Hey guys. I am in the process of looking for a good scope option for my Savage 110BA (The older heavy one). Looking to spend between 2500-3000 on it. I know there is a lot of hate here for the IOR Valdata Recon line but does anybody have experience with the Patriot or Crusader lines? I have used a Nightforce and a Vortex Razor in the past on friends rifles and I was fairly disappointed for the price to be honest. Any constructive (non fanboy) input would be appreciated.
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Rifle Scopes Scope in 2500-3000 range
- Thread starter Jb1289610
- Start date
For e better explanation of my current setup. It is a Savage 110BA (heavy) 338 Lapua. Mystic precision bipod. at the moment a Cabela’s Covenant 7 5-35x56 with 34mm tube. Which I like a lot for the price but now it’s become an addiction and I need better. ?
The rifle is being used for target shooting at long range.
The rifle is being used for target shooting at long range.
what didn't you like about the NF and razor? for the NF was is the ATACR? that price range opens a lot of doors. Whats your reticle preference?
I have looked through a few of the patriots and thought the glass was nice, fit and finish was not quite what I would expect.
Imho that is a lot of money to spend on a company that has a questionable track record.
There are a lot of S&B scopes under 3k
Some even under $2500 if you shop around.
Don’t know if your experience with the Razor was gen 1 or 2 but the gen 2 is substantially better than the gen 1. Some of the new Nightforce are significantly improved as well.
Imho that is a lot of money to spend on a company that has a questionable track record.
There are a lot of S&B scopes under 3k
Some even under $2500 if you shop around.
Don’t know if your experience with the Razor was gen 1 or 2 but the gen 2 is substantially better than the gen 1. Some of the new Nightforce are significantly improved as well.
Don’t get me wrong. They were both very good. Both were mounted to savage 112 338 lapuas. But for the price I wasn’t blown away by them, sorry to me that is a lot of cash and a lot of wife convincing to be wondering if I could’ve did better. The glass on both were fantastic I will give them that.
As far as what reticle I prefer I do like the grid style reticle in my current scope.
I have strongly considered a S&B as previously suggested. Got to mess with one on display and loved it. But I want to look at all options and choose extremely carefully for my “big boy” scope. as I’m sure you can all understand.
As far as what reticle I prefer I do like the grid style reticle in my current scope.
I have strongly considered a S&B as previously suggested. Got to mess with one on display and loved it. But I want to look at all options and choose extremely carefully for my “big boy” scope. as I’m sure you can all understand.
If you want to spend that kind of money to say you did then by all means spend away, but both optics that you mentioned are stellar, and can be found used or even new if you catch the right sale for $1000 less. The razor is a tank, you wouldn’t regret getting one, but if you have to have the best there are a lot of really high end options out there. Kahles, Minox, S&B come to mind but at that price versus the Nightforce and Razor I think your going to experience diminishing returns.
If you think those companies are riddled with problems, then completely forget the IOR...
If I could afford $3k, I’d stretch it a couple hundred and pick up a Tangent Theta gen2xr off the for sale section here when they come up.
The last few have been going for under $3500
The last few have been going for under $3500
The Steiner T series have (had?) Some issues, but the M series is really solid. I have an M5, one of the very first ones to enter the country. Great glass, resolution is better than the khales from my experience. My M5 has been pretty bullet proof - in my idiocy early on in my precision rifle hobby I really over torqued the rings when mounting the scope. Managed to bend a set of steel badger rings, scope was completely fine though.
The M5 has been moved to my wife's rifle, my rifles all currently have Khales scopes on them. I really like the reticle choices and top parallax.
Lots of good choices these days. IOR just isn't one of them.
The M5 has been moved to my wife's rifle, my rifles all currently have Khales scopes on them. I really like the reticle choices and top parallax.
Lots of good choices these days. IOR just isn't one of them.
i HAD the exact same gun as you and i went through the exactly same situation. wanted best glass blah blah blah.. in the end Schmidt and bender pmII 5x25x56 with P2FL ret. with my eyes it doesnt get any better. but thats my opinion so take as you please.
I have had each of the scopes listed above except for the Steiner m series and the Ior. Get the minox if you want great glass and stick with an atacr if you want an all around scope. If you feel disappointed after using those two scopes, spending more will not fix your dissatisfaction. You have hit a point where paying more gets you a lot less.
I still can't quite figure out what it was that you did not like about the Nightforce (and which Nightforce it was) and Vortex Razor (which gen?). You said the glass was fantastic. So what was it that you did not like?
Generally, if you want the best image quality for the money right now, it is probably Minox ZP5. Overall, the best I think is still Tangent Theta, although ZCO is really pushing them, but you would need to find one used. If you like grid-type reticles, S&B's new GR2ID is an intersting design and I really liked it in the 5-25x56 I tested, but I doubt you will find it in your price range given that is very new and I have not seen any used ones for sale.
ILya
Generally, if you want the best image quality for the money right now, it is probably Minox ZP5. Overall, the best I think is still Tangent Theta, although ZCO is really pushing them, but you would need to find one used. If you like grid-type reticles, S&B's new GR2ID is an intersting design and I really liked it in the 5-25x56 I tested, but I doubt you will find it in your price range given that is very new and I have not seen any used ones for sale.
ILya
Only if left side windage and/or ambidextrous parallax is wanted.
Otherwise there are much better options.
Thanks for that input. I have been very strongly considering the S&B. May just have to go for it.
You have only said manufacturer names, and not a single model detail. Do you even know what you’re looking for? I’m thinking spend $1500 on an optic and the other $1500 on training and ammo. Sounds like it’ll be a better investment
LOL. He gave a price range. Ain’t like there’s 20 optics for every manufacturer in that range.
@Jb1289610 we have a few great options in that price range, give us a call and we can go over the pros and cons of each at 916-670-1103 
LOL he hasn’t said a single mag range preference, MIl/MOA, or any other preferences besides grid style reticle.
What are you comparing them to where they dont meet your expectation? Or are you just saying "these arent good enough, I want better, but I dont know what better is because ive never seen it"?
I shoot to a mile, ive run 338 Lapua in multiple rifles, and my current MRAD runs the NF 7-35 Mil-C. I absolutely love it, I can spot my own shots at 1 mile, and parallax goes down to 10m so it works fantastic for zeroing and starting at short distances too. Ive run the Razors and the glass is nice, but they are tanks and I dont care for the turrets... still not sure what would have made you not like them. I have a good video of my old Savage 110BA exploding in my face and the NF scope catching all of the blast, while being launched 40 yards away, still attached to the Savage rail... Been a NF fan boy since.
I have the FCP Savage Lapua ... I have a Gen 1 5-20 Razor on it ... Beside being a heavy scope It really works well... 120 moa of elevation... pretty good glass can be found used for $1000 usually
As far ah mag range 35x preferred. FFP. I run mils on all of my scopes now but that isn’t a big deal for me since there is no noticeable difference at range. 34mm+ tube. 56mm objective. And as for the tracking mechanism I want to get a scope that doesn’t use the mechanisms with a screw pushing on the erector tube. For instance, S&B uses a 4 piece mechanism. And not a fan of illumination so I would honestly rather not even have it but again not a must. That’s all I can think of as far as what I am looking for.
I am looking into the Steiner M5Xi 5-25x56 for a magnum rifle I’m having built. Appears to be well made, excellent glass, good overall reputation. Assuming you select an H59, T3 or similar reticle, the only time you need to dial will be when you zero the rifle.
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