I recently purchased a custom built 6.5CM and I am looking for the right scope for it. Just getting into long range shooting. Need some advice on what glass to top my new gun off with, Currently looking at NF ATACR F1, Vortex AMG and US Optics B25. Any suggestions?
Rifle Scopes Rifle scope opinions.
- Thread starter Creston Mountain Man
- Start date
This site tends to shy away from US Optics, others love them but we aren’t as big on them. My advice would be by used, buy quality, and you don’t need more than 5-25 for anything you’ll shoot with 6.5. I’ll save the brand debate for others but for what it’s worth I’m a NF guy.
With your budget flexibility, I’d go with Schmidt Bender 5-25 or 3-27 with the reticle and exterior finish of your choice. Glass is still top tier and customer support is excellent.
Can’t really go wrong with an ATACR - is lean toward the 7-35 over the 5-25.
edit: I’ll also add Steiner Military 5-25 M5xi and Minox to the list of suggestions. Both have excellent glass and are well made.
I’m assuming scope weight isn’t a strong consideration and high magnification is valuable to you.
Can’t really go wrong with an ATACR - is lean toward the 7-35 over the 5-25.
edit: I’ll also add Steiner Military 5-25 M5xi and Minox to the list of suggestions. Both have excellent glass and are well made.
I’m assuming scope weight isn’t a strong consideration and high magnification is valuable to you.
If you spend $2500-3500 for a scope, it will be a good one - despite how some people bash one manufacturer or another. With that budget, if at all possible, you owe it to yourself to put hands on and eyes through the optic and see what feels right and looks good to you.
I have a ATACR I’m trying to sell now if your interested https://www.snipershide.com/shooting/threads/wts-nf-atacr-5-25x56-sfp-moar-t-reticle.6970401/
I know others don't like the US Optics but I really like my B-17. The glass is great, lots of reticle options, they offer an internal level and illumination. I love the turrets. I provided a comparison matrix of various scopes in the roughly 3-17 range here and USO is comparable with others in all areas. I know the matrix I uploaded isn't addressing the 25X range much but maybe it helps for you to collect data for others.
With the recent price drop on the Bushnell XRS2 ($1700-1950 depending on reticle), I think it's the best deal on the market for higher end optics. I've been running a pair of them since they were released, and I have been really happy with them.
I'm a bit of a fanboy for whatever reason but I'm a big fan of ATACR. Just picked up my third gently used on GB and got a great deal.
Tbh just go look at scopes and look down them, Everyone has a different eye different opinion different reticle styles. I have extremely good vision 20/10 in both eyes. GO look through a variety of scopes. Me personally i loved the S&B pmii with P2FL (this is what i have on my cadex), i did not like vortex PST line everything to me always looked kinda blurry. I did like the nikon fx1000 ( have this on my acr dmr) half the price and things looked great over the vortex. Nightforce looked pretty good , USO and every leupold scope always look foggy to me. One scope i feel doesnt get enough love and i personally actually really enjoy is the Sig's TANGO6, 5x30 great scope for the money. But my eyes are alot different then joe A and joe B. Just go out to a shop and see 400+ yards with them thats when you really see the difference.
Do you have an opportunity or ability to go to a LR match and just ask to look through all your scope choices to compare them? In my experience "most shooters/competitors" will gladly let you do that, answer your questions, etc. Before your drop your hard earned $ on an optics that you may or may not like.
At the LR Club that I shoot with. There's just about every make, model and price point being used...those shooters/competitors are more than happy to let you look through and even offer to let you shoot their rifle. They'll hold nothing back to let you know what they like or dislike about their choice of optic or if they had any issues they've encountered with it. Either with the optic itself or from their post purchase customer service they've personally encountered.
I personally chose A U.S. Optics B-17 because it had the features I wanted and the quality that I liked. Some here dislike them based upon their personal experiences. And I understand that. With that being said, Nothing wrong with any of your other choices you've listed.
I would look at the IOR Recon or Crusader. These are in your price range, have 40mm tubes, Schott glass, and include quality ARC rings. I have one of each and wouldn't hesitate to buy again. Also consider the Kahles which I have looked through but do not own.
The advise to go an look is the best ever. look at the top optics and evaluate what you like for a retical.
Some of the people here seem to like the IOR. Well they are very nice optics until you have a warranty item to have corrected. I happen to have 2 IOR scopes. Over the past few years I have had a issue with one. Returned it for service and waited 1 1/2 years. That is correct 1 1/2 years before it was returned. Let me tell you where the next one is going if anything becomes an issue. Trash can SALLY. I will not put up with that kind of service from anyone regardless of purchase price. I am not the only person that has had that problem with IOR just check.
Some of the people here seem to like the IOR. Well they are very nice optics until you have a warranty item to have corrected. I happen to have 2 IOR scopes. Over the past few years I have had a issue with one. Returned it for service and waited 1 1/2 years. That is correct 1 1/2 years before it was returned. Let me tell you where the next one is going if anything becomes an issue. Trash can SALLY. I will not put up with that kind of service from anyone regardless of purchase price. I am not the only person that has had that problem with IOR just check.
Just came back from a 7 day precision rifle course where we did the full range of spotting, milling, dialing and shooting camo targets at unknown ranges. The Vortex Razors and Nightforce both did very well in the field and would be my top two recommendations.
Since you have the money I would recommend either the Razor 4.5-27x56mm with the EBR-7C reticle or the Nightforce ATACR 7-35x56mm F1 with the MIL-C reticle. Get a Mrad/Mrad (mil/Mil) reticle and turrets as mixed MOA/MIL turrets/reticles are a disaster.
Having shot them both I do prefer the Nightforce when I compare them side-by-side. I know a few top level national competitors and they also prefer the Nightforce. The extra magnification does help in the field both to identify difficult targets and to mil them precisely, even though I rarely shot the scope at 35x. One of my friends who shot the Vortex 4.5-27x the whole week is trading it in for a Nightforce now.
Since you have the money I would recommend either the Razor 4.5-27x56mm with the EBR-7C reticle or the Nightforce ATACR 7-35x56mm F1 with the MIL-C reticle. Get a Mrad/Mrad (mil/Mil) reticle and turrets as mixed MOA/MIL turrets/reticles are a disaster.
Having shot them both I do prefer the Nightforce when I compare them side-by-side. I know a few top level national competitors and they also prefer the Nightforce. The extra magnification does help in the field both to identify difficult targets and to mil them precisely, even though I rarely shot the scope at 35x. One of my friends who shot the Vortex 4.5-27x the whole week is trading it in for a Nightforce now.
Buyer beware on that one. IMO the glass is brighter than the T5xi, but the demo unit I had (which was 'new') and me did not get along. Looking through the scope at anything out past 200 or so yards resulted in a large portion (splotchy like) of the sight picture looking like the parallax was off, yet other parts of the picture were clean. It is kind of crazy to think that something that cost that much money fell through some crack in the QA process so it may be one of those things were some see it and some don't, like I hear happens with CA.
Yikes. Every scope maker will produce a dud here and there but if that one somehow made it past multiple points of inspection where someone said “let’s make this a demo” I’d be concerned about that.
I have looked through two, both at the range here in Vegas ...didn’t see much in the way of CA...turrets felt ok but not as nice as SB or Premier IMO...Had a T5Xi for about two weeks last year and it struck me as a pos....
This guy has a screaming deal on a BNIB USO B17
