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Rifle Scopes DNT 7-35x56 FFP Riflescopes
- Thread starter gr8fuldoug
- Start date
Shoot, I've seen this more in higher end optics as well. QC just doesn't feel the same as it used to be, I think with higher end/price optics you get less differences but no guarantees.
I generally have been averse to Chinese mfr scopes; however, a SF friend of mine actually got me thinking more about it and I'm not so averse anymore, almost feel like including a DNT 7-35 with my next high end scope review...
Now that these have been out for a little while, how are they holding up longevity wise, any major issues with losing zero, parts breaking, etc.?
I would honestly like to hear your thoughts on the DNT and how you feel it compares to others in it's magnification class...Not necessarily price range. I mean, compared to the others you review, what's a $600 risk?Shoot, I've seen this more in higher end optics as well. QC just doesn't feel the same as it used to be, I think with higher end/price optics you get less differences but no guarantees.
I generally have been averse to Chinese mfr scopes; however, a SF friend of mine actually got me thinking more about it and I'm not so averse anymore, almost feel like including a DNT 7-35 with my next high end scope review...
Now that these have been out for a little while, how are they holding up longevity wise, any major issues with losing zero, parts breaking, etc.?
Mine is still holding up great...I even bought a 2nd one for one my target rifles. Personally, the glass is more than good enough to shoot at things long range, so if it gets the job done optically, and the rest of it holds up, and it holds zero, then it's well worth the money.
A couple things most have seemed to agree on is that IQ seems fairly subjective and that often the top tier scopes seem to truly showcase their dominance in adverse conditions. Other than that, there’s a wide range of how wonderful people feel their budget scopes are. It would be nice to see the DNT put to a proper comparison with some standardized optical tests.
That's exactly the kind of benefits the Chinese scopes bring. Now that their manufacturing for a lot of these things is up to snuff, they provide a lot of value for the cost, especially if the products hold up reliability and repeatability wise. I still don't like buying Chinese and supporting CCP; however, I also own an iPhone and have a computer and a monitor and all kinds of stuff that was "Made in China" or internals that were made in China and so forth, I think most of us do. What needs to happen is for our country to make better decisions about what goes into and what comes out of China, whether you choose to buy a DNT or a Nightforce won't make much difference in the grand scheme of things.I would honestly like to hear your thoughts on the DNT and how you feel it compares to others in it's magnification class...Not necessarily price range. I mean, compared to the others you review, what's a $600 risk?
Mine is still holding up great...I even bought a 2nd one for one my target rifles. Personally, the glass is more than good enough to shoot at things long range, so if it gets the job done optically, and the rest of it holds up, and it holds zero, then it's well worth the money.
Sadly, that’s what I’ve come to accept. I’m still conscious of it and take pride in owning American made products. Chinese crap is usually out of convenience.That's exactly the kind of benefits the Chinese scopes bring. Now that their manufacturing for a lot of these things is up to snuff, they provide a lot of value for the cost, especially if the products hold up reliability and repeatability wise. I still don't like buying Chinese and supporting CCP; however, I also own an iPhone and have a computer and a monitor and all kinds of stuff that was "Made in China" or internals that were made in China and so forth, I think most of us do. What needs to happen is for our country to make better decisions about what goes into and what comes out of China, whether you choose to buy a DNT or a Nightforce won't make much difference in the grand scheme of things.
Or being a poors like me, which is why I just ordered one of these and not an alpha scope.
ETA I ordered from Doug no tax free shipping, yay!!
ETA I ordered from Doug no tax free shipping, yay!!
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I agree, and that's been my whole argument the entire time. We all have MIC shit in our houses, pockets, computers, etc... Scopes, or anything optical or truly precision like that, is one of the smallest things they export...That's exactly the kind of benefits the Chinese scopes bring. Now that their manufacturing for a lot of these things is up to snuff, they provide a lot of value for the cost, especially if the products hold up reliability and repeatability wise. I still don't like buying Chinese and supporting CCP; however, I also own an iPhone and have a computer and a monitor and all kinds of stuff that was "Made in China" or internals that were made in China and so forth, I think most of us do. What needs to happen is for our country to make better decisions about what goes into and what comes out of China, whether you choose to buy a DNT or a Nightforce won't make much difference in the grand scheme of things.
Electronics, pharmaceuticals (which disturbs me greatly), plastic parts, produce (fruits, vegetables, etc...), and metal forgings for auto and marine applications are some of their biggest exports that really pushes their economy. Us buying a few MIC scopes is not going to determine whether or not the the CCP regime keeps its power.
I have decided not to buy the DNT for a couple months and see if that bankrupts the CCP, If not I may go ahead and grab oneI agree, and that's been my whole argument the entire time. We all have MIC shit in our houses, pockets, computers, etc... Scopes, or anything optical or truly precision like that, is one of the smallest things they export...
Electronics, pharmaceuticals (which disturbs me greatly), plastic parts, produce (fruits, vegetables, etc...), and metal forgings for auto and marine applications are some of their biggest exports that really pushes their economy. Us buying a few MIC scopes is not going to determine whether or not the the CCP regime keeps its power.
After careful consideration of how this may affect the global balance of superpowers, I’d be willing to have Doug ship one to you if it will hasten this review!I have decided not to buy the DNT for a couple months and see if that bankrupts the CCP, If not I may go ahead and grab one
...if a butterfly flaps it's wings in Beijing...
Appreciate that but let's wait until after SHOT, I'd like to see what else may be introduced (thought their was some legitimate chatter but not so sure now) and begin making plans at that time. Need to figure out how to move heaven and earth to source a Kahles K540i and March 5-42 G2, I already have access to the TT 7-35 and ZCO 8-40.
Took some people out for a 50 bmg shoot today ...2 HTI,s set up.................. one with S&B 6-36 .................... and the other with the DNT 7-35 that i set up for initial testing of the DNT some time ago...( 1000rds plus now ) .
S&B has the Tr2id Reticle..the DNT the TOR Reticle..
Nice day ( 29c) with a little mirage..
Pics..... S&B and DNT ..... factor in the price of the 2 optics.. .and ... well.... you be the judge!!
S&B has the Tr2id Reticle..the DNT the TOR Reticle..
Nice day ( 29c) with a little mirage..
Pics..... S&B and DNT ..... factor in the price of the 2 optics.. .and ... well.... you be the judge!!
Attachments
I get the feeling you're a fan of the DNTTook some people out for a 50 bmg shoot today ...2 HTI,s set up.................. one with S&B 6-36 .................... and the other with the DNT 7-35 that i set up for initial testing of the DNT some time ago...( 1000rds plus now ) .
S&B has the Tr2id Reticle..the DNT the TOR Reticle..
Nice day ( 29c) with a little mirage..
Pics..... S&B and DNT ..... factor in the price of the 2 optics.. .and ... well.... you be the judge!!
Naaaaa ... not a all .......I get the feeling you're a fan of the DNT
I know you've had some reliability/repeatability issues with some of the other scopes but 1,000+ rounds now with DNT and no issues so far?Naaaaa ... not a all .......
Correct..... Put through another 60 rounds under its belt today.......still nothing to complain about.......... OH!!!!! one complaint....... concussion headache for a few!!
Honestly...... If the DNT were to Sh*t itself tomorrow , i wouldn't be pissed off ... its already given a great amount of trouble free enjoyment!!
I’ve had 2 of the 5-25x56 EP5’s and was also less than impressed… These DNT’s blow those away. Like the guy above said, it ain’t a $2000 scope, but for under $1K, it’s impressive.
We have some Kahles K540i's reserved, I can set you up on the first batch - Richard
Yes and is under “objective” near the bottom of the page. Just ordered some more actually. I have about 4 or 5 DNT 7-35 now lol
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Came here looking for the latest in the $300 range for a 223 Trainer...left with a $600 DNT. Gotta love this place. Had a few Arkens and other than the turrets never really loved them, this one looks sweet though.
It is and $300 doesn’t get shit frankly
I just started looking at the 7-35x56 DNT and it is a pretty nice scope. Better than I expected, to be frank.
ILya
ILya
Customer service is on point it seems. English speaking, American seemingly, answered the phone (yes they have a phone number) quickly and pointed me in the direction to get a few extra screws for the turrets. Out of the 5 I own, I finally stripped 2 on the most recent one I bought.
And, as promised, I’ll continue to remind everyone how Bushnell charged me $25 plus $8 for shipping on an aluminum screw for a $1500 scope. Fuck Bushnell
And, as promised, I’ll continue to remind everyone how Bushnell charged me $25 plus $8 for shipping on an aluminum screw for a $1500 scope. Fuck Bushnell
Do they ship screws or let you know where to get them? Havent stripped any but just curious in case lolCustomer service is on point it seems. English speaking, American seemingly, answered the phone (yes they have a phone number) quickly and pointed me in the direction to get a few extra screws for the turrets. Out of the 5 I own, I finally stripped 2 on the most recent one I bought.
And, as promised, I’ll continue to remind everyone how Bushnell charged me $25 plus $8 for shipping on an aluminum screw for a $1500 scope. Fuck Bushnell
I would suggest to avoid this happening in the future, to NOT use the cheap undersized allen wrenches that come with these scopes. I've never had this issue with any scope, and I adjust my turrets a lot. But I also use high-quality allen wrenches that are precision machined to the right size. Just something I've noticed of the years, is that these allen wrenches they send are almost always just slightly undersized. Not using it should help avoid stripping the screws.
Still trying to "Kill" my first DNT on the 50bmg .... So far...not happening..
On that note...had 2 more of my S&B,s succumb to the "Debris" Gremlin !!
I’ve read this same post before and didn’t comment but feel like I should now that you’ve posted it again.
First, I agree about using precision tools and therefore don’t use out of spec hex tools.
Second, the issue with this is that the Chinese screws are equally as likely to be out of spec as the tools made across the street from them.
I’ve had zero set screw problems with 4 DNT and probably 7-8 Arkens. This is my first issue so I feel pretty lucky.
I too like good quality tools, a while back I had a cheap chinese allen tool that snapped off when tightening my mlock accessory. Do you use Snap-on or which tools brand do you prefer? Always looking for options.
I picked up a DNT 7-35 in late January.
I was super impressed with the email responses I received from the company prior to ordering.
Upon receipt, I opened the package and was pretty damn impressed. Its packed nicely, securely and the optic itself looked awesome for the price I paid. It's pretty easy to spot poor anodizing, poorly made metal injection molded parts etc. Nothing on the scope looked or felt cheap. Turrets were extremely positive and were accurate in their adjustments (cough, Leupold). I mounted the scope up and took it to the range.
Glass was clear and bright. Diopter was easy to adjust and the image was really good. There was very little distortion around the edges of the image even at max magnification. I was impressed.
The reticle, IMO is better than the ARKEN VPR Reticle. I really don't care for the "box" around the center of the reticle in the Arken offering. DNT did away with this and it was very, very easy to use.
Having said that. I returned the optic. I was really struggling with the eyebox. I was also struggling with the overall image presented to me. I really like my MK5's and my Vortex Gen 3. To MY eye, there's very little scope bezel showing and it doesn't feel like i'm looking down a tube versus the DNT. When there's a thick black ring and what appears to be a thick bezel, I am turned off.
This is a personal preference thing and has absolutely nothing to do with DNT as a company or the quality of their product. For many people, this wont be an issue and it is entirely a subjective assessment.
Overall, despite clearly coming from the same factory as the Arken offerings. The DNT optic is a step up in quality. Everything looked and felt just a teeny bit better than my EP5.
The return process was painless. Their customer service, at this time is near perfect. I really hope this continues as I want to patronize them again in the future.
EDIT: I forgot to add. I emailed DNT about other magnification ranges and additional traditional optics offerings. They said they have more coming later in 2025 which is exciting. I really like their reticle and I think they're a marginal step up from Arken in quality although I may be blowing smoke as they could very well be the exact same thing minus red anodized zero stop screws.
I was super impressed with the email responses I received from the company prior to ordering.
Upon receipt, I opened the package and was pretty damn impressed. Its packed nicely, securely and the optic itself looked awesome for the price I paid. It's pretty easy to spot poor anodizing, poorly made metal injection molded parts etc. Nothing on the scope looked or felt cheap. Turrets were extremely positive and were accurate in their adjustments (cough, Leupold). I mounted the scope up and took it to the range.
Glass was clear and bright. Diopter was easy to adjust and the image was really good. There was very little distortion around the edges of the image even at max magnification. I was impressed.
The reticle, IMO is better than the ARKEN VPR Reticle. I really don't care for the "box" around the center of the reticle in the Arken offering. DNT did away with this and it was very, very easy to use.
Having said that. I returned the optic. I was really struggling with the eyebox. I was also struggling with the overall image presented to me. I really like my MK5's and my Vortex Gen 3. To MY eye, there's very little scope bezel showing and it doesn't feel like i'm looking down a tube versus the DNT. When there's a thick black ring and what appears to be a thick bezel, I am turned off.
This is a personal preference thing and has absolutely nothing to do with DNT as a company or the quality of their product. For many people, this wont be an issue and it is entirely a subjective assessment.
Overall, despite clearly coming from the same factory as the Arken offerings. The DNT optic is a step up in quality. Everything looked and felt just a teeny bit better than my EP5.
The return process was painless. Their customer service, at this time is near perfect. I really hope this continues as I want to patronize them again in the future.
EDIT: I forgot to add. I emailed DNT about other magnification ranges and additional traditional optics offerings. They said they have more coming later in 2025 which is exciting. I really like their reticle and I think they're a marginal step up from Arken in quality although I may be blowing smoke as they could very well be the exact same thing minus red anodized zero stop screws.
In like Snap-On, MAC, and Matco, but for cheap things like Allen keys, Sunex, Bondhus, etc… are always a go-to.
Then I suggest never looking through a Nightforce ATACR or Schmidt & Bender PM-II…You’ll be highly disappointed at that kind of money.
Heh, my buddies atacr 7-35 is awful. The eyebox and warm tone to the glass makes me want to puke.
Like I said, my findings are subjective and are not a real reflection on the quality or performance of the scope. It's just not my preference unfortunately. I find myself gravitating more towards 5-25's these days as that mag range usually seems to work "best" for me. I'm hoping DNT will be coming out with a 5-25. I believe they will.
German stuff at KCtool is good, as well as Wiha. Old USA craftsman.
That’s not eyebox. Not saying what you describe is not important to some people, but eyebox is traditionally known as the “position forgiveness” of the eyepiece. As in, one doesn’t have to be perfectly centered to see the whole image.
It's early for me, I work nights. Sorry if I wasn't clear.
I was struggling with positioning my head behind the optic to obtain the proper image.
The other issue I mentioned, shadowing and the overall view through the scope remains as described. For me at least.
I agree, I was highly disappointed in my ATACR F1 5-25x56… The glass is very warm, and too neutral, and it looks like I’m looking through a paper towel roll…
Again....for interest..
Myself and a couple of friends just set up 3 more DNT 7-35,s on a few rifles... ... another 50bmg , 338 Lapua and 375 Chey tac..
Will keep posting as time progresses and see how they all hold up..
I have several others my self but are mounted on small calibre rifles...but all are performing great.
All up we have 8 samples and when comparing them there are virtually no variations between them...that's a great feat in itself!!
Myself and a couple of friends just set up 3 more DNT 7-35,s on a few rifles... ... another 50bmg , 338 Lapua and 375 Chey tac..
Will keep posting as time progresses and see how they all hold up..
I have several others my self but are mounted on small calibre rifles...but all are performing great.
All up we have 8 samples and when comparing them there are virtually no variations between them...that's a great feat in itself!!
I've used Bondus as well before, they seem to be quite decent
You might take a look at ZCO... they have about the thinnest outer periphery which is what I think you are referring to.
Yessir. The Vortex Razor 1-6 is a perfect example of what I prefer in an optic. I may not get that thin of an exterior bezel on my bolt gun optics but the closer we get, the happier I am. I really enjoy my MK5's because of this.
I'm an optics neophyte but if someone were to ask me for an entry level 7-35. I'd still recommend the DNT offering. It was really quite impressive for the price I paid.
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Right, I am not sure if there is a technical name for the thickness of the outer periphery between the sight picture and the outer tube, but as you mentioned, some scopes almost seem to disappear like the Razor 1-6 and ZCO has earned this reputation as well with their 4-20 and 5-27, not sure if the 8-40 has a thin outer periphery as I haven't heard much chatter on that one. It is something I include in my reviews. I am find with scopes that have a thick outer periphery as long as the image is good, but similar to you I prefer the thinner periphery... just looks better to my eyes but purely personal preference.
Sounds like the DNT is really the best thing going for a good Chinese long range scope, I'd like to take a look at one soon...
