What is the best scope for Sako TRG-42 in .338 Lapua

[juha_teuvonnen]

I own a Sako TRG-42 in .338 Lapua. I am removing the Leupold Mk IV 8.5-25x50 from it. What scope and mount should I put on that rifle? I intend to use it for long range precision shooting. To me long range is past 900-1000 yards. I would prefer to spend less than 4 grand, may be $4500 for something that's really worth it. Given the .338LM ammo prices and availability these days, gotta make every shot count.

P. S. I want a FFP and MIL scope, I don't enjoy doing MOA.

 

[surgeon260]

TT, ZCO, S&B.

With that kind of budget, I hope you aren't going to rely on internet strangers to tell you what to buy. If you can afford the best but can't identify the best on your own, then you probably won't be able to tell the difference.

 

[juha_teuvonnen]

TT, ZCO, S&B.

With that kind of budget, I hope you aren't going to rely on internet strangers to tell you what to buy. If you can afford the best but can't identify the best on your own, then you probably won't be able to tell the difference.

If I had the chance to look though all three of them and play with them, I'd probably be able to tell the difference. I certainly could tell the difference between Leupold and S&B last time I had the chance to look through both of them. When I was attending a long range class I had a chance to look through a Nightforce ATACR and I'd say it's up there with S&B. I have no idea what TT and ZCO means, never heard of them. I should have spent the extra couple of grand on the S&B back then and not wasted my money on Leupold. Lesson learned and this is the last scope I bought from that company.

 

[B_w.]

Tangent theta

 

[epeet]

Moving from a Mk IV? Honestly, I'd go with a Kahles, at the upper end of the price range, or a Nightforce ATACR, something in the 25x top end, throw it in a Spuhr, and use the money you saved for ammo. These scopes have great resale if you end up deciding you need more.

 

[Huskydriver]

Zco or TT ain't no SB worth what they are asking for them these days

 

[GrumpyOleFart]

Take the time to go to the stores and fossick around, check out the optics, etc.
Your eye will know what it likes.

 

[juha_teuvonnen]

Moving from a Mk IV? Honestly, I'd go with a Kahles, at the upper end of the price range, or a Nightforce ATACR, something in the 25x top end, throw it in a Spuhr, and use the money you saved for ammo. These scopes have great resale if you end up deciding you need more.

My eyes are not as good as they once were. In my 20s I could make some respectable shots with PSO-1. Nowadays I need all the help I can get from the optics. I regret the mistake I made when I bought a Leupold. I should have paid more and bought a Schmidt & Bender back then.

I am wondering how ATACR compares to ZCO in terms of field of view. Also, curious to know where are the sweet spots in terms of maginfication for them. I know that some scopes have practically unusable parts of their magnification range, which is especially true for FFP. With cheap scopes, some work better at low to mid magnification range, others work better at mid to high. I am wondering if this is also true about expensive ones. Tangent Theta seems out of my $4500 price range. Based on reviews I can't see what benefits it offers over ZCO. Looks like S&B has come up in price quite a bit over the years and seems to have had some quality problems along the way. Kahles looks like a more budget friendly option, but I have never looked through one of them.

 

[juha_teuvonnen]

Take the time to go to the stores and fossick around, check out the optics, etc.
Your eye will know what it likes.

I'll look around. I doubt that there are many stores that stock high end scopes in Massachusetts. So far I got the impression that shooting sports are not particularly popular here.

 

[Straw Hat]

Get a Schmidt and Bender 4-16 or 5 -25 model with double turn knob and Matching reticle(P4 Fine reticle) and Mils Turrets. Since its S&B you will be using MILS. if you prefer to work in MOA then maybe you might fancy the Nightforce NXS but both are highly regarded and in Europe top optics would mean S&B.

 

[THEIS]

I'll look around. I doubt that there are many stores that stock high end scopes in Massachusetts. So far I got the impression that shooting sports are not particularly popular here.

Hi,

Contact they guys at EuroOpitc in PA and save yourself the headache while taking a day trip.
Take your wife/mistress down to PA, book a nice hotel; tell wife/mistress to spend all day preparing for date night while you spend the day looking at pretty much every scope you want to.

Sincerely,
Theis

 

[muggs13]

^^^^^^ THIS^^^^^^^

I Only live 2 hours away from EO...But refuse to go there because I am a weak man with a credit card........

 

[TurdFerguson]

As Theis said go check Eurooptic great people to deal with!

 

[VargmatII]

Do a lot of reading, get to the range or even a competition and look through as many scopes as you can, get a feel for what you like. Make the purchase.

There are a lot of good or really good scopes to choose from these days.

 

[C-grunt]

I have a 7-35 ATACR on my AI and it's a great scope. I have a little bit of time behind a ZCO, a Kahles, and a couple S&B models. Up at that quality range the differences are really only in features and reticles preferences. Glass wise they are all fantastic and to rate one over the other gets really deep into nit picking.

I highly suggest you take THEIS' suggestion and take a day trip to EO and find out which one you like the best.

 

[GrumpyOleFart]

☝
My Babe would immediately ask what I wanted to buy, or was up to....

 

[hafejd30]

My last purchase based on reliability was a NF ATACR 7-35 which I’m waiting to come in. I have a 4-16 atacr which is awesome.

If I were to upgrade from NF it be to a ZCO but I think the NF will serve me well

 

[Steel head]

Best is such a silly thing to ask.
List the features you want/need and purchase accordingly.

 

[Triggerf16]

ZCO. 5-27. I was in the same boat, and after a year of shopping, that is what I went with. I’m very pleased.