First off im a new member and cant wait to be able to contribute here down the road, currently i dont know much relating to bolt action rifles and scopes but im really looking for some help. Only background i have is with AR's and older WWII rifles which has been my main interest for some time. Ive recently inherited a .300win mag bolt action custom rem700 build. I have not owned this caliber before but i have some experience. My main question is i have zero experience with scopes. I know cameras very well and know what its like to spend the money on good glass. Since i saved money i am itching to make the right purchase, and looking to function under the 2k range. I wont be hunting and im going to be shooting paper with this mainly. If i buy a high end scope will i need to look for something with a .300win reticle or will it be something i can swap .308 easily? I dont have anyone i know personally to try out a variety of scopes i usually just bend someones ear a little at the range for tips. I just would love some recommendations on a nice optic to understand learn with and grow into. Thank you!
Rifle Scopes First time questions
- Thread starter kharrison17
- Start date
Re: First time questions
Welcome!
Check out Nightforce. Right in the price range for you and a really good scope.
Welcome!
Check out Nightforce. Right in the price range for you and a really good scope.
Re: First time questions
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: PGS</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Welcome!
Check out Nightforce. Right in the price range for you and a really good scope. </div></div>
Yup.. great advice !
A 5.5-22x50 NF NXS with the NP-R1 reticle. Good number of great sponsors on here that sell and will take care of you !
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: PGS</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Welcome!
Check out Nightforce. Right in the price range for you and a really good scope. </div></div>
Yup.. great advice !
A 5.5-22x50 NF NXS with the NP-R1 reticle. Good number of great sponsors on here that sell and will take care of you !
Re: First time questions
First off, welcome to the "hide".
If you would, tell us a little more about what you're planning to do with this rifle. What distances are you planning on reaching out to?
With a 2K budget or preferrably less, you should be able to get yourself some nice glass.
Take this as advice from just an "average Joe" - I'm no optics expert, nor a trained long range shooter. You may want to start reading and researching FFP (front focal plane) scopes that have turrets (knobs) that match the reticle - either in Mils or MOA. Many around here prefer scopes that are in Mils because the math is easier to put to use when using the scope. If you are familiar with one or the other, pick your poison.
As far as the reticle goes, you can pick from quite a few depending on the brand of scope you fancy and the type of shooting you will be doing.
If you wish to do so, you could move this new scope between your .300 win. mag. and another rifle like a .308. All that would be needed would be to mount it to the "other rifle", then go out and shoot it to zero the scope to the new rifle. As long as you know the bullet drop for whatever rifle you are using the scope on, you will be able to use your reticle to either hold over for shots, or dial in the correction.
I personally like FFP scopes as the reticle grows or shrinks in relation to the zoom power you set the scope to. What this means is that no matter what power your scope is set to, the reticle can be used for ranging or corrections.
In a SFP (second focal plane) scope, the reticle always stays the same size and is only accurate for ranging/corrections at a certain power. At any other power, you'll have to figure in a correction factor if you are using it for ranging, holdovers, or dialing in corrections.
Here are a few in no particular order that you might want to research.
Vortex Razor 5-20x50.
SS 5-20x50 sold through SWFA.com only.
Vortex PST 4-16x50 or 6-24x50 available in FFP or SFP
Do yourself a favor and look up http://www.libertyoptics.com/index1.html
Give Scott a call and talk it over with him. He knows optics and he'll treat you right.
Don't overlook getting a good base, maybe a 20 MOA and a good set of rings too if you don't have those.
Sorry I'm not more help. Hopefully others much more knowledgable than I will chime in.
Good luck.
First off, welcome to the "hide".
If you would, tell us a little more about what you're planning to do with this rifle. What distances are you planning on reaching out to?
With a 2K budget or preferrably less, you should be able to get yourself some nice glass.
Take this as advice from just an "average Joe" - I'm no optics expert, nor a trained long range shooter. You may want to start reading and researching FFP (front focal plane) scopes that have turrets (knobs) that match the reticle - either in Mils or MOA. Many around here prefer scopes that are in Mils because the math is easier to put to use when using the scope. If you are familiar with one or the other, pick your poison.
As far as the reticle goes, you can pick from quite a few depending on the brand of scope you fancy and the type of shooting you will be doing.
If you wish to do so, you could move this new scope between your .300 win. mag. and another rifle like a .308. All that would be needed would be to mount it to the "other rifle", then go out and shoot it to zero the scope to the new rifle. As long as you know the bullet drop for whatever rifle you are using the scope on, you will be able to use your reticle to either hold over for shots, or dial in the correction.
I personally like FFP scopes as the reticle grows or shrinks in relation to the zoom power you set the scope to. What this means is that no matter what power your scope is set to, the reticle can be used for ranging or corrections.
In a SFP (second focal plane) scope, the reticle always stays the same size and is only accurate for ranging/corrections at a certain power. At any other power, you'll have to figure in a correction factor if you are using it for ranging, holdovers, or dialing in corrections.
Here are a few in no particular order that you might want to research.
Vortex Razor 5-20x50.
SS 5-20x50 sold through SWFA.com only.
Vortex PST 4-16x50 or 6-24x50 available in FFP or SFP
Do yourself a favor and look up http://www.libertyoptics.com/index1.html
Give Scott a call and talk it over with him. He knows optics and he'll treat you right.
Don't overlook getting a good base, maybe a 20 MOA and a good set of rings too if you don't have those.
Sorry I'm not more help. Hopefully others much more knowledgable than I will chime in.
Good luck.
Re: First time questions
Nightforce is all over my radar i know their 1-4x24 very well. Would the NP-R1 reticle be one of the most sought after style right now i know they were recently released.
Nightforce is all over my radar i know their 1-4x24 very well. Would the NP-R1 reticle be one of the most sought after style right now i know they were recently released.
Re: First time questions
MP15 has some great advice above, and I highly recommend you research the differences between FFP and SFP to figure out what will be right for you. Then figure out whether you want to work in MOA or MIL increments. Required magnification range is another decision you have too. From there you can decide what scope/reticle combo is right for you and your budget.
My biggest recommendation is read through the threads linked in the Optics FAQ and the Optics Selection threads to get you started.
MP15 has some great advice above, and I highly recommend you research the differences between FFP and SFP to figure out what will be right for you. Then figure out whether you want to work in MOA or MIL increments. Required magnification range is another decision you have too. From there you can decide what scope/reticle combo is right for you and your budget.
My biggest recommendation is read through the threads linked in the Optics FAQ and the Optics Selection threads to get you started.
Re: First time questions
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Kyle Harrison</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Nightforce is all over my radar i know their 1-4x24 very well. Would the NP-R1 reticle be one of the most sought after style right now i know they were recently released. </div></div>
I just recommend that because I am a MOA guy. You need to get what fits your needs for sure. You are the end user
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Kyle Harrison</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Nightforce is all over my radar i know their 1-4x24 very well. Would the NP-R1 reticle be one of the most sought after style right now i know they were recently released. </div></div>
I just recommend that because I am a MOA guy. You need to get what fits your needs for sure. You are the end user
Re: First time questions
Kyle Harrison,
Welcome to the hide.
First, you've got to decide what you want to do with the rifle. As it sounds you are posting here because of the "Tactical" nature of the rifle you inherited?
I'll just say this about going super high power with a scope. You can get too much scope, like I did, with my 12-42x56 NXS Nightforce for shooting extreme ranges. On a good day though that rifle scope is like a microscope at 1k. On a bad day I've got it dialed down to 12. Just like everybody else in the crowd. Some guys, when mirage gets really bad dial down to 8 or even all the way down to 5.5 or 3.2 depending on the scope they have.
My biggest problem is that by going as high as I did, there is not enough vertical adjustment for getting more elevation. That is without going to a mil-scale, or in my case an moa-scale reticle. I too prefer the NP-R1 or NP-R2 reticle. Of the two, I like the NP-R1 better, but I got a deal on the one I bought. Best of all I like the USO MOA reticle I have in my ST-10.
If you plan on going out and ringing steel at 1k then 10x is all you need. If you plan on putting them all in the "X" ring, then I suggest 20X or better in a good scope. Don't just get a high power scope, get that in a high quality scope. Your $2k bugdet will cover a NF. If you can find a used USO, that will work as well.
If you find something, let us know what you want to shoot and if that could/should work for you?
-good luck
Kyle Harrison,
Welcome to the hide.
First, you've got to decide what you want to do with the rifle. As it sounds you are posting here because of the "Tactical" nature of the rifle you inherited?
I'll just say this about going super high power with a scope. You can get too much scope, like I did, with my 12-42x56 NXS Nightforce for shooting extreme ranges. On a good day though that rifle scope is like a microscope at 1k. On a bad day I've got it dialed down to 12. Just like everybody else in the crowd. Some guys, when mirage gets really bad dial down to 8 or even all the way down to 5.5 or 3.2 depending on the scope they have.
My biggest problem is that by going as high as I did, there is not enough vertical adjustment for getting more elevation. That is without going to a mil-scale, or in my case an moa-scale reticle. I too prefer the NP-R1 or NP-R2 reticle. Of the two, I like the NP-R1 better, but I got a deal on the one I bought. Best of all I like the USO MOA reticle I have in my ST-10.
If you plan on going out and ringing steel at 1k then 10x is all you need. If you plan on putting them all in the "X" ring, then I suggest 20X or better in a good scope. Don't just get a high power scope, get that in a high quality scope. Your $2k bugdet will cover a NF. If you can find a used USO, that will work as well.
If you find something, let us know what you want to shoot and if that could/should work for you?
-good luck
Re: First time questions
Nightforce would be a great way got go. There are a lot of great scope out there on the market.
If we can be of help fee free to ask.
Mike @ CST
Nightforce would be a great way got go. There are a lot of great scope out there on the market.
If we can be of help fee free to ask.
Mike @ CST
