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Rifle Scopes Enough scope for 1,760y?

KOPFJÄGER13

If people were half as good as they think..
Full Member
Minuteman
Sep 11, 2018
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Would a 4-16x50 ATACR do the job for milkjugs at a mile? Opinions.......
 
What's your idea of "ideal" for the job.....
 
Ooooooh....normally I’m not one to “over scope”. I shoot matches at 12-14 power.
I shot Jack and Ash match in Georgia at The Arena with my 4-16X ATACR. We went out to 1160 or 1180.
BUT.....milk jugs at a mile will be asking a GREAT DEAL from your glass. Really good glass, parallax dialed out perfect, reticle focused perfect, no mirage.....the best I’d say is maybe.
To resolve something that small that far out is tough.
I’ve never done it, so take this as what it is....a guess, but it’ll be tough to do.
 
I've also looked at us optics B17... anyone compared that with the ATACR?
 
A milk jug is not that easy to see with a nice spotting scope at that distance. I know I like to dial up to 20X+ when shooting 1,500 yds, and that's usually at a full IPSC. I would say that more is better as long as it's good quality glass, but I think it may be even more important to place a white milk jug against a much larger, dark or black background to make the most contrast possible.
 
I'd say a 5-25 or 7-35 ATACR would be a better choice (or really any high end 5-25). I'd say it's do-able with a 4-16 and honestly it's rare that I shoot over 16x but I've also never shot a milk jug at a mile. I'd say it's a case where having more mag would certainly be ideal, not that you'd necessarily be able to use the extra magnification depending on conditions, mirage, etc.
 
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High end 25x like sb kahles nothing below nightforce scope id say...25x with quality glass to a mile is plenty.
 
I cant afford $3k+ optics..... that's why the atacr was what I was looking at..... anyone looked at a trijicon accupower 4.5-30x56 I've considered them too?
 
I cant afford $3k+ optics..... that's why the atacr was what I was looking at..... anyone looked at a trijicon accupower (30x) , I've considered them too?
Others will tell us to quit being poor but... look into an athlon cronus btr for more zoom and less money.

Here’s my full size ipsc at 1570 yards through 90-100 degree mirage in a Texas september at 29x last year. It was even better through the scope than my phone displays here.
7121641
 
Others will tell us to quit being poor but... look into an athlon cronus btr for more zoom and less money.

Here’s my full size ipsc at 1570 yards through 90-100 degree mirage in a Texas september at 29x last year. It was even better through the scope than my phone displays here.
View attachment 7121641
Really does look good!
 
What's your idea of "ideal" for the job.....

There are a lot of variables to this. You obviously have a budget that maxes out around the $2400 price tag (new) of that ATACR.

You could look around for a used 5-25x from some of the alpha scope players.

If you can work out the mechanical elevation needed and aren't worried about looking tactical, something like a NF Benchrest 8-32x would give you all of the optical performance you'd ever need and be well within your budget.
 
this depends a lot on your eyes....when i was young crappy glass look great...i shot kahles for a long time and just switch to leupold...5-25 and a 7-35...i relley like the these scopes just hopping the guts hold up.
 
There are a lot of variables to this. You obviously have a budget that maxes out around the $2400 price tag (new) of that ATACR.

You could look around for a used 5-25x from some of the alpha scope players.

If you can work out the mechanical elevation needed and aren't worried about looking tactical, something like a NF Benchrest 8-32x would give you all of the optical performance you'd ever need and be well within your budget.
Your right about budget, but the NF benchrest doest have the reticle I like..... what I'm looking for is the reticle to have 30-ish holdover and 100+ elevation adjustment
 
Your right about budget, but the NF benchrest doest have the reticle I like..... what I'm looking for is the reticle to have 30-ish holdover and 100+ elevation adjustment

It sounds like that Athlon Cronus might be right up your alley.
 
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this depends a lot on your eyes....when i was young crappy glass look great...i shot kahles for a long time and just switch to leupold...5-25 and a 7-35...i relley like the these scopes just hopping the guts hold up.
I hear you about aging eyes,I shot just iron sights until about 50 and now at 65 i need the best glass and more power to make hits.Im just happy that I'm still shooting and can afford the the good stuff now.
 
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Nightforce 7-35
Kahles 5-25
Minox 5-25
March 5-40
Tangent Theta 5-25
Schmidt&Bender 5-25
NCO 5-27
The above represents very good glass and quality magnification.
Clarity with power will be required even in good conditions at a mile.
Adjustment range a factor as well.

R
 
Milk jugs at a mile is more than I've ever shot, my longest was steel at Whittington at 1Km. I was using a Leupold Vari-X II (III?) 6-24x40 in 2002.

I seems a bit informal. I'd either be doing a lot of that, or something more formal and regularly before my cheapskate soul would cough up the prices the top couple 'o tier scopes are getting these days. I've never had that problem, so far.

I compromise with the Mueller 8-32x44 30mm Side Parallax/Focus Target Dot (MilDot is also available). The price may scare you, but I have three, they're not new, they've served for years at 600yd MR/1000yd LR F Open, the glass is clear, and the scope handles everything but lower light conditions very well. With 1/8MOA clicks, it should be especially useful at the mile.

Hell, talk about cheapskate; I shot two years of 1000yd LR F Open with a Tasco 6-24x42 MilDot costing about 75 bucks. Worked fine for me. But the Tasco's A/O was a chore, and the Mueller's side knob focus/parallax is a ton more convenient. I usually run 24-28x at the distance, depending on mirage.

Greg
 
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For 1,700 plus, I’d want a minimum of
20 power
 
look at Koshkin's review of pretty much all the top end scopes in the optics forum
for 3K you can get a tier 1 scope from the BUY SELL if not last years model
more than enough $ for serious optics
 
The Delta Stryker 4.5-30 is an improved version of the Cronus and Trijicon for about the same money. I have used the Cronus a good bit, but have no experience with the TJ - only seen the reticle and wasn't a huge fan. It's the bottom limit of what I consider plenty adequate for that type of shooting (1 mile-ish).
 
I’ve shot out past a mile with 260 topped with a Sightron 6-24 SIII MOA2 reticle. Worked just fine.

Shooting hill to hill with very little mirage that day. Scope maxed out using reticle for holdover. 1792 yds (80 + MOA). It was steel and not a milk jug but I don’t think I’d have any issues seeing a milk jug in those conditions.

Shot Milk Jug and a 1lbs powder container at 1440 yards with same setup. No issues seeing the target

I will add that my Cronus BTR with the tree reticle would have made the whole process easier. So if you plan to holdover with the reticle id suggest something with that style reticle
 
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Others will tell us to quit being poor but... look into an athlon cronus btr for more zoom and less money.

Here’s my full size ipsc at 1570 yards through 90-100 degree mirage in a Texas september at 29x last year. It was even better through the scope than my phone displays here.
View attachment 7121641
I live on the Texas coast and in the heat of the day I can’t make out my 12” plate at 750 yards. I don’t even bother to shoot at it unless there is cloud cover or it’s early in the morning.
 
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I live on the Texas coast and in the heat of the day I can’t make out my 12” plate at 750 yards. I don’t even bother to shoot at it unless there is cloud cover or it’s early in the morning.
I agree - mirage out here is stupidly bad. If you have small targets at 1k+, you're a better shot than me if you can make solid first-round hits in a Texas summer afternoon. Our small plates at 800 are moving all over looking through the scope when it's 95+ (which is basically June thru September in a normal year - 2019 has been exceptionally mild).
 
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I agree - mirage out here is stupidly bad. If you have small targets at 1k+, you're a better shot than me if you can make solid first-round hits in a Texas summer afternoon. Our small plates at 800 are moving all over looking through the scope when it's 95+ (which is basically June thru September in a normal year - 2019 has been exceptionally mild).
If you can make solid first round hits at 1000 yards most of the time you would be an expert marksman even without mirage. First round hits is what shows skill. Walking them in is easy.
 
The Delta Stryker 4.5-30 is an improved version of the Cronus and Trijicon for about the same money. I have used the Cronus a good bit, but have no experience with the TJ - only seen the reticle and wasn't a huge fan. It's the bottom limit of what I consider plenty adequate for that type of shooting (1 mile-ish).
What's improved on the Delta Stryker compared to Trijicon?
 
Razor AMG 6-24x

Under 2 grand. I've got 19.5mil up and 10mil in the reticle on a 20MOA mount.

It's lighweight, excellent resolution, nice tactile locking turrets.

Save the rest of the money to spend on ammo and whatnot.
 
I've also looked at us optics B17... anyone compared that with the ATACR?

I’ve tried using a B17 at a mile. I could see the steel fine but dont think i wouldve been able to effectively shoot at a milk jug.

Like the scope a lot but i dont think it was designed for that distance exclusively.
 
Razor AMG 6-24x

Under 2 grand. I've got 19.5mil up and 10mil in the reticle on a 20MOA mount.

The time i actually hit at that distance was actually with the AMG. I was almost maxed on dial and had to hold the rest.

I think a milk jug could have been as doable as that kind of challenge could get with this scope over the B17.
 
There is a couple of things more than power that you need to address. Some people have listed very inexpensive scope (Mueller) and while they might have the magical unicorn, you will need the scope to return to zero after running it almost to the top of the elevation. It's pointless to possess a scope that does not track really really well when trying to run out to a mile and then back to a zero. The next thing you need to consider is how much elevation does it have. Can you even get it to a mile?

I have run Schmidt, and Nightforce atacr, and recently switched over to the Vortex Razor line. It is very hard for someone like me to Downgrade ( personal opinion) in optics. I did this because I like the reticle better. I shoot at Thunder valley out to 1 mile. Tom puts out sporting clays at one mile and we try and hit them. While making my decision to drop down to the razor line, my friend said it best, you can hit and see a sporting clay at a mile with the razor. You're not probably going to shoot much further. If you can see a sporting clay at a mile, it's high enough quality glass. If you price range is under 2k buy a razor esp a used one.
 
We shoot a mile and I used a 4 16 44 athlon midas tac it worked good on good days but the shadows killed me and sun so I just upgraded and went threw all that I ended up with a steiner m5xi 3 15 50 I havent shot the mile with it but I have looked threw it at a mile where we shoot and its amazing. We shoot at a rock the size of a milk jug no problem with 15 or 16 power
 
or look at the delta 5x 50x56 34mm around 1600 on sale it's really nice and more mag for your money .
 
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I haven’t heard much on it yet due to being fairly new but the Nightforce NX8 4-32 may be a consideration with the budget in mind. The razor 4.5-27 also works well as a few others noted.
 
At the risk of advocating for the Devil, I have to say alpha glass isnt necessary for a one mile shot.

I know this is Sniper's Hide, and I know it's in our OPs budget, so nothing wrong with buying top of the line. But it's hardly necessary as some people have advocated. My range that I am a member and Match Director at has a 40" and 24" permanent plates on chains that we can shoot out to 2200 yards. Even further if we drop back onto BLM land. I bomb my 300 NormaMag at those plates constantly. High heat with atrocious mirage, and overcast winter days. I pretty much burned up a barrel on those plates. I had no issues with a plain old XTR II 5-25 and a Gen I Bushnell XRS 4.5-30. I have no doubts I could see a suspended milk jug with either of those optics.

Hell, my friend was plunking the 24" plate with a Nemo Arms 300 Win Mag and a 16x Millet. I know, stupid as it sounds, but he dropped all that money for a Nemo and was too cash poor for good glass. He has a Razor on it now.

Shooting plates doesn't often require high resolution or super crisp sight picture. If you can see it, you can hit it. Last year in the finals of the King of the 2 Mile, there was a Gen II XRS and an XTRII 5-25 in the top 5.

I'm putting on my flame proof suit now. ;)
 
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Ive never shot the mile, but I agree with you. Perfect clarity isn’t a necessity, but it sure does help ?
 
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Im an advocate of the trijicon 4.5-30x56. It's worked great for me so far out to 1500, I have no doubt it would be fine to shoot out to a mile. For the price, it's hard to beat
 
I prefer the ATACR 7-35, but my shooting partner runs his MK6 3-18 and does very well at 1 mile... biggest difference is spotting misses and correcting. At 25X+ I can see the hits in the dirt and quickly correct, as well as the hits on target, where as he uses a spotter to feed him corrections. Were shooting a 16x20 steel torso plate though, not milk jugs, so you may have more issues seeing the target.

FWIW, this is a 1 mile target at 70x through my NF spotter with Phone Skope.