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Rifle Scopes Your Personal Experience With These...

M@D-M@X

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
  • Jul 21, 2008
    173
    0
    Southeast, USA
    Little help here please,
    I'm trying to make my mind up between the following:
    A) Vortex Viper PST 1-4x24 TMCQ MRAD Reticle.
    B) Burris XTR 1x-4x x 24mm Illuminated Reticle.
    C)Combat Rifle Scope (CRS) 1X-4X X 24mm.

    I'm a firearm hobbyist, not a professional so I'm looking for a practical solution. It will be mounted to a SCAR 17S which will be used for plinking and recreational purpose. I'm looking for personal experiences pertaining to performance, glass clarity, tunnel vision on these units, durability, things to look out for, etc.
    I know that these are not USOs nor Swarovs, so be gentle
    wink.gif
    . I'm also aware that the BDC on these units are calibrated for 5.56 but for my needs I don't think it is going to be a major issue. I've looked at the 1.5-6 power units but they hit easily the 1K for the exception of the Burris. Opinions are also welcomed.

    Thx in advance,
    Max
     
    Re: Your Personal Experience With These...

    Have you looked at the SWFA SS Line?? Something to check out.

    Customer service is second to none, and their HD glass is superb!

    DK
     
    Re: Your Personal Experience With These...

    <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: z71rat</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Have you looked at the SWFA SS Line?? Something to check out.

    Customer service is second to none, and their HD glass is superb!

    DK </div></div>
    I did.. I like them but they bump me just above of what I wanted to spend.
    I might consider it though.
     
    Re: Your Personal Experience With These...

    I owned the Burris XTR-14 mounted on a POF-415 5.56NATO. Here is a brief synopsis of my experience. Take it with a grain of salt, I haven't owned many scopes but I'm very meticulous and well researched.

    <span style="font-weight: bold">The good: </span>
    The glass was very good. Everyone who looked through the scope was pleasantly surprised. Hands down the best feature of the scope.

    The reticle was easy to use for quick target acquisition and provided adequate reference for more precise shooting (though my eyes weren't good enough to see the 200 yard dot)

    It was consistent and held its zero for the duration that I owned it.

    Generous eye relief

    <span style="font-weight: bold">The bad:</span>
    The first week that I owned the scope (hadn't shot more than 50 rounds with it mounted), the illumination knob began to spin freely.

    I didn't like that the illumination nob had an off setting in between each on setting. The illumination clicks weren't positive when the knob worked and it was accidentally bumped on without knowing it.

    The illumination was unable to be seen in bright sunlight.

    The magnification "ring" (the entire back of the scope) was stiff, stiff, stiff and the design made the use of flip open covers challenging.

    The "True 1X" optic was not truly 1X. There was a slight bit of magnification. I'm being very picky here, but when it says true 1X, I expected to look through a piece of glass without the slightest bit of magnification which wasn't the case.

    I contacted Burris and told them I just purchased their nearly $800 scope and rings (from a LOCAL retailer) about 1 week ago and it broke. I also said that there was a slight bit of magnification on the True 1X setting. I was told to ship it back to them (on my dime) and it would be about a 4 week turn around. Unsatisfied but out of options, I agreed and hung up. Thought about it, called back a day or two later and pitched a fit that I hadn't been sent a shipping label for a defective, brand new scope and that I would have to wait 4 weeks to get a scope that I owned for a matter of days. They sent a shipping label and said my repair would be expedited.

    A week after they received it, I contacted Burris' repair center directly since I hadn't received notification that my scope was being returned. The woman stated that she had that scope on her cart and hadn't looked at it yet. Disappointed, I informed her the repair was supposed to be expedited to which she had no knowledge. She called me back a few hours later, told me she had a scope for me and it would be expedited back to me. When the scope didn't arrive on the day they said it would, I contacted Burris and found out there was a miscommunication and the scope was accidentally sent by ground.

    When the scope arrived, I brought it inside (it was below freezing outside) and opened the package. First thing I noticed was the exterior glass was fogged over. Now, I was disappointed because their website specifically describes the XTR series as "The whole package is waterproof, fogproof, shockproof and warranted forever." Again, "the whole package" means to me <span style="text-decoration: underline">the whole package</span>. Next thing I noticed was the scope was a different refurbished scope with ring marks. The TRUE 1X still wasn't true 1x and the magnification ring had the ever so slightest amount of play. I know I was being very picky, but the company was yet to prove they had a quality product and service that deserved the benefit of the doubt.

    Back on the phone with Burris Customer Service. Long story short, I asked for the CS supervisor's, supervisor by name and the CS supervisor insisted on handling the problem. He offered anything in his catalog and I insisted I wasn't looking for a handout, I just wanted the scope to hold up to it's claims. We agreed on a 4-16x50 and I requested to pay the difference in cost, which I did. He threw in a new pair of scope rings and my ordeal was finally over.

    I'm a little gun shy with Burris now. Maybe I got a lemon, maybe my expectations were too high. They were still getting their stuff together following a recent move so perhaps it was just the perfect storm and my experience was an exception to the norm.

    If I was back in the market for this type of scope, I would still seriously look at the MTAC and LRS which cost half as much as the XTR. The problems I had (not the illumination ring) wouldn't chap my ass as bad at $400 as they did at $800.

    Good luck in your search.
     
    Re: Your Personal Experience With These...

    I have the Vortex you mentioned. It is mounted up on my LR308. I really like the scope for what I use it for. I have taken shots over the 1000 yard mark with it and while it is not the ideal tool for the job it does work. How it compares to the other two I don't know but I have been happy with the product as of yet.
     
    Re: Your Personal Experience With These...

    Thanks guys, for all your replies...

    I've got it narrrowed between the Vortex and SWFA SS.

    Thx.
    Max
     
    Re: Your Personal Experience With These...

    I actually am running a XTR14 on a carbine and I really like it. Yes the 1x isn't 1x but it's probably 1.1x or less which is as close as you can get in most variable power scopes. I have a gen2 and the illumination can easily be seen in direct sunlight. I think the best part of the scope would be the horseshoe reticle, turn on the illumination and set the scope to 1x and you can acquire targets with easy just like a red dot or holo. I do own a vortex product and I will say that I am very happy with it also.