My son has taken a liking to long range shooting, so I'm looking to put a decent piece of glass on a savage 12 LRP rifle 6.5CR that he can use for 1000+ yard shooting off the bench, but with f-class in mind for the future. My budget is $1500 for the scope and have been looking closely at both the Vortex 15-60x52 Golden Eagle and the Primary Arms PLx 6-30x56, but I'm open to other suggestions. Between the two scopes I mentioned, what do folks think would be the best? I've never owned/used a FFP scope before, but it seems like that might be helpful in sighting in the scope at longer ranges. The thought of 60x magnification is appealing as well, but holding the rifle steady at that power might be too challenging for it to be useful. We've been using a Sightron 8-32x56 on my old M1A and it works well out to 600 yards, but accuracy/precision tends to drop off at longer ranges so I'm looking to put something a little better on the Savage. Thanks.
Rifle Scopes Scopes for Long Range Bench and Future F-Class Shooting
- Thread starter SingleSeven
- Start date
If F-Class is really and truly in the future, you are looking in the wrong direction both in caliber and optics. The 6.5CM is a wonderful cartridge for PRS and many other games, but when it comes to F-class, this cartridge will place the rifle in F-Open, competing against much better performing cartridges at 1000 yards. And forget about shooting off a bipod, the vast (virtually all) F-openers use front rests that weight anywhere from 20 pounds on up. If you wanted to compete in F-TR, where you are limited to a bipod, there are only two cartridges allowed: .308 Winchester or .223/5.56 with your choice of bullets.
Now for the optics, in F-class SFP (second focal plane) rules. You simply cannot get surgical with an FFP reticle when you're at 50X; whatever FFP reticle design is in use, it will obliterate the X, 10 and probably 9 ring. Remember, the FFP reticle gets bigger along with the target as power increases, whereas the SFP reticle gets finer on the target as the power increases.
Also, F-Class is an MOA game. The target, the come-ups, the calls, everything is MOA. There is no ranging in F-Class; we shoot at well-known distances, on well-known targets.
Oh, and holding on target at 50X is easy-peasy with a proper F-TR or F-open target. Well, as long as you can control your body, of course.
Now for the optics, in F-class SFP (second focal plane) rules. You simply cannot get surgical with an FFP reticle when you're at 50X; whatever FFP reticle design is in use, it will obliterate the X, 10 and probably 9 ring. Remember, the FFP reticle gets bigger along with the target as power increases, whereas the SFP reticle gets finer on the target as the power increases.
Also, F-Class is an MOA game. The target, the come-ups, the calls, everything is MOA. There is no ranging in F-Class; we shoot at well-known distances, on well-known targets.
Oh, and holding on target at 50X is easy-peasy with a proper F-TR or F-open target. Well, as long as you can control your body, of course.
Thanks Denys. So SFP it is. What are your thoughts on the golden eagle then, or other scopes under $1,500? My son is 14 so I thought he'd be able to master the 6.5cm easier than some of the other calibers traditional in f-open. He's big for his age, 6'1" but he's still putting on muscle mass and the .308 makes him flinch after a while. I appreciate the tip about using 20 lbs front rests. We've been using the caldwell rock rest to good avail, but it's no where near 20 lbs. Could be one of the reasons the M1A is losing precision after 600 yards. Thanks again for the info and let me know your thoughts on a good 1000 yard scope under $1,500 forgetting f-class for now.
Like any other sport, or in our case, shooting discipline, you have to start somewhere and I think it's much more important to start shooting with what you have than to delay shooting until you have acquired the current state of technology in equipment. However, you need to be cognizant of the requirements and the technology currently in use in your chosen discipline.
Learning to shoot with a 6.5CM is a good way to start and you would need to rebarrel the rifle with a barrel suitable for the 1000 yard game anyway. The Savage 12 LRP is a nice rifle and you can get pre-fit barrels from some vendors for it. For example, you can start with the 6.5CM barrel in it and then when it's time to go for 1000 yard F-TR, you swap the 6.5CM barrel for a 30 inch heavy Palma 1:10 twist .308 barrel. The boltface is the same, so you're good to go.
As for the scope, I am really not very familiar with $1500 or less scope. I should think a Sightron would be just fine. I just do not feel comfortable recommending scopes I have never used and about which I knw little. I would say that anything with a fine reticle and a top end in the 50X to 60X with a 52 or 56mm objective will be suitable. I would look for 1/8 MOA clicks and either side focus or adjustable objective.
Learning to shoot with a 6.5CM is a good way to start and you would need to rebarrel the rifle with a barrel suitable for the 1000 yard game anyway. The Savage 12 LRP is a nice rifle and you can get pre-fit barrels from some vendors for it. For example, you can start with the 6.5CM barrel in it and then when it's time to go for 1000 yard F-TR, you swap the 6.5CM barrel for a 30 inch heavy Palma 1:10 twist .308 barrel. The boltface is the same, so you're good to go.
As for the scope, I am really not very familiar with $1500 or less scope. I should think a Sightron would be just fine. I just do not feel comfortable recommending scopes I have never used and about which I knw little. I would say that anything with a fine reticle and a top end in the 50X to 60X with a 52 or 56mm objective will be suitable. I would look for 1/8 MOA clicks and either side focus or adjustable objective.
For benchrest and F class type shooting, it might be helpful to ask at this place:
I went with a 10-50x60 Sightron for my FTR gun. It hasn't made it to a match, but the scope is a pleasure from 100-1000yds.
I built a 7 twist 223 for the 600yd match they have local to me. It is a fun gun, everyone should have one.
I built a 7 twist 223 for the 600yd match they have local to me. It is a fun gun, everyone should have one.
I'm seeing fixed Nightforce, March, and Sightron (and even Leupold) scopes seem to be popular in F-class, although somewhat lower magnification to avoid mirage (20 thru 40X).
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