Advice on Scope Welcomed

Small Lady said:
Hello, I'm new to the forum, and fairly new to shooting.
Having moved from a large city, and never shooting a gun before, to living on a huge acreage, and now a gun owner.

I first bought a 22 long rifle, then a lever 30-30, but a couple weeks ago bought a Christensen Ridgeline 7mm PRC.
My new Christensen is what I want to get the scope for.
My budget is up to $5000, I've heard there are scopes that cost triple that, but they're not for me.
I know that I want at least a 50mm if not 56mm so it is bright. Magnification from say 3, 4, or 5, up to 24 or more.

Do any good scopes have built in range finders?

I'm not very good at guessing distances.

Will any scope fit on my rifle?

I have shot a few peoples rifles this past year with scopes on them, and noticed a huge amount of quality difference when looking through them, between cheap, and more expensive.
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I'm going to limit this question to what you have asked and what I know, so my answers may seem a bit strange.

First, scopes and rangefinders are both rapidly developing technology. To buy a combo will leave you short technically in either or likely both. Also, displays inside optics usually hurt optical performance a lot, near the display. So, I would recommend something like the Vortex Impact or separate.

A Christianson rifle is a fine factory rifle. 7PRC is quite capable, but use a brake as a great rifle is lost on a struggling shooter.

I love the idea of spending $5000 CAD on an optic, but I suggest you don't.

I would suggest you look at your shooting process….reticle holds vs turret vs shorter ranges where you estimate drops on the target. Most newer shooters really cannot effectively get the best from a large system of rifle, optic, spotter, binoculars, rangefinder, ballistic computer, gun level, etc. Ahh heck most shooters with experience cannot make it all work with game in front of them or on a timer. Sometimes a simple range card is best.

I have never used a scope over $500 USD that didn't work pretty well.

To me, spending over $1000 is to get very specific reticle features, locking turrets, glass capability, etc. There are things even a $5000 scope cannot do.. without building skill up with basic optics through $5000 optics, I'm not sure I would clearly know why I don't value much of the higher end stuff. I do value Nightforce, but don't own do to price and some reticle concerns. Still tough as nails. Reliable as rain!

Probably, you need to focus on are you going to:
Wind - not worry about it, hold with reticle, dial turrets?
Elevation - hold over by reticle center on target, reticle holdover, or turn turrets?
 
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A lot of great optics out there--never wrong with Nightforce, Zeiss, Swarovski, any German glass--I have all the above on various rigs. That said, you might have a look at Leopold VX6 HD 3-18X50. Great glass, adjustable turrets, lightweight but strong, lifetime guarantee, and it runs around $1800-2000 USD. I have that scope on four custom rifles with either Talley or Warne rings. I love them. A little less costly but good quality is Viper Vortex HS-T 4-16 X 44, I have four of those on hunting rifles and they are great bang for your buck.
 
445 supermag said:
NF ATACR 5x25x56. This would match amazingly well with your 7 PRC. Amazingly well...Great scope and just about Bomb proof. Get a range finder with applied Ballistics software and learn to shoot. Better yet is take a shooting course and learn to read wind speeds. Kestrel also good but I have zero experience with one.
I have 2 NF ATACR 7x35x56 & 5x25x56 love them both.
I have 1 Vortex Razor gen 3 6x36x56 and absolutely love love it. Stupid amazing glass.

Best of luck
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Except the ATACR is quite heavy.
 
The Revic PMR will spoil you (revicoptics.com). It makes long range shooting so easy and is a top quality optic. This scope has a built in weather station, thermometer, compass, tilt meter, etc. All very important for long range shooting. For a new shooter, this scope calculates everything, except distance.

Burris makes a rangefinding scope. The Eliminator 4.
 
Welcome to the forum. I will first say that I have a Christensen Ridgeline in 7 Rem Mag and I really like it. It is very light and shoots amazingly well with my hand loaded ammo. Now that said I put a Nightforce NXS 5.5-22x50 Moar T on this rifle and at 30 oz. it just felt to big and top heavy on a light rifle. I later moved that scope to another gun and put a Leupold Mark 4 LRT 6.5-20x 50 with the impact 29 reticle at just 22 oz. The rifle caries and balances very well and I love that reticle. The hard part for you is already done and that's the funds, I would recommend a scope that weighs at 24 oz or less and if possible be patient, check out as many as you can before you buy. Many good options out there so best of luck. Jason
 

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