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Rifle Scopes Shrugging off recoil: Can a $400 scope take .308?

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Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
May 17, 2010
231
0
60
Colorado, USA
#1
I went with the trend around here last Fall and got the Falcon Menace 4-14 x 44. It seems to be holding zero and holding up (fingers crossed), but in truth I only have ~250 rounds through the rifle as I'm having difficulty finding time and money to shoot now that I'm back in school.

Question is this - is there a scope in the $400 range that can stand up to the abuse of .308?

Secondly, is there a moun/ring combo that can do the job for under $120?
 
#2
Re: Shrugging off recoil: Can a $400 scope take .308?

I probably have about 500 rounds downrange with a .308 and a Falcon Menace 4-14.
The vast majority of those rounds were through a Savage 10PC, which is a fairly light rifle.

Zero issues, it was a very nice rig. I continue to be impressed with my falcon especially considring the price.

You don't say what rifle, so it is hard to point you in the direction of which base.

However, weaver makes a one piece base, both in 0 MOA and 20 MOA for the Savage and Remington. About 40 bucks. I have had good luck with Burris XTR rings, Burris zee rings are also very good. Weaver and Millet make some tactical rings, though they are a bit large. I also believe SWFA is back in the ring business.

You should be able to get set up for about 90 dollars.
 
#3
Re: Shrugging off recoil: Can a $400 scope take .308?

I have about 1500 rounds under mine, and it got me 6th or 8th(can't remember) I think in the long range(800yards) segment of the Oregon 2010 Sniper competition.

Seems to be working just fine to me.

Maybe though, it's malfunctioning and I'm just getting lucky and it's malfunctioning in my favor
laugh.gif
 
#4
Re: Shrugging off recoil: Can a $400 scope take .308?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: COURAGEWOLF</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have about 1500 rounds under mine, and it got me 6th or 8th(can't remember) I think in the long range(800yards) segment of the Oregon 2010 Sniper competition.

Seems to be working just fine to me.

Maybe though, it's malfunctioning and I'm just getting lucky and it's malfunctioning in my favor
laugh.gif
</div></div>


Also .308 btw.
 
#5
Re: Shrugging off recoil: Can a $400 scope take .3

Encouraging signs from you guys.
Oh BTW, I should have stated Rem 700 psp tac w/20" bbl., so 7.5 lbs. Rifle has fairly sharp recoil, compared to say, my .223 rifles but no worse than any other boltie I've shotl
 
#8
Re: Shrugging off recoil: Can a $400 scope take .3

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: MrSwede</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Not to be an ass, but..
It's a 308, what recoil? </div></div>

Not to be an ass, but air rifles have been known to break hardened tactical scopes simply from the recoil.
 
#9
Re: Shrugging off recoil: Can a $400 scope take .3

Granted this is quite a bit more power than a .308 but still worth watching and considering the forces a scope experiences.

<object width="425" height="350"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/s5pVya7eask"></param> <param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/s5pVya7eask" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"> </embed></object>
 
#11
Re: Shrugging off recoil: Can a $400 scope take .3

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: COURAGEWOLF</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Granted this is quite a bit more power than a .308 but still worth watching and considering the forces a scope experiences.

<object width="425" height="350"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/s5pVya7eask"></param> <param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/s5pVya7eask" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"> </embed></object> </div></div>

This was EXACTLY what I was thinking of.

When they showed that slow-mo of Mack getting kicked around by that .50, and the scope bell flexing and wobbling like all that stuff was made from silicon rubber, I was starting to question my assumptions that "metal is metal" and "cheap don't flex more than a LaRue."
 
#12
Re: Shrugging off recoil: Can a $400 scope take .308?

From what a lot of guys have posted in similar topics you are lucky.
Falcons are beginning to get some bad rap here.
Mount/ring combos are usually more than $120, at least if they are of decent quality.
Optics and mounts are the key to any rifle's performance. You can be prudent (shop well and read reviews) but don't be cheap.
 
#13
 
#15
Re: Shrugging off recoil: Can a $400 scope take .308?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: wjwill</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Here is 5 scopes under 400 dollars that will easily handle a 308. Pick your poison.


$299.95
http://swfa.com/SWFA-SS-10x42-Tactical-Riflescope-P499.aspx
$299.95
http://swfa.com/SWFA-SS-16x42-Tactical-Riflescope-P501.aspx
$299.95
http://swfa.com/SWFA-SS-20x42-Tactical-Riflescope-P502.aspx
$384.95
http://swfa.com/Falcon-Menace-4-14x44-Tactical-30mm-Riflescope-P47408.aspx
$299.95
http://swfa.com/Millett-4-16x50-TRS-1-Tactical-30mm-Riflescope-P42548.aspx </div></div>

I have to admit that I damn near bought that Millet although I recall that scope being $400 (possibly more?) when I was in the market in Sept. 2009.

I have to say that my Falcon in the Dednutz mount has been perfect, but the problems I'm reading about here are making me wish I bought a brand that was:

<ul style="list-style-type: disc">[*]Based in the U.S. [*]Had a customer service history that was positive [*]Was likelier to fix problems as they came up later[/list]

Still, though, I like the Falcon's glass well enough, and understand the reticle. In future purchases I'm thinking that the Mil/Mil method will be the way I go.

Tomorrow I'll go out to the range as I've completed my last final (thank Christ, a month off!), so I will load some .308 tonight and see if I can tune up my solution a little better. I still have not found a load that will shoot under an inch consistently in my rifle. I have some 168 grain Sierra Match and some Varget that I'll toss together in some workups, and if I see any success, I'll post pics (conforming of course to the rules posted in the sticky) of my groups.
 
#17
Re: Shrugging off recoil: Can a $400 scope take .308?

Fellow hunters in my neck of the woods generally mount a $100 WalMart scope on their 30-06, 30-30, and .308 hunting rifles. Many of them use 20 year old setups and kill deer every year. That said, many other have no idea where their rifles are hitting.

I personally have a $300 Nikon Monarch on my hunting rifle (Remington 700 Mnt LSS 30-06). With a trigger adjustment and action bedding, it shoots under 1 MOA with no loss of zero issues.
 
#18
Re: Shrugging off recoil: Can a $400 scope take .3

Nitpicking:

(Piston) Air rifles break hardened tactical scopes because of the two-way recoil, not the force of the recoil itself.

I'm sure you know this.
 
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