PRS Talk 3-18 for PRS?

[Macintosh]

Hoping to get some feedback. I’m a new shooter to the PRS thing, I’ve done a handful of days shooting to 1000m or so with my hunting rifle, shot a seasons worth of nrl22 matches (winter season for me) and just shot my first prs match using a borrowed rifle. Id like to put together a prs rifle of my own. Im on a budget, but also dont want to buy something I’ll regret. I think I would probably go bigger on a scope first than rifle, as I can build up a rifle a little more incrementally, and a good scope can get taken off my centerfile rifle to go on the 22 for the winter. As Im looking around Im finding that I can probably get more scope for the $ by going down in magnification a bit—say, from a 5-25-ish down to a 3-18ish. So far Ive been using a 3-12 for nrl or a 2-10 on my hunting rifle, or the borrowed gun with a 4.5-27. I also see the other thread here on scope power used in prs where many people are saying they only go above 18-20x in very specific cases.
So, what say everyone—in the long run if I decide to “buy once cry once” will I be happy with a high quality (say razor hd g2-ish) slightly lower power scope, or will I likely decide that I need the higher powered optic at some point?

 

[021411]

If there’s no rush on getting a scope, save your lunch money and get the best glass you can afford. As far as power, that’s up to you. I like having the extra power when I need to spot or zoom in on something to take a look. I have a 5-25 ATACR. Otherwise I’m backed way off in the 11-14 range 99% of the time.

 

[JC0352]

Disclaimer: I’m not a “PRS” shooter. I’ve only attended 4 local 1-day matches last year. I was always at 15x or below for nearly everything.

Sold my 5-25 PST Gen 2 and purchased a 3-18 Razor. I wanted the 4.5-27 but everywhere it was out of stock, and I was impatient. Knowing I’m usually shooting at lower magnification and after taking my new scope out to 1,000 yards, I have no regrets. It’ll do the job nicely.

 

[Bender]

3-18 is plenty of power. The XTR III looks promising.

 

[davsco]

personally i like a little more juice past 800 or so. had 5.5-22 nf nxs and now 4.5-27 vortex razor hd2. you can always dial it down...

 

[Macintosh]

Thanks guys, I guess what I’m really asking is if you had to choose between a slightly lower quality but higher powered optic, versus a better quality but slightly lower powered optic, assuming you were going to live with this as your only prs scope for at least several years, how much pause would this give you and which decision would you make? Since this is the only rifle of this type I would own, waiting longer is an option but it means simply not shooting these events for the season as my hunting rifle is so light that it’s simply not realistic to shoot that much without getting the snot beat out of me and my budget is my budget.

 

[Dthomas3523]

Thanks guys, I guess what I’m really asking is if you had to choose between a slightly lower quality but higher powered optic, versus a better quality but slightly lower powered optic, assuming you were going to live with this as your only prs scope for at least several years, how much pause would this give you and which decision would you make? Since this is the only rifle of this type I would own, waiting longer is an option but it means simply not shooting these events for the season as my hunting rifle is so light that it’s simply not realistic to shoot that much without getting the snot beat out of me and my budget is my budget.

Need to know which optics you’re comparing.

Some I would say yes, go with the higher power and others I’d say get the lower power, higher quality optic.

 

[Macintosh]

Im not wedded to any particular brand, but i am looking at $1k scopes such as pstg2’s, burris xtr2, some of the athlon scopes, etc and possibly stretching to get a $1.5k scope if thats what it takes to get something I’ll be happy with in the long term. I see 3-18 razor g2’s on sale for 1.5 k, but the higher powered version is pushing 2k and blows my budget. Will I be that much happier waiting or is the greater magnification splitting hairs?

 

[Macintosh]

[QUOTE="Dthomas3523, post: 7653771, member:
Some I would say yes, go with the higher power and others I’d say get the lower power, higher quality optic.
[/QUOTE]
Thats exactly the question. Im interested in the why’s so I can make that decision.

 

[Dthomas3523]

Im not wedded to any particular brand, but i am looking at $1k scopes such as pstg2’s, burris xtr2, some of the athlon scopes, etc and possibly stretching to get a $1.5k scope if thats what it takes to get something I’ll be happy with in the long term. I see 3-18 razor g2’s on sale for 1.5 k, but the higher powered version is pushing 2k and blows my budget.

It’s slightly higher, but I’d pick up a 4-27 for around $1600 used here in the PX.

Easily find one for $1650.

If you can swing 1500 for a new 3-18, don’t buy coffee for a month and get the 4-27 used.

 

[Dthomas3523]

There’s also the option of an Athlon Cronus used as well.

If it were me, the gen 2 razor 4-5-27 and the Cronus, both used in the classifieds would be where I look.

Both have awesome warranties, so you can buy used without fear.

 

[davsco]

If it were me, the gen 2 razor 4-5-27 used in the classifieds would be where I look.

Both have awesome warranties, so you can buy used without fear.

that's how i got my vortex 4.5-27 on my PRS rifle, here.

i do run a 3-18 on my gas guns for matches out to 800.

 

[davsco]

update, did back to back prs matches this weekend, out to just over 1k max distance. i kept my 4.5-27 in the 10-12x magnification range the whole time shooting. still it's nice to have the extra juice if you need it.

 

[Macintosh]

So, it sounds like it’s pretty unanimous that it is worth sacrificing to get the additional magnification, and that while you could get away with a 3-18 it’s not what you really want long-term. Fine.
I just want it understood that skimping on coffee as suggested above is unreasonable and is NOT an option.
Thanks for the insight!

 

[Dthomas3523]

Little bit of coccain

So, it sounds like it’s pretty unanimous that it is worth sacrificing to get the additional magnification, and that while you could get away with a 3-18 it’s not what you really want long-term. Fine.
I just want it understood that skimping on coffee as suggested above is unreasonable and is NOT an option.
Thanks for the insight!

Little bit of cocaine goes a long way.

 

[generalzip]

I would def go the used 4.5-27 gen 2 razor route. It’s an amazing scope for the money. You can get them new for 1750 or so if you look hard and pick up the phone. You’re talking 250 dollar difference. Honestly if 250 bucks is going to make or break you, PRS probably isn’t the sport for you. You’ll spend that on a single match fee or a local
Match with ammo and gas.