Rifle Scopes scope for new LMT MWS

kors

Private
Minuteman
Sep 8, 2020
12
1
Howdy all,

I just picked up a new LMT Defender in 308 with the 16" barrel and have been going round and round trying to figure out what type optic setup to put on it. Been looking at LPVOs like the Primary Plx 1-8 and new VCOG 1-8 as well as higher power + offset red dot setups. Main role for the gun will be a DMR setup with expected max ranges probably no more than 800y but in these crazy times who knows. I'd like to keep the total cost of scope and mounts less than $2500ish.

Thanks for any input!
 
Started with S&B 5-25 PMII on mine.

Needed a rigger to haul that pig around.

Sports a USO 1-8 now.

LPVO of your favorite flavor is what you want.
 
Oh wow, I'm bummed to hear that. I was debating dropping the coin for a real SR-25 but figured I'd give this one a shot for half the cost. Guess I'll have to go back on the hunt.


It will shoot plenty good but its not as bolt gun easy.

Mine was going to be "the" precision gun I would own.

I think Im sucky with all that moving mass and my S1050 reloads suck so I got 1.25 - 2 MOA typically out of mine.

Others do lots better.

Awesome for crushing plates but I found Im a bolt gun person.

Dont go negative on your gun its a beast If you have good SA skills and can control the impulse of all that moving mass you will find it plenty accurate.
 
  • Like
Reactions: diverdon
I have an older 1-8x USO on a Mk20 but a 3.2-17x USO on an SR25... They're both good for different things, the MK20 more of a DMR. I think it works well for it but I also think a 6x Acog on it would probably be best if we're talking DMR shit. Sure, LPVO is fine but that 6x has massive FOV along with typical Acog speed. It has a top rail for a mini red dot for close stuff. I may put one on that Mk20 one day. They're big but impressive to look through.

If that's your only rifle like that, I'd consider a medium range scope up to a 4-16 and a red dot on top.

Best deals in PX on here.
 
I put a zc420 with offset red dot on sr25. Don’t think I will do much other than sit at bench using the scope but just thought it would be nice to have the close up functionality just in case
 
  • Like
Reactions: earthtrekker1775
I SBRd mine with a 13.5" barrel and am currently running a NX8 2.5-20 Mil-XT. I'm garbage a precision shooting, but the MWS is actually excellent freehand running it like an AR15.

My personal feeling is that the ATACR 4-16 F1 OR either the Razor Gen III 1-10/ATACR 1-8 would be the best fit on this gun depending on use. I sold my ATACR 4-16 to fund RNVG.
 
Thanks for all the feedback everyone. Yeah she's a big girl, but growing up my books of choice were Taylor, Ruark, Boddington and I dreamed of hunting in Africa. So I decided it would be a good idea to practice with the guns I imagined I would take. After all, Boddington practiced by shooting prarie dogs with his 375 :eek: Thus began my habit of stalking PA and WV whitetail with 12lb guns (416 Rigby, 373 H&H, 458Win). So I guess that's why the LMT doesn't feel abnormally heavy at 10lbs.

I found this video and I like the guys setup: Steiner 3x15 with offset RMR.

Mike (MrGunsNGear) gave it a good review and I've seen good things posted about it here. I found it online for $1599 so I think that's what I'm gonna go with unless someone here talks me out of it :)
 
@Kremvh, haha same here! That vid and this one pretty much had my mind made up and after talking to Chris from SAS he basically confirmed there was no reason to prefer the KAC over the MWS unless you were dead set on a real SR-25.



I really wanted the MARS-H version, but impatience got the best of me when I found a shop that had just gotten in a shipment of Defenders. I added the SOPMOD stock and winter trigger guard, so now I just need the ambi charging handle and two stage trigger and I'll be pretty close to a MARS.
 
Thanks for all the feedback everyone. Yeah she's a big girl, but growing up my books of choice were Taylor, Ruark, Boddington and I dreamed of hunting in Africa. So I decided it would be a good idea to practice with the guns I imagined I would take. After all, Boddington practiced by shooting prarie dogs with his 375 :eek: Thus began my habit of stalking PA and WV whitetail with 12lb guns (416 Rigby, 373 H&H, 458Win). So I guess that's why the LMT doesn't feel abnormally heavy at 10lbs.

I found this video and I like the guys setup: Steiner 3x15 with offset RMR.

Mike (MrGunsNGear) gave it a good review and I've seen good things posted about it here. I found it online for $1599 so I think that's what I'm gonna go with unless someone here talks me out of it :)


Ive got the full rail MWS and fit out with Atlas bipod and 5-25 S&B it had to beat 10 pounds.

Ran a Magpul PRS stock for awhile and added more weight.

Went back to the SopMod and USO now it just has that solid feel of mass.

I still have my S&B but I have arrived at the belief 3-15X is about as much scope as my .30 caliber cartrige shooting self would ever require. My Premier 3-15 is my favorite scope.

3-15X is not a bad choice if you plan on shooting groups and to 1000 yards.
 
Can't go wrong with a MWS...for me it was a bit gassy (lefty)...if I had it still...I would run one of those reduce sized gas tubes a company is selling or an adjustable gas key (there is not really a way to put an adjustable gas block unless you custom make a barrel and gas block...the OEM is proprietary).
 
OP, I had an MWS years ago, I loved everything about that gun except for how it shot with a suppressor, I tried everything but could not get it to shoot well suppressed so sold it to a buddy who doesn't have any suppressors and he's been happy. Your thoughts on an LPVO for this rifle is what a lot of shooters think, but you might heed @koshkin advice with regard to LPVO's and that is that your primary focus should be at 1x for these scopes, if you do not think you'll be shooting this rifle the majority of the time at 1x then you should think of a different scope, something more oriented to long range. That's not to say an LPVO won't work, but the main focus of the LPVO design is around the 1x performance and not at the far end of the magnification - to get a scope that performs well at both extremes will typically cost a lot of money.
 
  • Like
Reactions: skatz11
OP, I had an MWS years ago, I loved everything about that gun except for how it shot with a suppressor, I tried everything but could not get it to shoot well suppressed so sold it to a buddy who doesn't have any suppressors and he's been happy. Your thoughts on an LPVO for this rifle is what a lot of shooters think, but you might heed @koshkin advice with regard to LPVO's and that is that your primary focus should be at 1x for these scopes, if you do not think you'll be shooting this rifle the majority of the time at 1x then you should think of a different scope, something more oriented to long range. That's not to say an LPVO won't work, but the main focus of the LPVO design is around the 1x performance and not at the far end of the magnification - to get a scope that performs well at both extremes will typically cost a lot of money.

Interesting. Which suppressor were you running? I'm still early time, but I've had zero problems with the Surefire 300SPS and 762 Mini on my 13.5" MWS.
 
Interesting. Which suppressor were you running? I'm still early time, but I've had zero problems with the Surefire 300SPS and 762 Mini on my 13.5" MWS.
I was running a TBAC 30BA at the time. Because LMT uses a hydraulic press for their gas block I had to send it in to have it removed so I could put on my own adjustable gas block, but even then I could not get it to settle down, just had all kinds of feed issues. I finally gave up because my buddy wanted to buy it and I figured I'll just build exactly what I wanted.