Advice on Scope Welcomed

[Small Lady]

Again, thanks to you all for the suggestions.
I have ordered a Leupold 3-15 56mm, which is less magnification than was my original plan, but seems overall to be a good place to start. In the future if I want a more powerful, or better scope, this would also be good on my 30-30. I liked the lighted red dot as well, and how it looks. At 22 ounces it's neither light weight, nor heavy.
Also went with the monocular Leica Rangemaster 2800.

Next is a great strap and bipod.

 

[ShtrRdy]

Again, thanks to you all for the suggestions.
I have ordered a Leupold 3-15 56mm, which is less magnification than was my original plan, but seems overall to be a good place to start. In the future if I want a more powerful, or better scope, this would also be good on my 30-30. I liked the lighted red dot as well, and how it looks. At 22 ounces it's neither light weight, nor heavy.
Also went with the monocular Leica Rangemaster 2800.

Next is a great strap and bipod.

Great choices! Have fun with those sweet optics.

I assume the scope is a VX-5HD?

 

[Tom264]

I've got a Leica 1200 crf.
Very very happy with it.
I think you'll be happy with your Leica.

 

[Small Lady]

Great choices! Have fun with those sweet optics.

I assume the scope is a VX-5HD?

Correct.

Wasn't sure that it came in another model number from Leupold to be honest.
The store only had their demo model left, so I ordered one yesterday, should arrive by Friday.
A coworker has this same scope on his 6.5 and has been kind enough to let me look at it lots, through it lots, explaining the adjustments to me patiently, and let me put 10 rounds through it.

Who knows what the future may hold for me, but this will be an excellent beginning at the very least.

Being on sale for $1950 doesn't hurt either.
This is a pic of the tag attached to the store demo with exactly what it is if interested.

 

[Small Lady]

I've got a Leica 1200 crf.
Very very happy with it.
I think you'll be happy with your Leica.

Yes, Leica seems to make nice stuff.
I'm excited to get it, and learn how to download info onto it from my phone.
Once programmed to what I am shooting, it should make calculations easy enough.

 

[victor3ranger]

Again, thanks to you all for the suggestions.
I have ordered a Leupold 3-15 56mm, which is less magnification than was my original plan, but seems overall to be a good place to start. In the future if I want a more powerful, or better scope, this would also be good on my 30-30. I liked the lighted red dot as well, and how it looks. At 22 ounces it's neither light weight, nor heavy.
Also went with the monocular Leica Rangemaster 2800.

Next is a great strap and bipod.

My advice is probably going to be the cheaper route

 

[victor3ranger]

Yes, Leica seems to make nice stuff.
I'm excited to get it, and learn how to download info onto it from my phone.
Once programmed to what I am shooting, it should make calculations easy enough.

The Leica system is going to really be nice to have

 

[victor3ranger]

Correct.

Wasn't sure that it came in another model number from Leupold to be honest.
The store only had their demo model left, so I ordered one yesterday, should arrive by Friday.
A coworker has this same scope on his 6.5 and has been kind enough to let me look at it lots, through it lots, explaining the adjustments to me patiently, and let me put 10 rounds through it.

Who knows what the future may hold for me, but this will be an excellent beginning at the very least.

Being on sale for $1950 doesn't hurt either.
This is a pic of the tag attached to the store demo with exactly what it is if interested.
View attachment 500293

I am going to play with my old school stuff and see if I can push this new rifle out to as far as I can starting tomorrow

 

[bonie]

I've been looking in to an upgrade scope for 1 of my rifles. I found the that the Meopta's glass are made in the same factory as Sworovski.
I've also ready the Sworovski may have had some glass made thru other sources and people have been sending them back due to no. clearness.

 

[highfinblue]

Leupold and Nightforce have always worked for me. You have so many things to consider and they have been addressed here; if you're talking about shooting at distance, and seeing as you're beginning, that would require tons of practice and you could use some good instruction, go with the glass in the 1-2 thousand US range, and buy you a good range finder. Practice practice practice. Watch tons of videos from guys like those at gunwerks, and other expert long range shooters, if that's where you want to go with it. There's nothing better than the smell of freshly burnt gunpowder.

 

[Darryle]

View attachment 500293

Don't order the CDS dial until the barrel speeds up and settles in. I am not sure on the 7 PRC, but you could be getting close and then verify the data once you have settled on a load.

 

[Hugnot]

Lots of $$ spent upon looking at previous.

Most of my shooting is at steel & paper in preparation to rodent shoots.

The maximum I will pay is $400. I have a bunch of Sighton STAC scopes with MOA 2 & 3 reticles and I am very happy with them. The rodents are tiny targets shot at ranges up to 600 yards, have brown/gray fur that blends in with dirt surroundings and light conditions are often poor. These scopes have excellent tracking, important when revisiting sites where ranges are known, like a hit on first round fired. The 1/4 MOA dot MOA reticles are perfect for this type of shooting. Glass is adequate. These scopes have big ugly dial/adjustment caps and difficult to turn side focus knobs, and goofy marked adjustment dials/knobs.

I also have assorted lower to middle price range Leupold scopes, acquired used, glass is very good but other stuff can be improved.

I have 1 SWFA SS 16X42 Mil Quad, it always works but my other scopes are nicer. My max price that I would pay for a SWFA SS scope would be $200, not $300. I paid less than $200, for my SWFA scope, used. I like the Milrad reticle combined with the .1 Milrad click adjustments. Glass is only adequate. I could do all my shooting with a fixed power 16X50, 30 mm tube scope.

I am not a big fan of CDS type scopes or reticles designed for specific loads because stuff seems to be always changing (dynamic). I prefer Mlrad reticles & .1 Milrad clicks. I like scope exit pupils (objective lens diameter/ power) 2.5mm or bigger at max power.

That big Leu 3-15X56 on a 30-30 would be like dropping a 450 cu inch V8 into a Nash Rambler. We strive to live in a society having freedom of choice. The big Leu 3-15X56 with its big objective & hi quality glass would be great for dim light targets.

 

[Bob Milek]

Good advice, and the Leica monocular range finder I've borrowed a few times seems ideal, and fits in my jacket pocket. After reading, and talking to people who have more experience with scopes, i may choose to start at a lover magnification also, say 3 to 15.
Nightforce, Vortex, and Leupold, seem to get mentioned a lot as good choices, and they seem to run around the $2000 area, plus or minus a few hundred dollars.
And you're right, some people seem to end up with a large collection of rifles. Although I doubt that I will ever have many, maybe someday I would buy something a bit smaller caliber, and if not thrilled with my scope choice then, could put it on wherever future rifle i may get, and upgrade the 7mm scope at that time.

Something half way between a 30-30 and 7mm prc is a future possibility.
Definitely not looking for anything more than I have, but also never see myself as a hoarder who has a dozen plus.

Lol, many thought they'd not end up with a large collection of firearms. But, dear lady, you've fallen into a black hole here, and will likely continue to acquire more. As you mentioned, NF, Vortex, Leupold all are good. As are Zeiss, Burris, etc. Have some of each on rifles, all function well for me. As mentioned by several- try to look through as many as you can, and pick one you are comfortable with. The appearance of the reticle will also be a factor. Many on this forum are long range shooters, who utilize the adjustable turrets, etc. I find personally that in hunting situations, a simpler reticle and hold over are quicker and more useful out to 500 yards. I don't shoot at game further than that- too many other factors to consider beyond that (my opinion only). Many tactical type scopes and long range target scopes will have reticles that clutter the look in the scope more than I care for. Warranties are typically very good with the majority of optics manufacturers.

 

[Bob Milek]

I have two (2) Sig Sauer 4.5-14x50's with the BDX system that are fantastic when paired with Sig's bdx/kilo rangefinder's. See the links below #1 = scope, #2 = my rangefinder, and #3 = the concept of the really simple system.

SIERRA3BDX 4.5-14x50 MM

Disguised within the form factor of a traditional riflescope lies the power of the SIG SAUER BDX™

www.sigsauer.com

KILO5K

The first in the revolutionary new KILO(K) series.

www.sigsauer.com

Basically understand your ballistics, enter that data (only a few data points), pair the rangefinder with the scope, take a reading with the rangefinder and then the red dot automatically adjusts perpendicularly, and you put the dot on your target and fire. Really cool and very simple, which matters at the "moment of truth." They make a higher end version of my scope which might be of interest to you. Just a thought - have fun out there!!!

Check on the legality of this, however. Optics which calculate and indicate a sighting solution are not legal for use on big game in some areas.