Greetings fellow shooters,
I'm getting back into guns after way too long, doing life stuff like college, family, career, etc. Now that we're empty nesters, life is pleasantly changing to a little slower pace.
I'm an ex-land surveyor and have looked through a lot of transits and theodolites in my day (typically 20-40x). I also got into astronomy after taking a survey class on it, and I love my telescope.
I'm pretty interested in long range precision shooting too, but figured I better start with a good old assault rifle, just in case this country's leaders decide they should start thinking for us again and outlaw them. (Long live the Oath Keepers!)
I recently bought my first black rifle and I'm looking into optics choices. It's a Sig 556 and not at all a long gun or precision platform. I was off doing other things and so didn't know a thing about red dots, holographic, or reflex sights or illuminated reticles. But I'm familiar with telescopes and optics in general, and I've studied up on the 'new' technologies I missed by not being into shooting.
I mention all this because I'm demonstrating that I'm in to optics. I like telescopes, binoculars, monoculars, range finders, and technology in general. Now I realize that a carbine is basically made for engagements from about 200 meters and on in closer. So the best fit for the intended purpose is a red dot or low powered, variable power optic.
I'm also a researcher by nature and don't tend to buy on impulse. So as I was figuring out what my ultimate scope choice will be, I've gone from the Aimpoints and Eotechs to the 1-4x and am settling in on those. Then I discovered the Sniper's Hide! Lol...
What a great site this is! After spending some time here, and with my bias towards optics, I am now looking more at the scopes that go just a little bit higher in power to about 8x or 10x. And I do appreciate quality. I don't have the means to just go out and buy whatever I want but I'm a patient man and don't mind saving up for what I want.
So I've figured out that I'm probably able to budget about $1,200 to $1,800 on a scope. So now I'm beginning to think that if I do end up getting myself a precision rifle, I'll have a great scope but I'll be longing for just a little more magnification. I know I would be giving up lower power at the low end for a combat rifle, but I'm thinking that may be preferable to having not enough magnification for a 600m or 1000m shot.
I'll mostly be sport shooting, just paper and the occasional varmit, no low light hunting or actual sniping duty. So I know it's really just a 'driver's choice' type of question.
I'm really liking the USO, or a NF in the 2x-10x range or possibly an S&B. And I love browsing the scopes for sale here on the Hide, it's quite the candy store of quality scopes! So my question is, should I go for the perfect scope for my current rifle and stick with the lower magnification, or should I get the scope that could easily serve the precision long range purpose.
Do any of you care to share a little wisdom over getting too much or too little magnification; or perhaps settling for less quality in favor of less cash spent and less waiting, and learning a hard lesson that way?
I'm getting back into guns after way too long, doing life stuff like college, family, career, etc. Now that we're empty nesters, life is pleasantly changing to a little slower pace.
I'm an ex-land surveyor and have looked through a lot of transits and theodolites in my day (typically 20-40x). I also got into astronomy after taking a survey class on it, and I love my telescope.
I'm pretty interested in long range precision shooting too, but figured I better start with a good old assault rifle, just in case this country's leaders decide they should start thinking for us again and outlaw them. (Long live the Oath Keepers!)
I recently bought my first black rifle and I'm looking into optics choices. It's a Sig 556 and not at all a long gun or precision platform. I was off doing other things and so didn't know a thing about red dots, holographic, or reflex sights or illuminated reticles. But I'm familiar with telescopes and optics in general, and I've studied up on the 'new' technologies I missed by not being into shooting.
I mention all this because I'm demonstrating that I'm in to optics. I like telescopes, binoculars, monoculars, range finders, and technology in general. Now I realize that a carbine is basically made for engagements from about 200 meters and on in closer. So the best fit for the intended purpose is a red dot or low powered, variable power optic.
I'm also a researcher by nature and don't tend to buy on impulse. So as I was figuring out what my ultimate scope choice will be, I've gone from the Aimpoints and Eotechs to the 1-4x and am settling in on those. Then I discovered the Sniper's Hide! Lol...
What a great site this is! After spending some time here, and with my bias towards optics, I am now looking more at the scopes that go just a little bit higher in power to about 8x or 10x. And I do appreciate quality. I don't have the means to just go out and buy whatever I want but I'm a patient man and don't mind saving up for what I want.
So I've figured out that I'm probably able to budget about $1,200 to $1,800 on a scope. So now I'm beginning to think that if I do end up getting myself a precision rifle, I'll have a great scope but I'll be longing for just a little more magnification. I know I would be giving up lower power at the low end for a combat rifle, but I'm thinking that may be preferable to having not enough magnification for a 600m or 1000m shot.
I'll mostly be sport shooting, just paper and the occasional varmit, no low light hunting or actual sniping duty. So I know it's really just a 'driver's choice' type of question.
I'm really liking the USO, or a NF in the 2x-10x range or possibly an S&B. And I love browsing the scopes for sale here on the Hide, it's quite the candy store of quality scopes! So my question is, should I go for the perfect scope for my current rifle and stick with the lower magnification, or should I get the scope that could easily serve the precision long range purpose.
Do any of you care to share a little wisdom over getting too much or too little magnification; or perhaps settling for less quality in favor of less cash spent and less waiting, and learning a hard lesson that way?
