Help a newbie orient himself in choosing glass for F-class?

[daxelkurtz]

Hey all!

tl;dr I'd love some help choosing an optic for shooting F-class.

I've spent the last few weeks doing research into optics. After all that time and work, my final conclusion is that I do not know jack and I will never know jack just from reading the internets! So rather than waste so much money on guesswork... can I ask a little help orienting myself?

Here's my story:

I've been shooting rifles for under a year. I go to the range three or four times a week. I started with the guns I already had - first a .22, then an old .30-30. In both cases I started with irons and then eventually moved to low-power scopes. I think I learned some good fundamentals this way.

A few months ago a friend sold me his Savage 110 Elite Precision, in .308, with a Mystic Precision bipod & a fresh barrel. (Total weight: 13.6 lbs). I've been using it to shoot at the 600y line with the F-Class / PRS guys at my range. My dudes: I have been sucked in.

My friend recommended I pick up a cheap scope to start with, and I could upgrade if and when I learned I needed it. I settled on a Mueller 5-25x50 "Eraticator" that cost me $140 online. It's been a really good investment. It's let me shoot a thousand rounds at 600 yards... and it's let me outgrow it naturally. I will sincerely appreciate better glass!

Because ah... guys. The tracking is worse than a yard sale Betamax, the turrets have the build quality of a Canal Street Rolex, the IQ is right up there with one of those tower-viewers that you put in a quarter to look through, and now that it's getting warmer out the mirage is like getting hit in the face with a PIE. I think I am going to put it on my .30-30, get a solid 100-yard zero, Loctite the turrets, and then use it to miss deer for the next six decades. But for precision shooting: I NEED TO UPGRADE.

I want a scope to shoot F-class (F-Open and F-TR). If it let me shoot PRS as well, so much the better - but that's secondary.

And if I have to sell a KIDNEY to do this right... well, I've got two of 'em.

Got any recommendations or advice?

Here are some questions that I've thought of:

-My understanding is that I'll be shooting almost exclusively at 1000y. As such, is there much benefit to an FFP scope?
-Would that change if I started shooting PRS at varying distances?

-I think that weight is not really an object (my rifle + bipod weighs about 13.6lbs). Is that right or am I missing something?

-At 1000y, wouldn't a high max zoom (cough Majesta) be incredibly useful? Or has the IQ on this lousy Eraticator just broken my brain?

-Barring major accidents, how often does a high-quality scope need to be repaired? And how much can that cost?
-If I put one of these scopes on a larger caliber rifle (338LM, say), would the increased recoil make it more likely that they would be damaged?

-How much benefit is there to looking through the glass myself if it's just inside of some store?
-Are there places that let you actually demo glass on a live range?
-Are there any stores that stock a variety of high-quality glass for comparison purposes? I've never seen a store with any TT, S&B, ZCo, March, Kahles, That German One That Begins With "H" That I Can't Remember... let alone more than one to compare!
- ...are any of those places within driving distance of Portland, Maine? Or do I have to, like, fly to ShotShow just to buy a @%$#@ scope?

Thanks so much, guys. I appreciate it a ton.


tl;dr using the form

• What is the platform for the scope? Bolt-action rifle
• What cartridge are you shooting? .308
• What is your intended use for the scope? Belly Benchrest, maybe PRS (Open or Tactical)
• What type of conditions will you typically shoot in? Daylight and dusk - I love shooting after work
• What are the typical distances you intend to shoot? 1000y
• Are there any specific specifications you would like? Durability.
• What is the price range you can afford? Just fuck my shit up.

 

[Tpb10505]

You might want to try asking over at the AccurateShooter forum as there’s a large contingent of FClass folks over there. I’ve had a Sightron SVSS 10-50 and currently use a NF Comp 15-55. The Nightforce is almost a pound lighter, but both are great optics. The Vortex Golden Eagle is a more budget friendly option as well

 

[DLS]

I would start with looking at Sightron at Cameraland and see what deals they have.

 

[b6graham]

you're going to have a lot of compromises to use it for F Class and PRS style shooting

i'd much rather a PRS type scope to shoot F Class than vice-versa especially at 600y something (idk where you plan to shoot 1000y F Class in Maine/New England aside from the fun stuff at FOD or driving to Albany) in the 6-36 range would be fine. but using a 10-50 target scope for PRS would be a non starter for me

it really comes down to how much you want to spend and how much you really want to give F Class a go versus just shooting both disciplines for fun and learning

if you're looking at a Majesta i'd suggest doing a Vortex Golden Eagle/Sightron/NF Comp and getting a PRS scope (XTR3, Zeiss S3, XTR Pro, Razor Gen3, ATACR 7-35). the Savage 110 EP is fine enough for PRS will will be fine enough to shoot F Class for fun. so switching scopes for each discipline isn't that bad


your questions
looking through in a store is mostly worthless. the glass in any $ level is close enough. it's more reticle that matters imho
go to a match. PRS (FOD/EchoBox) or F Class (Scarborough) and fondle everyones scopes. you'll see the trend at each event with scope type
the odds of finding those in a store are small aside from EuroOptic/Sport optics. again it doesnt matter much.
Camerland NY, Eurooptic, sportoptics, mountic all sell them. online is the best bet

 

[Rob01]

As he said a high powered SFP scope is great for F Class/BR but not for PRS. You will need to compromise somewhere or buy two scopes. A quality FFP 6-36x would be a good compromise.

Really do need to know your approximate price range to help as if you are looking to spend $800 it's a waste offering $3k recommendations. So what's a good realistic price range for you?

 

[reelserious]

Most of the F class guys are using the March scopes either 20-60x or the new 20-80x. They are also in MOA for f class guys and most importantly 1/8 moa clicks. The magnification really helps on low mirage days. Not the scope for PRS

 

[Denys]

There are several excellent riflescopes for F-Class, from March, NF, Sightron, Vortex, Kahles and so on. It's always an SFP scope with a simple reticle, 1/8 MOA clicks and high magnification. In many ways, it's the antithesis of the PRS riflescope.

The Majesta that you mentioned is the latest offering from March as a SFP 8-80X56 riflescope with Super ED glass and 1/8 MOA knobs. Its predecessor is the March-X 10-60X56 HM, which has been around since 2019. A very popular riflescope in F-class circles is the NF 15-55X52 Competition model and it is used to good effect by many of the top competitors. The Vortex Golden Eagle 15-60X52 is also another good option that is used by many top F-class shooters. The Kahles 10-50X56 is also popular. Sightron has quite a following with some of their high mag riflescopes.

The advice that you were given about visiting local competitions and asking to look through scopes is an excellent one. Picking a scope by looking through it at a store is not the best. The very best place/time to evaluate a scope is on the line, when the mirage is running.

 

[ker2222]

Sightron S3 ffp 6-24 moa recticle and zero stop is what you seek…… assuming about a million caveats about price and what not and Doug at cameraland is whom you seek for the best service and deal around.

I used that scope to start both f class and prs style shooting. Shot a
Couple seasons with it in both styles. Given how much I sucked as a new comp shooter (and shooter in general) that scope never held me back nor frustrated me. It’s not perfect for either discipline and gives up a ton to discipline specific scopes. But, glass and reticle are good enough and turret tracking is spot on

 

[longshot2000]

I would look strongly at March, but the nature of your rifle (production, not custom), you might want to save some money and opt for Sightron or even Arken. Both are very reasonable scope offerings at a budget. No offense. I have a Savage. But, it is not a AI or Cadex.

 

[Baron23]

Would this do (ok, sorry...I'm bored and trying to have some fun haha)

 

[Denys]

Would this do (ok, sorry...I'm bored and trying to have some fun haha)

It's a little nearsighted compared to the Majesta.

 

[Denys]

I would look strongly at March, but the nature of your rifle (production, not custom), you might want to save some money and opt for Sightron or even Arken. Both are very reasonable scope offerings at a budget. No offense. I have a Savage. But, it is not a AI or Cadex.

I agree with you. The March and other similar high-end high-mag scopes are not cheap. If you're going to spend that kind of money on a riflescope, (the Majesta is $4500), you want to make sure it fits your discipline properly, and as has been stated, F-Class and PRS are not exactly compatible optics-wise.

I do not adhere to the childish mantra of buy once, cry once in the case of a newbie. When you know exactly what you need, from personal experience, then sure; spend the proper money.