Help choosing high magnification optic for PRS

PRSDietitian

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Jan 11, 2023
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I am the most indecisive person I know. I'm trying to narrow down selection of a scope for a future PRS build.

Criteria

56mm
up to 30x
34mm tube
zero stop
illuminated christmas tree reticle
at least 25 mils of elevation
Japanese or European(schott) glass
under $1500(this is with discounts, I am a veteran so I get mil discounts)

I've narrowed it down to a few but I am up to other suggestions

I'm looking at:
Tract Toric ELR 4.5-30x56
Meopta Optika 6 5-30x56
Burris XTR III 5.5-30x56

Which would be the best bang out of those 3? Are there any other options worth looking at?
 
I am the most indecisive person I know. I'm trying to narrow down selection of a scope for a future PRS build.

Criteria

56mm
up to 30x
34mm tube
zero stop
illuminated christmas tree reticle
at least 25 mils of elevation
Japanese or European(schott) glass
under $1500(this is with discounts, I am a veteran so I get mil discounts)

I've narrowed it down to a few but I am up to other suggestions

I'm looking at:
Tract Toric ELR 4.5-30x56
Meopta Optika 6 5-30x56
Burris XTR III 5.5-30x56

Which would be the best bang out of those 3? Are there any other options worth looking at?
Don't know how much your discounted price on one would be, or if you're only looking for a 30x maximum magnification (you said "up to 30x"), but take a look at the new 3rd Generation Kahles K624i with the SKMR4 reticle, or the new Zeiss LRP S3 scopes, or a used Gen2 Vortex Razor, like was mentioned above.


 
XTR 3 under 1500 ( seen them go for 1k here) is really hard to beat IMO. Gen 2 razor like nite said is also a great reliable and durable optic. They will cost closer to 1500 used. You could also get a mk5 with discount but honestly, the xtr3 has better glass and I trust the tracking over leupold.
 
I went with the XTR3i when I was in the same situation as you, no regrets and the race dial really simplifies things and saves precious seconds while on the clock.
 
The newest Bushnell elite line xrs3 6-36 is made by LOW, has great glass, good turrets, but no illuminated reticle. With an onX premium membership, you get 20% off all Bushnell and they can be had for 1200$, it's arguably the best quality for it's price. I've shot 15-20 prs/field matches, have never turned on illumination once in a match. It's not needed. Athlon Cronus BTR should be on the list too, it's a quality optic. The tract is a good scope, optika6 isn't too popular and would worry about durability. The xtr3 just wasn't a scope for me.
 
I've got an XTR3 and an XRS3 and they're both excellent for different reasons. I think you'd be happy with either one if you like the reticles. I think a Gen 2 razor is probably a great option too, just haven't owned one personally.
 
Not going to be able to use that 30x with mirage in most cases, even if you wanted to (which you won’t).

Best? Used 6-24 Kahles.
Easiest to find? Used gen2 razor.

Alternatively, with your mil discount, if you’re ok going 35mm rings, a mk5hd pr2 is probably around there in price.
 
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Check out the Meopta ZD 6-24X56 RD. It is for sale at the Meopta Store for under $1500. One heck of a scope with excellent glass and European quality. Meopta also has an excellent Mil/LE/First Responder Program. The above scope wouldn't apply since it is already 30% off.
 
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Check out the Meopta ZD 6-24X56 RD. It is for sale at the Meopta Store for under $1500. One heck of a scope with excellent glass and European quality. Meopta also has an excellent Mil/LE/First Responder Program. The above scope wouldn't apply since it is already 30% off.
How’s the optika 6 glass?

@koshkin
 
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I looked through one at a match and was impressed. I havenot owned one though. I went through razor amgs like toilet paper. The one that was on my gun when I compared them was the worst one I had optically. However, the optika was better than that example of the amg. It's no slouch for the price.
 
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So @Rob01 mentioned steiner T6Xi 5-30x56 with the SCR2 reticle on expert voice. Does anyone have experience with this? Considering this has an MSRP of like 2800 and in many cases you get what you pay for...this may be a winner?
 
So @Rob01 mentioned steiner T6Xi 5-30x56 with the SCR2 reticle on expert voice. Does anyone have experience with this? Considering this has an MSRP of like 2800 and in many cases you get what you pay for...this may be a winner?

The Expert Voice price on those has me wanting to build a rifle just for one. The price there on the Zeiss LRP S3 4-25x50 ain’t too shabby either.
 
The Expert Voice price on those has me wanting to build a rifle just for one. The price there on the Zeiss LRP S3 4-25x50 ain’t too shabby either.
I was going to get a proof blank from them for my build but they quoted a 5 month lead time because they buy in bulk. Getting an MPA because I can get one in a few weeks. This however has me beyond excited for this build.
I was leaning towards the tract, then to the XTRiii but now i think im settled on this

Sounds dumb, but i was looking for other options to the tract....because i didnt like the color. I know I know sounds dumb. But I get ocd at times and like things to match. For instance, I'm getting the ARC CDG action. Before I found out i can get it all black, vs the black in red, I was set on the XTR pro
 
The Expert Voice price on those has me wanting to build a rifle just for one. The price there on the Zeiss LRP S3 4-25x50 ain’t too shabby either.

Yup the price on the Zeiss just went up from its super low price but still great but over his limit or I would definitely recommend looking at way also.
 
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just for shits and giggles i checked the price of a cronus btr gen 2...that deal is beyond nuts
I ran a Cronus BTR Gen 2 for awhile on my 22 match gun and honestly only got rid of it because all my other guns had Gen 2 Razors and just wanted to have the same scope on all of them. The Cronus glass was very comparable to the Razor, at least to me. The eyebox is a little tighter on the Cronus as well as a longer eye relief but once you’ve got your gun setup right you’ll really never notice it. The Cronus definitely won’t hold you back.
 
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Aprs6 cronus gen2 btr reticle is just as good and usable than anything out there in my experience. I have a gen1 with the aprs1 floating cross VS dot reticle of the newer version. It's a solid scope! The nice thing, lots of options to choose from. The cronus at mil/Le discount(likely 1100$ or so) is an excellent value.
 
just for shits and giggles i checked the price of a cronus btr gen 2...that deal is beyond nuts
I’d do that over any of your previously listed options.
Does anyone live in the houston area that has any of these that'd let me look through them at all?
There is a two day best in Texas match in navasota at the end of the month, come out if you can make the drive and you can look through every scope you can imagine in a setting that you would be using them seriously.
 
I’d do that over any of your previously listed options.

There is a two day best in Texas match in navasota at the end of the month, come out if you can make the drive and you can look through every scope you can imagine in a setting that you would be using them seriously.
Does that include the steiner T6xi? I read that was on par if not better than the XTR pro, but with better turrets, which I also read performed very well glass wise.
 
Aprs6 cronus gen2 btr reticle is just as good and usable than anything out there in my experience. I have a gen1 with the aprs1 floating cross VS dot reticle of the newer version. It's a solid scope! The nice thing, lots of options to choose from. The cronus at mil/Le discount(likely 1100$ or so) is an excellent value.
I’d agree on the reticle IF it had a 0.5 mil mark or something other than .2 tenths between each mil on the horizontal axis.

For shooting movers I found it hard to keep track of which .2 line I needed to use. It needs something like the Razor to easily identify 0.5 mil increments or offer a .25mil option and have the 0.5 line longer than the .25mil line.
 
I’d agree on the reticle IF it had a 0.5 mil mark or something other than .2 tenths between each mil on the horizontal axis.

For shooting movers I found it hard to keep track of which .2 line I needed to use. It needs something like the Razor to easily identify 0.5 mil increments or offer a .25mil option and have the 0.5 line longer than the .25mil line.
For movers, that is why im going with a brownells MPO 3-18 for my 6 ARC gas gun. it has 1/2 mil marks on the windage. Thinking about using that for gan gun comps for the Tactical Games
 
The Expert Voice price on those has me wanting to build a rifle just for one. The price there on the Zeiss LRP S3 4-25x50 ain’t too shabby either.
Tract Optics just released a brand new 4-25x50 34mm Toric with huge amount if total elevation travel at a discounted pre-order price under $1350. I'd like to see a direct head to head vs the Zeiss LRPS3 for almost $1000 less money. I think I'm going to be ordering the pre-order to get the cheaper price.

 
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Does that include the steiner T6xi? I read that was on par if not better than the XTR pro, but with better turrets, which I also read performed very well glass wise.

I have seen these together a few times now. I have a friend who has both the T6Xi and the Pro. He runs the Steiner on his PRS rimfire rig and the Pro on a Dasher.

I honestly wouldn't flag either of these as being the better optic. There are small differences in each. Glass is super close. Amazingly seeing as how they each come from halfway around the world from each other.

I love the Race Dial on the Burris and the Rev indicator on the Steiner. They are both excellent honestly.