Re: shooting long distance need scope suggestions
For the 34mm group, it is definitely a short, but high quality list: USO, Schmidt & Bender, and Premier Reticle's heritage. For a lot of people, the list of 34mm scopes are scopes that you want to pick up after you've been able to shoot a while and can clearly identify your needs/likes/specific functions. I say that only because on all of them there are SO many options and you would already know all the answers to some of the questions you asked. If you have the money, you obviously can't go wrong buying any of those scopes. And if you decided to change or that you like something later, you can ALWAYS sell them here for good value. I applaud you for wanting to/being willing to spend some money on "good glass", which is usually the part that people skimp out on when starting. But I wouldn't narrow your choice of optics as a default by ring size. I shoot a lot with the Horus system, and so I have a personal preference for FFP. A lit reticle is nice in low light or if your target is (very) dark colored, but a good portion of the people I run into who have lit reticles don't actually "need" it. When you're talking about options on high-end scopes with lit reticles, realize there's much less of the "trijicon" concept of a bright aiming point...which I think some people expect when they hear "lit reticle." (otherwise Nightforce wouldn't have to put the justification for the precise red lighting to their reticles in their manual...they must've had a bunch of people call/write them about it). High-end reticles are not just precision aiming tools, but precision MEASURING tools, which can help or hurt you. Make sure to look in the FAQ for new long distance shooting thread, which is good information for ALL levels of shooters. Good shooting!