ATACR 7-35 and low power.

[Helislacker]

Hi there,

I was pretty set on buying a 7-35 ATACR T3 for my 6.5 CM. I use this rifle for competing in field matches and hunting. Initially I was looking at the 4-20 ATACR and had been pretty set on it, but very recently got a great offer on a 7-35 ATACR with the T3 for the same price as a 4-20 with MilXT.

Obviously it’s probably a much better deal to go the 7-35 route. Most impressions of the 7-35 seem to be very positive and it’s used among a lot of PRS competitors. My only concern with the 7-35 is that I won’t have any use for the higher ends of the magnification range in competition or hunting. Further, I’m concerned that the reticle line width will be too small to utilize at lower powers (7-9x) which will make it pretty much useless in a hunting role. Can anyone confirm whether the reticle lines are usable at the lowest powers, particularly in the Tremor 3? Further, does the scope work at all in a hunting role? Or would I be better off going the 4-20 route despite not saving any money? Lastly, are there any practical advantages or uses for the 30-35x power in 1100yds and under, or is this mostly only useful for ELR?

thanks

 

[Ericsl2]

I have the mil c reticle in my 7-35. I use 35x very sparingly and only for load development/seeing hits on paper at 200-300 yards. For a match i find anything above 18x basically useless due to fov limitations/ mirage. At 7x the reticle is still very visible but the center dot just blends in to the cross hairs and the subtensions aren’t very useable aside from the full mil markings.
if you’re trying to find a crossover scope id go with something else personally. For a crossover, I’m waiting for the xtriii scr2 illuminated to drop with hopefully a slightly thicker reticle compared to the current non-illuminated. For matches, i love my 7-35 atacr. Only complaint is the rotating ocular.
If money is no concern, the 4-20 zco is pretty awesome

 

[Nik H]

I use a 7-35 w/ MilC reticle on my AI AT...It is nothing less than a great optic in so many ways. I have also mounted it on my Anschutz for 50 yard rimfire benchrest and NRL matches....worked like a dream. The high magnification for tiny 22LR types of targets is awesome

 

[wigwamitus]

I had the ATACR 7-35x T3 for 2 years and loved it ... used it for wind practice (what many call "long distance") and night critter control. While I killed about 2/3rd of the critters I got those two years with it (on a 308 bolt gun on a tripod) it was a PITA because I had to triple scan when doing 360s with thermal clipon due to the relatively low FOV.
For wind practice in the day, I could use the 35x as my "spotter" scope to check the location of the hits on the steel (IPSC (2/3)), though for the actual shooting part I was often between 15x and 10x, depending on the distance.

.300WM(24) was shooting steel, 1 shot at torso and 1 shot at face, 425, 504, 605 and 736 (yds) ... the face shot at 605 was low and hit the torso. It was a miss. The other 7 shots were hits.

425, 2 hits

736 showing 3 hits on face, 4 hits on torso and 1 face miss that hit the torso. 35x when spotting hit location ... 15x when shooting.

==
1022yds observing steel

Wind call 5 MPH cross wind, one wind dot ( .300WM(24) with A191) first rd hit, 2nd and 3rd rds missed, rushed, didn't wait for wind to die. THe 4th and 5th rds were hits. Waited for the wind to die.

Scope is playing to its strength for wind practice.

==
Low power, observing cattle, 300yds on 7x.

Snagged yote, yipping around calving cows ...

The scope was effective for night critter control, but scanning on 7x was a lot of work. And that was why I sold it.

==
So, I sold it because I sold all my scopes with more than 3x on the bottom, to enable maximizing FOV at night with clipons. And because I wanted all short and light scopes, no more long, heavy scopes. Sold all the heavy chassis as well, now KRG Bravo's.

But if I was looking for a long heavy scope, I'd definitely consider requiring an ACTACR 7-35x T3 !

 

[Dobermann]

Hi there,

I was pretty set on buying a 7-35 ATACR T3 for my 6.5 CM. I use this rifle for competing in field matches and hunting. Initially I was looking at the 4-20 ATACR and had been pretty set on it, but very recently got a great offer on a 7-35 ATACR with the T3 for the same price as a 4-20 with MilXT.

Obviously it’s probably a much better deal to go the 7-35 route. Most impressions of the 7-35 seem to be very positive and it’s used among a lot of PRS competitors. My only concern with the 7-35 is that I won’t have any use for the higher ends of the magnification range in competition or hunting. Further, I’m concerned that the reticle line width will be too small to utilize at lower powers (7-9x) which will make it pretty much useless in a hunting role. Can anyone confirm whether the reticle lines are usable at the lowest powers, particularly in the Tremor 3? Further, does the scope work at all in a hunting role? Or would I be better off going the 4-20 route despite not saving any money? Lastly, are there any practical advantages or uses for the 30-35x power in 1100yds and under, or is this mostly only useful for ELR?

thanks

My question is more ... would you *really* want a T3, even if it was cheap?

 

[carbonbased]

What are you hunting?

Not being snarky: why only one gun? Hunting rifle and a comp rifle are so different. If a lightweight hunting rifle + scope is 7lbs and a comp rifle + scope is 20lbs, split the difference and a 13.5lbs hunting rifle sucks, and so does a 13.5lbs comp rifle.

Have two guns and optimize. Tikkas sure are lightweight, smooth, and good shooting (I hear from the Hide). Add a light 3-15, 4-20, or 2-10 etc (depending on what you hunt).

The 7-35 is really biased towards a match gun, I’d think.

 

[Thriller]

Why would you need a 7-35x scope to hunt with? We shoot all of our game at or less than 200-300 yards, many times in the 100yd range. Have you ever been hunting? Dammit boy just split the difference and go 4-20 or 5-25

 

[Taylorbok]

25x is plenty for hunting even out passed 1000 yards

 

[4O6shootist]

No need for more than 15x hunting. Was shooting plates at 1185y this weekend at 15x. Hunting scopes, you want big FOV, that means a low end mag of 3-4. Personally I feel a 3-18 or 4-20 is the ideal do all hunting mag range. Hybrid designs like the march 4.5-28 that have nearly same low end FOV as a 3x optic but still offer the high end mag, would be my choice if I had to have big magnification at the top end.

 

[Taylorbok]

No need for more than 15x hunting. Was shooting plates at 1185y this weekend at 15x. Hunting scopes, you want big FOV, that means a low end mag of 3-4. Personally I feel a 3-18 or 4-20 is the ideal do all hunting mag range. Hybrid designs like the march 4.5-28 that have nearly same low end FOV as a 3x optic but still offer the high end mag, would be my choice if I had to have big magnification at the top end.

I often find my mag right at 15-16, I like something with a touch more just to give me some wiggle room. I don't know if I've ever ended up over 20x

 

[FuhQ]

Personally, I like the MIL-XT reticle in my ATACR F1 5-25x56... Just wish the glass was on par with the 7-35x and 4-20x...

 

[JLP83]

Personally, I like the MIL-XT reticle in my ATACR F1 5-25x56... Just wish the glass was on par with the 7-35x and 4-20x...

They use different glass in the 5-25 vs the rest of the ATACR lineup?

 

[4O6shootist]

They use different glass in the 5-25 vs the rest of the ATACR lineup?

I think the 4-20 and 7-35 use different glass than the rest the lineup is the difference. In the samples I've viewed, those two models seem to have more pop, brighter and better contrast than the others.

 

[FuhQ]

I think the 4-20 and 7-35 use different glass than the rest the lineup is the difference. In the samples I've viewed, those two models seem to have more pop, brighter and better contrast than the others.

The glass is super clear, but it's just like you said... It's not very bright and the contrast is very neutral in the 5-25x56. Some folks like that, but it gives me S&B PM-II vibes... And we all know how I feel about that brown-tinted shit.

Just to clarify, the glass is NOT bad...It's just very neutral, and I'm not used to that. I would probably like the 5-25x better had I not been comparing it back to back with super bright high-contrast scopes like my Zeiss V4 and LRP S3. If I mainly used, and was really used to looking through the 5-25x glass, then I would think it was exceptional. My eyes just prefer the brighter glass like the Zeiss. Maybe it has something to do with my astigmatism?

I'll try to get some pics next time I'm at the range, comparing it next to my V4 and LRP S3, and maybe one of my K624i's.

 

[hafejd30]

The glass is super clear, but it's just like you said... It's not very bright and the contrast is very neutral in the 5-25x56. Some folks like that, but it gives me S&B PM-II vibes... And we all know how I feel about that brown-tinted shit.

Just to clarify, the glass is NOT bad...It's just very neutral, and I'm not used to that. I would probably like the 5-25x better had I not been comparing it back to back with super bright high-contrast scopes like my Zeiss V4 and LRP S3. If I mainly used, and was really used to looking through the 5-25x glass, then I would think it was exceptional. My eyes just prefer the brighter glass like the Zeiss. Maybe it has something to do with my astigmatism?

The 5-25 has been the bastard child of the atacr lineup

7-35 is the alpha

 

[FuhQ]

The 5-25 has been the bastard child of the atacr lineup

7-35 is the alpha

I almost bought a 7-35, but I decided on 5-25, as it was more of a middle-ground magnification, that could be more versatile.

I wish NF would offer a free upgrade to the same [quality of] glass as the 7-35, i'd sent it in, in a heartbeat.

 

[hafejd30]

I almost bought a 7-35, but I decided on 5-25, as it was more of a middle-ground magnification, that could be more versatile.

It’s the only ATACR I haven’t owned. Like they left the 5-25 behind 10 years in the process

 

[FuhQ]

It’s the only ATACR I haven’t owned. Like they left the 5-25 behind 10 years in the process

I love everything else about the scope, which is why I won't sell it, but maybe they'll offer a glass upgrade if enough people bitch about it. The really do need to fix that in future production.

 

[hafejd30]

I love everything else about the scope, which is why I won't sell it, but maybe they'll offer a glass upgrade if enough people bitch about it. The really do need to fix that in future production.

Nf is very proud of their optics. You’ll learn that. They are however very reliable. Which for me takes precedence over everything else

 

[FuhQ]

Nf is very proud of their optics. You’ll learn that. They are however very reliable. Which for me takes precedence over everything else

That's one thing I love about my Kahles scopes, even though lots of folks bitch about them "not being worth the money"... They have amazing glass, and mechanically one of the smoothest and most reliable optics I've ever had. Also, Karl Robert Kahles was the first man to ever invent a rifle scope, and founded Kahles optics in 1898, so it's like owning a true piece of firearms history from the world's oldest rifle scope maker...The original. Plus, people bitch about the price, but they're no more expensive than most of the Swarovski and Steiner lineups. And let's not get started on Hensoldt's pricing...

 

[hafejd30]

That's one thing I love about my Kahles scopes, even though lots of folks bitch about them "not being worth the money"... They have amazing glass, and mechanically one of the smoothest and most reliable optics I've ever had. Also, Karl Robert Kahles was the first man to ever invent a rifle scope, and founded Kahles optics in 1898, so it's like owning a true piece of firearms history from the world's oldest rifle scope maker...The original. Plus, people bitch about the price, but they're no more expensive than most of the Swarovski and Steiner lineups. And let's not get started on Hensoldt's pricing...

If people bitch about kahles and NF they should do more research. ZCO will come up

 

[FuhQ]

If people bitch about kahles and NF they should do more research. ZCO will come up

And let's not forget the price tag of a Tangent Theta...

 

[hafejd30]

I worded my response rather poorly. More what I meant was people who like those optics but not certain features of each will eventually wonder across ZCO. As the same hands where used to make the previous two optics then combine to make ZCO which solves most of the issues people have when it comes to kahles and NF brands

 

[Nik H]

And let's not forget the price tag of a Tangent Theta...

TT = Does not actually stand for Tangent Theta...it stands for Two Thousand....the amount you overpaid for a 5-25