Rifle Scopes Need suggestions for LPVO

[DBrace]

Hello Gentlemen, joined the Hide over 10 years ago...tons of great info from lots of awesome guys. I have been crazy busy with work and with 3 little boys, so I have put shooting interests on the back burner for the last 6-7 years.

I need help/suggestions for a new scope for a .350 legend build for deer hunting this winter here in Iowa. I have searched through countless pages here and on the internet for the last three-four weeks and I am not seeing what I am looking for.

I have always ran a 12ga slug gun while deer hunting here in Iowa. Most shots are in the timber with it being a 5-75 yard shot 95% of the time. My 12ga has open rifle sights. On occasion there is opportunity for a 150-200 yard shot along a field edge or while blocking out in the open behind a field terrace.

I am comfortable with Aimpount PRO's because that is what we use on our SBR duty rifles. I have an extra Aimpoint PRO on a AR pistol that I never shoot....so my plan was to just put the Aimpoint on my new upper when I get it.

However, now I'm second guessing myself in that I will miss having the extra magnication of a 1-6 or 1-8 power scope for those few and far between shots at 150-200 yards.

Last week I looked through a Vortex Strike Eagle 1-8 and was surprised by the "fisheye or fishbowl" effect at 1X. I plan on being down in the 1X-2X range 80-90% of the time while hunting and I know that will drive me nuts. I have an IOR Spartan 2-12X that does the same thing on the edges and it bothers me.

Being in Iowa makes it hard for me to look through and get my hands on different scopes to look through because the local Scheels doesn't carry lots of different options.

I do have a BNIB Bushnell 4.5-30 XRS, that I bought years ago and have never mounted and just sits in the safe, that I could sell or trade if need be.

I have been reading lots of reviews online about Athlon scopes but have ZERO personal experience with them. I recently read a post where Athlons have "fisheye" at 1X power also. I have not heard about the Athlon Cronus having any distortion at 1X power however.

Im thinking that I would like to stay in the $500-$800 range but I am easily strayed....however I do not own any S&B, USO, March, ect...nor can really justify spending $2500 on a scope that will get used 30 hrs a year.

What are some LPVO scope options that don't fisheye on the edges at 1X?

Here is my scope options wishlist:

1X-6X power minimum but 1X-8X power would be better
NO fisheye around the edges
Daytime usable Illuminated reticle
Open Dot reticle similar to Votex BDC3 reticle
SFP is preferred
Decent FOV and eye relief for hunting in the woods

Any scopes fit my requirements? Or should I just run the Aimpoint?

Thanks Guys!

Dan

 

[SepticDeath]

Vortex Razor 1x6x24. Give Liberty Optics a call and tell him your a member on this forum.

 

[long range sponge]

Product Description

Product Description | Camera Land NY

cameralandny.com

Lots of good feedback on the Rt-6. @gr8fuldoug is amazing to deal with. As is Scott @LibertyOptics who may have other deals like a 1-6 PST.

 

[SCOPEBROKER]

I like your specific requirements. Yes, you are going to get some optical abberations with a Vortex Strike Eagle. They are very popular, and from my perspective propbably the top-end of the bottom tier LPVO scopes.

The most natural recommendation is the Razor HD-E 1-6x, but we have blown your budget. So, I will not even talk about my two other favorites in that range that are higher cost that this scope. Vortex has a razor thin margin (pun intended) on Razor scopes, so one dealer or another is going to give you about the same deal. There is not much room to discount this scope, and the demand is high, and the waiting time to get from Vortex is long enough.

I would recommend looking at a PST 1-6x, which is a step down from the Razor, and still good optics. Not made to the toughness of the Razor, but optics are close enough, and you have the Strike Eagle from which to compare, so you will be impressed.

While we do not really deal with Burris, the Burris RT-6 is going to be somewhere in between, in my opinon, the performance of the PST and the Strike Eagle.

We also like Steiner, but hard to get. the P4xi 1-4 is a great deal (less power) and T5xi 1-5x is a well proven optic, but stretching your budget. With Steiner, you will never get a bad scope. Vortex, by contrast, gives you varying models with extreme quality differences across the spectrum from world class glass to not so good. Steiner always gives you good glass.

Hope that helps.

 

[W54/XM-388]

I'd suggest you give this one a look:

Home

Shop our catalog of Rifle Scopes. Find AK 47, AR 308, & AR 15 scopes from Primary Arms, Trijicon, Vortex & more. Available in BDC, MOA, MIL, ACSS & more.

www.primaryarms.com

A little bit over your budget, but has excellent glass, a very usable reticle that works well from 1x to 8x with or without illumination.
Has High Noon bright illumination as well as NV modes.

 

[Mwalex]

Based on Ilya’s review I have ordered a Delta Stryker HD 1-6x. Price is in your range and the reviews/videos are promising.

 

[DBrace]

Thanks guys. I will look into those suggestions.

Anyone have any personal experience with the Athlons or the Vortex PTS with the outer edge distorting or having fisheyes at 1X?

I think glass distortion and a daylight bright Illuminated reticle are my biggest hangup.

Usually there is snow on the ground and it can be really bright out.

 

[SCOPEBROKER]

I'd suggest you give this one a look:

Home

Shop our catalog of Rifle Scopes. Find AK 47, AR 308, & AR 15 scopes from Primary Arms, Trijicon, Vortex & more. Available in BDC, MOA, MIL, ACSS & more.

www.primaryarms.com

A little bit over your budget, but has excellent glass, a very usable reticle that works well from 1x to 8x with or without illumination.
Has High Noon bright illumination as well as NV modes.

We could keep going, but I will agree that PA is also worth considering. They are very selective in their choice of Asian manufacturers, and the price to quality ratio is very high. They are very popular in the low budget spectrum, so if you did not like the Strike Eagle, you might not like PA. I am not sure who makes this one quoted above. I am pretty sure that Holosun makes their red dots, which are a superb value, but not as demanding on the need for fine glass.

 

[Abbotm2]

This guy does great POV reviews. Don't over look the Steiner for being 1-4

 

[Abbotm2]

I have the Athlon 1-4 on my 300BLK, I shot a deer last week at 80yrds. Its fine... not daylight bright and not a true 1x, I got it for the MIL/MIL feature since 300BLK drops like a rock. 4x is fine for an ethical kill inside 200, I even went 5 for 5 on 18" steel at 500yrds... 6 mils with Barns 110tac tx.

 

[rhsc]

Anyone have any personal experience with the Athlons or the Vortex PTS with the outer edge distorting or having fisheyes at 1X?

I think glass distortion and a daylight bright Illuminated reticle are my biggest hangup.

Usually there is snow on the ground and it can be really bright out.

I've got a Gen 1 Athlon Midas BTR 1-6 that I never noticed has any fish-eye distortion. I just pulled it out and took a look through it very carefully and did notice just a small bit of distortion at 1x if my eye was not perfectly centered behind the ocular, but it was very minimal and only on the near side of the reticle closest to my nose. Again, I never noticed it until your comment prompted me to really look for it; I've had scopes that were a whole lot worse in that regard.

Here in south-east and south-central Texas shooting in white-out snow hasn't been much of an issue since the end of the last ice age, but I'm not sure you could call the illumination daylight bright. Against a bright background I see very minimal red in the center dot when cranked up to the max. I seem to recall it being brighter when the scope was new, so maybe I need to install a fresh battery.

One other issue you might consider is the reduced light gathering of the small objective lenses typical to LPVO scopes. Where I hunt, my best shot opportunities at whitetail often occur at dawn and dusk and I found that the 1-6x24 didn't quite cut it at those times, particularly when I wanted to increase the magnification. I've since switched it out for a Burris Four X 1.5-6x42 and put the Athlon on an AR that I don't intend to use for hunting. Of course, if you don't shoot in low light situations this won't be a concern. Bushnell has a 1-8x30 model that might be a nice compromise in that regard, but I have no first-hand experience with it. The Bushnell seems to only come with a German #4 style reticle so that might knock it out of the running for you anyway. Good luck with your search.

 

[db2000]

I'd suggest you give this one a look:

Home

Shop our catalog of Rifle Scopes. Find AK 47, AR 308, & AR 15 scopes from Primary Arms, Trijicon, Vortex & more. Available in BDC, MOA, MIL, ACSS & more.

www.primaryarms.com

A little bit over your budget, but has excellent glass, a very usable reticle that works well from 1x to 8x with or without illumination.
Has High Noon bright illumination as well as NV modes.

I second this. I own it in a Griffin ACSS reticle, which is badass, and the glass is incredible. Built like a tank. Turrets are great. Illumination has a wide range from NV compatible to super bright with off positions between each level setting.

 

[ofelas]

These new fangled LPVOs seem to be the optic version of the 6.5 CreedHoz.

 

[W54/XM-388]

These new fangled LPVOs seem to be the optic version of the 6.5 CreedHoz.

I think what happened is the market finally had good quality well performing 1-6/8/10 optics at reasonable prices and people started finding they nicely fit a gap between Holographic / Red Dot sights and traditional scopes that was lacking for rifles intended for hunting or social work from 25 to 400 yards where you need a huge field of view, but also want to be able to have the ability for target identification / search at a distance.

This is kind of a refinement of the previous idea of 2-9/12 or 3-9/12 hunting scopes.

It's a bit of a fad for sure, but I can say from once having to have an Eotech with a flip to side magnifier, I prefer a 1-8 optic instead.
However I would suggest they are a poor replacement for a traditional scope that you want to do target shooting and longer range competitions with.

 

[flyfisher117]

I have the Primary Arms SFP 1-8. It is my favorite budget LPVO I have shot/owned. The fish eye on the edges is no where near as bad as the Strike Eagle and so far I'm impressed with Clarity. Ive owned a handful of the sub $600 and sold them all. This one will probably stick around. It's illumination is not day light bright IMHO.


I almost pulled the trigger on the Burris XTRii 1-8. The one inwas look at was FFP, it deffinately was daylight bright and it only had an illuminated dot center. It fealt like a red dot on 1x. My cheap ass just backed out, should have snagged it.

 

[RTV]

i know you are comfortable with the aimpoint PRO for hunting however given your use case it might be better to go with something more
in the 2.5-10x range... not a hunter myself so make your own evaluation but my great grandfather put food on the table for decades using a fixed 4x scope and he said all his shots were between 25 and 100 yards...

the 2.5x bottom end would give you a bigger objective lens is the primary benefit and there are a lot of good options in your price range.

 

[mop89]

Bushnell Elite Tactical II SMRS 1-6.5x24 ILL CQ BDC Riflescope ET71624

FREE SHIPPING on Bushnell SMRS 1-6.5x24 ILL CQ BDC Riflescope ET71624

www.eurooptic.com

This hand down no question, I have a leupold mk8 1-8 and a vortex razor gen 3 1-10 and I'm astonished by the quality of glass you get for the price of that bushnell. I purchased it for my father and afterwards wish I would have bought one for myself also (funds don't allow it currently or I would)

 

[RTV]

Bushnell Elite Tactical II SMRS 1-6.5x24 ILL CQ BDC Riflescope ET71624

FREE SHIPPING on Bushnell SMRS 1-6.5x24 ILL CQ BDC Riflescope ET71624

www.eurooptic.com

This hand down no question, I have a leupold mk8 1-8 and a vortex razor gen 3 1-10 and I'm astonished by the quality of glass you get for the price of that bushnell. I purchased it for my father and afterwards wish I would have bought one for myself also (funds don't allow it currently or I would)

how would you say the the G3 razor compares to the leupold and bushy in regards to glass,illumination, and eyebox.

 

[Baron85]

I may be the odd man out but I actually prefer the Burris rt6 over the razor 1-6. I actually just traded my razor. To me the razor was brighter illumination and the glass was better but for me and my uses of a 1-6 I didn’t need the better glass quality. And as long as the reticle is well designed I don’t need illumination. I could by almost 3 Burris rt6 for one used razor and the rt6 weights much less than the razor.

The Burris punches way above its price in my opinion.

 

[Gypsy]

This guy does great POV reviews. Don't over look the Steiner for being 1-4

I agree with this.

 

[Rocky59]

I have 3 or 4 of the Steiners - they are best in classs IMHO for ~$500 range . Excellent scope for the money. Crisp glass, generous eye box, no fisheye,. I'd consider them or Vortex, who also has great LPVO scopes. I shoot with those out to 600m or so busting small rocks.
However If you tell your brain to look for something, it will almost inevitably find it. People who tell their brain to look for fisheye in a riflescope will always find some. Whether it's in a $2000 rifle scope or a $200 one. This is because all optics have some form of distortion - they put lenses between your eye and the light that you're trying to make reach your eye. Some do this better than others, some don't. In all cases, the most distortion you will see is likely out toward the edges of the FOV.

 

[CrabsandFootball]

Ignore most of the BS in this thread. There is ONE LPVO under $1k worth owning.

The Eotech Vudu 1-6. The rest is trash , not daylight bright, terrible controls, bad eyebox, shit glass, poor mounting, trash reticles, don't track,ect. They will bleed value over time and in 5 years or so, will be worthless becuase no one with 3 brain cells to rub together will want them.

SFP is obsolete might as well buy a vehicle with a carburetor or tape deck. Anything over 4x should be FFP and I would argue even 1-4 should be FFP with the OG granddaddy of all LPVOS (The S&B Shortdot), being FFP.

10 years ago the fudds didn't get it, many still don't and in 10 more years there will be a few artifacts still advocating for this obsolete tech. People are resistant to change, especially dumb ones.

I have owned and run them all and there is nothing else under the $1K mark worth buying IMO. Over 1K move up to the G3 Razor and over $4K, the S&B CC. Everything else has enough drawbacks or poor value to make one of the above named a better choice.

Go take a look at the drop chart for a .350L at 200-300 yards. You will need some type of measured reticle....therefore FFP is a no brainer.

 

[CrabsandFootball]

Bushnell Elite Tactical II SMRS 1-6.5x24 ILL CQ BDC Riflescope ET71624

FREE SHIPPING on Bushnell SMRS 1-6.5x24 ILL CQ BDC Riflescope ET71624

www.eurooptic.com

This hand down no question, I have a leupold mk8 1-8 and a vortex razor gen 3 1-10 and I'm astonished by the quality of glass you get for the price of that bushnell. I purchased it for my father and afterwards wish I would have bought one for myself also (funds don't allow it currently or I would)

They are trash, I have owned 3 of them over the years including 2 FFP and 1 SFP.

Piss poor eyebox, Plastic Turrets and no where near daylight bright. They are built like a brick shithouse but too many drawbacks which is why Bushnell is shitcanning them after years and years of trying to make it work. They claimed they had a DFP model in the works almost 10 years ago and it was always "were just a few months away from releasing it". Never materialized.

The Bushnell ET 1-8.5 would have been a great LPV option but it was also not daylight bright, which is the SINGLE most important attribute of a LPVO. They also retailed for about $2k which was laughable, I think I paid $800 for a demo from mile high years ago, and it as quickly sold as the reticle is not even close to daylight bright. Everything else was nice on it however, including the well designed reticle.

These are cheap beacuse they are being liquidated and no one wants them. They would go for $300 on ebay.

 

[ClangClang]

Ignore most of the BS in this thread. There is ONE LPVO under $1k worth owning.

The Eotech Vudu 1-6. The rest is trash , not daylight bright, terrible controls, bad eyebox, shit glass, poor mounting, trash reticles, don't track,ect. They will bleed value over time and in 5 years or so, will be worthless becuase no one with 3 brain cells to rub together will want them.

SFP is obsolete might as well buy a vehicle with a carburetor or tape deck. Anything over 4x should be FFP and I would argue even 1-4 should be FFP with the OG granddaddy of all LPVOS (The S&B Shortdot), being FFP.

Go take a look at the drop chart for a .350L at 200-300 yards. You will need some type of measured reticle....therefore FFP is a no brainer.

Most of this is accurate. I will add the Bushnell SMRS 1-6.5 as well. It is an incredible "value for dollars" optic at its current clearance price. I disagree with the assessment that they're trash. They were way overpriced at their original 1200-1300 price point, but down at 599, they're faaaaar superior to the other "popular" optics in that range like the Viper PST Gen 2.

 

[sandwarrior]

They are trash, I have owned 3 of them over the years including 2 FFP and 1 SFP.

Piss poor eyebox, Plastic Turrets and no where near daylight bright. They are built like a brick shithouse but too many drawbacks which is why Bushnell is shitcanning them after years and years of trying to make it work. They claimed they had a DFP model in the works almost 10 years ago and it was always "were just a few months away from releasing it". Never materialized.

The Bushnell ET 1-8.5 would have been a great LPV option but it was also not daylight bright, which is the SINGLE most important attribute of a LPVO. They also retailed for about $2k which was laughable, I think I paid $800 for a demo from mile high years ago, and it as quickly sold as the reticle is not even close to daylight bright. Everything else was nice on it however, including the well designed reticle.

These are cheap beacuse they are being liquidated and no one wants them. They would go for $300 on ebay.

Too dumb to learn the first time?

 

[CrabsandFootball]

Most of this is accurate. I will add the Bushnell SMRS 1-6.5 as well. It is an incredible "value for dollars" optic at its current clearance price. I disagree with the assessment that they're trash. They were way overpriced at their original 1200-1300 price point, but down at 599, they're faaaaar superior to the other "popular" optics in that range like the Viper PST Gen 2.

From a construction and quality standpoint I agree. They are very well built like most Bushnell LOW optics.

However the eye box is ridiculously tight which makes shooting heads up incredibly hard and its not daylight bright.

Both are deal breakers.

 

[powdahound76]

@DBrace - nice to see a good IA guy on here.
My folks still live there where I grew up, in the SW corner of the state

I like LPVO on an AR, though I hunt with a bolt and use a 3-12 on my rigs out here in CO.
i have used a Leupold 2-7 too, with good success to 300 yds.
the 2-anything works well in my experience from close to 300 (which is where I draw the line for me).
also, a Leupold 1-4 non illuminated might work, not sure on IA laws on Illumination. We cant use it here, so I never pay attention to that.

 

[Team RCBS & Bushnell]

You will have a hard time beating the specs of the EU Forge 1-8x30 with ED prime at this price. That reticle will also help a ton with being able to have fast contrast in daylight. Not many LPVOs out there with a 30mm objective either.

 

[Ironcreek]

I picked up the Vortex Strikefire II 1-8 a couple weeks ago and am very impressed. Clear clean optics and lightweight. Its new home is a Galil Ace 5.56. The best thing besides the optics is that it didn't break the bank getting it.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1008762384?pid=478241

 

[Baron85]

Ignore most of the BS in this thread. There is ONE LPVO under $1k worth owning.

The Eotech Vudu 1-6. The rest is trash , not daylight bright, terrible controls, bad eyebox, shit glass, poor mounting, trash reticles, don't track,ect. They will bleed value over time and in 5 years or so, will be worthless becuase no one with 3 brain cells to rub together will want them.

SFP is obsolete might as well buy a vehicle with a carburetor or tape deck. Anything over 4x should be FFP and I would argue even 1-4 should be FFP with the OG granddaddy of all LPVOS (The S&B Shortdot), being FFP.

10 years ago the fudds didn't get it, many still don't and in 10 more years there will be a few artifacts still advocating for this obsolete tech. People are resistant to change, especially dumb ones.

I have owned and run them all and there is nothing else under the $1K mark worth buying IMO. Over 1K move up to the G3 Razor and over $4K, the S&B CC. Everything else has enough drawbacks or poor value to make one of the above named a better choice.

Go take a look at the drop chart for a .350L at 200-300 yards. You will need some type of measured reticle....therefore FFP is a no brainer.

I am curious why second focal plane is obsolete and why on a 1-4 or 1-6 ffp is such a necessity? I personally am a big ffp fan on higher power rifle scopes, pretty much everything but a 1-4/1-6 and am slowly transitioning all my scopes over. But on a
1-4/1-6 I really don’t like a ffp. I have used and looked through a few ffp lpvo scopes and the only one I have liked so far was the Swfa 1-6 which ended up getting sold because I still did t like the ffp and the weight. I don’t see the benefit of ffp at that low of power. I sight my rifles with lpvo to provide the furthest point blank range available for coyote hunting so around 300 yards it’s basically point and shoot. After that I’m zooming to max range anyways where the reticle is accurate. I also prefer reticles that are big and bold with circles or horseshoes so illumination is not a big deal.

I’m glad you like your ffp LPVO but to say SFP is obsolete i think is a little extreme.

 

[CrabsandFootball]

I am curious why second focal plane is obsolete and why on a 1-4 or 1-6 ffp is such a necessity? I personally am a big ffp fan on higher power rifle scopes, pretty much everything but a 1-4/1-6 and am slowly transitioning all my scopes over. But on a
1-4/1-6 I really don’t like a ffp. I have used and looked through a few ffp lpvo scopes and the only one I have liked so far was the Swfa 1-6 which ended up getting sold because I still did t like the ffp and the weight. I don’t see the benefit of ffp at that low of power. I sight my rifles with lpvo to provide the furthest point blank range available for coyote hunting so around 300 yards it’s basically point and shoot. After that I’m zooming to max range anyways where the reticle is accurate. I also prefer reticles that are big and bold with circles or horseshoes so illumination is not a big deal.

I’m glad you like your ffp LPVO but to say SFP is obsolete i think is a little extreme.

Its simple. I have explained it a few times and really don't want to type it out again. You can search my old post on the subject. I wrote a white paper on it for my agency a few years ago, its on my old laptop somewhere.

People don't see the benefit because they are using poorly designed optics. Use quality FFP like the Shortdot, G3, ATACR with a reticle designed around being FFP and it makes sense. Use them in realistic situations where speed, FOV and getting accurate rounds on target as fast as possible where you don't know where the threat is (which is 90% of the reason 3 gun and the like is a joke) and benefits are astounding. Reticle design, Eyebox, Daylight Bright and Good Glass will win the day. Think of it as an aimpoint coupled with a variable powered ACOG with a mil based BDC. We don't get to choose when we need a gun to fight for our lives so it makes sense to cover most bases in order of probability.

As we get more, better designed optics it will push SFP further into obscurity. I told people almost a decade ago keymod will be dead and Mlock will rule the world and they laughed. It was clear as day which way the market would go but most people are morons so what do you expect.

The low IQ groupthink followers are always the loudest but in the end, they are proven wrong.

 

[adamjma]

I’m glad you like your ffp LPVO but to say SFP is obsolete i think is a little extreme.

Stick around for a few more rounds on this thread and you're going to quickly learn that @CrabsandFootball has a very black and white view on things. And the rest of us are idiots.

 

[Hatari]

Take a look at the new Trijicon Credo 1-8 FFP. I picked one up about a month ago, and for the price point it has a lot to offer.

 

[RTV]

Its simple. I have explained it a few times and really don't want to type it out again. You can search my old post on the subject. I wrote a white paper on it for my agency a few years ago, its on my old laptop somewhere.

People don't see the benefit because they are using poorly designed optics. Use quality FFP like the Shortdot, G3, ATACR with a reticle designed around being FFP and it makes sense. Use them in realistic situations where speed, FOV and getting accurate rounds on target as fast as possible where you don't know where the threat is (which is 90% of the reason 3 gun and the like is a joke) and benefits are astounding. Reticle design, Eyebox, Daylight Bright and Good Glass will win the day. Think of it as an aimpoint coupled with a variable powered ACOG with a mil based BDC. We don't get to choose when we need a gun to fight for our lives so it makes sense to cover most bases in order of probability.

As we get more, better designed optics it will push SFP further into obscurity. I told people almost a decade ago keymod will be dead and Mlock will rule the world and they laughed. It was clear as day which way the market would go but most people are morons so what do you expect.

The low IQ groupthink followers are always the loudest but in the end, they are proven wrong.

i completely agree with you on buying top glass for a two way range and that is why my go to rifle has a G3 mounted on it...

but this thread is talking about Bambi not the communist invasion. you dont need all that to shoot some poor dopey animal.

 

[erwos]

I am surprised the thread went this long without the Accupoint 1-6x being mentioned.

 

[makaug]

I 2nd the Delta Stryker 1-6x24.

 

[Lug Nut]

Ignore most of the BS in this thread. There is ONE LPVO under $1k worth owning.

The Eotech Vudu 1-6. The rest is trash , not daylight bright, terrible controls, bad eyebox, shit glass, poor mounting, trash reticles, don't track,ect. They will bleed value over time and in 5 years or so, will be worthless becuase no one with 3 brain cells to rub together will want them.

SFP is obsolete might as well buy a vehicle with a carburetor or tape deck. Anything over 4x should be FFP and I would argue even 1-4 should be FFP with the OG granddaddy of all LPVOS (The S&B Shortdot), being FFP.

10 years ago the fudds didn't get it, many still don't and in 10 more years there will be a few artifacts still advocating for this obsolete tech. People are resistant to change, especially dumb ones.

I have owned and run them all and there is nothing else under the $1K mark worth buying IMO. Over 1K move up to the G3 Razor and over $4K, the S&B CC. Everything else has enough drawbacks or poor value to make one of the above named a better choice.

Go take a look at the drop chart for a .350L at 200-300 yards. You will need some type of measured reticle....therefore FFP is a no brainer.

2 year warranty on the electronics…?

No thanks. Two years goes by like two months. And you would know better than most, that electronics on scopes like to fail.

And no electronics warranty for used.

“The electronic components of a Vudu illuminated rifle scope have a full two-year warranty from the date of purchase (proof of purchase required).”

SFP vs. FFP…?
I suppose it depends on your use. Some of us prefer SFP. Most of us don’t shoot at people on the two way range.

Some of us don’t like the SFP reticle obscuring small targets at distance.

I'm sure you know your stuff.

 

[CrabsandFootball]

Its the same as Eotech HWS. I wouldn't worry to much , then again with the sale from L3 to the private equity fund you may be on to something. Its possible Eotech as a brand will fizzle out as the vultures suck blood from it.

As far as SFP/FFP...........why would you want to deal with 2 systems? Same as MOA/MIL. Mil is faster and easier than MOA, which is why we use it. Stick to one, train with it, develop muscle memory and speed so its always in your subconscious. We know there are significant advantages in FFP, so stick to the superior method for everything, which from a user perspective will tbe the easiest with the least amount of user error.

So it doesn't matter if you are hunting big game, doing CQB training, shooting UKD or plinking around with the boys. One system for everything that is universal. The only SFP optics I own are on clone guns or vintage snipers due to authenticity, even my Elk and Bear Rifles are FFP. Keep it simple. None of these decisions or points are in a vacuum. They are apart of the bigger picture and I wish more people would understand this.

 

[mop89]

how would you say the the G3 razor compares to the leupold and bushy in regards to glass,illumination, and eyebox.

Illumination on gen 3 is aimpoint bright, bushnell is possibly a little brighter than the mk8, glass is best on mk8, then razor, then bushnell. Eyebox close between mk8 and gen 3 which are both better then the bushnell.

But you're also comparing a $3k, $2k optic compared to what can be had for 600.

 

[BMYK]

Splitting the difference between the Strike eagle and the Razor is the Viper PST Gen II 1-6 x 24. I replaced a Gen I 1-6 Strike Eagle and I really like the Viper. Mine is on a BCM 16" AR (poor man's RECCE) for plinking, classes and local tactical matches so my needs are a little different. I ordered it as a back order and had it in hand in about 4 weeks.

 

[THEOZZ]

I have a Sig Tango 6 with the Horse shoe Reticle and BDC on an MCX. It's a nice optic for the value. I defiantly would like to look at one of the Gen III Razors 1x10.

 

[Sidewinder66]

I like your specific requirements. Yes, you are going to get some optical abberations with a Vortex Strike Eagle. They are very popular, and from my perspective propbably the top-end of the bottom tier LPVO scopes.

The most natural recommendation is the Razor HD-E 1-6x, but we have blown your budget. So, I will not even talk about my two other favorites in that range that are higher cost that this scope. Vortex has a razor thin margin (pun intended) on Razor scopes, so one dealer or another is going to give you about the same deal. There is not much room to discount this scope, and the demand is high, and the waiting time to get from Vortex is long enough.

I would recommend looking at a PST 1-6x, which is a step down from the Razor, and still good optics. Not made to the toughness of the Razor, but optics are close enough, and you have the Strike Eagle from which to compare, so you will be impressed.

While we do not really deal with Burris, the Burris RT-6 is going to be somewhere in between, in my opinon, the performance of the PST and the Strike Eagle.

We also like Steiner, but hard to get. the P4xi 1-4 is a great deal (less power) and T5xi 1-5x is a well proven optic, but stretching your budget. With Steiner, you will never get a bad scope. Vortex, by contrast, gives you varying models with extreme quality differences across the spectrum from world class glass to not so good. Steiner always gives you good glass.

Hope that helps.

I used a 3 x 9 x 40 burris red dot that rocked 17 years and is still going strong. It was 699.00 at that time 17 year's ago but got it on sale for 300.00 I was impressed, 1000 yard shots many time's and right on. Take a look at them, research them.

 

[hausser]

I have 3 or 4 of the Steiners - they are best in classs IMHO for ~$500 range . Excellent scope for the money. Crisp glass, generous eye box, no fisheye,. I'd consider them or Vortex, who also has great LPVO scopes. I shoot with those out to 600m or so busting small rocks.
However If you tell your brain to look for something, it will almost inevitably find it. People who tell their brain to look for fisheye in a riflescope will always find some. Whether it's in a $2000 rifle scope or a $200 one. This is because all optics have some form of distortion - they put lenses between your eye and the light that you're trying to make reach your eye. Some do this better than others, some don't. In all cases, the most distortion you will see is likely out toward the edges of the FOV.

Completely agree. It's true of anything in my case ...when I'm adversely sensitized to anything, I end up specifically looking for it. Love Vortex products and have many ranging from . Have you tried to discuss this with them? Outstanding customer service.

 

[erwos]

When the Steiners were $450-$500, they were a pretty solid choice. At the current $650-$700, not so much.

 

[millertime2]

I bought a used SMRS honestly I think it’s not bad

at all

 

[erwos]

Depends which SMRS. Lack of daylight brightness really hurts the FFP reticle on 1x. It's otherwise a pretty decent scope with spectacular glass - I run mine on a couple of rifles I don't use for action shooting. Very good scope if you're mostly running it in 8.5x mode, to be sure.

 

[308ftWIN]

I am surprised the thread went this long without the Accupoint 1-6x being mentioned.

My green triangle accupoint 1-4 is great. Love the eyebox. What I wouldn't give for a few MOA spaced hashes on the post to do some range estimation/quick windage holds etc.

 

[Deleted member 137765]

I'm surprised the Trijicon Accupwer didn't make the popular list.