PRS Talk Binos

[TubbyT223]

I wanted to post this in here versus the Optus forum. What is a good set of binos or spotting scope for PRS more specifically Rimfire PRS right now. I haven’t gotten into CF not sure that I will.

I’m struggling finding something that’s a balance of decent glass with a reticle. Most of the people I shoot with run bushnell match pros or Atholon Midas. Is that as good as it gets until you jump up to really high end? I would like to keep it around $1000. I don’t have a problem spending more but I guess because I only shoot rimfire I’m 400 and in and I’m struggling without a reticle.

 

[Mudflap621]

Why are you struggling w/o a reticle in your binos? If need to get down and mil with your rifle?

Not many choices for binos with a reticle besides the ones you listed than it’s a big jump up to something like the Radical X or Vector X.

 

[Badjujuu]

Not having a reticle in my binos never slowed me down and unless the targets are unk distance and you need to mil them not sure how I would use the reticle in my binos vs using it via my scope....

With rimfire prs, the furthest target will be perhaps 350? Any decent binos will do.

I Went from Vortex Viper HD 12x50 to Sig kilo6k to sig kilo 10k (wanted the LRF function for hunter style matches)

My Vortex vipers that I used for 2 years of matches are up for grabs for decent price if you'reinterested. They served me well.

 

[Rob01]

To me a reticle in a spotter or bino has nothing to do with UKD as we have LRF now and you are very rarely asked to mil targets now. It has to do with getting width/height of target to use as reference for holds. You look at a target and it’s .9 mils wide and your wind call is about .6 mils then you can figure your hold point before even getting on the rifle while on the clock so you save time as well.

And you can’t look through your rifle scope all the time at most matches like you can with a spotter so the rifle scope isn’t really a replacement.

 

[Badjujuu]

That makes sense

 

[TubbyT223]

To me a reticle in a spotter or bino has nothing to do with UKD as we have LRF now and you are very rarely asked to mil targets now. It has to do with getting width/height of target to use as reference for holds. You look at a target and it’s .9 mils wide and your wind call is about .6 mils then you can figure your hold point before even getting on the rifle while on the clock so you save time as well.

And you can’t look through your rifle scope all the time at most matches like you can with a spotter so the rifle scope isn’t really a replacement.

This is the main reason. I dropped 5 points on a big panning stage because I could not get the size of the target. Held my wind and was right off the edge of every target.

Being able to see the size of the mover and calculate the mover speed yourself is also a plus. I can’t really do that behind a rifle before a stage.

Our range isn’t really set up to get behind a rifle either. Depending on how many shooters and the COF,how fast they squads are moving, we can get wadded up.

 

[Emerson0311]

This is the main reason. I dropped 5 points on a big panning stage because I could not get the size of the target. Held my wind and was right off the edge of every target.

Being able to see the size of the mover and calculate the mover speed yourself is also a plus. I can’t really do that behind a rifle before a stage.

Our range isn’t really set up to get behind a rifle either. Depending on how many shooters and the COF,how fast they squads are moving, we can get wadded up.

I tried the Apex reticle binos. At 12X the reticle is pretty tiny. Maybe with more use it would be easier.
An outside the box solution, most of us have a cheapie FFP optic sitting around not getting much use. A lot cheaper that binos, and a lot more magnification available. Use it dismounted to build your wind bracket.

 

[usafa77]

Got the new Zeiss HDX , out of your price range- but really nice.

 

[kthomas]

If you can get past not having a reticle, "open box/demo" Kowa Genesis 10.5x44 from CameraLandNY is a top notch bino at right under $1k.

 

[502Chevelle]

Also keep in mind if you go big on bino power, it is very hard to hold them steady enough to see well. They will have to me mounted. It’s not a problem if you know it’s coming. I love my 15x for spotting, but I also have a pair of 8x for looking at targets before a stage. Neither have reticles and I don’t feel it holds me back.

 

[Lightning8]

For the money - the Bushnell Match Pro with reticle is very hard to beat.

 

[Lightning8]

Recon RT 15x50

Recon RT 15x50

vortexoptics.com

I got a deal on one of these to try because I wanted a reticle. Put an ARCA adapter on it to mount on my tripod. I use it for PRS and PRS22. I would not pay full suggested price but I got mine for $300ish and wanted to try a reticle (was using the original Bushnell Match Pro 15x binos without reticle). Guys on squad look through my 15x monocular all the time to use the reticle.

 

[DownhillFromHere]

tl;dr: For .22 matches (at least the ones I shoot), if I was starting from scratch, I'd buy a pair of decent 10x42 binos for $300-500 and be done. Light, compact, no tripod needed.
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For the rimfire PRS-style matches I've shot, my decades-old cheapie Nikon 10x50s are just right. For NRL22 inside 150 yards, as often as not I've carried an ancient pair of compact 7x35s. My Meopta MeoStar B1 15x56s are overpowered for simply locating targets among terrain features under 200 yards and really need to be on a tripod; the only time I'd want 15x for rimfire is if I'm an RO on glass.

My .$02.

 

[Fig]

Since Vortex discontinued the Ranger HDs there is nothing even close to your price range that IMO is even serviceable. I have UHDs, but I use the Rangers because I like having the Mil Reticle more than a little more clarity and contrast. Honestly, the UHDs have sat in the box for about a year, as my chest binos are of lower quality but with a much higher field of view.

I would buy Vortex Diamondbacks before Bushnell or Athlon, but then again I wouldn't buy any of them. I'd save my money for a nice pair of Binos that are a pleasure to look through for hours.

Going to also totally disagree on the tripod. If you're glancing at something sure, but if you are looking at the same targets for 20 minutes your eye strain from looking at shakycam is going to actually hurt. Having a steady platform is a minimum for me.

To me a reticle in a spotter or bino has nothing to do with UKD as we have LRF now and you are very rarely asked to mil targets now. It has to do with getting width/height of target to use as reference for holds. You look at a target and it’s .9 mils wide and your wind call is about .6 mils then you can figure your hold point before even getting on the rifle while on the clock so you save time as well.

And you can’t look through your rifle scope all the time at most matches like you can with a spotter so the rifle scope isn’t really a replacement.

I also find it useful for giving calls to new shooters that they can actually use. Every time some spotter calls out a linear correction at an NRL22 match it makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Obviously not at bad at .22 close range, but still a horrible habit to get into making you useless as a spotter for anything but.

 

[Rob01]

The Vortex Recon spotter with reticle mentioned would be another option especially if wanting to keep the weight down and still have a reticle.

 

[Fig]

Or, the Ranger for binos if you can find used. I have no idea why it didn't sell. If they had marketed it correctly I think they would have sold a bunch and not discontinued it. Perfect for .22 matches.

 

[ballisticdaddy]

This is the main reason. I dropped 5 points on a big panning stage because I could not get the size of the target. Held my wind and was right off the edge of every target.

More important than knowing the target size is being able to spot your POI and adjust back to center of the plate. If you missed off the right every shot not sure how a reticle would have prevented that. After your first miss off the right side of the target, the reticle in your scope should have been used to measure the difference, you need to be able to adjust to the next wind bracket if your original call was incorrect.

 

[TubbyT223]

More important than knowing the target size is being able to spot your POI and adjust back to center of the plate. If you missed off the right every shot not sure how a reticle would have prevented that. After your first miss off the right side of the target, the reticle in your scope should have been used to measure the difference, you need to be able to adjust to the next wind bracket if your original call was incorrect.

That’s why I ordered a wind flag from you. . That particular stage still haunts me. Sky line in a field on t post every target had a different wind because of the pan. 5 targets total. I dropped both shots on the first two targets no call. Impact on the 3. Got my call missed second shot in third target impacted the rest.

 

[Rob01]

That’s why I ordered a wind flag from you. . That particular stage still haunts me. Sky line in a field on t post every target had a different wind because of the pan. 5 targets total. I dropped both shots on the first two targets no call. Impact on the 3. Got my call missed second shot in third target impacted the rest.

And remember if you take a shot and miss, don’t do the same thing again as it was just a miss. Change something. You would be surprised how many people take a shot and miss and then do the same hold thinking something changed in the past 1-2 seconds. lol