Rifle Scopes Crossover/NRL Hunter optic options

[drew hopkinth]

I’m trying to find a good optic for a NRL Hunter build that will be pulling double (triple?) duty as a hunting rifle and for other precision rifle comps. 22” 6.5 Creed

Some factors I prefer
-~3x low end magnification
-~15-18x on the high end
-FFP
-adjustable parallax
-locking mil turrets (locking is nice to have but not need to have) that aren’t mushy
-mil crosshair w/ .2 mil hashes (don’t need a tree reticle)
-good FOV and minimal distortion in the glass
-30oz maximum (ideally less)

Budget is ~2k

Thanks!

 

[CSTactical]

Check out some of the setups the competitors are running in NRL Hunter and you'll see more people running more of the 5-25ish scopes though the mid magnification 3-18's are doable. If you want that lower end specifically for hunting than the MK5HD's are a great choice under $2k.

 

[drew hopkinth]

Check out some of the setups the competitors are running in NRL Hunter and you'll see more people running more of the 5-25ish scopes though the mid magnification 3-18's are doable. If you want that lower end specifically for hunting than the MK5HD's are a great choice under $2k.

I’ve shot a couple matches in skills division with my ZCO 4-20 on an AI and never felt like I needed more magnification than that scope gave me. Honestly never felt like I needed more than 15x to shoot even out to 900+ on NRL Hunter targets

 

[Birddog6424]

In a side by side versus the MK5, you would fall in the love the eye box and FOV of the XTRIII. I've seen shooters react to the difference first hand..

 

[rothgyr]

XTR III, or USO FDN 17x JVCR would be my go to options.

 

[Megalodong]

This year I shot 6 hunter matches, all open heavy:
4 with a MK5HD 3.6-18 TMR
1 with a Arken EPL4 6-24
1 with XTR3 5.5-30

I shot the MK5HD mostly in the 15-18 range.
The Arken sucked, so no comment.
With the XTR3 in the finale I was mostly in the 15-25 range.


I'm thinking really hard about shooting factory next year, and currently my order of preference in scopes depending on how much weight I have is:
1: ZC420
2: NX8 4-32
3: LHT 4.5-22

 

[drew hopkinth]

This year I shot 6 hunter matches, all open heavy:
4 with a MK5HD 3.6-18 TMR
1 with a Arken EPL4 6-24
1 with XTR3 5.5-30

I shot the MK5HD mostly in the 15-18 range.
The Arken sucked, so no comment.
With the XTR3 in the finale I was mostly in the 15-25 range.


I'm thinking really hard about shooting factory next year, and currently my order of preference in scopes depending on how much weight I have is:
1: ZC420
2: NX8 4-32
3: LHT 4.5-22

I got to shoot the finale this year and I don’t remember ever maxing out my magnification. The coyotes on the hill was probably the stage I was zoomed in the most and even then I don’t think I was above 16x on my ZCO. Just my style of shooting I guess

 

[Glassaholic]

I got to shoot the finale this year and I don’t remember ever maxing out my magnification. The coyotes on the hill was probably the stage I was zoomed in the most and even then I don’t think I was above 16x on my ZCO. Just my style of shooting I guess

You're not alone, I was out on my annual ELR shoot a couple weeks ago, we go out to 1.5 miles and I didn't go above 16x...

 

[drew hopkinth]

You're not alone, I was out on my annual ELR shoot a couple weeks ago, we go out to 1.5 miles and I didn't go above 16x...

I’m honestly considering having fun and just putting a S&B 3-12 PMII w/ P4FL on it. Figure it wouldn’t hold me back as much as I think it would. Think that’s a good scope for these purposes or nah?

 

[Megalodong]

I shot the finale as an RO. So slightly different conditions. No fog, but rain and lots of low light overcast. I think I probably only went over 20x on stages 11 and 17 if I remember correctly.

11 I think was the 4 target stage that was prone and a troop line starting at ~700y.
17 was the modified prone 1 elk target at +800y.

Both those I zoomed in, and felt it was nice to have. Probably also something to be said not maxing your scope out at 15 or 18x. Better image quality in the middle of the mag range?



I’ll trade you my MK5HD for your ZCO.

 

[drew hopkinth]

I shot the finale as an RO. So slightly different conditions. No fog, but rain and lots of low light overcast. I think I probably only went over 20x on stages 11 and 17 if I remember correctly.

11 I think was the 4 target stage that was prone and a troop line starting at ~700y.
17 was the modified prone 1 elk target at +800y.

Both those I zoomed in, and felt it was nice to have. Probably also something to be said not maxing your scope out at 15 or 18x. Better image quality in the middle of the mag range?



I’ll trade you my MK5HD for your ZCO.

That troop line stage was so much fun. I think I was at 14-15 power just so I could make sure I wasn’t re-engaging the wrong target, wanted to be able to see all 4 bison at once. I’m probably just weird, I prefer my 4x optic on my AR to a 1-8 and feel more comfortable at distance at lower magnification (aside from tiny targets or zeroing).

RO day was rough, I remember it being tough to see the AB 1200yd target and that was a white square on a high contrast backdrop. I can only imagine what stages like the two bobcats (9 I think) must have been like in that visibility. What stage were you ROing?

 

[hic28]

I’ve shot every NRL hunter match I’ve attended with a tangent 5-25 except for 1 that I used a 3.6-18 pr1

i would recommend the mk5 18 pr1 for size/weight and price. reticle is very usable.

That being said, if I have weight to spare im going TT.

 

[Birddog6424]

I get extra magnification in PRS matches since switching to the XTR III. I find myself running from 15 to 22x all the time. And zooming in further on prone transition or TYL type stages.

You can literally get an extra 3 to 4x magnification and still have the same FOV as some other scopes.

 

[rothgyr]

I get extra magnification in PRS matches since switching to the XTR III. I find myself running from 15 to 22x all the time. And zooming in further on prone transition or TYL type stages.

You can literally get an extra 3 to 4x magnification and still have the same FOV as some other scopes.

This gets ignored far too often when people talk about optics.

 

[Emerson0311]

This gets ignored far too often when people talk about optics.

This is the stumbling block I am at now too. FOV width along with flexible eyebox is very important.