Because my dumb butt went to DSC this past weekend in Atlanta and looked thru some other brands. Trust me, I've never had NF let me down. I'm just a tinkerer…
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Help with what to top a new build…
- Thread starter jayjay24
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lancetkenyon
Well-Known Member
The main questions that NEEDS answered is FFP or SFP? I know you said you are a SFP guy, but not opposed to going FFP, but that is not an actual preference. Also, what is an acceptable magnification range for you? 3-15? 4-16? 5-20? 5-25?
Also, with the short/light rifle, I am going to assume you want a shorter/lighter scope?
Weight limit? 22oz? 30oz? 36oz? Or does weight not matter for the right scope?
For $2000-3500, is that just scope? Or rings and level included?
Most high end scopes now have MOA versions available. So finding one is possible in the true top tier scopes. But MIL usually has more options available for reticle choices.
One last question. How much elevation travel do you realistically need? Is 40MOA of elevation adjustment going to be enough?
So, here are my recommendations.
1. Used Tangent Theta TT315M or TT315H. In my opinion, the best hunting scope ever made. Not ridculously light, but at 28OZ, not bad. Best glass, turrets, and ergonomics ever made. True tracking, RTZ, and absolutely unmatched clarity. I have found parallax beyond 350 to infinity needs no adjustment. I own 5 of these scopes. But, they are FFP only. And "ONLY have 12MIL/40MOA elevation adjustment. I shoot my 6CM to 1400 with one. Have to dial 12MIL, and hold an additional 1MIL. There is an MOA version. Finding used will be difficult, but persistance can pay off. New price is in the $4100-4400 range + tax. Used can be had for $3000-4000 when you find them. Some guys want more than 15X on the top end. I am fine with making hits on small steel and small to medium game out to 1400+. Give me an ultra clear 15X over a blurry 25X all day long.
2. ZCO. I have a couple of the ZCO420, and have shot behind several of the ZCO527s. They are not light. The 420 is decently short. They are not cheap. But they are spectacular, turrets are amazing, tracking is perfect, glass is unreal, and FOV seems wider than it should be. If you can find one used, snatch it up, but they are very rare to find used for a reason. New price is above your budget @ $3800-5000 range.
3. Schmidt & Bender. There are several candidates. Your budget will limit some choices. Look for used. All my S&Bs were used except for one.
PMII 5-20x50US is short, lightish, and unreal glass and turrets. But mounting is difficult. So make sure it fits. I have one.
PMII 3-20x50US. A bit longer than the 5-20US, but easier to mount. Same quality. I have one.
3-18x42 Meta. No first hand experience. But it is a S&B. Eurooptic has one on sale right now for $1900.
3-21x52 Exos. SFP, and amazing scope. I have shot behind two of these. If I was a SFP guy, I would own a bunch of these. I think you would need to find one used.
4. March has a few good offerings.
March F 3-24x52 FFP is a good, light, short scope. There is also a SFP 2.5-25x52 version.
The March FX 4.5-28x52WA is better in every aspect except weight. The High Master glass and wide angle are well worth the added weight. I had a March F 3-24x52 for a few years. Sold it due to clarity wants. I now have a March FX 4.5-28x52WA. I won't be selling this one.
The March Compact 1.5-15x42 SFP MOA or MIL and March FX 1.5-15x42 FFP MIL Only. Both are very short @ 10.6" and limited on mounting real estate (4.7" total), so make sure it will fit on your action. I haven't seen one in person though. ED glass is not the same as the High Master. If it came in a HM glass, I would probably own a couple on some short rifles of my own.
5. Kahles K318i is a good choice. I have one, and I like it. FFP only, MIL or MOA available. You can find used fairly easy too. I got mine for $2000, worth every penny. New price is a little steeper than I think they warrant.
6. There is a used Premier Heritage Light Tactical for sale here on the site. It is the older brother to the TT315M. I have one, Used more than any 5 of my other scopes combined. Good price @ $1800. But, no warranty as the company went out of business about 14 years ago I think. But absolutely unreal glass, perfect tracking, and 27oz. "ONLY" 12MIL elevation, just like the TT315M. https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/premier-reticle-heritage-lt-3-15x50.375683/
I also have a Premier Heritage 5-25x56. Probably the best scope I own.
7. NF ATACR 4-20x50. Not real light, not real short, but a good scope. Way better glass than the NXS/NX8 lines. To me, this mag range is about as perfect as you can ask for when shooting to 1400+ and hunting. I would take this over the 3-15 and 5-25 version all day.
A few other mentions that I don't have a lot of experience with, but would suit you fine.
Here are some lesser quality scopes that are more in or below your budget that might deserve a look.
NF NX8 2.5-20x50. I have two of these on short/light/shorter range rifles. The glass is NXS glass, not the ATACR glass unfortunately. Glass, to me, is just OK. Noticeably less clear than all of the above scopes. I was actually fairly disappointed on a recent coyote trip. I could not pick up a coyote in the sage brush at 770 yards that I could easily see through my 10X binos. But, I have made hits on coyotes at 750+, and on steel way out to 1400 no problem on other days. You can pick these up used from under $1500, or new for $2000. MOA and MIL, SFP or FFP. These are as "cheap" as I go personally. I have shot behind a ton of the 4-32x50 and 2.5-20x50. Eurooptic has a bunch on sale right now for $1600.
Trijicon 10 Mile. I have only shot behind two, but I was fairly impressed for the price point.
Bushnell Elite Tactical
Swarovski Z5i
Leica Amplus
Zeiss Conquest V6 (SFP), Victory V8, or LRP (FFP)
US Optics. I haven't looked through one in years, but they used to be good scopes.
I am going to catch a lot of responses to this saying "I love mine, no issues for years".
But, I have a really hard time (or I flat out won't) recommending Leupold, Vortex, and Steiner*. I have seen WAY too many go down. Not just reading about them on the internet. I have seen brand new out of the box go down.
My Steiner was OK, I just had a first run of the T5Xi, and it went back to Steiner 3X and never was right. So it left a very sour taste in my mouth. I had it for 6 months, and sold it for a $700 loss. I have heard great things about the Steiner MX lines, however.
Also, with the short/light rifle, I am going to assume you want a shorter/lighter scope?
Weight limit? 22oz? 30oz? 36oz? Or does weight not matter for the right scope?
For $2000-3500, is that just scope? Or rings and level included?
Most high end scopes now have MOA versions available. So finding one is possible in the true top tier scopes. But MIL usually has more options available for reticle choices.
One last question. How much elevation travel do you realistically need? Is 40MOA of elevation adjustment going to be enough?
So, here are my recommendations.
1. Used Tangent Theta TT315M or TT315H. In my opinion, the best hunting scope ever made. Not ridculously light, but at 28OZ, not bad. Best glass, turrets, and ergonomics ever made. True tracking, RTZ, and absolutely unmatched clarity. I have found parallax beyond 350 to infinity needs no adjustment. I own 5 of these scopes. But, they are FFP only. And "ONLY have 12MIL/40MOA elevation adjustment. I shoot my 6CM to 1400 with one. Have to dial 12MIL, and hold an additional 1MIL. There is an MOA version. Finding used will be difficult, but persistance can pay off. New price is in the $4100-4400 range + tax. Used can be had for $3000-4000 when you find them. Some guys want more than 15X on the top end. I am fine with making hits on small steel and small to medium game out to 1400+. Give me an ultra clear 15X over a blurry 25X all day long.
2. ZCO. I have a couple of the ZCO420, and have shot behind several of the ZCO527s. They are not light. The 420 is decently short. They are not cheap. But they are spectacular, turrets are amazing, tracking is perfect, glass is unreal, and FOV seems wider than it should be. If you can find one used, snatch it up, but they are very rare to find used for a reason. New price is above your budget @ $3800-5000 range.
3. Schmidt & Bender. There are several candidates. Your budget will limit some choices. Look for used. All my S&Bs were used except for one.
PMII 5-20x50US is short, lightish, and unreal glass and turrets. But mounting is difficult. So make sure it fits. I have one.
PMII 3-20x50US. A bit longer than the 5-20US, but easier to mount. Same quality. I have one.
3-18x42 Meta. No first hand experience. But it is a S&B. Eurooptic has one on sale right now for $1900.
3-21x52 Exos. SFP, and amazing scope. I have shot behind two of these. If I was a SFP guy, I would own a bunch of these. I think you would need to find one used.
4. March has a few good offerings.
March F 3-24x52 FFP is a good, light, short scope. There is also a SFP 2.5-25x52 version.
The March FX 4.5-28x52WA is better in every aspect except weight. The High Master glass and wide angle are well worth the added weight. I had a March F 3-24x52 for a few years. Sold it due to clarity wants. I now have a March FX 4.5-28x52WA. I won't be selling this one.
The March Compact 1.5-15x42 SFP MOA or MIL and March FX 1.5-15x42 FFP MIL Only. Both are very short @ 10.6" and limited on mounting real estate (4.7" total), so make sure it will fit on your action. I haven't seen one in person though. ED glass is not the same as the High Master. If it came in a HM glass, I would probably own a couple on some short rifles of my own.
5. Kahles K318i is a good choice. I have one, and I like it. FFP only, MIL or MOA available. You can find used fairly easy too. I got mine for $2000, worth every penny. New price is a little steeper than I think they warrant.
6. There is a used Premier Heritage Light Tactical for sale here on the site. It is the older brother to the TT315M. I have one, Used more than any 5 of my other scopes combined. Good price @ $1800. But, no warranty as the company went out of business about 14 years ago I think. But absolutely unreal glass, perfect tracking, and 27oz. "ONLY" 12MIL elevation, just like the TT315M. https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/premier-reticle-heritage-lt-3-15x50.375683/
I also have a Premier Heritage 5-25x56. Probably the best scope I own.
7. NF ATACR 4-20x50. Not real light, not real short, but a good scope. Way better glass than the NXS/NX8 lines. To me, this mag range is about as perfect as you can ask for when shooting to 1400+ and hunting. I would take this over the 3-15 and 5-25 version all day.
A few other mentions that I don't have a lot of experience with, but would suit you fine.
Here are some lesser quality scopes that are more in or below your budget that might deserve a look.
NF NX8 2.5-20x50. I have two of these on short/light/shorter range rifles. The glass is NXS glass, not the ATACR glass unfortunately. Glass, to me, is just OK. Noticeably less clear than all of the above scopes. I was actually fairly disappointed on a recent coyote trip. I could not pick up a coyote in the sage brush at 770 yards that I could easily see through my 10X binos. But, I have made hits on coyotes at 750+, and on steel way out to 1400 no problem on other days. You can pick these up used from under $1500, or new for $2000. MOA and MIL, SFP or FFP. These are as "cheap" as I go personally. I have shot behind a ton of the 4-32x50 and 2.5-20x50. Eurooptic has a bunch on sale right now for $1600.
Trijicon 10 Mile. I have only shot behind two, but I was fairly impressed for the price point.
Bushnell Elite Tactical
Swarovski Z5i
Leica Amplus
Zeiss Conquest V6 (SFP), Victory V8, or LRP (FFP)
US Optics. I haven't looked through one in years, but they used to be good scopes.
I am going to catch a lot of responses to this saying "I love mine, no issues for years".
But, I have a really hard time (or I flat out won't) recommending Leupold, Vortex, and Steiner*. I have seen WAY too many go down. Not just reading about them on the internet. I have seen brand new out of the box go down.
My Steiner was OK, I just had a first run of the T5Xi, and it went back to Steiner 3X and never was right. So it left a very sour taste in my mouth. I had it for 6 months, and sold it for a $700 loss. I have heard great things about the Steiner MX lines, however.
