You want me to buy a second focal plane scope?

Next, you're gonna tell me to get one in MOA.

The NXS also comes in FFP and mil or MOA, as does the ATACR as you know from owning one. A 3-15 NXS F1 is sitting atop a rifle right now. Bought it used too.

Just saying that for someone likely to dial a lot, the NXS or ATACR's are a better choice than the SHV for long term durability.

I remember a post from when the SHV was introduced and someone called the company to inquire about differences. The rep told the caller that if they were dialing a lot, to stick to the NXS or ATACR.

I have handled only two SHV's. They are very nice, and I would take one over any Leupold including the top end Leupy's, but the NXS has earned its reputation for a reason. The ATACR should be even more durable and reliable. Minor point, but the SHV turrets do not feel as precise as the NXS or ATACR, and you would notice the difference.

If I was starting from scratch, I'd go mils, but after so many years with MOA, it is intuitive and the corrections for a 308 with a 175 SMK are burned into my noggin pretty well out to 500.

Of course, you could get a Leupold with those custom BDC dials and just dial all the way to a 1,000 everytime, guaranteed.

I will put a LHRS against an NSX any day of the week.
I ran a NSX 2.5-10x42 for a year and have 2 years on LHRS 3-12s
I couldn't believe the LHRS had better low light capabilities.

I dig Nightforce too, they make great scopes and is damned hard for me to admit how good the LHRS 3-12 is. I hunted yesterday evening and was comparing it against my Leica 10x42s looking at deer at 200 yards into darkness.

I was looking yesterday at the Swaros again, hard to go backwards from a FFP, mil/mil with a good elevation turret with zero stop.

I also really like the 3-15 Steiner Tacticals, have one on my 18" AR10 308 and about to put one on a Tikka T3x CTR 308 project gun. I know there has been some issues with them but I haven't had any.

ccoker - those Steiner tactical models have caught my eye too. Seem like a great value. Bought my dad some Steiner binocs off the SWFA Sample List a couple years ago and the clarity is unreal.

CC,

to me, mechanical reliability is paramount.

Also, I will never buy a Bushnell product the rest of my life.

Their customer service is not bad, it is awful.

The "bird" in my handle comes from my avocation of bird conservation.

I take donors to conservation groups out on birding trips as a thank you for their donation. These donors make gifts in the 10's of 1,000's and some into the 100's of 1,000's, so really want to treat them to a nice experience.

About 15 years ago, the Bausch & Lomb Elites were a top tier binocular on par with Zeiss, Leica, and Swarovski. As the donors would show up with all manner of odd ball low quality binos, I broke down and bought 8 pairs of B&L Elites for the guests and accompanying staff members to use so they would have a good experience.

That model had a poorly constructed eye cup, which would break off easily. Within a matter of a few years, all had broken. I sent them back for repair with the "lifetime" warranty. A few weeks later I received back new pairs of the bottom rung B&L binos. After several calls, they refused to return the original binos, but "upgraded" me to the next to bottom rung.

So, B&L can just take their products and choke on them as far as I'm concerned. If they go out of busines, they did it to themselves.

Buyer beware.

fwiw - Zeiss Conquest is the current loaner model for the guests.

I hear ya.. Bushnell was crap as far as I was concerned and they still make a lot of lowend stuff I won't own.. but they have come a LONG way on their highend "tactical" scopes over the last few years and are widely accepted in the long range shooting community.

I really have no interest in Vortex, US marketing company with stuff made in China.
Tried some of their early Razor stuff and just wasn't impressed.
People claim how good their customer service is, apparently they need to use it often.
Pass.

Now, having said that, perhaps it's time to give them another shot. I know their American made AMG scope is getting great feedback.

That might be the most sucessful rifle scope, of that type, ever created. It is crazy how much money they still bring. Night Force got it right with that scope, no doubt about it.

That scope would hunt the big thicket from the Red to the gulf, the canyons of the SW counties, and the plains of the panhandle.

100% true.

The Swarovski z6i is a fantastic scope, well at least mine is. I don't have a problem dialing mine up and down but mine limits me to 650 yards or so with the ballistic turrets which are nice. Sure you can count or make your own turret somehow but it's nice having it built in.

Also I don't see the rifle as the problem at distance, just the shooter. At 100 yards I can hold .5moa with my good known loads but to hold the same a 200-300 takes a lot of effort.

NEVER EVER for the reason given above. I stand by my "buyer beware" comment.

Also, mechanical reliabilty and durability are first and second on my list of criteria for a scope followed by image in third place.

Most "hunting" scopes are sold the other way around, they are manufactured with the emphasis on image, not mechanical reliability and durability.

I meant maybe I should give Vortex another look.

I agree on reliability, I like "tactical" scopes because they are built tougher and much less likely to lose zero.

That's right. And every one of them is 30 ounces or more. I guess it's just the way it is going to be.

I'm assuming the glass is the biggest factor on the weight?

They’re good. I’m a die-hard NF guy, but for the same $ make sure you check out a LRTS/LRHS. I have a 4.5-18 LRTSi and have been very impressed with the features you get for the price. Smoking deals floating around on slightly used ones. I got mine for less than SHV F1 money.

I think the internals on the turrets are part of it, as well.

Tag

few boys on here missed their naps today at recess

I'm not sure what Buzz sees in Swarovski. A bit girlish in my opinion.

I have one of those to hold my Christmas Pot Pori in my guest bath.

Hint.



LW's suck. Hint.

The other rifles retain 33+ Mils on their erectors,after a 225yd zero(147 ELD's all)...which in this morning's atmosphere is the 2000yd line(33.5 Mils). Hint.

I'm happy to hand anyone/everyone their [censored],with same and make it look easy...if only because it is(for me).

Hint..................(grin)

Ok Ill bite, what is the different colored tape for?

he is not here now but when you live coastal Alaska things get wet a lot. the tape is on in places that can get water ingress or at least on some of them it is. On quite a few of his pictures there is colored tape on the muzzle as well to keep water out of the barrel. Not a bad idea at all, I have never put it on the scope around here but will put it on the muzzle hunting in the rain but use black electrical tape.

On the muzzle the air being compressed in the barrel as the bullet moves through the barrel will blow the tape off before the bullet gets there and not effect accuracy.