Looking to purchase a 20x scope for new rifle build (NX8 or similar). What’s the longest range you’ve had success at for this optic? Not necessarily in terms of hunting, but just hits on steel. Comments on clarity, reticles, etc would be appreciated also. Thanks
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Effective Range of 20x Scope
- Thread starter DH07150
- Start date
Not that scope but used an NXS at 17x to hit steel at 2500 yards.
What rifle/caliber is it going on?
What rifle/caliber is it going on?
MOA sized steel.
Take a look at the Zeiss LRP 4-25x also. A lot of elevation and great glass and in the same price range.
why the seemingly arbitrary 20X magnification?
If you're looking at long range, you need to be concerned with several factors, one of them being the available adjustment, coupled with the cartridge/load you intend on shooting.
Target size plays a part as well, you can succesfully engage 2/3 ipsc targets at 1000 yards with a good 10X.
If you're looking at long range, you need to be concerned with several factors, one of them being the available adjustment, coupled with the cartridge/load you intend on shooting.
Target size plays a part as well, you can succesfully engage 2/3 ipsc targets at 1000 yards with a good 10X.
I use a Tract Toric 4-20x50 for F T/R and for me it’s ideal at the 600 yard line. Haven’t shot it at the 1000 yard line yet but where I do my training and testing 20x works well at my 1008 yard line of fire on an 18” x 24” plate.
As I’m progressing and learning I’m leaning more towards an SFP scope and with 1/8 MOA adjustments. And probably a non Christmas tree reticle.
One more like that found in the Trijicon 5-50x56 Ten Mile. Or the 4.5-30x56 Ten Mile.
As I’m progressing and learning I’m leaning more towards an SFP scope and with 1/8 MOA adjustments. And probably a non Christmas tree reticle.
One more like that found in the Trijicon 5-50x56 Ten Mile. Or the 4.5-30x56 Ten Mile.
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That looks like a much shorter scope then both the Razor or the Nightforce.
How is the durability on that Zeiss scope?
I was using 14x at 2400 yards sat...
I rarely dial above 16ish unless I'm zeroing or identifying something
I rarely dial above 16ish unless I'm zeroing or identifying something
I shot my nx8 out to 1100 fairly regularly on a full size shilouette on a 20in ar with out issue. I also to a 3.5-18 mk5 out to a mile with a 6.5 creed bolt gun. Would I have preffered a 25x for the latter scenario, absolutely. Was it necessary, not really.
A good middle ground would be the bushnell 3.5-21 used that to 1500 on an ar10 and it was awesome.
A good middle ground would be the bushnell 3.5-21 used that to 1500 on an ar10 and it was awesome.
Clarity trumps magnification.
I’m not saying a good 6x is good at a mile, but an 18x with good glass beats a 25x with crap glass all day.
I’m not saying a good 6x is good at a mile, but an 18x with good glass beats a 25x with crap glass all day.
Really high magnification is probably only useful for F Class style shooting. I almost never use magnification above 20 for steel but I see plenty of F Class shooters using 30+ at 600 yards and 1 000 yards.
I never shot steel past 1 mile so I can't comment for ELR.
I never shot steel past 1 mile so I can't comment for ELR.
I’m large part that’s because they don’t need to see the impact in f class (it’s marked physically or electronically). If you try to use a high power scope (30+) you’ll hardly see impacts or misses which are invaluable to shooting long range spotter or not
The S3s have only been out since last year so no very long term info yet but from their feel and in use I don't think they are fragile by any means. They should stand up to anything in their price range.
It is a smaller package. Here is a pic of the 4-25 on my rifle and the scope has the sunshade on it also.
I'd recommend buying a good scope with higher magnification than you need since you don't necessarily need to use maximum magnification and by backing the magnification down the image gets brighter and crisper. I'd prefer not maxing out a 2.5-20x at 20x and instead use their 4-32x NX8 at 20x for a much nicer image quality with a noticeably friendlier eyebox.
If you want the best bang for the buck in good quality optics, the Meopta Optika 6 demo model 5-30x56 FFP illuminated RD MRAD for $799.99 is very hard to beat and it's not made in China. I'd rate it as good as the Japan made Athlon Cronus BTR Gen 2 for a lot less money at nearly half the price.
For around the $1800-ish price point I'd highly recommend the Burris XTR PRO SCR2 MIL 5.5-30x56 MADE IN THE USA. The eyebox and FOV is insanely HUGE and the only comparable wide angle scope is the March FX 4.5-28x52 that cost a lot more. The Burris race dials are a big plus too.
The other decent option is the Vortex Razor Gen 3 6--36x56 for $2000 delivered but there's still an ongoing waiting period or pay $2500 for it elsewhere to get it right away.
The Tract Toric ELR 4.5-30x56 34mm is another decent choice and prefer it over their 4-20x50 30mm model due to way more total elevation travel. 15% off when they have their sale or when using law enforcement or military discount $1440 but would rather pay more for the Burris XTR PRO.
Also consider the warranty whenever buying optics such as Trijicon and SIG who only have a limited 5 year warranty on their electronics such as their illuminated reticles and any electronics related fumctions and they're not really lifetime warranties as most may think or assume. They're also 5 years warranty from date of manufacture and not date of actual purchase so you end up with less than 5 years or zero warranty if they have already been sitting in a warehouse or retailer shelf for 5 years and won't know until after the fact whether you still have a warranty or not. The other brand that sells the Trijicon Tenmile scopes only has a 10 year warranty for original owner but does not have a US based warranty location and you have to mail it overseas internationally if you need warranty. Just remembered it's the Delta Stryker and Delta Optical scopes that need to be mailed internationally for warranty. Their lower priced Chinese made scopes are like the Athlon Ares so why on Earth would anyone choose to buy that brand over Athlon who has a US based warranty location? I have no idea why people still flocking to buy SIG brand products with built in electronics and still constantly stating they have a lifetime warranty when the electronics warranty are probably already expired and they don't even realize.it especially if purchased on clearance who knows how long they been sitting prior to the sale remember 5 year warranty clock already started to tick down from date of manufacture not date of purchase and only SIG can determine what their serial numbers mean regarding their date of birth and whether to deny your warranty or not.
Bushnells only have a one year limited warranty on their electronics such as red dots and illuminated reticles in their scopes.
If you want the best bang for the buck in good quality optics, the Meopta Optika 6 demo model 5-30x56 FFP illuminated RD MRAD for $799.99 is very hard to beat and it's not made in China. I'd rate it as good as the Japan made Athlon Cronus BTR Gen 2 for a lot less money at nearly half the price.
For around the $1800-ish price point I'd highly recommend the Burris XTR PRO SCR2 MIL 5.5-30x56 MADE IN THE USA. The eyebox and FOV is insanely HUGE and the only comparable wide angle scope is the March FX 4.5-28x52 that cost a lot more. The Burris race dials are a big plus too.
The other decent option is the Vortex Razor Gen 3 6--36x56 for $2000 delivered but there's still an ongoing waiting period or pay $2500 for it elsewhere to get it right away.
The Tract Toric ELR 4.5-30x56 34mm is another decent choice and prefer it over their 4-20x50 30mm model due to way more total elevation travel. 15% off when they have their sale or when using law enforcement or military discount $1440 but would rather pay more for the Burris XTR PRO.
Also consider the warranty whenever buying optics such as Trijicon and SIG who only have a limited 5 year warranty on their electronics such as their illuminated reticles and any electronics related fumctions and they're not really lifetime warranties as most may think or assume. They're also 5 years warranty from date of manufacture and not date of actual purchase so you end up with less than 5 years or zero warranty if they have already been sitting in a warehouse or retailer shelf for 5 years and won't know until after the fact whether you still have a warranty or not. The other brand that sells the Trijicon Tenmile scopes only has a 10 year warranty for original owner but does not have a US based warranty location and you have to mail it overseas internationally if you need warranty. Just remembered it's the Delta Stryker and Delta Optical scopes that need to be mailed internationally for warranty. Their lower priced Chinese made scopes are like the Athlon Ares so why on Earth would anyone choose to buy that brand over Athlon who has a US based warranty location? I have no idea why people still flocking to buy SIG brand products with built in electronics and still constantly stating they have a lifetime warranty when the electronics warranty are probably already expired and they don't even realize.it especially if purchased on clearance who knows how long they been sitting prior to the sale remember 5 year warranty clock already started to tick down from date of manufacture not date of purchase and only SIG can determine what their serial numbers mean regarding their date of birth and whether to deny your warranty or not.
Bushnells only have a one year limited warranty on their electronics such as red dots and illuminated reticles in their scopes.
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There's more to it than just magnification. The extra mag does you no good if you can spot any misses and you can't cut through any mirage. Edit: how it can resolve targets in the shadows or back-lit will also matter
I've been to 1200 with 12x on moa sized targets fine but the glass was top tier. Likewise I've struggled inside of 1000 with a 25x capable scope of lesser quality.
Find a budget and then buy the better glass with the reticle you can use in a mag range that's reasonable. Most shooters don't need more than 18x for any type of prs style shooting....despite the arguments I'm sure will follow this statement.
I've been to 1200 with 12x on moa sized targets fine but the glass was top tier. Likewise I've struggled inside of 1000 with a 25x capable scope of lesser quality.
Find a budget and then buy the better glass with the reticle you can use in a mag range that's reasonable. Most shooters don't need more than 18x for any type of prs style shooting....despite the arguments I'm sure will follow this statement.
I really did like it. 20x was nice for zeroing, glass was better to me than my mk5. Above 16x eyebox got tight but I never really shot above 16x any way. I want to get another when funds permit and I have an AR for it to go on. Mil-xt is probably my favorite reticle I've used thus far. I had really good experiences with it on flat ranges doing up drills at 50 and in the middle of the desert hiking and shooting 1000 yards.
Nx8 2.5-20 mil xt used it on 556 and 6.5 gas guns out to 1000yds regularly, shot local PRS matches with it also, would buy another buttttttt.
I have the nx8 4-32 mil xt and I have found myself living in that 20x power range and the reticle being larger and better eye box bc I'm not maxing out the scope.
I have the nx8 4-32 mil xt and I have found myself living in that 20x power range and the reticle being larger and better eye box bc I'm not maxing out the scope.
Hit a 24"×24" plate at 2150 yards with my 300 Norma on 16x. It was a 30x optic, but had to reduce magnification for mirage.
I ran a 20x XTRII in PRS for 4 years. No issues.
I ran a 20x XTRII in PRS for 4 years. No issues.
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