Scope help

[Crow Hunter]

Hi Guys, looking for some scope help.

• What is the platform for the scope? Bolt action, Tikka T1x & T3x
• What cartridge are you shooting? .22 LR, .223 and .308
• What is your intended use for the scope? Hunting/varmint control/informal target shooting with friends/target practice
• What type of conditions will you typically shoot in? Daylight, late afternoon/early morning
• What are the typical distances you intend to shoot? Typically 300 yards and closer but would like the ability to shoot up to 500 (I think)
• Are there any specific specifications you would like? Identical scopes capable of being used on both a rimfire and a centerfire
• What is the price range you can afford? Primarily $500 but willing to stretch to $1,000 if the improved performance improvement justifies the expense but I am not interested in the greater than $1,000 options as I am afraid I will be too focused on keeping the optic pristine rather than using it.

Additional info.

To help build and reinforce “unconscious competency” with my hunting rifles, I want to have the same optic on all 3 rifles, if that is possible. (3 separate optics of the same design)

I am setting up three Tikka rifles. One in .22 LR, one in .223 and another in .308 as identical as possible. They will chiefly be hunting rifles and will be used to control varmints around the house as well as hunting (squirrels, groundhogs, coyote, rabbits, skunks, white tail) with an occasional impromptu shooting “match” with buddies for bragging rights. I have a 400 yard range and I normally keep all my shots at 250yds or less on game in my local West TN hunting locations consisting primarily hilly hardwood forests with some field hunting. However, in the future I do plan on taking a trip "Out West" for elk hunting and possibly a prairie dog hunt at some point. I am primarily focused on hunting performance.

Historically, I have always used Leupold optics. My old hunting had Leupold VX-2 2-7X33 scopes and my rimfires had Leupold Freedom 3-9X33 EFR scopes on them. The glass is okay to me, but I don’t like the narrower FOV/tighter eybox of the Freedom EFR scopes compared to my old VX-2 and I don’t like the fine duplex compared to the standard duplex.

I know you guys have a lot of experience with optics and I wanted to get opinions if this is a waste of time or if anyone else has done it and if so, what optics did you use.

Thanks!

 

[Chickentoast]

Strike eagle? Highly regarded in the price tier.

 

[Partsunavailable]

If you decide to go the Vortex route, I'd step up to a PST II vs strike eagle. But personally, I wouldn't put the same scope on all three rifles either.

 

[Crow Hunter]

If you decide to go the Vortex route, I'd step up to a PST II vs strike eagle. But personally, I wouldn't put the same scope on all three rifles either.

What would you do instead?

 

[JDB55]

Vortex PST Gen II 3-15x44 FFP is my thought. It's a pretty stellar optic for the price, illuminated, good glass(Phillipines glass/build), light enough and in your price range IF you like this reticle on closeout-

Vortex Viper Gen II PST 3-15x44 EBR-2D MOA (FFP) PST-3154

FREE SHIPPING on Vortex Viper PST 3-15x44 EBR-2D MOA (FFP) PST-3154

www.eurooptic.com

I picked two of these up for my brother-in-laws and they definitely punch way above that $549 price point, they are good at $800-900 imo(which is their normal sell price not on sale).

 

[n2ishun]

Not the viper or the strike eagle.
Check out the new Venom.
Good price, very nice scope for the money....and 34mm.

Vortex Venom 5-25x56 FFP EBR-7C MRAD Riflescope VEN-52502

Buy Vortex Venom 5-25x56 FFP MRAD Riflescope at Eurooptic. Vortex Venom Rifle Scope comes equipped with the advanced EBR-7C reticle in the first focal plane. Get free shipping on orders of every Vortex Rifle Scope. Call 570-368-3920 for more information.

www.eurooptic.com

 

[SCGunner84]

Meopta Optika 6 line of scopes is nice for the money in my opinion.

 

[Partsunavailable]

What would you do instead?

I'd go with a more expensive optic on the .308 and a cheaper scope on the .22. I understand the idea of training with the same thing you hunt with. But more expensive glass is worth it and I want the best I can afford on my most important rifle.

 

[fdkay]

Rimfire:

Product Description

Product Description | Camera Land NY

cameralandny.com

.308

Product Description

Product Description | Camera Land NY

cameralandny.com

 

[Crow Hunter]

Rimfire:

Product Description

Product Description | Camera Land NY

cameralandny.com

.308

Product Description

Product Description | Camera Land NY

cameralandny.com

I had been looking at that Sightron, does anyone have it?

I haven't looked at that Athlon before but I have looked at the Athlon Helos BTR Gen 2 2-12X42. What is the difference between the Helos and the Ares? (Other than the Sun and God of War?)

All of this has been online though. Nothing in person. I am far enough out in the sticks that there aren't any places around that carry a wide selection of scopes. There are places that carry Nightforce and low end Vortex, not much in between that I have seen.

 

[hafejd30]

For inside 500 hunting gun and .22 I’d just go with a Burris 4.5-14 E1 with ballistic reticle. Unless you plan to dial. I’ve used many options and for an inside 500 yard scope they’re excellent. I have 4 E1 currently and never had an issue with them

I’ve used the Vortex Viper HS and PST before for hunting as well. Great scope for hunting however they both failed (elevation turret crapped out in 50 rounds of 308 and the other the parallax crapped out)

I guess how much bulk your willing to carry or add to your rifle would be a deciding factor as well

 

[Crow Hunter]

For inside 500 hunting gun and .22 I’d just go with a Burris 4.5-14 E1 with ballistic reticle. Unless you plan to dial. I’ve used many options and for an inside 500 yard scope they’re excellent. I have 4 E1 currently and never had an issue with them

I’ve used the Vortex Viper HS and PST before for hunting as well. Great scope for hunting however they both failed (elevation turret crapped out in 50 rounds of 308 and the other the parallax crapped out)

I guess how much bulk your willing to carry or add to your rifle would be a deciding factor as well

I have not dialed before. I have always just been a set it and forget it and use Kentucky Windage. I think I would prefer some type of holdover reticle. Although I am not sure as all I have ever used is duplex of some type. (Leupold, Simmons or Trijicon) Never had any other type of optic other than Aimpoint and a TA33 Trijicon for a short while on an AR.

I think it would be very highly unlikely for me to make a shot at 500 yards even "Out West" although I have never hunted there just because I have no really experience shooting that long on something that I care about hitting. I have plinked with an AR at 5 gal buckets at 500 yards across a field with an Aimpoint. But it was more of a "Think you can hit that?" type of thing.

 

[Partsunavailable]

If you are going to start practicing and want to become proficient at 500 yards, you will want a scope with exposed turrets that dials properly. I think you are jumping into a new level of shooting and before you go out and buy 3 matching scopes, you should buy one better suited to some midrange application and see what features you like and what you want different. This is also why I suggested a different optic for a rimfire vs a .308.

 

[hafejd30]

I have not dialed before. I have always just been a set it and forget it and use Kentucky Windage. I think I would prefer some type of holdover reticle. Although I am not sure as all I have ever used is duplex of some type. (Leupold, Simmons or Trijicon) Never had any other type of optic other than Aimpoint and a TA33 Trijicon for a short while on an AR.

I think it would be very highly unlikely for me to make a shot at 500 yards even "Out West" although I have never hunted there just because I have no really experience shooting that long on something that I care about hitting. I have plinked with an AR at 5 gal buckets at 500 yards across a field with an Aimpoint. But it was more of a "Think you can hit that?" type of thing.

I think you would find the E1 very fitting for you. Drop reticle is easy to use and I’ve shot both deer and targets to 500 with them on 223/308 and 300 WM

No dialing can be a good thing if your not used to it. No worry about forgetting to dial back to zero or worrying about reading dials in low light etc. I’ve used both styles for hunting and my inside 500 yard guns wear the E1. It’s a simple and lighter solution for my use for my hunting rifles

 

[JDB55]

Meopta Optika 6 line of scopes is nice for the money in my opinion.

I nearly pulled the trigger on the optika 6 3-18x50, especially liked the reticle Ilya/koshkin designed. Looks like a great scope, was just a tidge to heavy for my intended purpose. Funny enough, I watched Ilyas reviews and he said as far as optically he liked the 3-15 PST a bit more(if I'm remembering correctly), but C_does who I frequently watch on YouTube seemed to slightly prefer the Meopta, all that to say I think both are excellent for sub $1k optics in a similar budget.

Meopta Optika6 3-18x50 Illuminated MRAD 30mm FFP Riflescope 653574

FREE SHIPPING on Meopta Optika6 3-18x50 Illuminated MRAD 30mm FFP Riflescope 653574

www.eurooptic.com

 

[Chickentoast]

I had an s-tac 2-10 - glass was on par with the Leupold 2-7 - good scopes. Also had 2 Ares BTR G1's - good values - still have 1 actually. 4.5-27 SFP with subs correct @ 15X - have it on a rimfire. If you want it, I will sell her cheap and upgrade

 

[Gohring65]

I like the strike eagle 5-25.
Bushnell DMR2 is hard to beat under 1k$.

 

[FuhQ]

I would definitely go Strike Eagle 5-25x56 EBR-7C, over the Venom.

Also, another couple of good budget options...

SH4 6-24X50 GEN2 FFP MIL VPR Illuminated Reticle with Zero Stop - 34mm Tube

7-9 Week Backorder Arken SH4 GENII: 6-24x50 Lifetime Warranty Precision Tracking Guaranteed HD Glass First Focal Plane (FFP) Zero Stop Specification: Magnification: 6-24 x Objective Diameter: 50 mm Eye Relief: 3.5 inches Field of View: 20.88-5.22 ft @100 Yards Tube Size: 34 mm Turret Adjustment:…

www.arkenopticsusa.com

EP5 5-25X56 FFP MIL VPR Reticle with Zero Stop - 34mm Tube

Designed to Perform with Rugged Precision

www.arkenopticsusa.com

 

[beetroot]

With a bit of luck the Burris XTR3i will be out very soon (offical release is today 27th Jan).
If the rumours are correct then the street pricing is very likely to be around $1000 and should be excellent value for money at that price.
I really like the PST Gen 2 I just wish it had capped windage, if that doesn't bother you then I'd go for that.

I think having the same scope on all rifles is a good idea if they are all being used for the same/similar purposes.
A 3-15/3-18 scope would work well on all the rifles you have mentioned, you could argue higher magnification could be a bonus for target or varmint shooting but 3-15 works well in the majority of cases.
Both the PST Gen2 and Burris XTR3 come in a high magnification model if you wanted anyway.

The Vortex strike eagle is pretty damn good value for money but not sure it'd be my first pick (due to the magnification range) for your uses.
You can find the 3-15 PST for less than $600 and it'd have better glass and a more suitable mag range.

 

[Cr1775]

Vortex PST Gen 2 is supposedly a solid scope.And i would also check out the Sightron S TAC the glass isn't as good as the S III but still a solid scope.