Rifle Scopes Scope for a dedicated hunter...

[Capt Beach]

Almost finished with a 308 Shorty Hunter and to the point when I need to think about glass...

I am a fixed power kind of guy but I want to be able to hunt dark deep woods and bean fields so a variable is the only option for inside 100 in the woods or out to 500 on the far side of a bean field if the shot presents itself I'll take it...so lets call that 0-600 for arguments sake...I have always used a 200 yard zero (hold over from the Corps) I am looking hard at the Nikon M-308 4x16 BDC reticule calculated for the SMK 168...or the SWFA 3x15 as I have 2 other SWFA scopes now and am very satisfied with them...

My bullet/load of choice is FGMM or its clone 41.7 gr of IMR 4064 with a 175 SMK, yes.... GASP...I use SMK match bullets to hunt with...never had a deer take more than another step or two and most DRT in their tracks

Does anyone know if NIKON makes a turret for the 175 SMK or if anyone else makes a mid range scope that uses the 175 ballistics? Using Strelok I find that they are so close its almost a dead heat...using 2600FPS for both as starting velocity and with BC's of .462 for the 168SMK and .496 for the175 SMK looking at the table below it seems like the NIkon with its 168 turret is almost or nearly close enough to run the 175...am I missing something? Over simplification?

****168***175
200 0" 0"
300 -8.9" -8.74"
400 -25.91" -25.28"
500 -52.36" -50.91"
600 -89.92" -87.01

 

[banditbump]

Many companies will make you a custom turret and there are several custom turret companies that can match the exact load you use, having verified your muzzle velocity and also the average altitude you hunt at. I own both scopes you mention and hands down I would strongly recommend the swfa ss 3-15. I believe it is the best optic on a price to value proposition. I have a nixon monarch scope on my short 308 right now and I believe the monarch is better glass then there dedicated ar 308 scope, and it is still no where near as good as the swfa ss 3-15 imo, nixon makes good value hunting scopes but the swfa ss's are far superior imo and when finances allow I will be switching that scope out for the swfa 3-15. There are companies that make custom dials for the swfa scopes and there is a link to them, I believe Kenton industries from the swfa / riflescopes.Com website. I was able to get my swfa 3-15 ss scope for 20% off retail by calling them and asking for a demo model. It came and looked brand new. So I would try that route. One other thing to consider is someone on snipershide.com sells zero stop shims for the swfa scope for only 20 or 30 bucks I believe. You could go that route and zero the scope at 200 yards like you prefer and then with a ballistic calculator figure out the drop in mils for the different distances you shoot and either make a range card and or paste it to the rifle for adjusting for distance.

Best of luck and I would strongly recommend you go with the swfa, and I think most people on this site would agree, especially when just considering both scopes you mentioned.

 

[banditbump]

Oh and BTW I love the 180 grain accubond bullet for hunting with the 308. It's bc is better than the 175 I believe and it hits game hard, and is just as accurate as a match bullet in my experience. You could even try a factory loading of that round, it's made by black hills, if you can find it. And it's trajectory is very similar to the federal gmm 175 round. Just something I would consider because it sure works great for me!

 

[EasternNChunter]

Black Hills uses the 180 Accubond as one of their offerings for both 30-06 and 300 win mag. Not sure about 308.

 

[Drifter™]

I suggest a mil (or moa) reticle with matching turrets over a ballistic reticle.

With a ballistic reticle, you're either chasing it with load development, or confined to a particular load if you ever get your trajectory to match the reticle (and / or custom turret).

With a mil reticle and mil turrets (or moa / moa), it doesn't really matter about the resulting trajectory. And you can dial, hold over, or a combination of both.

To take it a step further, a FFP reticle will make setting of scope power irrelevant regarding hold overs and range estimation.

Put a range card in the scope cap for reference. If you change the load, just change the card.

 

[CSTactical]

For hunting the Nightforce SHV and the F1 with the LV.5 would work great. They are on sale.