Looking to buy a new scope for my 700 AAC-SD .308. Shooting mostly from 100-800 with an occasional 1000 yard shot just for fun. The scope on it before was a Bushnell 3200 10x fixed power with the mil dot reticle mil/mil and I'm looking to upgrade a bit to something with a little more power for longer ranges. Will be target shooting targets mostly but sometimes will take it hunting. I'm looking at the Vortex Viper 6.5-20x44mm that has the variable zoom with side focus parallax in mil dot or the SWFA SS 12x42 tactical. I can get the SWFA in mil/mil which I have used before and like but it is fixed power, the Vortex is moa/mil but has the variable power. I like the SWFA reticle and mil/mil setup but also like the Vortex variable power with more power and side focus. My question is would it be better to go with the mil/mil SWFA and stick with the mil/mil setup and be limited to fixed power or switch to the Vortex with the moa/mil setup but have variable/stronger power and side focus?
Rifle Scopes Vortex variable or SWFA fixed??
- Thread starter TB2Blazer
- Start date
What is your budget?
$350
Im not looking for anything more expensive. These are the 2 I have narrowed it down to.
I have had great results with the ss scopes, and I never liked having "low end" scopes. I will offer a tip though. 12x will be a bit much in my opinion for the shooting you are describing. More magnification takes away from the clarity until you get into very high end optics.
Also, I regularly shoot out to 1200 yds, and much prefer a straight 10. Also doesn't cut down your FOV at closer ranges. I also feel you get more quality for your dollar in a fixed x, because of material and engineering/construction cost.
This is just my opinion, hope it helps. Pick one and start using the hell out of it!!!!!!
Also, I regularly shoot out to 1200 yds, and much prefer a straight 10. Also doesn't cut down your FOV at closer ranges. I also feel you get more quality for your dollar in a fixed x, because of material and engineering/construction cost.
This is just my opinion, hope it helps. Pick one and start using the hell out of it!!!!!!
Thank you very much for the reply...very good*points.
Sound advice from South tx above.
SS fixie by a mile...
A budget scope, and $350 is certainly budget, isn't the place for variables or high X's.
A budget scope, and $350 is certainly budget, isn't the place for variables or high X's.
I love my SWFA 10x. I like the clicks and fit and finish more than my $900 Bushnell. I might sell the bushy and buy the 3-15 SWFA. I love the mil quad reticle too.
Excellent. Thanks everyone for the replies. Looks like I will be going with the SWFA 10x.
The answer to your question is the weaver grandslam tactical 3-10x from Midwayusa.
Yes, it's only ten power, but you get the variable option and it is mil/mil.
Much better for hunting and it is available for 300 dollars
Yes, it's only ten power, but you get the variable option and it is mil/mil.
Much better for hunting and it is available for 300 dollars
Well I never even thought to look at the grand slam. How does it compare to the SWFA?
It is a good quality, Japanese made scope. Wire reticle with a standard mil dot.
They are very nice scopes, my Dad has two. The glass is quite nice, the finish even.
While I appreciate the enhanced design of the mil-quad, I think that the utility of the variable power surpasses the fixed 10x with an enhanced mil-dot.
Sell your bushnell for say 150, add another 100 to that 350 and you can get a 4-16 PST from Cameralandny as a demo model. Leupold M3s, SWFA 3-9, SWFA 10X HD they are all around there too. The 3-10 weaver FDKay suggested is good too but not much different than the bushnell you have right now practically speaking.
if not this i would and did go with the swfa 10x42. i just sold mine but only because it started a snow ball effect. where my swfa 10x42 was once a crazy expenditure 300 bucks for a scope. it soon became my cheapest scope as my love affair with scopes blossomed. i now own or have owned one of a lot mid priced tactical scopes. you can find $300 rifles that will shoot like $1200 rifles but you will not find a $300 dollar scope with glass and tracking like a $1200 scope. but the swfa 10x42 is the closest i have seen. the glass is ok the tracking is great
Yeah, $350 isnt that crazy for me I just cant justify spending much more than that for a gun that I shoot every once in a while and sometimes hunt with. I rarely shoot at longer distances but I like the capability of being able to. If I wasnt halfway through building my MK12 MOD1 I would designate more funds for a better scope but most of the funds are going to the MK12 build.
The Leupold Mark AR are very nice for the price also.
Mike @ CSTACTICAL
Mike @ CSTACTICAL
Leave it alone then. There's nothing wrong with the bushnell 10x and unless you can spend double or triple that 350 it's just wasted money.
I really like the leupold mark ar but can you get turrets for the .308 instead of .223 and in the mil/mil configuration?
