Rifle Scopes Multi-Purpose Scope Recommendation?

[Bangarang]

Howdy,

There is tons of great info in this forum, but personally the more I read, the more confusing it gets since I don’t have the hands-on experience on which to base the decisions, or the ability to check out the hardware before buying… so here goes…

Up till now all my 45+ years of hunting & shooting experience has been with duplex reticles & self-made ballistic cards taped to the stock. Now the eyes are aging fast, so its high time to upsize in optical glass & reticle quality, therefore I’m asking for your advice on a high quality “mil/mil” scope with a good reticle for:

My first real “high-end” scope ($1.5K-$2K) is to be mounted in a “Uni” style picatinny rail, 20 MOA mount (perhaps a LaRue Tactical OBR mount) to be swapped around occasionally between a custom long-range hunting rifle and some long-range tactical rifles.

The primary use of the scope would be for making accurate shots on game at ranges up to 600+ yards. It should have a good reticule for distance & windage holds if there isn’t enough time to spin turrets. Also the reticle should be visible in low light - late dusk / early dawn (illuminated necessary?)

Closely behind this requirement would be that the reticle is also precise enough for load testing & shooting targets at distance.

My experience is limited to various 80s-90s Leupolds (poor low light when at high mag,) 2000-2010 Bushnell 4200 Elites 2.5-10x50 (decent at low light), a circa 2008 3.5-30x50 30mm 6500 Elite Tactical – very well built, but ho-hum at low light and high mag (very tiny mildots too,) and a cheap Mueller APV (surprisingly good at low light.)

I’m contemplating a variable that tops out ~20x-22x, with good enough glass for shooting at dusk & dawn, and that isn’t ridiculously heavy on an all-day carry, medium-weight hunting rifle.

From lots of reading in this forum, some of the scopes under consideration are listed below. (I don’t know if some of the concerns listed are valid.)

Bushnell 3.5-21x50 Elite Tactical ERS G2DMR - 34mm / 35 oz / 13.2” / FDE - ~$2000
Like: FFP / G2 / length
Concern: low light performance / reticle visibility / only 50 MOA adjustments / size

Bushnell 3.5-21x50 Elite Tactical HDMR H59 - 34mm / 34.9 oz / 13.2” - ~$1600
Like: FFP / low profile, locking push-pull turrets / length
Concern: low light performance / reticle visibility

Bushnell 3.5-21x50 Elite Tactical DMR MD - 34mm / 34.9 oz / 13.2” - ~$1450
Like: FFP / locking push-pull turrets / size
Concern: low light performance / reticle visibility

SWFA SS HD 5-20x50 Tactical MIL - 30mm / 30.4 oz / 14.7” - ~$1500
Like: FFP / Illum dot Concern – low light performance & reticle visibility unknown

Vortex 5-20x50 Razor HD EBR-1/2/3– 35mm / 35.2 oz / 15.8”
Like: FFP / Illum / ZStop
Concern: overall size, length & weight

NightForce 5.5-22x56 NXS SFP - 30mm / 32 oz / 15.1” - ~$1700-$2000?
Like: reticle / ZStop / Illum / adjustment range / CS rep
Concern: SFP /low light performance / size & weight

NightForce 5-25x56 ATACR MIL SFP - 34mm / 38 oz / 14.3” - ~$2350
Like: reticle / ZStop / Illum / adjustment range / CS rep
Concern: SFP / size & weight

Apologies on the wordiness - just trying to anticipate some questions. Thanks in advance, B

NRA Life Member
NRA Certified Instructor

 

[roggom]

I was in a similar situation for glass (for a mid range 700Y and closer) and went with the NF. Yes it is second focal plane, but I can still range at the required mag and dial for impact. If the primary task is for hunting, you will most likely be ranging with a LRF anyway. I went with the compact to keep the weight down and its plenty bright. Whenever the 42mm compact hits the street, I feel would be the perfect do all scope. 2.5-10×42 NXS? COMPACT RIFLESCOPE | Nightforce Optics, Inc.

This is just my opinion but I am happy with my NF.

Take a look at the guys at Gunwerks and they use their own version of the NF for their long range rigs. Plenty of vids to back it up.


Gunwerks - Shooting Systems

gseven - Products

 

[Bangarang]

Thanks roggom,

Yup, those guys at Gunwerks can do amazing things.

The top magnification on the NF you mentioned is a bit lower than what I'm looking for, however, I'm noting you like your NF.

Regards, B

 

[ccoker]

I firmly believe glass quality trumps magnification.

I run a 3-12x50 Kahles at 1k all the time and down much closer for hunting..

 

[CSTactical]

If your doing the Nightforce I would do the 3-15x line up for the GAS GUN. The NF ATACR are amazing scopes but they are in SFP and my slow you down if your trying to do multiple engagement shooting.

The Bushnell 3.5-21x rock for the price and I really like them. I use one on my DPMS LR-308 18" and it works great. I really like the G2DMR over the HOURS RETs the lines are a little thinner than the HOURS and does the same thing.

The SWFA scopes I have heard good things about them but I have not tested one.

The Vortex HD are great scopes and the RET is very nice also. They are heavy.

Hope this helps. If we can be of help let me know we stock and sale almost all the scopes but the SS.

Mike @ CST

 

[mjh30]

Some of the Zeiss line with the rapid zee reticle seem to fit your needs.

 

[Ragincajun1919]

I would go NF 5-22. They make some excellent glass.

 

[11E40]

FWIW; I use the Zeiss Rapid Z1000 for all of my long range shooting and hunting out to about 600yds. I have approx. 2000rds thru the scope with no problems or issues. After a proper zero in with ammo matched to the scope (Zeiss has a great website to help with all of this) all you have to worry about is windage which makes things a little quicker when shooting game. Price is very good as well leaving more money for reloading supplies.

 

[BoilerUP]

Bushnell Elite 4200 Riflescopes, Tactical, Illuminated Reticle, Hunting Scope

Look at advertised price, put the ERS and/or HDMR into your cart, look at price again, choose which one you want, pay, be highly satisfied.

 

[turbo54]

I'd sure look at a March F.

Fabulous glass, extremely compact, 3-24x, First focal, useful reticle.

Would be very at home on a hunting or tactical rifle.

Only downside might be the 42mm objective - obviously it can't/won't gather as much light as a 50mm or 56mm objective, which will affect "when" the first/last shot of the day could be. Hunters used 40mm scopes for a long, long time though, so I'd suspect it would be fine....but I'm not a hunter so hard to say.

It is *incredible* how compact and light this scope is. It's a marvel of engineering how they packed so much riflescope goodness into this tiny package.

 

[mildot326]

I suppose if the Bushnell HDMR is an option then maybe take a look at the Leupold Mark 6 line? the 1 X 6 or the 3 X 18?

 

[steve123]

If you can live with 15x the NF-F1 is a really good scope, especially for the weight and size with hunting in mind. I used mine waaaaaaaaay past 600Y on many occasions and used the illume for night matches.

I had some HDMR/H-59's, few complaints, great scopes! I prefer 10 mil knobs so the new version is what I'd get now. Locking turrets and a H-59 makes for a successful combination, I've won some field course matches never touching a turret. Non locking or uncapped turrets make me nervous when I'm hiking around when hunting.

The only thing I don't like about the March 6-24 is the mil numbers right off the vertical crosshair, otherwise I'd a bought one by now.

 

[Bounce]

The only thing I don't like about the March 6-24 is the mil numbers right off the vertical crosshair, otherwise I'd a bought one by now.

March F Tactical is actually 3-24, the perfect mag range IMO. There are two MIL reticles and one MOA reticle to choose from. The FML mil reticle has no mil numbers on the vertical crosshairs or anywhere else to distract the aim. The size, weight, mag range, glass clarity and turret operation made the March the best choice for my wants/needs which were virtually identical to those of the OP's.
Skip

 

[Crosshair]

The scopes you listed are all very nice pieces for sure, but they all top 30 oz. I'd mention the Kahles 3-12x56 here, because it comes in at 19 oz, which is amazing for a 56mm objective 30mm tube scope. The glass is some of the best out there and this scope will likely trounce any other in lowlight in its price range (except for maybe the Meopta R1 3-12x56). Mil/mil and FFP aswell. I know it's 12x on the top, but at least for hunting is way plenty enough for a very long range shot.
Kahles 3-12x56 Helia C 30mm Riflescope

For a tad over your budget, The March scopes as mentioned above are very hard to beat for lightweight, broad mag range, and clarity.

I would only add, that if low light performance is paramount, stick to the 56mm objectives if spending much time at high powers. Exit pupils get very small and eye-boxes unforgiving with a 42mm objective at 24x.

 

[steve123]

March F Tactical is actually 3-24, the perfect mag range IMO. There are two MIL reticles and one MOA reticle to choose from. The FML mil reticle has no mil numbers on the vertical crosshairs or anywhere else to distract the aim. The size, weight, mag range, glass clarity and turret operation made the March the best choice for my wants/needs which were virtually identical to those of the OP's.
Skip

FML... True but only 5 mils for holdovers, it'd never work for me as I primarily holdover.

 

[Bounce]

FML... True but only 5 mils for holdovers, it'd never work for me as I primarily holdover.

Kinda depends on what you have your scope zeroed at. 5 mils at 1000 yards offers 180 inches of holdover/holdunder. Should be plenty for most, especially since the scope has 28 mils of turret elevation adjustment.
Skip

 

[steve123]

Kinda depends on what you have your scope zeroed at. 5 mils at 1000 yards offers 180 inches of holdover/holdunder. Should be plenty for most, especially since the scope has 28 mils of turret elevation adjustment.
Skip

Yep, for many it'd be fine.

I'm too used to Horus reticle's and holding over as far as I want without dialing. I do dial for ELR though, so I don't have to dial the mag down low.

My cheapy BSA tactical mil/mil's have 9 mils of holdovers and (no numbers off to the side), being mounted on airguns and 22rf's I end up past 5 mils half the time it seems and glad not to have to dial.

Moral of the story...no perfect scopes out there so pick the one that's the closest to meeting your intended purpose and "budget". Speaking of budget.. I really-really want to get another S&B 5-25, H-59, but they are so frikken expensive! Man it's flat out hard for me to justify that much money for a scope as much as I want one.

OP, what about Premiers light hunter or tactical??

 

[Bangarang]

Wow! Thanks for all the replies & great info. Seems like the only scopes that would fit my definition of multi-purpose with all of my personal criteria are the March scopes, and they are out of my price range.

From all my research, I think the problem is my laundry list of criteria have ones that contradict one another. I'm thinking now that in my price range, the scope can't both be a great tactical scope and a reasonably-sized, good low-light hunting scope at the same time... Perhaps I should consider getting a good one for each category?

I'm very interested in the Steiner 4-16x50 Military scope. FFP / ZStop / Illuminated G2 Mildot / Mil/Mil locking turrets etc. Street prices are currently ~$1800-$1900 with a free pair of 10x42 Steiner Tactical R binoculars thrown in (MSRP $600) which could be sold to bring down the total investment cost.

It would be great on the .308 piston AR, and perhaps the heavy-barrel M1A.

But I'm not sure how unwieldy it would be on my Rem 700 hunting rifle which weighs ~ 7-7.5 # without a scope & rings. 34mm tube / 16" length / 2# scope + rings would bring the rifle up to ~10#

I've considered the Kahles / Meopta. The Swarovfski & Ziess too - while they have great glass, they are expensive & don't have the reticle or many of the features I'm looking for.

What do you guys think? B

 

[CSTactical]

The Kahles is another great option. We sell MeOpta also but I would not really recommend them for what your tying to do.

Mike @ CST

 

[sawman556]

Out of those choices I'd go with the ERS but it's not illuminated. The Razor probably has the best reticles next to the G2 but it's a huge scope. The SWFA is really nice but the reticle isn't loved by all. The NF F1 3.5-15x in MLR2.0 or NP-RF1 would be a solid choice if you can live with one illumination setting, same thing with the SFP version. The MOAR ret is really nice on the NXS. Though not $2k glass, you might want to check out the Vortex PST and Viper offerings.

 

[scudzuki]

The Bushnell DMR, HDMR, and ERS have 34 mil of elevation. Bushnell still has not updated their website to correct this error. You won't find more scope for the money than a DMR with the G2DMR reticle.

Joe

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using Tapatalk 2

 

[EasternNChunter]

If your going to go Nightforce, do yourself a favor and spend the extra $$$ on the ATACR.