Rifle Scopes Please help with scope choice..

[Cobbley]

Hello. I am new to the Forum. I will jump right in with this question:

I am not new to guns, and I am not new to scopes. I won't claim to know it all ('cause I don't). I am not too proud to ask for help.

I am looking for a scope for my Sako TRG-22 (.308). My experience, and what I am going to use the rifle for, has led me to believe that I am looking for a (variable) scope in the range of 4-16 power. The tube diameter has to be 30 mm, because that is what the A.R.M.S. rings I have

Here is what I have been looking at: Midway USA

Please realize that I am not dead-set on this reticle. I am not dead-set on this power, either---just something in this neighborhood.

I am not loyal to Leupold Scopes, although I have several of them, and I have not had any trouble. Leupold (brand) has been very good & faithful to/for me.
I do not mind getting another brand, as long as it is a known brand that I can easily have serviced. I am not interested in the "Sniper ..." (sorry, can't remember it's name verbatim) brand scope that is made by Tasco, and serviced by Bushnell. I would much rather purchase a Tasco or a Bushnell.
The Leupold Scope that I linked to costs about $750, so other brands recommended [to me] would need to be <span style="text-decoration: underline">less</span> than that. I realize that NightForce, and other high-end brands are good. I have some of those, too, but I don't want to rig-out this gun that way. I need to keep the price of the scope under $800 (max.)
I have read good things about the 3200 series Bushnell, but I have never tried one. I do not ever go to a range, or places like that, where I can see the latest & greatest.

I farm and ranch for a living, and I shoot (predators) nearly every day. I would guess-timate that my average shot is usually about 250 yds. I am wanting this Sako TRG-22 to be extremely accurate at that yardage, but also have the ability to accurately range-out to about 550 yds.

Please help me with the scope that you think I need. Please also tell me the reticle you would suggest, and why. Again, I am not proud, and I do not mind putting a Bushnell scope on top of a Sako, IF it is a good, solid, scope.

Help me out with this, guys. I am SO ready to take this rifle out in the pasture and see what she'll do!
Right now, I am using a LR-308 (DPMS) for this job, and the ATN day/night scope is a tad heavy!!
Thanks!

 

[scullti]

Re: Please help with scope choice..

Personally, I think a TRG-22 deserves a higher end scope then what you are looking at, IMHO. But there are a few scopes you can look at in your price range that would do the job. For right at $800, I would say look at the Bushnell 6500 series 2.5-16x, they have some pretty good glass, and you could go with a mildot to help with ranging. Personally I have a Bushnell 4200 6-24x on a .22 that works just fine for me with a duplex reticle, but for 550 yards and possibly more I would look at a mildot to help with ranging and holds. Go with a 4200 if you don't want to spend $800. They ahve a tactical model with a mildot and tactical knobs that I have heard is pretty good. The bushnell is about the extent of my knowledge, though. Some other guys can tell you about falcon scopes (if you want ffp) and about the leupy you're looking at.

I really think you should get a USO, Schmidt and bender, or Nightforce

but I understand why you don't want to spend that much.

Hope this helps,

Nate

 

[our gang]

Re: Please help with scope choice..

You may be told here that unless you have a Nightforce, Schmidt & Bender or other $2000 scope but, IMO/IME for the kind of shooting you're planning a Leupold, Bushnell 6500, or Nikon will do all you require. I would not want a fixed power (Super Sniper) for your application.
That said, if I were buying a TRG, I would not want to hurt her (the rifle) feelings by putting anything but a Schmidt & Bender on it.
You could have gotten the same performance for your application, with a Tikka 595 Tactical with a 4-30x50 Bushnell 6500 for a lot less $, but you'll never go wrong with a TRG.
BTW your DPMS LR, if fed the right loads, will do almost as well as your TRG, for real world applications within 500 yards.
Bushnell 6500:

This is my 260 (with a Schmidt 4-16x50) that is a one holer at 100.

Good shooting!

 

[Two Shoes]

Re: Please help with scope choice..

Wait till you see the new 6x24x50 Sightron SIII's.............for the money, I do not see anything close.

 

[Cobbley]

Re: Please help with scope choice..

Thanks for the replies. I appreciate the info.
As for "hurting her (the TRG's) feelings, it goes like this:
I got 'her', slightly used, at a great price.

I have been shooting most all my life, and have always wanted a Sako. I am at a point right now that I do not want to fork-out the necessary funds for a top of the line scope. Right now, I just want something that will do me ok---then later (about a year or year and a half), I can always change the scope out...Having the TRG is the important part. I can always put the scope on another rifle. In fact, I have a Remington Model 700 .22-250 that I can put the scope on.

You are right about the LR .308 making fairly long shots. Just the other night, in the dark (with my ATN), I shot 4 wild pigs. The next morning, I took my range finder, and measured the distance. The closest pig was right at 200 yds., and the other 3 were 415-505 yds. The LR .308 set up that I have seems to be doing good. I know there are fancier set ups out there, but I ~use~ this gun, nearly every day---it's my workhorse. I work it hard, but I take <span style="font-weight: bold">good</span> care of it. I did not purchase my LR just to keep it in the gun safe, and take it to the range once per month..instead, it gets used about 5 times per week on average. When it is used during that day, it is usually used multiple times (daily).

I don't consider myself the "sniper-type"; but rather a rancher (that <span style="text-decoration: underline">passionately</span> controls predators) and an <span style="font-style: italic">avid</span> hunter. I have hunted all over the USA, and in Canada, Alaska, & Africa. 90% of my shots are less than 500 yds. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE to really "reach out and touch something" every now and then. I grew up shooting prarie dogs, on the neighbor's place, with a Rem .22-250. That is where I developed my passion for long shots (and yes, I know they are not ~that~ long)! To see the p. dogs explode(!) at 500+ yds. was a <span style="text-decoration: underline">blast</span> for me (pun intended!)! I would have rather done that than go to Disney Land! The "long shots" is where the Sako falls into my plan. I want a scope that will [kind of] economically let me reach on out to the 600-700+ yd range.

Finally, if money were no object, what scope would I want to put atop my TRG-22? Not TOTALLY crazy money...maybe something costing no more than $2k.

Edit** I went to read up about the S&B, and let me tell you....the bug may have just bitten!
I still want to follow my plan for now, though, but a S&B could definitely be in my future...maybe this one:
S&B 4-16

No, I did not search the web for the best price, because Im not ready to purchase one right now...but boy, it is NICE!

 

[our gang]

Re: Please help with scope choice..

You should be able to find a minty S&B 4-16 used for +-$1500.

 

[Graham]

Re: Please help with scope choice..

According to your criteria:
Sightron SIII 3.5-10 with Mil Dot reticle.
Street price: $670.

But if you ranch, and if doing that involves shooting 'for a living', then you CAN justify a superior multi-purpose medium to long range precision optic (I'm not an accountant, but it may even be tax-deductible for business use).

Why not have one rifle and one optic, both of superior quality and able to take a beating: SB PMII 4-16x42 Gen II XL, single turn CCW Mil knobs in Badger rings. Of course, you won't find that used for anywhere near $1500. But you probably won't ever need another scope.

 

[Gilly]

Re: Please help with scope choice..

If you want a short term scope I have a Nikon buckmaster 4.5-14 side focus adjustable objective scope with mildot recticle I can sell you. good scope for the money if your only going to have it on for a year. It would make a nice 22-250 scope afterwards.

 

[Switchblade]

Re: Please help with scope choice..

YOu budgeted $750. GO a little higher and get a NIB US Optics
ST-10, unless you want a variable. For the money though, the ST-10 is freakin sweet

 

[scullti]

Re: Please help with scope choice..

LOL BillPrudden, course I wouldn't mind knocking off a bunch of predators with a trg myself

 

[juniorARshooter]

Re: Please help with scope choice..

Sir
just got a Sightron 8-32 adn I have to give it a +1 it is celar and great qulaity

 

[Surgeon_Shooter]

Re: Please help with scope choice..

You should always spend as much or more on the glass as you did on the rifle. If you can't see it you can't hit it. Just calm down,save some money and get a night force. I think I saw a 3.5x15x50 in the for sale forum yesterday for like 1200 and it's well worth it.

 

[Strangedays]

Re: Please help with scope choice..

I would have to agree with both above comments, Buy a sightron if your wallet is light, buy the night force and you will be able to stop dreaming of the best scope becouse you will own one.