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Scope options #7487889 04/15/19 04:51 PM
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redchevy Offline OP
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Upgrading from a Vortex Viper Gen I 4-16 MOA. It has served me well but definitely isn't as bright or as clear as I would like, also not terribly happy with the eye relief/eye piece, very picky to get a perfect sight picture.

I know some will think its dumb, but I have a boat load of cabelas reward points, so it is almost a certainty that the scope will come from Cabelas/BassPro, although they do not handle the SWFA SS scope I am leaving it on the list because of its potential bang for buck value and I think it might be too good of an option not to consider.

It will be used for my own recreational shooting, deer and whatever else I end up hunting in the future and working on a range from 0-700 yard. I have upgraded from a 3x9 leupold to the vortex and am looking to upgrade again. I do not want to get something that I will be wanting to upgrade again, so have considered spending a significant amount on the scope to me at least. Options I have come across so far that I am considering are below. I haven't had a chance to look through some of them as many were not in stock last time I happened through a cabelas and I intend to compare them before I make a decision. Only two I have gotten a chance to compare at this point are the SHV and the vortex GENII. Honestly wasn't going to consider the vortex this go round and it is not very high on my list, but it compared well the the SHV, and I actually preferred the turrets on the vortex to the SHV. By pricing alone Nikon appears to be sub standard to the rest, but I have gotten to shoot a 4-16 FX1000 a little bit and the glass is far superior to my vortex gen I and it seems to track well so im considering it.

Nightforce SHV-F1 4-14 power MIL $1300
Nightforce ATACR 5-25 MIL $3100

Burris XTRII 5-25 MIL $1200
SWFA SS HD 5-25 MIL $1200-1500
Nikon Black FX1000 6-24 $800
Vortex viper GenII 5-25 MIL $1000


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Re: Scope options [Re: redchevy] #7487927 04/15/19 05:34 PM
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My one and only experience with the Nikon was 3 weeks ago and the turrets were way to easy to turn by accident fyi. I have the shv f1 and love it. Its plenty to shoot to 700 and doesnt weigh anywhere near what the rest do.

Re: Scope options [Re: redchevy] #7487942 04/15/19 05:39 PM
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Is it a 4-14 also?

I typically prefer more power than I need, is my main hold up on that option.


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Re: Scope options [Re: redchevy] #7487946 04/15/19 05:41 PM
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Have you looked at any of the Leupold VX scopes? I'm a huge fan of mine.

Re: Scope options [Re: redchevy] #7487952 04/15/19 05:48 PM
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Does the SS come in 5-25 now?

Re: Scope options [Re: redchevy] #7487955 04/15/19 05:50 PM
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It does if I didn’t read the website wrong.


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Re: Scope options [Re: redchevy] #7487958 04/15/19 05:57 PM
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It’s 5-20 but the illuminated is on sale right now for $1199.

Re: Scope options [Re: redchevy] #7487961 04/15/19 06:00 PM
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The order I would pick, not considering price.

1.NF ATACR
2.Burris XTR II
2.(tie) SS 5-20X HD
3. NF SHV
4. No comment


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Re: Scope options [Re: redchevy] #7488047 04/15/19 07:31 PM
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Here's a few I got to shoot a month or so back with a buddy, and put them in order of 1st through last:

ATACR F1 5-25x (this is obvious with what we were shooting in this bunch)
SHV F1 4-14x
Vortex PST gen2 3-15x
Vortex PST gen1 4-16x (way behind the rest)

The ATACR is on a different level than the rest, so I wont really mention it. I absolutely love mine.

My PST gen 2 IMO is twice the scope as my gen 1. I like the turret caps better, being bigger in diameter, the glass is much better, and the black "ring" around the outside edge of the glass is much better than the gen 1. It's still there slightly, but not near as bad.

This was the first time I was really around an SHV next to anything and if I could go back to when I got my PST gen 2, I'd spend the extra on the SHV. Like someone said above, I prefer the turrets on the Vortex, but the SHV glass was much better (at least to my eye).

Re: Scope options [Re: redchevy] #7488056 04/15/19 07:47 PM
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In that price range I would also look at sightron's SIII line


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Re: Scope options [Re: redchevy] #7488159 04/15/19 10:00 PM
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Leupold mk5 is very well worth a look too imo.


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Re: Scope options [Re: dee] #7488330 04/16/19 01:33 AM
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Originally Posted by dee
Leupold mk5 is very well worth a look too imo.


What reports have you heard? I'm sure you have shot beside some.


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Re: Scope options [Re: dee] #7488425 04/16/19 02:35 AM
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Originally Posted by dee
Leupold mk5 is very well worth a look too imo.



Agree...


the issue with cabelas is you are going to overpay. Most scopes can be had for less from other dealers. I get that you have cabelas points, so you may want to see what their price match policy is. Just call some dealers once you decide on which scope

The pst gen 2 3-15 is optically really good for the money. A lot of positive reviews and the new turret/build is far better than gen 1. With that being said you can’t compare it atacr/mark 5 against those (or even swfa)

The nighforce has a solid legacy. The Atacr is great. The mark 5 is the new kid on the block. A lot of people talk about them in similar breathes. I don’t like saying one is unequivocally better optically because their is too much scope to scope and eye to eye variation. The mark 5 had some teething pains (couple batches of scopes with crooked reticles and such) but a lot of good reviews. Leupold replaced all of them that I have seen. I used my mark 5 on my last elk and was glassing 2 cow elk 45-55mins before sunrise. If you are just looking for a range gun I am not sure the money will be worth it on the premium scopes. But if you hunt a lot and need low light capability, atacr and mk 5 shine in low light. I took my pst gen 1, friends gen 2, and mark 5 to the park and was glassing at sunset and I was shocked at the difference in what I could see. The mark 5 was far better. The gen 2 had noticeably better clarity, contrast, and brightness. My mine gripe with the mark 5 is the tmr reticle is outdated. The new mil c from nf is nice. I got a tremor 3 reticle to try out and really like it. But I can see through the reticle and not get distracted.

I would look at the 4-16 personnly myself in the Atacr line as that should be more then enough to get you to 700. It’s also a bit cheaper. They have two models with different objective diameters. The turrets are also different. I think one locks and the other doesn’t but I am not 100% sure.

Re: Scope options [Re: J.G.] #7488519 04/16/19 10:49 AM
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Originally Posted by FiremanJG
Originally Posted by dee
Leupold mk5 is very well worth a look too imo.


What reports have you heard? I'm sure you have shot beside some.


Only negative were from first release scopes and it was simple stuff. Scope turrets Mark's being a touch off on etching or one that had a cw turret on a ccw erector. This is first hand from guys that are running them. Been very impressed with band for buck vs all other options. Turrets feel awesome and have a nice lock on zero but is super easy to unlock. One of the lightest in their mag range as well.


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Re: Scope options [Re: redchevy] #7488567 04/16/19 11:49 AM
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If you're looking at Cabelas, I've actually heard really good reports of the new Bushnell Forge series scopes. Never used one personally, but worth considering.

Obviously the ATACR is far superior to everything else on your list. It's also triple the price.

To me, I wouldn't buy a scope with 14x top end to go to 700, so the SHV would be out. It certainly can be done - I shot with a fixed 16x for a long time. But that was a $275 scope. If I was spending $1k, I wouldn't have tolerated that limitation.

Of the remainder, SWFA gets the nod for best glass by a long shot, but XTR II has locking turrets (I think), zero stop, and illumination that's executed better (and a better reticle, but that's personal). To me, the difference in glass quality is significant enough that I wouldn't consider the XTR II at its current prices, but there are plenty of folks who like it. These scopes are kind of opposite approaches - one is no features with all the money going into glass quality, the other is full of features with whatever money they had left going into glass quality. Both are built well and should track accurately, so ultimately it's up to you to decide what's more important.

The PST 2 is a bit different than those 2 in that it has all the features of the XTR II and better glass than the XTR II, but not as good of build quality as either of them. All 3 are roughly the same price.

The Nikon FX1000 is in last place on your list. I've looked through one and it's fine. Nothing special, but decent for the money.

If you can afford the ATACR, get it. If you can't, decide what's important. Are you going to beat the scope up - then pick between the XTR2 and SWFA on glass & features. If not, then the PST2 is a really good overall package.

Re: Scope options [Re: redchevy] #7488571 04/16/19 11:53 AM
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If you're not using Cabelas points, I've seen 4-16 ATACR models go on snipers hide for less than $2k in great condition. It's a stupidly good scope for that price, and the NF warranty means that it really doesn't matter if you buy it new or used. So I agree with dee that I'd probably consider a 4-16 ATACR as well. I've seen 5-25 models go for $2k with the mil-R, which is actually a decent reticle. You're going to pay a little more for the mil-C, but it's worth it to me if I was spending that much.

I agree that the MK5 reticles are enough for me to skip out on it. I can live with mediocre reticles up to about $1k. If I'm spending $2k & up, I wouldn't want to feel like I was making any compromises.

Re: Scope options [Re: redchevy] #7488621 04/16/19 12:52 PM
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I know what I want lol and I can afford it. I don't need it and im a tight azz, so we will see what I end up with. Going to take some more time make sure I get to compare all of them in person, weigh out others recommendations and see where it goes. Ive got about $600 in cabelas bucks so its something, but on a 3000+ scope it does seem insignificant lol.


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Re: Scope options [Re: redchevy] #7488743 04/16/19 02:15 PM
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Saw a used (who cares?) 5-25X ATACR F-1 Mil-C for $2500 yesterday.

Save your Cabela points for some things you HAVE to buy retail.


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Re: Scope options [Re: redchevy] #7488774 04/16/19 02:41 PM
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Where is a good place to find used scopes?


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Re: Scope options [Re: redchevy] #7488795 04/16/19 03:00 PM
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SWFA samplelist

Re: Scope options [Re: redchevy] #7488926 04/16/19 04:46 PM
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I realize it's only 5Mils per rev, but this should be a consideration:

https://www.samplelist.com/bushnell-3-5-21x50-elite-tactical-dmr-34mm-riflescope-demo-b.html


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Re: Scope options [Re: redchevy] #7489024 04/16/19 06:31 PM
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Originally Posted by redchevy
Where is a good place to find used scopes?


Go to 24 HCF classifieds. There have been a couple of 4.5-18x LRHSi scopes for sale there around $800....like new. Bushy LRHSi's are very hard to beat at any price, at $800 it's a steal.

Re: Scope options [Re: redchevy] #7489190 04/16/19 09:29 PM
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Camera Land is now a Nightforce dealer. If you're not in a big hurry, sign up for their emails and wait on a demo Nightforce to come up. I've bought a $1200 pair of binos for $800 and an $800 scope for $600 from them. Both had been out of the box and handled, but you couldn't tell it. Both came with full factory warranties and all of the goodies that are usually in the box.


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Re: Scope options [Re: redchevy] #7490608 04/18/19 12:44 PM
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My current scope is an swfa 3-15 and I just started using a loaner xtr 5-25 for about 100 rounds. The longest, reasonably accessible range for me only goes out to 600yd. Obviously I think about the my purchase just like any good ole gun guy.

Obviously the high end NF is the best but I don't think I feel comfortable spending that much money yet, and yes the $600 seems inconsequential to this one. It's still based on the idea that there is far more things, some of them for free, that can be done to make the results down range better before the difference in optics performance becomes the limiting factor.
So of the the remainder, I think I'd go the swfa. Primarily because my lower quality version has been very good to me and, I do hate that it might even possibly stroke this person's ego a little bit, because of Fireman's experiences and feelings on the scope. Followed closely by the xtr because I love oversized objective lens and scopes.


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Re: Scope options [Re: redchevy] #7490664 04/18/19 01:53 PM
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I find that post a bit confusing, whose ego is getting stroked? What is your opinion on the xtr vs SWFA?

I like the feedback on the swfa, the price is good for the quality it offers, but I really do not like that it doesn't have a zero stop.


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