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Rifle Scopes Optic recommendations for hunting and back country

Z

Zhdrix

Private
Minuteman
Dec 15, 2023
11
4
Florida
Hey y’all! I’m looking for a new scope that will serve as my hunting scope. It will live on a 7PRC Seekins Havak Element and a 6.5 Grendel bolt gun. It will mainly be used as a hunting gun for deer and elk.

Max range would be around 4-500 for hunting. However, I would also like to be able to use it up to 900 at the range. For deer I would be in woody terrain from dusk till dawn in snow. For elk it’ll be in Montana in similar conditions.

I would like recommendations on a good magnification range to serve these purposes since I’m not really sure what is good and I don’t have a ton of experience with different scopes. This would be my first high dollar top tier scope.

I definitely want to keep the scope at 20oz plus or minus 3oz. Parallax adjustment is required and I don’t prefer mil or moa. I’m fine with either. All my high power stuff is mil but I have red dots and mags in moa so I understand both.

I don’t have a preference for FFP or SFP and my budget is $3500 on the top end. I’ve been looking at March and ZEISS mainly. I’m not set on any brands so I’m open to any and all recommendations.
 
I'd look at a Leupold Mk5 3.6-18x44. It's 26oz, so a bit over your weight limit. But, you can buy almost two of them for your budget, or spend it on something else.

They have a good reputation and are a very good optic for the money.
 
Zeiss V6 will have amazing glass. It's built in Germany. It gets my vote.

www.midwayusa.com

Zeiss Conquest V6 Zstop Rifle Scope 30mm Tube 3-18x 50mm ZBR Reticle

The most compact high-magnification riflescope in the industry and the most powerful in the V6 line, this riflescope is perfect for mid- to...
www.midwayusa.com www.midwayusa.com
www.midwayusa.com

Zeiss Conquest V6 Zstop Rifle Scope 30mm Tube 5-30x 50mm ZMOA Reticle

The most compact high-magnification riflescope in the industry and the most powerful in the V6 line, this riflescope is perfect for mid- to...
www.midwayusa.com www.midwayusa.com


Screenshot 2023-12-15 at 8.51.25 PM.png
 
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Rio Precision Gunworks said:
I'd look at a Leupold Mk5 3.6-18x44. It's 26oz, so a bit over your weight limit. But, you can buy almost two of them for your budget, or spend it on something else.

They have a good reputation and are a very good optic for the money.
Click to expand...

These scopes are very popular in the NRL competition world which says a lot to me but i have not run one personally.
 
VX5 4-20 or 3-15.

VX6 if you need illumination. I haven't found it necessary.

Hits your requirements. 15-19oz, enough mag, good glass.
I personally haven't had one that hasn't tracked or has broken, and between myself and immediate family we have about 20 of them. All used for hunting in Montana.

And you can buy two, screw moving stuff around 🤣
 
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Zhdrix said:
Hey y’all! I’m looking for a new scope that will serve as my hunting scope. It will live on a 7PRC Seekins Havak Element and a 6.5 Grendel bolt gun. It will mainly be used as a hunting gun for deer and elk.

Max range would be around 4-500 for hunting. However, I would also like to be able to use it up to 900 at the range. For deer I would be in woody terrain from dusk till dawn in snow. For elk it’ll be in Montana in similar conditions.

I would like recommendations on a good magnification range to serve these purposes since I’m not really sure what is good and I don’t have a ton of experience with different scopes. This would be my first high dollar top tier scope.

I definitely want to keep the scope at 20oz plus or minus 3oz. Parallax adjustment is required and I don’t prefer mil or moa. I’m fine with either. All my high power stuff is mil but I have red dots and mags in moa so I understand both.

I don’t have a preference for FFP or SFP and my budget is $3500 on the top end. I’ve been looking at March and ZEISS mainly. I’m not set on any brands so I’m open to any and all recommendations.
Click to expand...
Why dont you give me a call, and I can assist you in narrowing down your options. 570 368 3920

Rifles, Scopes, Laser Rangefinders, and So Much More - EuroOptic.com

Optics, scopes, & more for the precision marksman and serious hunter - Nightforce, Swarovski Optik, Vortex, Sako, Leica, Blaser, Tikka, Trijicon, & many more.
www.eurooptic.com www.eurooptic.com

Connor
 
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FuhQ said:
That really doesn't mean a lot in comps...Especially when it comes down to sponsored shooters who get free shit...That goes for anything, not just scopes or certain brands.
Click to expand...
Fair point on sponsored shooters. I should add a buddy of mine has one that he uses both hunting and in NRL hunter and has had nothing but positive things to say about it.
 
In your price and weight range I would be looking at the March 1.5-15 and the above-mentioned S&B Polar line of scopes
 
First of all, there’s no 20oz optics that’s worth a shit for distance range use.

Second, instead of spending $3500 on one optic to swap between two rifles like it sounds like you want to do you be better off to divide that budget in half and buy one optic that will work well on a backcountry hunting setup, and a second that will make a better optic for a range rifle and have two setups.

You’re already asking a lot for two rifles, but then you want one optic to pull double duty to swap around. Your expectations are unrealistic and you’re setting yourself up for failure.
 
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Agree thats why i would get a MK 5 5 25 for shooting and a MK5 3 18 for hunting. Or a HD 5 3 15 for hunting. Can have 2 similar scopes with with no screwing around.
 
This illuminated TMOA Leupold VX-6HD 3-18x44 would be good for your uses. It's less than 22 ounces, and it leaves a lot of money left over for other goodies, too.
 
redneckbmxer24 said:
First of all, there’s no 20oz optics that’s worth a shit for distance range use.

Second, instead of spending $3500 on one optic to swap between two rifles like it sounds like you want to do you be better off to divide that budget in half and buy one optic that will work well on a backcountry hunting setup, and a second that will make a better optic for a range rifle and have two setups.

You’re already asking a lot for two rifles, but then you want one optic to pull double duty to swap around. Your expectations are unrealistic and you’re setting yourself up for failure.
Click to expand...
Yeah I’ve been doing an ass load of reading and I’m coming to the same conclusion lol. I’ve been learning how the nice and lightweight scopes usually have either fragile tubes or the dials are super fragile.
 
Zhdrix said:
Hey y’all! I’m looking for a new scope that will serve as my hunting scope. It will live on a 7PRC Seekins Havak Element and a 6.5 Grendel bolt gun. It will mainly be used as a hunting gun for deer and elk.

Max range would be around 4-500 for hunting. However, I would also like to be able to use it up to 900 at the range. For deer I would be in woody terrain from dusk till dawn in snow. For elk it’ll be in Montana in similar conditions.

I would like recommendations on a good magnification range to serve these purposes since I’m not really sure what is good and I don’t have a ton of experience with different scopes. This would be my first high dollar top tier scope.

I definitely want to keep the scope at 20oz plus or minus 3oz. Parallax adjustment is required and I don’t prefer mil or moa. I’m fine with either. All my high power stuff is mil but I have red dots and mags in moa so I understand both.

I don’t have a preference for FFP or SFP and my budget is $3500 on the top end. I’ve been looking at March and ZEISS mainly. I’m not set on any brands so I’m open to any and all recommendations.
Click to expand...
Username is familiar based on initials

FFS outta S FL?
 
So I’ll bump up the weight limit from 20oz to say 23-25. I’ve got an uncle who swears by his swaro z5s but I’ve read so much about tracking issues when dialing so im not so sure about that one. I hear nightforces are basically bulletproof and great for dialing. Im still not sure if SFP is better than FFP for hunting. I really only have experience with FFPs. As far as the S&Bs go, how well do they handle heavy dialing since the reticle I’m finding don’t have any marks for holdovers. I’ll probably get a scope for the 6.5 Grendel that will be good for around 300 and a beefier scope that can go out to 500 for the PRC.

I think I’ve narrowed it down to these
March 1.5-15x42
March F Tactical 3-24x52
Nightforce NXS 2.5-10x42
VX-5HD 3-15x44
Zeiss V6 3-18x50
 
FuhQ said:
The guys at EuroOptic will get you squared away. They're who I buy all my top-end scopes from.
Click to expand...
The selection they have is borderline overwhelming lol. Never seen so much high end glass in one place. Wish they had a local store to me so i could go look through some.
 
Wanted to be as close to 20oz for scope as possible with my lr lightweight 280ai (had swaro on it to start and is also used stalking). Nothing set my world on fire and had compromises I wasn’t happy to accept. Ended up with ZCO420 and couldn’t be happier. Yes, it is heavier but you can drop that extra weight somewhere else pretty easy if is an issue.
Would be interested to compare with TT315H but wasn’t out at the time and still not sure if floats my boat enough.
If dialing a lot and want heavy duty build - ZCO or TT anyday.
If dialing min and happy to go with lighter build - swaro.
 
Powdermonkey4 said:
Wanted to be as close to 20oz for scope as possible with my lr lightweight 280ai (had swaro on it to start and is also used stalking). Nothing set my world on fire and had compromises I wasn’t happy to accept. Ended up with ZCO420 and couldn’t be happier. Yes, it is heavier but you can drop that extra weight somewhere else pretty easy if is an issue.
Would be interested to compare with TT315H but wasn’t out at the time and still not sure if floats my boat enough.
If dialing a lot and want heavy duty build - ZCO or TT anyday.
If dialing min and happy to go with lighter build - swaro.
Click to expand...
Part of me wants to save the ZCO and TT experience for a long range scope with more magnification instead of a hunting scope. I’d love to get them but not for this role.
 
Based on everyone’s suggestions I think I’ll be better off getting 2 scopes. One for the shorty 6.5G and another for the 7 PRC. The 6.5G won’t take a shot more than 250-300 yards. The 7 PRC will be the one that has to stretch its legs. Based on ballistics I’d be looking at a 1.16 mil drop at 300 yards with a 200 yard zero. Not sure how relevant that is but I figured it might help with recommendations.
 
Zhdrix said:
Yeah I’ve been doing an ass load of reading and I’m coming to the same conclusion lol. I’ve been learning how the nice and lightweight scopes usually have either fragile tubes or the dials are super fragile.
Click to expand...

There’s many lighter scopes that are reliable and not fragile. Swaro Z3 and Z5’s, Leupold VX5HD and VX6HD all fit in that category but they lack the features of tactical scopes. It’s just a compromise one way or another, that’s why it’s better to just buy two lesser expensive optics and not compromise.
 
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