What is the best scope on the market PERIOD?

KSB209 said:
Where do you guys get to look through all this quality glass? I don't know many people around me that has such quality glass on their rifles. I am ready to spend some serious money on a long range scope but I don't know what to buy. There are zero shops in my area that has anything like USO, NF, or SB.

How does an average Joe get to see the optics if he doesn't know anyone that has them? I really don't want to drop $2500-$3000 on something I haven't been able to touch and feel.

I'm in Northenr CA so if anyone knows of a place I can check out high end optics please let me know
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Cabelas in Reno has Nightforce in quantity. Head to the optics counter and talk to Jim.
 
gebhardt02 said:
It's very hard to argue against the S&B 5-25 as that scope is continually picked among independent testers for all around optics, build quality, reliability, etc. There are other companies making huge strides to offseat the mighty S&B though. Kahles is continually refining their optics and now putting up some impressive numbers like over 95% light transmission and resolution numbers that match or beat the S&B. Even the Nightforce BEAST is hard to argue against, it just hasn't been in the "field" long enough to gain a reputation for reliability and durability, which are really the only two things I believe it has to earn. Vortex has even been stepping up big time, but I don't have any hands on experience with their new offering to make any comments.

If you want the best scope period, you'd be well served to compare price and features between the S&B and a Kahles K624i.

Geb
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I read your articles on the Steiner 3-15 and the BEAST. I very much appreciate your effort and attention to detail.

To what vintage NF F1 3.5-15 did you compare the Steiner?

Secondly, I want to point out people should consider where the repair facility is located. The scope may be sound but you might not be and when the rifle hits the ground you will cry out in pain. Then you will continue to cry for months if your scope has to go back to Europe or Asia.

Finally, consider these scopes are evolving continuously. They are pretty much obsolete by the time they hit your front porch. All this new stuff coming out you won't be able to get for a year or more. By then they'll be crowing about some other new stuff. They are currently all crazy about some flexible lens technology. I imagine we'll be able to get it in a decade.
 
The NF F1 was picked up new in 2012 at a precision rifle comp. So it was a new model and has been a very reliable scope, more so than some others I've had.

Some premium optics do have to go overseas for repair work, that's just the way things are. I wouldn't let that stop me necessarily on purchasing such an optic. I'd also look into return rates of the scopes I was looking at and turn around times for the company as well.

My reason for saying this is because I've had US made scopes fail and it was just easier for the company to send me a new one, after they had already had it a couple weeks. Something in the back of my mind tells me the scope must not cost too terrible much if they are so willing to just send out a new one instead of look into the reported fault and try to repair the scope. It was a tracking and return to zero issue the scope was sent in for. I've heard way too many similar issues with that company that I'm leery of trying another of their products, even if the company is US.

Geb
 
"BEST FOR THE MONEY"

Several reviews and one extensive test of tactical/long range scopes have named the Bushnell HDMR (& updated version, ERS) 3.5 - 21 X 50 as the best tactical LR scope for the money. The test I cite (See Long Range Hunting forum) placed the HDMR 9th out of 20 scopes tested.

DISCLOSURE: I own an ERS with an H59 reticle. Very good glass but needs to be ED glass. Shooting a square and a 5 mil "over and back" (two 3 shot groups) shows the adjustments to be exact. I just hope they stay that way. With the H59 reticle I won't need to use the turrets as much, thus minimizing wear.

BUT... should I finish my retirement program by winning the PowerBall lottery I'll get a S&B PMII, natch. I figure the US Marines have already done the testing for me so why not have the best?
 
I have a number of scopes. My two high end scopes are a S&B and a NF. The S&B has better glass and is my favorite scope...
 
MarkChambers said:
How do you like the Horus? I've never heard anyone with a take it or leave it opinion. It's love it or hate it.
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Do you mean liking the Horus scopes or the Horus mil-grid reticles or the concept of using a mil-grid reticle as an alternative to twiddling target knobs?

To use a mil-grid reticle effectively you need a method of converting range measured by some accurate method like a laser rangefinder into mils of drop which requires well prepared range cards or a computer and a method of determining wind deflection over the trajectory which requires good wind doping skills. Basically the same skills needed as to use target knobs. The mil-grid reticle simply short cuts time for using target knobs by simply moving the target to the right place on the mil-grid rather than counting turns and clicks.. It does not speed up determining the elevation and windage offset in mils that is needed for both methods.

One place the mil-grid reticle does offer a considerable advantage over other reticle systems is on taking second shots IF you can see the dust puff or mark mark from a first shot Then its just a matter of putting the reticle back where you aimed the first shot, noting the coordinates where you saw that shot impact, then moving tthat reticle position onto the target and firing again. that can be done in a couple of second Of course it assumes the conditions don't change it that time. Of course if you can't see the bullet impact that doesn't help. For target shooing where the conditions are changing constantly but the target isn't moving the mil-grid advantages disappear.

Best scope on the market PERIOD? I haven't seen any scope ON THE MARKET which can properly measure and correct for wind deflection over the trajectory in terrain where the wind is unlikely to be close to uniform. Measuring the wind at only the shooters location doesn't help much. No available system is better than a shooter skilled at doping wind. And any scope I've seen will break if you drop your rifle 6 feet scope first onto a boulder. So much for most rugged.
A very cheap scope will be best in dollars lost per drop.

That said the last two scopes I've purchased were Horus Raptors. One new and one "too cheap to pass up) One could argue the Falcon model is "better", but it's much heavier and bulkier and offers little advantage. I bought one of those first and still have it. No problems with any of them.

There are high end scopes which have Horus licensed reticles but I see little advantage in spending three times as much to get a US Optics or similar. For snob appeal maybe. but not for bringing home game. No scope is magic. none available can correct for atmospheric scintillation. none correct for fog, rain or snow obscuring obscuring the path. Bigger is just about always heavier and heavier is not best if it has to be carried.
 
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