds and I think t5xi

There's another thread with someone asking a similar question and I think they picked out the credo 2.5-10x scope because it has the illumination, christmas tree reticule and it's not heavy or expensive

 

[PRSDietitian]

Brownells mpo

 

[FuhQ]

Hey guys,
I´m building an AR15 SPR in 223 Rem for mid-range shooting and hunting.
The rifle is a Savage MSR with an 18" Proof Research barrel, which I hope to stretch out to 800yds. or nearby.

For this build I want a 3-18 power scope for max. 1,500 bucks.

My specs are
- FFP
- adjustable pralaxe
- easy adjustable height
- reticle like the MSR or MSR2 prefered (not to nervous)
- robust (!)
- not to heavy
- not to big
- mil/mil
- zerostop
- illuminated

Does this scope exist?

Best option for the money, and under budget... Best glass in its price range. I have a 5.5-30x56 version. REALLY nice scopes.

Burris Xtreme Tactical XTR III 3.3-18x50mm 34mm SCR 2 Mil Riflescope 201204

FREE SHIPPING on Burris Xtreme Tactical XTR III 3.3-18x50mm 34mm SCR 2 Mil Riflescope 201204

www.eurooptic.com

 

[FuhQ]

Check the classifieds for a T5XI, Leupold MK5/6, older Steiner/Kahles/Meopta 3-12 military scopes

The hard part is the weight, almost everything weighs 2lbs or more except the leupolds and I think t5xi

There's another thread with someone asking a similar question and I think they picked out the credo 2.5-10x scope because it has the illumination, christmas tree reticule and it's not heavy or expensive

Credo is junk, don't waste your money.

 

[Kiba]

Best option for the money, and under budget... Best glass in its price range. I have a 5.5-30x56 version. REALLY nice scopes.

Burris Xtreme Tactical XTR III 3.3-18x50mm 34mm SCR 2 Mil Riflescope 201204

FREE SHIPPING on Burris Xtreme Tactical XTR III 3.3-18x50mm 34mm SCR 2 Mil Riflescope 201204

www.eurooptic.com

Years ago I had two of the first batch Steiner 3-15 T5xi's and was extremely disappointed... the glass was terrible with some of the worst CA I've ever seen, even worse than many $400 scopes I'd looked through, and it made lining up on white steel on a sunny day really tough because the purple fringing was so terrible made it difficult to find where the edges of the target really were. Prolonged time behind them on sunny days with high contrast targets really messed with my eyes and gave me headaches. Also, their reticles were slightly off center, even after I sent them in for the turret fix (the early batches of T5s had tracking issues); I mentioned the reticles were off center at the time I sent them in for the turret fix, and they were still slightly off center when I got them back. Too bad because the scopes were otherwise a nice size and the turrets were nice. I didn't buy a Steiner or Burris for years after that experience.

However, a couple weeks ago I decided to give Burris/Steiner another try after reading so many positive reviews here on the T6 and XTR3 series. I was actually waiting for the T6Xi 3-18 to come back in stock on EV but got antsy and picked up a 3-18 XTR3i instead and I have to say I'm very impressed. Nice size, not too heavy, decent turrets, it tracks great, huge FOV, and the glass in it is actually pretty damn good (*way* better than my old 3-15 T5Xi Steiners)-- and for the price you can get them for from EV they're an amazing deal IMO. My only real complaints are the knurling on the knobs is a bit aggressive and the reticle is a bit fine at 3-5x. That's kind of an issue with all high mag ratio scopes though; you either have an easy to see reticle at low power that's then way too thick at high mag, or a reticle that's reasonably fine at high mag but gets very thin at low mag. It's plenty usable for quick shots at low mag though especially with the illumination on.

I thought I might try the XTR3i for a while and then sell it and pick up a T6Xi Steiner once they come back in stock, but at this point I think I'll keep the XTR3i because I like it so much. It's on a custom 10/22 and it's more than enough for that rifle. I might pick up a second 3-18 XTR3i for my backup/loaner FX Impact M3 PCP air rifle, and I'm considering picking up an XTR Pro to swap for the Cronus BTR on my main Impact M3 PCP.

Glad I decided to give Burris/Steiner another try as I'm really impressed with the 3-18 XTR3i. I almost dismissed it because of my past experience with the 3-15 T5 Steiners. Still would like to try a T6Xi; if the Steiner T6 is even better than the XTR3i, it should be a really nice scope.

 

[PRSDietitian]

Years ago I had two of the first batch Steiner 3-15 T5xi's and was extremely disappointed... the glass was terrible with some of the worst CA I've ever seen, even worse than many $400 scopes I'd looked through, and it made lining up on white steel on a sunny day really tough because the purple fringing was so terrible made it difficult to find where the edges of the target really were. Too bad because the scopes were otherwise a nice size and the turrets were nice. I didn't buy a Steiner or Burris for years after that experience.

However, a couple weeks ago I decided to give Burris/Steiner another try after reading so many positive reviews here on the T6 and XTR3 series. I was actually waiting for the T6Xi 3-18 to come back in stock on EV but got antsy and picked up a 3-18 XTR3i instead and I have to say I'm very impressed. Nice size, not too heavy, decent turrets, it tracks great, huge FOV, and the glass in it is actually pretty damn good (*way* better than my old 3-15 T5Xi Steiners)-- and for the price you can get them for from EV they're an amazing deal IMO. My only real complaints are the knurling on the knobs is a bit aggressive and the reticle is a bit fine for use at 3-5x.

I thought I might try the XTR3i for a while and then sell it and pick up a T6Xi Steiner once they come back in stock, but at this point I think I'll keep the XTR3i because I like it so much. It's on a custom 10/22 and it's more than enough for that rifle.

Still would like to try a T6Xi. If the Steiner is even better than the XTR3i, it should be a really nice scope.

I hear people compare the T6Xi to the XTR pro, maybe a little better. That's some big praise if you ask me.

 

[Birddog6424]

I hear people compare the T6Xi to the XTR pro, maybe a little better. That's some big praise if you ask me.

I've had those scopes together many times. They are both made in Greeley and share some components. They both have some amazing features. One has German glass, one has Japanese glass. The turret systems are completely different, and some different reticle options.

They did a great job of making very nice scopes that are solid offerings at their price point with very diverse features.

The Pro is becoming very popular in PRS circles. There were quite a few at the Lead Farm Barrel Burner in Washington this past weekend. Three of them in my squad alone.

 

[Jayjay1]

I actually don´t like the reticle in the XTR, to much going on, to nervous for me for a hunting scope.

Do I get you right, that you say, that the Steiner T6xi 3-18x56 is on the same level as the Burris XTR III?

 

[PRSDietitian]

I actually don´t like the reticle in the XTR, to much going on, to nervous for me for a hunting scope.

Do I get you right, that you say, that the Steiner T6xi 3-18x56 is on the same level as the Burris XTR III?

closer to the xtr pro

 

[Kiba]

I actually don´t like the reticle in the XTR, to much going on, to nervous for me for a hunting scope.

I agree the scr2 is a bit thin, especially at lower mag, and while I like it for target use it could be easy to lose in a hunting situation against a cluttered background where you need to make a quick shot. Having the illumination on really helps in that scenario; it's still not ideal for that kind of situation IMO, but usable.

What would really help the usability in that scenario at low mag is much heavier/thicker posts in the reticle outside the main tree at 3/6/9 o clock so at low power it works more like a duplex reticle to draw your eye to the center. For dual hunting and target use with an emphasis on hunting, the G2H reticle in the Bushnell lrhs is really good, that donut grabs your attention and draws it to the center even at low mag, and it's not too obtrusive at high mag.

 

[clark33]

Trijicon Tenmile 3-18 sits at about ~25oz. Seem to be pretty damn durable too.

 

[Birddog6424]

The reticle is thicker in the SCR2 in the illuminated optics. It's like a .42 thickness, which is pretty thick and dark.

I hunted with one for months last year. The newer version is plenty useable for hunting.

We tend to overanalyze the "what if" scenarios in these armchair chat settings. The dreaded low light, close up, snap shot, no time to think or adjust your optic, etc, etc, worst possible case scenario, and then insert our reason for disliking a scope feature into that scenario. In 40 plus years of big game hunting in multiple states across the northwest, I've personally never had to take a risky shot like that. I think the large majority of scopes on the market are up to the task though. I grew up hunting with cheap scopes and still killing plenty of game with it. So I have zero fears of an under performing optic, thin or busy reticle, illuminated or not illuminated, FFP or SFP. I know when it comes time to shoot, I'll pull up my rifle, settle the crosshair and pull the trigger.

 

[adavis1138]

I actually don´t like the reticle in the XTR, to much going on, to nervous for me for a hunting scope.

Do I get you right, that you say, that the Steiner T6xi 3-18x56 is on the same level as the Burris XTR III?

I haven’t used an XTR 3, but the t6xi is a very impressive optic.

 

[lou400a]

LRHS or LRHS2 if you can find them on a used market. Narrower FOW, but great optics for the $$

Bushnell LRHS-2 4.5-18 x 44 G2H reticle

<p>BACK IN STOCK!!</p>

www.gaprecision.net

 

[FuhQ]

The reticle is thicker in the SCR2 in the illuminated optics. It's like a .42 thickness, which is pretty thick and dark.

I hunted with one for months last year. The newer version is plenty useable for hunting.

We tend to overanalyze the "what if" scenarios in these armchair chat settings. The dreaded low light, close up, snap shot, no time to think or adjust your optic, etc, etc, worst possible case scenario, and then insert our reason for disliking a scope feature into that scenario. In 40 plus years of big game hunting in multiple states across the northwest, I've personally never had to take a risky shot like that. I think the large majority of scopes on the market are up to the task though. I grew up hunting with cheap scopes and still killing plenty of game with it. So I have zero fears of an under performing optic, thin or busy reticle, illuminated or not illuminated, FFP or SFP. I know when it comes time to shoot, I'll pull up my rifle, settle the crosshair and pull the trigger.

I'm with Birddog on this one... The SCR 2 reticle is very capable for hunting. Honestly, I don't think the regular SCR is too thin, but I could understand on the low-end of the magnification range being hard to find the reticle in certain low-light conditions like darker backgrounds...But that said, the illumination works great and should help alleviate that issue. If you're shooting into something that dark, then you probably should be running the illumination anyway.

 

[Jayjay1]

Ok guys,
thanks for joining in and giving me your thoughts and experiences.

Honestly none of the medium-prized scopes matched with my features, so I decided to go "cheap" now and safe me some money to go premium in 3-4 months.
I´ve just ordered a Meopta Optika6 3-18x50 FFP MRAD 1 RD and Burris PEPR-mount to start with.

Now I´m talking S&B, Swaro, Steiner, Zeiss, Kahles and such and want to start over.

My specs are
- lower zoom 3x max. (because of my attachable night vision)
- 18+ zoom at the high end
- FFP
- adjustable pralaxe
- easy adjustable height
- reticle like the MSR or MSR2 (prefered, well, not to nervous)
- robust (!)
- not to heavy
- not to big
- mil/mil
- zerostop
- illuminated

I hope you will go on helping me with your expertises.

 

[FuhQ]

Ok guys,
thanks for joining in and giving me your thoughts and experiences.

Honestly none of the medium-prized scopes matched with my features, so I decided to go "cheap" now and safe me some money to go premium in 3-4 months.
I´ve just ordered a Meopta Optika6 3-18x50 FFP MRAD 1 RD and Burris PEPR-mount to start with.

Now I´m talking S&B, Swaro, Steiner, Zeiss, Kahles and such and want to start over.

My specs are
- lower zoom 3x max. (because of my attachable night vision)
- 18+ zoom at the high end
- FFP
- adjustable pralaxe
- easy adjustable height
- reticle like the MSR or MSR2 (prefered, well, not to nervous)
- robust (!)
- not to heavy
- not to big
- mil/mil
- zerostop
- illuminated

I hope you will go on helping me with your expertises.

Should have gotten the XTR-II SCR, but I guess we can forgive you for buying a Meopta... I played with one of the Optika6 scopes at my local store, and wasn't really impressed. Glass-wise it was fine, but the turrets and controls were kind of janky, IMO.

If you're talking alpha-tier and want to run NV with a proper illumination that will allow you to infinitely adjust the dial to really get that illumination perfect without glaring or washing-out the image quality, then there's only 1 scope I'm aware of in the 3-18 range...

The Kahles scopes have a smooth non-preset illumination dial, that allows you to set it anywhere from off to max that suits you best in your situation. I'm not aware of any other company using a true potentiometer-style illumination adjustment. You'll love this scope.

Kahles K318i 3.5-18x50 CCW SKMR3 w-right Riflescope 10633

FREE SHIPPING on Kahles K318i 3.5-18x50 CCW SKMR3 w-right Riflescope 10633

www.eurooptic.com

I run this exact scope on my main deer hunting rifle...

 

[Jayjay1]

Thank you for forgiving me for the Meopta, it is just a stopgap and will leave me after getting the final optic.
But so I can shoot til then.

The Kahles is definetely on my list.

I´d say:

- Kahles K318i
- Zeiss LRP S5 318-50.
- Steiner M7Xi 2,9-20x50 (T6xi 3-18 is not available here)
- Schmidt & Bender 3-20x50 PM II Ultra Short (why do they make the Exos in SFP only?)
- Swarovski Z8 2.3-18x56 P
- Swarovski X5i 3.5-18x50 P

Did I forget some?

I will have to gather infos, reviews and such.

 

[FuhQ]

Thank you for forgiving me for the Meopta, it is just a stopgap and will leave me after getting the final optic.
But so I can shoot til then.

The Kahles is definetely on my list.

I´d say:

- Kahles K318i
- Zeiss LRP S5 318-50.
- Steiner M7Xi 2,9-20x50 (T6xi 3-18 is not available here)

Did I forget some?

I will have to gather infos, reviews and such.

I modified your list, because the other ones are not worth the price, IMO... The Swaro's, while great "shooting house" (bougie hunting) scopes, are very fragile optics (thin tubes, lightweight/fragile internals, etc...) and not what you'd really want to be beating around through the woods, brush, or mountains to risk damage, IMO. And the S&B is 30 year old tech stuffed into a new body, with a jacked-up price tag. Not a fan of S&B because of this. Same thing Leupold is doing. Which is why I'm not a fan of either company. There is very little actual innovating going on, and they're mostly just living off a legacy name. And some folks will argue, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it", but when every other company is producing similar quality products at a fraction of the cost thanks to modern technology making things competitive, the old names need to get with the times. Until they do, no thanks. That will probably trigger a few Fudds, but I don't give a shit.

 

[Jayjay1]

Well, thanks for your experience and infos.

The Swaros were on the list to open it a little, what do I know, they almost fitted into the features, so.

S&B, well again, I have one for hunting, a 3-12x54 Polar in FFP, and I love it.
It´s bulky, it´s heavy, but the picture is astonishing and it performs very well in low-light.
But on the other hand, I don´t have much experience with other premium (prized?) scopes.

Would or could you add another competitor?

Cheers from the rims of the Black Forest,
Jayjay1

 

[FuhQ]

Well, thanks for your experience and infos.

The Swaros were on the list to open it a little, what do I know, they almost fitted into the features, so.

S&B, well again, I have one for hunting, a 3-12x54 Polar in FFP, and I love it.
It´s bulky, it´s heavy, but the picture is astonishing and it performs very well in low-light.
But on the other hand, I don´t have much experience with other premium (prized?) scopes.

Would or could you add another competitor?

Cheers from the rims of the Black Forest,
Jayjay1

Kahles, ZCO, Tangent Theta...

 

[Dobermann]

Did I forget some?

I will have to gather infos, reviews and such.

Yes: Trijicon Tenmile 3-18, as @clark33 mentioned above.

It's holding up well in the Rokslide field evaluation, including drop tests. More than likely could be said for some of the other suggestions in this thread ...

Trijicon Tenmile 3-18x44mm FFP mil/mil Field Eval

This is a field evaluation of the Trijicon Tenmile 3-18x44mm F1 scope. This scope was brought to me from Ryan Avery for an evaluation. It was personally purchased. The ammunition used was Federal Gold Medal Match 168gr that was purchased by Ryan. Multiple ten round round groups with this lot of...

rokslide.com

Trijicon Tenmile 3-18x44mm Field Eval Q&A

Q&A for the Trijicon 3-18x44mm Tenmile. Review Trijicon Tenmile 3-18x44mm FFP Field Eval

rokslide.com

 

[TheOE800]

And the S&B is 30 year old tech stuffed into a new body, with a jacked-up price tag. Not a fan of S&B because of this.

I’m no fanboy but you’re talking about the brand that was probably first to market with dual focal plane dual parallax LPVO (Minox had dual parallax before though) that while very expensive is still probably the king of the pile and also produces the second-best turret on Earth, or first if you prefer locking and selectable MTC over tool-less adjustment.

 

[BCP]

Years ago I had two of the first batch Steiner 3-15 T5xi's and was extremely disappointed

I bought one used on here when people were hyperventilating about them being pieces of shit. Was a good scope nothing wrong with it glass quality was a 7/10 I'd say. Turrets were kinda funky imho. The military models were better overall.

 

[FuhQ]

I’m no fanboy but you’re talking about the brand that was probably first to market with dual focal plane dual parallax LPVO (Minox had dual parallax before though) that while very expensive is still probably the king of the pile and also produces the second-best turret on Earth, or first if you prefer locking and selectable MTC over tool-less adjustment.

Their turret design desperately needs an update. Their turret caps have looked the same for over 20 years. Small numbers and marks, and cramped together. But that’s more of a personal opinion.

 

[Jayjay1]

Yes: Trijicon Tenmile 3-18, as @clark33 mentioned above.

Ok, thank you, but this thing is huge, the longest of all scopes I´ve checked so far.

And the illuminated reticle is an absolute nogo for me and hunting.

Sorry, but it´s not for me.

 

[Jayjay1]

Kahles, ZCO, Tangent Theta...

ZCO is 4 on the lowest magnification, but 3 is the biggest I can go with my night vision.
Very sadly ZCO is out of the game for me.

Tangent Theta, another great scope, runs over 5k here.
My wife will kill me several times whenever she would find that out, it is pricewise out of my league, again unfortunately.

 

[FuhQ]

ZCO is 4 on the lowest magnification, but 3 is the biggest I can go with my night vision.
Very sadly ZCO is out of the game for me.

Tangent Theta, another great scope, runs over 5k here.
My wife will kill me several times whenever she would find that out, it is pricewise out of my league, again unfortunately.

Well... That really only leaves the 1 option (Kahles), unless you are interested in the Burris XTR-IIIi 3.3-18x50 SCR 2 MIL? It's not on the same price range as the Kahles, ZCO, and TT, but it's still a damn solid scope with good glass for the money. And it's fairly compact. I have a 5.5-30x56 version.

Burris Xtreme Tactical XTR III 3.3-18x50mm 34mm SCR 2 Mil Riflescope 201204

FREE SHIPPING on Burris Xtreme Tactical XTR III 3.3-18x50mm 34mm SCR 2 Mil Riflescope 201204

www.eurooptic.com

 

[Jayjay1]

Well, because of this thread and some other sources (reviews and videos from the Dark Lord of optics and glassaholic) I´m listing those right now:

Kahles K318i
Steiner M7Xi 2,9-20
Zeiss LRP5S 3-18x50
March D2452 IFML

I think they are all very good, and each of them has their pros and cons, which I´m trying to find out right now.

 

[FuhQ]

Well, because of this thread and some other sources (reviews and videos from the Dark Lord of optics and glassaholic) I´m listing those right now:

Kahles K318i
Steiner M7Xi 2,9-20
Zeiss LRP5S 3-18x50
March D2452 IFML

I think they are all very good, and each of them has their pros and cons, which I´m trying to find out right now.

Forgot about the Zeiss S5, but that would also be a great option. I have an LRP S3, and it's a great scope for the price.