Rifle Scopes Looking for Mid-Range Scope: ATACR 4-16, Vortex Razor HD 3-18, or Steiner T5Xi 3-15x50?

[mckchome]

I'm looking for a mid-range optic for a hunting rig, so shots 1000 yds and under, and will rotate among a 300WM, .308, and 6mm CM. I would like the scope to be aroudn $2000. I've narrowed it down to these three, but am open to other suggestions. All of these can be found on the used market for around $2000, so that's part of the reason they end up on this list. So there are two questions here: (1) of the three above, which do you recommend and why? (2) Am I missing other options?

Thanks in advance.

 

[cleric]

I would throw the mark 5 on there from leupold

 

[mckchome]

I would throw the mark 5 on there from leupold

That's a good point. It's right there in price point. I've been kind of blind to Leupold lately, haven't used there stuff in years. have you had a good experience with this optic?

 

[withoutwarning]

Wait for the new Burris XTRIII to drop first and see how much they go for, because they should be pretty dam badass.
There was a thread recently where someone reviewd all the scopes in this category and broke down the pros and cons for each. I couldn’t find it to link it but maybe someone else can. I would recommend the Nightforce.

 

[Desert Raven]

I have the Nightforce 4-16x50 on a 6mm Creedmoor and love it. The clarity, tracking, and durability are what drew me to the Nightforce and I would choose it again. In fairness, I have not used the others you mentioned. Another thing to consider is the reticle you would like. All 3 are solid choices, so pick the reticle you like and weigh that against what brand you want. I always wanted a Nightforce, so I found the reticle I liked and went for it. No regrets. Good luck!

 

[mckchome]

Wait for the new Burris XTRIII to drop first and see how much they go for, because they should be pretty dam badass.
There was a thread recently where someone reviewd all the scopes in this category and broke down the pros and cons for each. I couldn’t find it to link it but maybe someone else can. I would recommend the Nightforce.

I didn't realize that an XTR III was about to drop--Shotshow maybe? In any case, that would be worth looking at for sure. And @Desert Raven the reticle is a factor that I forgot to mention. Thanks for the reminder.

 

[cleric]

That's a good point. It's right there in price point. I've been kind of blind to Leupold lately, haven't used there stuff in years. have you had a good experience with this optic?

So I bought a mark 5 with t3 reticle. So far really like it. Performed great on an elk hunt. I would skip the vortex for a hunter because of weight, but I would also consider the amg. Can’t really go wrong with those scopes. Although I am looking at the atacr with mil c for my next scope

 

[withoutwarning]

I didn't realize that an XTR III was about to drop--Shotshow maybe? In any case, that would be worth looking at for sure. And @Desert Raven the reticle is a factor that I forgot to mention. Thanks for the reminder.

Yeah the 2019 brochure they dropped the other day has it in it and they will be at shotshow, reports so far are it’s going to be good. If you like grid reticles they have a pretty epic grid reticle coming out as well.

 

[mckchome]

Yeah the 2019 brochure they dropped the other day has it in it and they will be at shotshow, reports so far are it’s going to be good. If you like grid reticles they have a pretty epic grid reticle coming out as well.

@withoutwarning: Where did you see that? I just surveyed their social media and didn't see any announcements. What am I missing? Thanks.

 

[supercorndogs]

Used or new, you shouldn't be getting close to 2k on the TX5i.

 

[tikanni]

@withoutwarning: Where did you see that? I just surveyed their social media and didn't see any announcements. What am I missing? Thanks.

https://www.burrisoptics.com/customer-service/catalog

 

[ddavis]

Vortex Razor and "hunting rifle" shouldn't even be in the same sentence, haha. You'd be adding over a pound to your rifle vs comparable offerings and gaining nothing.

 

[mckchome]

Vortex Razor and "hunting rifle" shouldn't even be in the same sentence, haha. You'd be adding over a pound to your rifle vs comparable offerings and gaining nothing.

I definitely hear what you’re saying. On the whole, I don’t mind carrying heavy rifles. I just keep them in my eberlestock gun slinger, which distributes weight well. Your talking to someone who’s taken his last 5 game animals with a PM II mounted on top, lol

 

[koshkin]

Start by determining a reticle that works for you. Most of the scope in the same basic price range will be pretty good, although there are obvious distinctions.

Since hunting is involved, I would insist on an illuminated reticle, which makes the Mark 5 a lot more expensive and delays XTR 3 since illuminated reticle in it will only get here toward the end of the year.

If you do not insist on a tree reticle, Steiner T5Xi 3-15x50 is a decent option, although P4Xi 4-16x56 is a better bang for the buck and larger objective helps in low light.

If you want a tree reticle, Razor is a viable option, but it is heavy.

I would add Sig Tango6 3-18x44 with DevL trickle to the list. There are good deals on it out there and it is a competent design with a good reticle.

ILya

 

[mckchome]

Start by determining a reticle that works for you. Most of the scope in the same basic price range will be pretty good, although there are obvious distinctions.

Since hunting is involved, I would insist on an illuminated reticle, which makes the Mark 5 a lot more expensive and delays XTR 3 since illuminated reticle in it will only get here toward the end of the year.

If you do not insist on a tree reticle, Steiner T5Xi 3-15x50 is a decent option, although P4Xi 4-16x56 is a better bang for the buck and larger objective helps in low light.

If you want a tree reticle, Razor is a viable option, but it is heavy.

I would add Sig Tango6 3-18x44 with DevL trickle to the list. There are good deals on it out there and it is a competent design with a good reticle.

ILya

Your point about illumination is well taken, since low light shooting conditions are pretty normal in hunting scenarios. For me, I don’t mind Christmas tree reticles, so long as the upper half is relatively clear, as with the H59.

 

[koshkin]

Your point about illumination is well taken, since low light shooting conditions are pretty normal in hunting scenarios. For me, I don’t mind Christmas tree reticles, so long as the upper half is relatively clear, as with the H59.

I do not like Horus reticles, H59 among them, but that is a personal preference. Illumination with FFP scope really becomes important in low light and/or on low magnification.

Reticles are a very personal thing, so you kinda need to decide what works for you. For me personally, no matter how good the scope might be, a Horus makes it a no go no matter how good the rest of the scope might be.

I generally prefer reasonably uncomplicated tree reticles, since I tend to hold within 500-600 yards and become increasingly more likely to dial as the distance extends. I am willing to put up with some extra reticle complexity here and there, but do not want it blocking too much of the image, especially on mid/low magnification. Sig's DevL, Vortex' EBR-2C, Gen 2 XR, Gen3 XR (likely, need to see it), Minox' MR4 and a few others work just fine for my purposes.

If I happen to like the scope and a tree reticle is not available, I can do just fine with mrad-scale type reticles, like Burris/Steiner SCR, SWFA Mil-Quad, Mil-Dot Gen2, etc. However, with these I tend to dial most of the time.

The more expensive the scope is the less I am willing to compromise, so with a $3000 scope I want a reticle that is just right for me or close, while at $1500, I am a lot less picky.

For example, one of my all-time favorite riflescopes is a "lowly" SWFA SS 3-9x42 with MilQuad reticle. It is a simple design, but it is rock solid, has decent glass and good tracking. I have two and they work like a charm. For $600, they absolutely exceed my expectations, especially given their long track record of durability.

On the other end of the spectrum is Tangent Theta TT315M 3-15x50 with Gen 2 XR which would be just about perfect for your application, except for the price. There, the Gen 2 XR reticle fits my needs and the scope has be damn near flawless to justify the price tag (which it pretty much is).

Somewhere in between are plenty of excellent designs that all offer some sort of a compromise with respect to what I am looking for.

For example, EOTech Vudu scopes are rather promising, although the reticle selection is uninspiring. Nevertherless, MD3 is a decent enough reticle that I can live with given that this is not a $3k scope.

Same for Steiner P4Xi that I mentioned earlier. It is sort of a low light specialist scope that seems really respectable to me. SCR reticle is decent enough and given the price, I will not complain.

ILya

 

[mckchome]

I do not like Horus reticles, H59 among them, but that is a personal preference. Illumination with FFP scope really becomes important in low light and/or on low magnification.

Reticles are a very personal thing, so you kinda need to decide what works for you. For me personally, no matter how good the scope might be, a Horus makes it a no go no matter how good the rest of the scope might be.

I generally prefer reasonably uncomplicated tree reticles, since I tend to hold within 500-600 yards and become increasingly more likely to dial as the distance extends. I am willing to put up with some extra reticle complexity here and there, but do not want it blocking too much of the image, especially on mid/low magnification. Sig's DevL, Vortex' EBR-2C, Gen 2 XR, Gen3 XR (likely, need to see it), Minox' MR4 and a few others work just fine for my purposes.

If I happen to like the scope and a tree reticle is not available, I can do just fine with mrad-scale type reticles, like Burris/Steiner SCR, SWFA Mil-Quad, Mil-Dot Gen2, etc. However, with these I tend to dial most of the time.

The more expensive the scope is the less I am willing to compromise, so with a $3000 scope I want a reticle that is just right for me or close, while at $1500, I am a lot less picky.

For example, one of my all-time favorite riflescopes is a "lowly" SWFA SS 3-9x42 with MilQuad reticle. It is a simple design, but it is rock solid, has decent glass and good tracking. I have two and they work like a charm. For $600, they absolutely exceed my expectations, especially given their long track record of durability.

On the other end of the spectrum is Tangent Theta TT315M 3-15x50 with Gen 2 XR which would be just about perfect for your application, except for the price. There, the Gen 2 XR reticle fits my needs and the scope has be damn near flawless to justify the price tag (which it pretty much is).

Somewhere in between are plenty of excellent designs that all offer some sort of a compromise with respect to what I am looking for.

For example, EOTech Vudu scopes are rather promising, although the reticle selection is uninspiring. Nevertherless, MD3 is a decent enough reticle that I can live with given that this is not a $3k scope.

Same for Steiner P4Xi that I mentioned earlier. It is sort of a low light specialist scope that seems really respectable to me. SCR reticle is decent enough and given the price, I will not complain.

ILya

I appreciate the detailed response. I hadn’t really considered the vudu but I also have no reason to discard it.

 

[B-P-UU]

The 4-16 ATACR is one of my favorite hunting scopes and would serve you well.
That new Burris looks interesting as well, but it's pretty early to say much about it.