Rifle Scopes Best place to "shop" multiple brand scopes?

[rookie7]

I've been gathering funds to upgrade my scope on the 700.

I've got $1000 to spend. By the time I make a decision on which scope to buy it may be $1200 or more.

I didn't want to ask another "best scope for $1000 or less", but in essence it is.

I want to know where I can go in the Southeast to handle a bunch of good scopes - a variety.

All of our eyes are different, plus we all like different things.

What am I looking for?

1. Fantastically clear, sharp, crisp glass.

2. Tactical or target knobs

3. Mil/mil (going to give it a try after reading other's assertions that mil is easier to use than moa after initial learning curve)

4. I would like magnification on the top end to be 20 to 25 - because I think it will help me be a better shot on objects at 500 or so yards. However, I don't know b/c I have never owned a scope of that magnification. This is purely conjecture.

5. 30mm tube

6. Would like to try a FFP scope

7. If I can get one with illumination - great - if not in my price range - that's fine too.

What am I shooting and how far?

1. Casual target shooting

2. 100 yards to 1000 yards

I don't compete at the moment, but I would like to. I like shooting stuff and hearing it go "ding".

So, any places in South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, or Alabama that are worth the drive? Especially with gas being $3.70 a gallon. Lord knows that it will probably be $4 or $4.50 by summer.

Rifle is a 700 varmint in .243 with factory 26" heavy barrel. So far it likes IMR 4064 and .95 gr SMK.

Thank you

 

[vinsonr]

Re: Best place to "shop" multiple brand scopes?

This comment is not about where to go to try, but my SFP, 3.5-10x scope does great out to 1000 on 18" gongs. It's easy to aim that far, but much much harder to be consistent and call wind correctly. You don't really *need* 20-25x for long range work.

For your price range and features a Vortex PST in 4-16 or 6-24 might do the trick. I have a 4-16, FFP, mil/mil, illum and it's pretty nice for the money.

 

[rookie7]

Re: Best place to "shop" multiple brand scopes?

Vinson,

Any advice is welcome, and I appreciate your suggestion.

Thanks

 

[07zx6r]

Re: Best place to "shop" multiple brand scopes?

I'm in the same situation you are, my wants/needs match yours exactly.. You can only read so many reviews but nothing compares to actual hands on comparisons.. I'm in south Ga and there is absolutely no where to compare any scope that were looking for.. you find somewhere and i'll split the gas with you..haha

 

[McCoy]

Re: Best place to "shop" multiple brand scopes?

Viper PST or Bushnell DMR G2

Anything above that and you jump significantly in price and don't gain much optically.

 

[jimmykm21]

Re: Best place to "shop" multiple brand scopes?

Drive to a Cabelas if there is one close by.

You can hold and look through a lot of scopes.

From Nightforce , Vortex , Leupold , Bushnell , Trijicon ....etc

 

[Overflow10]

Re: Best place to "shop" multiple brand scopes?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Jordan @ NTO</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Viper PST or Bushnell DMR G2</div></div>

+1. Viper PST 4-16 or 6-24 FFP, Bushnell 3-21 HD/G2. I have the PST, NXS, Premier LT, and looked through the Bushnell. Have not seen much in the $1K range that is better.

Yet another 2 cents...

 

[rookie7]

Re: Best place to "shop" multiple brand scopes?

07zx6r - you are exactly correct. I have exhausted this topic for myself thru internet research - just ask my wife. She says, "you're looking at scopes again? I thought you did that for the last 6 months?!"

If I can find someplace reasonably close meeting our criteria i'll pm you. One can only do so much reading, and nothing replaces holding and looking.

We do have Bass Pro Shops here in Georgia, but their selection on what we are looking for is limited.

I like the suggestions so far, but does anyone know of a dealer in the southeast that stocks the weaver tactical?

 

[Early Cuyler]

Re: Best place to "shop" multiple brand scopes?

Where are you located in GA?

 

[sniperaviator]

Re: Best place to "shop" multiple brand scopes?

What is needed is a setup so we can look at actual targets, and even better, an eye chart some distance away. A window overlooking a setup, with numerous scopes mounted on (fake) rifles on benchrests. All the biggies there. Schmidt & Bender, Nightforce, USO, Vortex, Leupold, IOR etc all lined up and we can go from one to the other, looking at the same target. Wouldn't that be grand?

 

[ShakyDave]

Re: Best place to "shop" multiple brand scopes?

While I was waiting for my expensive scope to be delivered, I bought a Falcon Menace and it turned out to be an unbelievably good glass. The lens caps suck, and I mean they REALLY suck - the first day on the range the exit pupil cap broke off the hinge after about ten rounds. So another twenty bucks for decent caps.

As far as the important things, though, the scope has decent glass, seems to be responsive to the turrets without a big problem, and I never have to worry about scratching the finish or, for that matter, smashing it to smithereens.

 

[ShakyDave]

Re: Best place to "shop" multiple brand scopes?

And p.s. - for less than $500 you're getting everything on your list except illumination and probably the "fantastically clear sharp crisp glass," but you'll get better than pretty decent glass. Maybe it's my ancient eyeballs but I think most any scope nowadays has incredible glass comparable to the finest, most expensive optics available thirty years ago.

 

[Bedlam]

Re: Best place to "shop" multiple brand scopes?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sniperaviator</div><div class="ubbcode-body">What is needed is a setup so we can look at actual targets, and even better, an eye chart some distance away. A window overlooking a setup, with numerous scopes mounted on (fake) rifles on benchrests. All the biggies there. Schmidt & Bender, Nightforce, USO, Vortex, Leupold, IOR etc all lined up and we can go from one to the other, looking at the same target. Wouldn't that be grand?</div></div>

The NRA should open a theme park.

 

[WVshooter]

Re: Best place to "shop" multiple brand scopes?

I live in NC and I'd be interested to find such a place as well. I have been looking at scopes for the last couple months trying to decide what to put on my .308 5r.
I picked up a B&L 10x40 tactical yesterday to get started with.

 

[07zx6r]

Re: Best place to "shop" multiple brand scopes?

it sounds like we need to bring a SHOT show to the east coast! haha... that would be convenient.

 

[07zx6r]

Re: Best place to "shop" multiple brand scopes?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: rookie7</div><div class="ubbcode-body">07zx6r - you are exactly correct. I have exhausted this topic for myself thru internet research - just ask my wife. She says, "you're looking at scopes again? I thought you did that for the last 6 months?!"

If I can find someplace reasonably close meeting our criteria i'll pm you. One can only do so much reading, and nothing replaces holding and looking.

We do have Bass Pro Shops here in Georgia, but their selection on what we are looking for is limited.

I like the suggestions so far, but does anyone know of a dealer in the southeast that stocks the weaver tactical?

</div></div>


I feel like I wrote your list of things desired in a scope..haha.I think I have narrowed it down to the vortex pst 6-24 ffp, SS 5-20, or the Bushnell HDMR... let me know which scope you end up going with..maybe if we buy two scopes together, we can get some kind of deal. doubtful, but maybe.

 

[rookie7]

Re: Best place to "shop" multiple brand scopes?

I looked at the bushnell everyone is talking about, and the physical structure of that scope makes it funny looking or even ugly from pictures. However, if I liked what I saw looking through it I would buy it.

07zx6r - I'll let you know what I find. The thing is I really don't want to buy without handling first. Too many disappointments in the past on products.

What scope manufacturers should do - or even a big retailer like SWFA, Midway, Optics Planet, etc. they should have a drive before you buy program.

There is a company that makes traditional longbows and recurves called Black Widow. They have such a program. Within archery circles these bows are highly thought of. There reputation has them shooting better than reality produces. However, they have a drive before you buy program. They have bows they will send you to try for a week, and then you ship them back. You pay shipping both ways. They even charge your credit card for the price of the bow, but when they get it back they refund the cost of the bow.

That would make sense for middle to high-end optics that you can't walk into most LGS and buy. Just my .02

Back to the original question: any help is appreciated on finding a good local source.

Thanks

 

[ToddKS]

Re: Best place to "shop" multiple brand scopes?

Anymore it seems that much of what we want/need has to be purchased online, sight unseen. That said I might offer this advice. Consider buying used instead of new. Worst case scenario if you buy it right you can sell it for little to no loss if you decide it is not exactly what you want. This is what I did when I bought my Nightforce.

After watching the optics for sale for some time I was convinced that if I bought the scope for price "X" that I could turn it around without a loss in a week or less for the same money based on what I saw moving in the for sale area. Turns out I love my scope and selling it is not an option, but I felt much better going into the deal knowing that I could probably get out of it if I wanted/needed to. Just food for thought, YMMV.

 

[DeadNoise]

Re: Best place to "shop" multiple brand scopes?

if you find something ya like i would double check your pricing and maybe even contact swfa.com they have been very good to me with my orders, even do price matches.

 

[PGG]

Re: Best place to "shop" multiple brand scopes?

Call Scott at Liberty Optics really good to work with. PG

 

[PGG]

Re: Best place to "shop" multiple brand scopes?

Scott Berish
Liberty Optics LLC
An Official Vendor of Sniper's Hide.
www.libertyoptics.com
"See Better, Shoot Better"
406-827-6543
Scott's cell number: 406-291-8250
[email protected]

 

[BIG MASE]

Re: Best place to "shop" multiple brand scopes?

Call Mike Cecil. He is an actual shooter with a ridiculous amount of knowledge with optics. There's a good chance he's already done a youtube video on the scope(s) you're considering. Tell'em Mase sent ya...

<span style="color: #000099">CS TACTICAL</span>
916-670-1103