I have been shooting all my life but I am just now getting into precision shooting currently I have a Remington 700 AAC in .308 with Manners Composite T5a DBM with adjustable cheek piece and mini chassis with Badger/stealth M5 detachable magazine system and 5-round magazine ,Rifle Basix adjustable trigger w/ safety, 8oz.-1.5 lb. currently set at 1#, Nightforce 20 moa scope rail, KRG bolt knob, Atlas Flush Cup Bipod Rail 4". Next I am purchasing a scope I need advice should I go with moa or mrad ? Since I am new which would be easier to learn ? I would like to be able to shoot around 800 yards not just from a benchrest but from prone also. I am aware that I will take alot of practice I realize i cant just buy a scope and bi-pod and go shoot 800yds and be effective just looking for advice. Also id like to stay around the $800 range so if anyone has any suggestions on a scope I would love to hear them.
Rifle Scopes New To precison shooting and need scope advice
- Thread starter mad2907
- Start date
It seems the most commonly used reticle is mrad based. Either MOA or mrad can be learned and used. The most important thing is to get a scope whos turret matches the reticle. Another consideration is getting a scope that is known for consistent turret adjustments and the ability to return to zero reliably.
The choice between MRAD and MOA has been debated for a while here. One really isn’t better than the other; it just comes down to personal preference. The most important thing is to pick a scope with turrets and a reticle which match. This isn’t as big of a deal now as it was a little while ago as most scopes manufactures make sure to match the two, but there are still some scopes floating around with MOA turrets and a MRAD reticle so avoid those. With that being said it does seem that at least for tactical scopes, MRAD is more popular than MOA. My opinion is if you have to learn, you might as well start off learning on a MRAD scope. I would also highly recommend getting a scope with first focal plane (FFP) reticle so that the reticle subtensions cover the same distance at a given range regardless of what magnification the scope is on. These cost more, but are well worth it.
Some potential scopes in your price range would be the SWFA SS in 3-9 or 3-15. Both are under your price limit have a reputation for being reliable and repeatable scopes with decent glass. The 3-9 is about $100 less than the 3-15 but if it were me I would go with the 3-15 for the extra magnification range. Both of these are also only available in MRAD. A scope from the Vortext PST line would also likely work for you. They are offered in both MOA/MOA and MIL/MIL, with an illuminated reticle as well as FFP and SFP. Going with a SFP will save you a couple hundred bucks but I would highly recommend paying more for a FFP version. The price will vary based on what magnification range you choose but any version that has a top power between 10x and 24x should suit your purposes just fine. You can also look at some of the lower end offerings from the Bushnell Elite Tactical line or something from the Weaver Tactical line. There are a lot of very good scopes out there. These are just some suggestions that fall around your price range from reputable companies with good warranties and should get you off to a good start. Searching this site for the scopes I mentioned should bring up tons of reviews and comments to help you learn more about each one.
When it comes to finally purchasing, some of the sponsors of this site will sometimes offer you a better price if you call and say you are a member here, so look and call around and you may be able to save a few bucks. One last option would be to go to the optics for sale section here and search. Often guys are selling very good lightly used scopes at a hefty discount to new. It is worth a look as you can get some good deals.
Some potential scopes in your price range would be the SWFA SS in 3-9 or 3-15. Both are under your price limit have a reputation for being reliable and repeatable scopes with decent glass. The 3-9 is about $100 less than the 3-15 but if it were me I would go with the 3-15 for the extra magnification range. Both of these are also only available in MRAD. A scope from the Vortext PST line would also likely work for you. They are offered in both MOA/MOA and MIL/MIL, with an illuminated reticle as well as FFP and SFP. Going with a SFP will save you a couple hundred bucks but I would highly recommend paying more for a FFP version. The price will vary based on what magnification range you choose but any version that has a top power between 10x and 24x should suit your purposes just fine. You can also look at some of the lower end offerings from the Bushnell Elite Tactical line or something from the Weaver Tactical line. There are a lot of very good scopes out there. These are just some suggestions that fall around your price range from reputable companies with good warranties and should get you off to a good start. Searching this site for the scopes I mentioned should bring up tons of reviews and comments to help you learn more about each one.
When it comes to finally purchasing, some of the sponsors of this site will sometimes offer you a better price if you call and say you are a member here, so look and call around and you may be able to save a few bucks. One last option would be to go to the optics for sale section here and search. Often guys are selling very good lightly used scopes at a hefty discount to new. It is worth a look as you can get some good deals.
I'm brand new to this as well, would you mind explaining the differences/benefits ect of MOA & MIL? Thanks!
Read this article to get a grasp on both. The article gets pretty in depth into conversions and calculations, but you will understand the relationship between both.
http://www.mil-dot.com/media/1027/the_derivation_of_the_range_estimation_equations.pdf
Hopefully the thread does not get derailed like every other mil/moa does, but if you take away one thought, understand that MOA and MIL are angular measurements, NOT linear.
Knowing this will save you tons of headaches down the line.
Then watch the attached videos.
IMHO it is good to understand and "speak both languages", but in the end it is up to the shooter to make their choice.
Understanding Minute of Angle (MOA) - Long-Range Rifle Shooting Technique - YouTube
Understanding Mils (Milliradians) - Long-Range Rifle Shooting Technique - YouTube
Excellent beginner's advice from Louiec and Raggom.
In the price range you mention, assuming your needs do not include heavy practical/tactical matches and rougher handling of your optic, you should also look at the Sightron SIII FFP offerings. Any of those mentioned above so far will get you started.
Those from the "buy once, cry once" camp might push you to double/triple your budget and get into the really higher end optics. That choice is truly up to you and your buying power, but for the simple needs you mentioned, the fore-mentioned brands should do fine. Each of them is good enough that you can always sell them without completely losing your shirt if you ever decide to upgrade.
Truly, a thread like this can only give you ideas, and a real decision should be based at least upon some research and homework. Check out the various vendors here on the Hide. Call some of them and tell them what your needs are. Most are very willing to work with you and give you honest opinions if asked the right questions. In order to ask the right questions. do a little reading here on the optics forum. There are literally hundreds of threads that address some form of your question, plus a couple stickies and links that attempt to help answer this question.
Of course, then to confuse things just a bit more, you will see that optics just keep getting better and there are always new offerings and players providing a new option. But in any case, if you choose from one of the solid known performers in the field, you should do well enough until you get a whole lot better.
In the price range you mention, assuming your needs do not include heavy practical/tactical matches and rougher handling of your optic, you should also look at the Sightron SIII FFP offerings. Any of those mentioned above so far will get you started.
Those from the "buy once, cry once" camp might push you to double/triple your budget and get into the really higher end optics. That choice is truly up to you and your buying power, but for the simple needs you mentioned, the fore-mentioned brands should do fine. Each of them is good enough that you can always sell them without completely losing your shirt if you ever decide to upgrade.
Truly, a thread like this can only give you ideas, and a real decision should be based at least upon some research and homework. Check out the various vendors here on the Hide. Call some of them and tell them what your needs are. Most are very willing to work with you and give you honest opinions if asked the right questions. In order to ask the right questions. do a little reading here on the optics forum. There are literally hundreds of threads that address some form of your question, plus a couple stickies and links that attempt to help answer this question.
Of course, then to confuse things just a bit more, you will see that optics just keep getting better and there are always new offerings and players providing a new option. But in any case, if you choose from one of the solid known performers in the field, you should do well enough until you get a whole lot better.
For base and rings, I highly suggest Seekins. Good price and amazing quality. I would stay away from the cheaper stuff like EGW etc.
Definitely go with MRAD/Mil (interchangeable term). Either MOA or Mil will work..... but the reality is the standard is now Mil, so the chances of someone you're shooting with having Mil are much higher and therefore you can speak a common language when spotting for each other or talking about dope. NO MATTER what you do, make sure your reticle and your turrets match. Having a mil dot reticle and MOA turrets will cause your brain to hurt.
For scope in the $800 range - I had a Vortex PST 6-24x FFP that was really nice for the money. But I've heard the Bushnell, SWFA SS and Weaver tactical scopes are also nice - but I have no personal experience with them. I would strongly recommend FFP as well. It makes the ability to adjust your turrets based on seeing the hits a no-brainer in any magnification. Again, that is rapidly becoming the standard for tactical scopes. SFP is fine, I just prefer FFP for its flexibility and ease of use.
Good luck
The SWFA SS 3-15x42 would be a great scope for $699... And plenty useable for years to come without needing to upgrade right away. Also, Weaver Tac 3-15x50 and 4-20x50 would be excellent. Vortex PSTs are a solid choice too.
If you bumped your budget up just a smidgen, you could look at a used SS 5-20x50 HD, Bushnell DMR 3.5-21x50, or Sightron SIII or S-Tac.
If you bumped your budget up just a smidgen, you could look at a used SS 5-20x50 HD, Bushnell DMR 3.5-21x50, or Sightron SIII or S-Tac.
The fist ones that come to mind are the Vortex PST, Bushnell Tactical and Leupold Mark 4 4.5-14x40mm.
Mike @ CSTACTICAL
Mike @ CSTACTICAL
Similar threads
