I am new to Mil and higher magnification optics. A year and a half ago I put together an AR 15 with WOA Varmint upper with 20 inch barrel for the purpose of shooting at longer distances. I opted with a budget scope at the time and chose an Athlon Argos BTR 6x24 with Mil APMR Reticle. I have used that scope out to 500 yards and it has performed well and allowed me to begin to learn to shoot at distance.
About six months I began considering upgrading my scope and began scouring the shooting forums and eventually ended up here on the Hide. I've been looking at different optics and have developed analysis paralysis like so many others. I'm in fly over country so my access to scopes is limited so it is difficult for me to play with different brands to see what works for me. A friend has been down this road already so I bounce ideas and ask questions of him frequently. Last week he suggested that I take a couple of his scopes to test. He happened to have a Bushnell DMR and a Nightforce Benchrest 12x46. Since both are on Larue QD mounts it was a great offer for trial and testing so I took him up on his offer and picked the scopes up this morning.
My goal was not to test the scopes for shooting but to compare them side by side mounted on my rifle in various light situations. My comparisons were made today under sunny skies with no cloud cover. Test times were mid morning, mid afternoon and dusk. I compared the three scopes on 21 power since this is a common high power that each share. I compared the Athlon (my benchmark) and the DMR on 21 and 10 power. Overall the Nightforce won for my eyes at each time of comparison. The eyebox is more forgiving and the clarity is better.
I was surprised to find that the Athlon was clearer than the DMR. Just before the sun dipped over the tree line four does came out into the field behind the house at just over 100 yds. I was able to scope them in the open field and then through moderately heavy brush at the edge of the field. At each power setting that I tried (10 and 22) the Athlon was the better to allow me to clearly see the deer in the brush. I was able to distinguish detail of each much better with the Athlon.
I'm left with some questions now but feel that I have taken a good step toward ruling in or out some of the optics that are available. I understand that the DMR II is improved with better glass than the DMR. If you were guestimating the difference between the two, what percentage gain in clarity does the DMR II have over the DMR?
If I am comparing the Nightforce Benchrest to the other Nightforce models, will the Benchrest glass compare in quality to the NXS line or the ATACR line?
What other brands/models do you think will fall alongside the scopes that I was able to test today?
Thanks for all the good reading that you guys have provided me. I hope that this thread will contribute to that good reading for someone else.
Edited to add: the Nightforce is an early generation scope.
About six months I began considering upgrading my scope and began scouring the shooting forums and eventually ended up here on the Hide. I've been looking at different optics and have developed analysis paralysis like so many others. I'm in fly over country so my access to scopes is limited so it is difficult for me to play with different brands to see what works for me. A friend has been down this road already so I bounce ideas and ask questions of him frequently. Last week he suggested that I take a couple of his scopes to test. He happened to have a Bushnell DMR and a Nightforce Benchrest 12x46. Since both are on Larue QD mounts it was a great offer for trial and testing so I took him up on his offer and picked the scopes up this morning.
My goal was not to test the scopes for shooting but to compare them side by side mounted on my rifle in various light situations. My comparisons were made today under sunny skies with no cloud cover. Test times were mid morning, mid afternoon and dusk. I compared the three scopes on 21 power since this is a common high power that each share. I compared the Athlon (my benchmark) and the DMR on 21 and 10 power. Overall the Nightforce won for my eyes at each time of comparison. The eyebox is more forgiving and the clarity is better.
I was surprised to find that the Athlon was clearer than the DMR. Just before the sun dipped over the tree line four does came out into the field behind the house at just over 100 yds. I was able to scope them in the open field and then through moderately heavy brush at the edge of the field. At each power setting that I tried (10 and 22) the Athlon was the better to allow me to clearly see the deer in the brush. I was able to distinguish detail of each much better with the Athlon.
I'm left with some questions now but feel that I have taken a good step toward ruling in or out some of the optics that are available. I understand that the DMR II is improved with better glass than the DMR. If you were guestimating the difference between the two, what percentage gain in clarity does the DMR II have over the DMR?
If I am comparing the Nightforce Benchrest to the other Nightforce models, will the Benchrest glass compare in quality to the NXS line or the ATACR line?
What other brands/models do you think will fall alongside the scopes that I was able to test today?
Thanks for all the good reading that you guys have provided me. I hope that this thread will contribute to that good reading for someone else.
Edited to add: the Nightforce is an early generation scope.
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