Newbie here - howdy!

[grey2112]

Just getting into long range shooting/varmint hunting and would love some advice.

Considering my first true long-range gun and I think I've decided on a Tikka Varmint in .308, Stainless Steel. Probably going to get it bead-blasted non-reflective so the heat shimmer/mirage off the barrel won't be as much of an issue.

Scope choice is a female-dog, though. I've got a nice 3-9x40 Zeiss Conquest, but I would like up to a 16x scope, maybe 30mm tube, so I won't have to get a sloped base.

I have a 1000 yard range nearby and plan on firing out to that range.


Trying to decide between a Zeiss 4.5-14x40 scope (1" tube, so may have to get 20MOA base) vs. a X.O.T.I.C. scope - 4-16x56, 30mm, mildot reticle.

Pretty huge differences here - in price, features, MOA adjustments, WEIGHT, ring height needed (56 mm obj is pretty **** big) etc.

My BIGGEST desire in an optic is CLARITY and lens quality - I want the BEST lens quality for my money - and am willing to spend up to $800 for it (new or used).

Any ideas or suggestions greatly appreciated.

 

[James Jones]

well for just a tad over your budget Brownells has the IOR tactical scopes ,
6-24 x50mm , 30mm tube , some new ones have a 35mm tube!!
16" long and 26oz
Their glass is tope of the line , compaires to Ziess and NF from what i have seen.
Brownells price is $940

 

[Buffalobob]

Well, hello and welcome. There are a lot of 308 shooters here and when they get through marlim fishing I'm sure you'll get some advice.

If you want some advice to ignore, heres some. For long range (we will say under a 1000 yds) varmint hunting it is hard to beat some of the smaller calibers like 243, 257, 264 for just fun to shoot. I have had two 25-06s and it is a good varmint to mule deer cartridge. With the 75gr HP it will really smack a chuck. With 100 gr or 115 gr it is good for up to mule deer out to about 600 yards (energy goes away but then so does the 308 at about that distance). I don't shoot benchrest but I do not think that it is anybodies favorite BR cartridge but if you are just messing around at the range it is easy on your shoulder.

The 7mm Rem mag will keep energy out to about 1000yards. At one time in my life I was shooting a 7 mag with 115 gr speers HPs and 120 gr Hdy HPs at chucks and crows. It makes one helluva racket and but it kills what it hits. I do not exactly "enjoy" shooting the heavier high BC bullets at the range because a 7 mag will let you know that you have pulled the trigger.

Do not know 308 ballistics well but I suspect you will need the 20 MOA base. Under the long range optics there was a discussion a couple of days ago about XOTIC scopes. You can look at that.

Anyway, I am mostly just killing time waiting on UPS to get here with some bullets and neck reamers, have a great day.

 

[4ked Horn]

Welcome Grey

 

[grey2112]

THanks for the warm welcome, guys. I found a GREAT deal here today (so glad I signed up) for a Zeiss Conquest 4.5-14x44 scope with Z-plex reticle and side focus. I think I still may want to get eventually either the XOTIC or a really nice (Zeiss, Sightron, Burris Black Diamond) 6-24x scope, but that will have to wait.

Now, I need to find myself a nice .308 Tikka, and maybe a different sort of varmint gun (.223, .25-06, ???)

If anyone can steer me to someone who has a Varmint model Tikka for sale, I'd be much obliged!

 

[Whitewolf393]

Buffalo Bob,

Whereabouts do you live? I'm up in Alexandria, VA. I noticed your address was the Potomac River.

 

[jb1000br]

[ QUOTE ]
THanks for the warm welcome, guys. I found a GREAT deal here today (so glad I signed up) for a Zeiss Conquest 4.5-14x44 scope with Z-plex reticle and side focus. I think I still may want to get eventually either the XOTIC or a really nice (Zeiss, Sightron, Burris Black Diamond) 6-24x scope, but that will have to wait.

Now, I need to find myself a nice .308 Tikka, and maybe a different sort of varmint gun (.223, .25-06, ???)

If anyone can steer me to someone who has a Varmint model Tikka for sale, I'd be much obliged!

[/ QUOTE ]


Grey -- while you are at it, check out www.snipershide.com on the forums for LOTS of info on the XOTIC

once you get MROE POWER, you keep wanting MORE -- luckily im at about as far as we can take it in a scope at 42-50x /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

it is addictive when you can see you holes in white paper to 1000yds in good conditions /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Seems the XOTIC glass is SUPERB, so say several people i trust, but havent seen it myself.

cheers,
JB

 

[Mysticplayer]

For scopes in this price range, consider the Nikon Tactical, IOR, Super Sniper and Xotic. The super sniper has very useable optics and priced right. They work very well but a fixed mag.

If you want a LR varmint rifle, the 308 will limit you a lot once you go past 500yds. Wind drift is just too high for pop can size targets.

Consider the 6mm and 6.5's that are used in 1000yd BR shooting. They are shooting these for a reason. No shortage of info in old posts or at BRCentral.com.

For factory rds, consider the 243, 260Rem, 7-08. For wildcats, 6BR and stretched versions, 6.5 Mystic and 6.5-243 AI versions, 6.5 -284.

I have shot and owned many 308's so have lots of experience with this rd. There is simply no comparison in wind drift when compared to these other cals.

If you don't mind the 308 ballistics, then consider a fast twist 223 and launch 75 to 80gr slugs. Same ballistics, less recoil, and cost.

Jerry

 

[Buffalobob]

Re: whitewolf

Whitewolf

Do you have a silver dollar?

Climb up to the roof of the pentagon, face north and fling that dollar across the river as hard as you can. If you throw it far enough I'll catch it.

 

[Whitewolf393]

Re: whitewolf

Buffalo Bob,

Let me know which day you'll be in your front yard, and I'll toss it out and up for you to nail in flight :]

Seriously, if you're that close, we ought to drive some tacks sometime.

 

[Buffalobob]

Re: whitewolf

Where do you go to shoot?

I usually go up above Frederick to Cresap but it is only 100yds. I am trying to get a couple of guns ready and go up to Mifflin Ghog shoot. Probably go late June or middle of July. I have a lot of work to do first getting scopes set up and loads tested.

 

[Whitewolf393]

Re: whitewolf

Yeah, I'm contemplating getting up to that shoot myself, but I don't really have the equipment right now, much less set up at all. One of these days, though.

 

[Dave King]

Re: whitewolf

Grey

Welcome to LRH.



BB and WW

Next time you're thinking about heading up toward Frederick to shoot let me know, I'm pretty close aand maybe we can try to get a place for a groundhog or two.

 

[Buffalobob]

Re: whitewolf

Dave

I am off to Pa. this weekend on a white water rafting trip with the Boyscouts. If you see the river in the background of CraigP40's post on the Chris Matthews loaner rifle, I hope he is not shooting turtles whem we come floating by. We will probably be somewhere around Ohiopyle which is a good ways on down the river from him.

After that trip is over I probably have two more sessions at Cresap at 100yds and then will need to find some place to get dialed in at 300 and 500yds. Maybe I'll check back with you next week when I am more clear about what my schedule is.

Do you know any good places to shoot 500 yds? I am not adverse to driving a few hours to get to where ever I need to go.