Rifle Scopes Scope choice

[SB545]

I'm looking for reccomendations on a new scope for a 270wsm I'm putting together. This will be for suppressed hunting to 600 and steel out to a mile on occasion. I'll dial every shot over 200. My preference is mrad in ffp with lower mag range 2-15, 3-18 or 4-16. It's also nice to have a zero stop, capped/locking windage and a locking elevation turret. All are not mandatory. My concerns are durability, useable reticle and reliable dialing. Glass quality is secondary to the above concerns but obviously it needs to be serviceable. Price range depends on quality but sub $1500 for sure.

So far I've been eyeing a few that might work but can't lay eyes on them myself.

Bushnell LRHS 4.5-18x44
- seems durable, little high on low end power.

Trijicon tenmile 3-18x44
- price a little high for features, light weight, durable, good illumination options, seems long

Tract Toric 2.5-15x44
- durability? Good features but reticle could be better. Not sure I'll see it at 2.5x?

NX8 2.5-20x50
- durable, good first responder discount, bad mrad reticle for hunting (moa looks better).

SWFA ss 3-15x42
- good price, durable, currently on sale

Any thoughts? Did I miss any options?

 

[hafejd30]

I’ll be the first to go over budget. Because ZCO and TT will come up eventually

NF ATACR 4-16 F1 is what you seek. $1800 ish in the px

Otherwise Burris XTRII 3-15 would be my next recommendation

Burris XTRIII from CameralandNY if you can be without illumination

Personally for hunting and FFP I won’t be without illumination

My recommendations are based on only what I use

 

[Birddog6424]

The Burris XTRIII illuminated 3.3-18-50.

 

[Jack's Dad]

Cool if there was such a thing

 

[Birddog6424]

This is on my 300 Norma..

 

[gopherslayer]

This is on my 300 Norma..

Does beetroot know about this?

 

[Jack's Dad]

Prototypes and more prototypes. Nothing on the market. I've been waiting for years at this point. The trust fund I don't have might hit before we ever lay hands on one.

 

[Birddog6424]

Haha, sure it is...

They gave me a prototype to mount on my hunting rifle and show people.. The whole pile of 18x and 30x versions I saw in Greeley were prototypes.

 

[Birddog6424]

They built a box for this one..

 

[Jack's Dad]

Hurry up! Goddamn!

 

[Birddog6424]

They're hurrying.. I promise...

The scope checks out really well. I cant tell a difference between it and my non-illuminated XTRIIIs, except the turrets and magnification rings are less stiff, and a little smoother. Glass is a wash.

They do want the dragonscale tamed down a little more though. That's it.

 

[MojoNixon]

I’d add Tract Toric 4-20x50.

 

[beetroot]

Does beetroot know about this?

Yes he does know.
I've already offered to buy the "faulty" dragon scale ones.

 

[Chickentoast]

I'd bet the XTR3i will be best in class also, but if you need/want it anytime soon, get something used that you can live with, and sell it after the 3i's are actually being shipped.

 

[Hickswr]

Can’t believe nobody has mentioned the Vortex Razor LHT HD 4-22x50.

It checks all the boxes and is readily available.

 

[SB545]

Can’t believe nobody has mentioned the Vortex Razor LHT HD 4-22x50.

It checks all the boxes and is readily available.

I didn't include that one based on reliability concerns. This firearm will be subjected to abuse from rough rides in trucks and SXS and I need it to dial and hold zero without question. Before people ask, I do not plan to drop the rifle but could see it falling over from a leaned position at some point.

 

[Chickentoast]

Can’t believe nobody has mentioned the Vortex Razor LHT HD 4-22x50.

It checks all the boxes and is readily available.

Ha! And I have even one Yes, would not hesitate to recommend. Rather the FOV of the Burris, but my LHT is on a lightweight hunter.

 

[SB545]

This is on my 300 Norma..

Thanks for all the details. What magnification is your scope on in the video? I initially did not like the reticle on that one but the center illumination helps and the Horus style is kind of muted in the view.

I was initially looking for something with wide side bars and a traditional mildot/hash for ranging but the illumination might work.

Fwiw, all my hunting Scopes have been sfp to this point.

 

[Hickswr]

I didn't include that one based on reliability concerns. This firearm will be subjected to abuse from rough rides in trucks and SXS and I need it to dial and hold zero without question. Before people ask, I do not plan to drop the rifle but could see it falling over from a leaned position at some point.

Do tell more about the reliability concerns…I’ve hunted a 3-15 LHT HD hard with no issues this far.

 

[JDB55]

Razor LHT 4.5-22 or Burris XTRIII 3.3-18 illuminated.

 

[Birddog6424]

Thanks for all the details. What magnification is your scope on in the video? I initially did not like the reticle on that one but the center illumination helps and the Horus style is kind of muted in the view.

I was initially looking for something with wide side bars and a traditional mildot/hash for ranging but the illumination might work.

Fwiw, all my hunting Scopes have been sfp to this point.

I think that's around 10 or 12x. There's a lot of reticle visible there.

The SCR2 has an excellent mil ranging section. These are in .1 mil increments both vertically and horizontally.

 

[fdkay]

This is on my 300 Norma..

Just because you got it, doesn't mean anyone else can get one.

 

[Birddog6424]

Just because you got it, doesn't mean anyone else can get one.

I'm aware that I get some of these items before they release to the general public. Some of us put these through some last minute field environment QC before going public.

But it does mean the scope is under production. There is a stack of them stateside undergoing QC. They are swapping out for some more toned down knurling and they'll be good to go. It won't be long now.

I put about 30 rounds downrange with it on my 300 Norma. She's a 12lb boomer with 92.6grs of powder pushing a 230gr Hybrid at 3050fps. It's no slouch. The scope performed perfectly incrementally out to 1500 and back to zero. First impressions are that it's just like my other XTRIIIs.

 

[SB545]

@Hickswr

I know most people don't like the testing but the scope needs to be able to handle the back seat truck ride and not shift zero.

Vortex Razor HD LHT 4.5-22x50mm Field Eval

Ryan Avery asked if I would review this scope in the same vein as the Meopta Optika 6 and Tanget Theta evaluations and I agreed. I get queried about these scopes almost as much as any, and even though I have seen poor performance from the prior LHT’s, this is a different design and will be...

www.rokslide.com

 

[SB545]

Do tell more about the reliability concerns…I’ve hunted a 3-15 LHT HD hard with no issues this far

 

[Hickswr]

@Hickswr

I know most people don't like the testing but the scope needs to be able to handle the back seat truck ride and not shift zero.

Vortex Razor HD LHT 4.5-22x50mm Field Eval

Ryan Avery asked if I would review this scope in the same vein as the Meopta Optika 6 and Tanget Theta evaluations and I agreed. I get queried about these scopes almost as much as any, and even though I have seen poor performance from the prior LHT’s, this is a different design and will be...

www.rokslide.com

Thanks for the link! Hadn’t seen that one.

 

[QS-1911]

Recommend you take a look at Tract Optics. You might be pleasantly surprised.

 

[SB545]

Recommend you take a look at Tract Optics. You might be pleasantly surprised.

I'd like to. I do have one of their 1" scopes and like it. It tracks well but I'm not sure I haven't had a couple minor zero shifts. It always ends back up zeroed but the first shot after a ride in the side by side can render questionable results. Not sure if it's me but my SWFA scopes don't have the same problem.

 

[hafejd30]

Where’s that Arken dude?

 

[SB545]

Thanks for all the replies. In place if the trijicon tenmile, I'm going to start with a used SIG tango 6 in 3-18x44. Unfortunately it's moa but I can use that too. I'm just more used to mrad since I use it at work. In the future i'll cross my fingers for a good mrad hunting reticle from NF in the nx8. I won't be holding my breath.

 

[SB545]

Well, back to the drawing board. The sig tango 6 showed up and was SFP despite being advertised specifically as FFP, so it's going back just as soon as the PayPal refund comes through. It was a nice scope and priced decent but not for a SFP. I would have kept it if the seller would have adjusted the price.

A few questions:

Does the lrhs2 have a locking elevation turret?

How aggressive is the knurling on the Burris turrets? I'm told they are stiff to adjust.

Is tract durable enough for rough handling without losing zero?

Same question for Burris?

 

[beetroot]

Well, back to the drawing board. The sig tango 6 showed up and was SFP despite being advertised specifically as FFP, so it's going back just as soon as the PayPal refund comes through. It was a nice scope and priced decent but not for a SFP. I would have kept it if the seller would have adjusted the price.

A few questions:

Does the lrhs2 have a locking elevation turret?

How aggressive is the knurling on the Burris turrets? I'm told they are stiff to adjust.

Is tract durable enough for rough handling without losing zero?

Same question for Burris?

@Birddog6424 has had the XTR3 next to the Tract scopes and is probably the only person here who has tried the new knurling on the XTR3i.

 

[Birddog6424]

@Birddog6424 has had the XTR3 next to the Tract scopes and is probably the only person here who has tried the new knurling on the XTR3i.

I'm really on the fence with the 5.5-30 Toric. The ginormous turrets and 41ozs for no apparent reason makes no sense to me. Its underwhelming.

The 20x version however is quite literally my least favorite scope from LOW. I dont like the eyebox, and its like looking down a tunnel with a thick black scope ring around it. I've looked through several of these and they were all the same.

In the 18x to 20x selections on the market that would probably be my last choice.

 

[Mareshow]

I would strongly recommend the 2.5-20 NX8. compared to the ATACR the glass is close, but in a nice compact package. Light transmission is decent and it checks all the boxes as far as features go