Tikkamike
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I wish there was a "like" button on LRH
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IN your opinon what is the Best LR scope for under 1300
- Thread starter Greg Duerr
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Outlaw6.0
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mtntrapper1
Well-Known Member
I have 4 Vortex PST's 2 ea in 4-16, 2 ea 6-24, I have 4 NXS HS ZS 5.5x20,x 56 and 2 ATACR MOAR. The Vortex are no where near the overall performance of the NF scopes, reticles are far better for ELR on the NF. For the Money, the Vortex are very good, But they are not NF at all. The ATCAR scopes are amazing and have great dial up performance out to ELR.
Sully2
Well-Known Member
Zeiss..!
Greg Duerr
Well-Known Member
Check out www.bearbasin.net they have a sale going on for NF..................and have several used ones.
Greg Duerr
Well-Known Member
I really dont know, but my Leupold Var lll 4.5-14 just looks good on my rifle and out to 600yds ..................dont really feel that I need much more than that. I did have Leupold put a CDS turret on it and this will be my learning rifle/scope..........................................for out to 600yds and 600yds is a long long shot for me.
Last week I was shooting next to a guy at our Range that had a Custom 300 Win Mag with a NF Scope .............the expensive one 32x. HE was shooting at 1,000 yds.......... Now for me that is star wars, but when he asked me if I wanted to try three shots. .......................Well I came away from that little experiance with a whole new outlook on LR shooting. His trigger was set at 12oz..............and low and behold I hit the center of the target three times. Now, I can see that with the right set up 1,000 yard shots are very realistic.
Last week I was shooting next to a guy at our Range that had a Custom 300 Win Mag with a NF Scope .............the expensive one 32x. HE was shooting at 1,000 yds.......... Now for me that is star wars, but when he asked me if I wanted to try three shots. .......................Well I came away from that little experiance with a whole new outlook on LR shooting. His trigger was set at 12oz..............and low and behold I hit the center of the target three times. Now, I can see that with the right set up 1,000 yard shots are very realistic.
Will this do? .......................................................................... for now!
el matador
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- Jul 30, 2008
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- 647
I've been shooting a pair of 300 mags lately, one with a NF NXS and one with a PST. I've had a chance to compare them side by side numerous times and under a variety of conditions/ranges. I will say without question that the Nightforce has better glass. It also has a better zero stop and the side focus is easier to dial in. With that out of the way I do feel like the Vortex is an excellent scope for the money, and in fact a better value than the NF. It's also quite a bit lighter so I would prefer it for a gun I had to carry a lot.
I'm rearranging my hunting lineup and will need to buy scopes for a backpacking deer gun and a long range elk hammer in the near future. I'm planning to put Vortex scopes on both. I think they are better suited for carry guns shooting up to 800 yards. For something you don't carry very far or for ranges 1000 yards + I think the NF is a better choice.
I'm rearranging my hunting lineup and will need to buy scopes for a backpacking deer gun and a long range elk hammer in the near future. I'm planning to put Vortex scopes on both. I think they are better suited for carry guns shooting up to 800 yards. For something you don't carry very far or for ranges 1000 yards + I think the NF is a better choice.
Greg Duerr
Well-Known Member
I agree, nothing worse than a heavy rifle.........................
Greg Duerr
Well-Known Member
Just close your eyes and the first one you pick will be the right one.
It like discussing how many demons can dance on the head of a pin
It like discussing how many demons can dance on the head of a pin
Unofficial Gun Addict (UGA)
Well-Known Member
Ok... I'm going to break eggs here. The fact is that anyone that spends $1800+ dollars on a scope is going to defend the hell out of it when some joker suggests or outright says that his $1000 scope is just as good or better. The fact is that some scopes form and function exceed their price point, and some do not.
I've looked through an Nsx to compare it to a Vortex Razor I purchased and to be quite candid, there was very little difference if any at all. Both were super clear and I didn't have the evening post on a target at 1000 yards so I couldn't differentiate any discernible difference in optical clarity.
That being said... I sold my Razor and bought a viper pst ffp 6-24x50 mrad and I couldn't be happier. The glass is far better than decent. Reticle is outstanding. Adjustments are tactile and spot on. Now was it better than the razor with respect to optical clarity? Not sure... Sold the one to buy the other, but I can say that I haven't regretted the decision for one nanosecond since I made the decision.
The reason... the razor as well as the Nsx are built like tanks. I think you could beat them over a grizzly's head til it bled out and it'd be no worse for wear, BUT, and this is huge to me, all that durability comes with a weight cost. I plan to actually go out into the field and hunt. I plan on hiking up slopes and down the other side and both the nxs and razor feel like I've got a fat *** rock chuck hitching a ride on my receiver.
I traded down to the PST and the weight is perfectly balanced between what I consider durable and usable. Doesn't feel cheap, but doesn't feel like I'm carrying around an extra brick. I don't feel like I sacrificed anything and I'm very happy with the scope overall. If someone gave me an Nsx or razor, I'd sell them, get another pst and use the extra cash for a stock upgrade or grab some more brass and powder.
Now to each his own, but if you got a viper pst ffp and the glass looks bad... You got a lemon obviously. Send it in, but if you're implying that all pst glass is crap, I will stand up and beg to differ. I've always loved the bushnell elite glass, especially the 4200, and I have a closet full of them, but after getting the Vortex Viper and using it, well... I said it in other post... I think it's the only glass I'll be buying down the road.
I'm not some Vortex Viper supporter. I don't care who makes it, who else has it, or if it's the darling of the shooting community or not. What I do care about is that what I buy does what I need it to repeatedly and reliably. If it doesn't, I get rid of it. If it does, well... I keep it. The pst is a keeper in my book.
I've looked through an Nsx to compare it to a Vortex Razor I purchased and to be quite candid, there was very little difference if any at all. Both were super clear and I didn't have the evening post on a target at 1000 yards so I couldn't differentiate any discernible difference in optical clarity.
That being said... I sold my Razor and bought a viper pst ffp 6-24x50 mrad and I couldn't be happier. The glass is far better than decent. Reticle is outstanding. Adjustments are tactile and spot on. Now was it better than the razor with respect to optical clarity? Not sure... Sold the one to buy the other, but I can say that I haven't regretted the decision for one nanosecond since I made the decision.
The reason... the razor as well as the Nsx are built like tanks. I think you could beat them over a grizzly's head til it bled out and it'd be no worse for wear, BUT, and this is huge to me, all that durability comes with a weight cost. I plan to actually go out into the field and hunt. I plan on hiking up slopes and down the other side and both the nxs and razor feel like I've got a fat *** rock chuck hitching a ride on my receiver.
I traded down to the PST and the weight is perfectly balanced between what I consider durable and usable. Doesn't feel cheap, but doesn't feel like I'm carrying around an extra brick. I don't feel like I sacrificed anything and I'm very happy with the scope overall. If someone gave me an Nsx or razor, I'd sell them, get another pst and use the extra cash for a stock upgrade or grab some more brass and powder.
Now to each his own, but if you got a viper pst ffp and the glass looks bad... You got a lemon obviously. Send it in, but if you're implying that all pst glass is crap, I will stand up and beg to differ. I've always loved the bushnell elite glass, especially the 4200, and I have a closet full of them, but after getting the Vortex Viper and using it, well... I said it in other post... I think it's the only glass I'll be buying down the road.
I'm not some Vortex Viper supporter. I don't care who makes it, who else has it, or if it's the darling of the shooting community or not. What I do care about is that what I buy does what I need it to repeatedly and reliably. If it doesn't, I get rid of it. If it does, well... I keep it. The pst is a keeper in my book.
I can think of one:
A heavy rifle that isn't very accurate, I've humped a Barrett up and down mountains.
I know all about the whole "ounces equals pounds and pounds equals pain."
But like was stated by Jbo above, you could beat a grizzly over the head with a Nightforce and still feel confident in performance. I'm not knocking lower cost/quality scopes, I only have one Nightforce. I was actually going to sell my MK4 and get a PST but decided on going up instead of supposedly going down. The two times I have went to Colorado elk hunting the MK4's have failed me the week before leaving. I just wouldn't have the confidence in a PST, not to put what I do into an out of state hunt. Trust me, I wish I didn't have to pay for confidence but in this case I agree in you get what you pay for.
Greg Duerr
Well-Known Member
I hunted for years with a Weaver V16 loved that scope until someone told me it was junk................Spent about $250 for a better scope that I could not tell any difference other than the fact that it had a Gold Ring..................I still miss that Scope. Served me well, and never had a single issue with it................but I have never had a issue with the one with the Gold Ring either.
Hondo64d
Well-Known Member
I'm gonna elaborate on the Bushnell LRHS.
George Gardner of GA Precision and Pat Sinclair, as I understand it, a Govt Trapper and Hunter and avid Long Range Hunter got with Bushnell to design the ultimate long range hunting scope. The result is the Bushnell LRHS. I have one and can honestly say they hit it out of the park. The adjustments are superb. It tracks accurately and returns to zero reliably. The optics are superb, rivaling any Zeiss I have ever owned. You get 10 mils of adjustment in one revolution. It has a very nice zero stop. Windage turret is low profile and capped. You can dial for windage if you want but the reticle lends itself very well for holding windage. The reticle is well thought out having a thick donut for close range low light use. The rest of the reticle subtends small enough as to not obscure long range targets. It is built like a tank. While kinda heavy, that bears witness to robust tube and components which add to reliability. The turret markings are large and easily readable in low light.
At current street prices, about $1k, it is an absolute steal! If considering a Long Range Hunting Scope, you would be doing yourself a disservice if you did not at least evaluate a Bushnell LRHS to see if it meets your needs.
Here's some links:
Bushnell - LRHS 3-12x 44mm
New Optic From Bushnell, The LRHS
Another LRHS version from Bushnell 4.5x-18x, MOA too!
John
