Rifle Scopes Talk me out of a Konus M30

H

Heath_h49008

Private
Minuteman
Sep 28, 2010
25
1
48
Michigan
#1
Hello.

I've been reading the board for quite some time, and planning my first real bolt gun build. I've built my H&K G3/Coonan Reciever, Saiga 12, have been shooting ACTS and various other gun games for a few years now, but have never gotten into accurate rifles until now.

I have a Savage 10FP Folding Choate that I picked up used (barely) for under $700, and would like to find some decent glass for it while I learn the basics. I'm in Western Michigan, so my long range options are 250m and below. I know that is nothing to most here, but I have a lot to learn before I step out to 900m anyway.

After reading all the reviews, I'm down to either the Konus M3, the Millet TRS-1, or just a basic Nikon Buckmaster or Leupold VX-I in 3-9x40.

I want to learn the mildot/turret system, and my range is a fairly dark wooded lane other than at noon, so a lit reticule would be nice. But I will have to use fairly tall rings to get the Millet to clear the bolt handle... hence the Konus M30 would seem to be my best option.

The worst I have read about the Konus was the bubble-level shifting, and GREAT customer service even in that case. If I could afford a Nightforce I would buy it, but considering my limited budget, am I making the best choice? Is there something my search-jitzu missed?

Thanks for the site guys, you help a lot of people who never register find the info we need.

Heath
 
#2
Re: Talk me out of a Konus M30

1/8th moa clicks on the elevation? That is benchrest, not tactical (or hunting). Frankly, 1/4 is too much for tac, 1/2 would be better. But 1/8th for tactical would be ANNOYING! I wonder how many MOA in a revolution, cant be many.

Seems like the optics get good reviews. Has moa elevation and mil dots (which is ok and expected in a less expensive scope). One guy said it had better optics than his Nikon Monarch! Wow if thats true, it has really good optics! Anyway, very few complaints and a low price tag.
 
#3
Re: Talk me out of a Konus M30

That's about where I am on it. I'm back in school, and I can afford $1000, but not $2000 for a weapon. If I find I really love long range, I can always upgrade and put it on the H&K or another plinker.

I was thinking that fine adjustments for the bench and dots for ranging/holdover would be the best of both worlds. But considering I have no experience I thought it better to ask the sages who do this.

I'll try to find out how many clicks per turn, and if they mark how many turns you have in. It would be annoying to get "lost" cranking the thing.
 
#6
Re: Talk me out of a Konus M30

Based on my own experience with Konus scopes I would strongly suggest that you stay away from them. My dad bought a .308 a while ago that came with a Konus mounted on it. I'm not sure which model it was, but the turret clicks were awful. There was virtually no resistance in the turrets so it was extremely easy to dial too far. There were also arbitrary hang-ups at different points when rotating. The glass was rather bad and almost seemed pixellated if that makes sense. It did hold zero for the 50 or so rounds put on it, but that's about all it did well. That is just my experience and I could have had a lemon, but I think it goes along with you get what you pay for.

I would suggest looking at Vortex scopes. They are fast acquiring a reputation for producing an excellent quality scope for a great price. I picked up a Vortex Crossfire 6-24X50 on sale at SWFA for a hundred bucks and it was a steal. Good glass, good turret clicks, and great customer service. I haven not had the chances to run it through its paces yet, but others here have and have said it performs very well. I'm not positive, but I'm pretty sure Vortex has an illuminated mil/mil FFP scope that can fit under your $1000 budget. Another possibility would be SWFA's Super Sniper scopes. They are also of excellent quality and price, but none of them are illuminated.
 
#8
Re: Talk me out of a Konus M30

I own/have owned one and FOR THE MONEY they are great scopes. You are not going to touch the price with the same features and glass anywhere close to that price. With that being said i am no longer using it because I'm not sure that it tracks the same every time and not sure that its going to be consistent over and over. I do know that 1moa at 100 yards is 1.6". I would be able to deal with that IF i knew it was that every time. I would say if you are not going to dial then its ok. If your going to dial your dope then I would say you might want to check into a higher end scope
 
#9
Re: Talk me out of a Konus M30

Heath - I totally understand your $$ constraints. I spent quite a few years in the same conditions going thru college, then grad school. Given that budget is paramount, you have to make some choices. Imho, you would be better off sacrificing features and getting better glass/ mechanicals. You don't need illumination. You might not need 16x if this is primarily for hunting. Or - if it is for the range only, you might be able to find a great deal with a target dot reticle. Another thought is that, if you buy good glass with less features, you will get most of your money back when you sell it - but likely not with a Konus.

Given your budget constraints, these are my suggestions:
Hunting: Vortex 2-7x32 Viper, Dead-Hold BDC reticle, $170 (close-out)
Mixed: Vortex 4-12x40 Viper, V-Plex, $240 (close-out)
Range only: Vortex 6.5-20x44 Viper, Target Dot reticle, $250 (closeout)
Range only: Vortex Crossfire 6.5-24x50 Crossfire, mid-dot reticle, 1" tube, SWFA special $100

- I have 2 2-7s, they are great scopes for general hunting at typical distances, ie under 250 yards. With a 7x, you can still hit a silhouette at 500 yards. The Viper line has very good glass. (The 2-7 with a C3 circle reticle is also recommended by many. I like BDC better).
- I find the 4x12 concept too narrow at 4x to be good for hunting, but a lot of people use them, and it definitely gives you better mag for the range. Compromise choice.
- For range use ONLY, the Viper 6.5-20 is a great option. The mag range is totally unsuited for hunting (except extremely specialized hunting), so you might as well get it in target dot, it will do great at the range. Useless for hunting of course. You can also get it in a regular hunting VPlex reticle, but it is not as good for target.
- For range use ONLY, in good light, the Crossfire is an unbeatable combination. But it is significantly lesser glass than the Vipers.

Btw, I am not a Vortex fan boy - although I do think they do have very good glass and an outstanding warranty. The reason I recommend these scopes above is because of the close-out - absolutely great value for the money, and you can get very good glass for your $$.

As for your Konus: if you are like pretty much all of us, you will use it for a few months, get quite disappointed with the failings of a lesser scope, then sell it and buy another. In the process, you will have lost time, money, and the use of a good scope in between. But - nothing like learning from experience: hearing it from others is not the same... From that point of view, buying it might not be such a bad idea:)

Good luck. Don't wait too long to buy if you want the Vortex specials.

Edit - I am noting that, on the classifieds section, there is an Illuminated Vortex Crossfire 4-16x50 with Adj Obj (so you can dial out parallax) for $150. Remember, though, that the Crossfire does not have the same glass as the Viper, Viper is much better.
 
#10
Re: Talk me out of a Konus M30

+1 on the vipers for the glass, warranty and price. For around $300 you can also check out the nikon buckmasters as you mentioned, and the bushnell 3200 5-15x40. But I would go with WestOfPecos' advice, and I do own two vipers, and camerland and libery optics still has some on sale.
 
#11
Re: Talk me out of a Konus M30

My brother has a Konus M30 on his 308 SPS and has been in use for a year without any problems. It seems to track well. The Glass is very clear and the resoution is excellent. IIRS it's the 6.5-24x50 model. Maybe he got a good one?
 
#13
Re: Talk me out of a Konus M30

It's amazing how these posts get off topic. You ask about a Konus M30 and everybody wants to push their scope.

I have a Konuspro M30 8.5-32x 52mm and have found it to be fantastic. Because it only retails for only $500-600 (mine cost me a bit over $300. Currently the best price I've seen is $344 at Amazon), people will scoff at it.

I've used mine from 300-1,000yds. I just shot a 1,000 yard match at Quantico, VA last Saturday in some pretty bad winds and finished 8th out of 28 beating several Masters with their $1,800 Nightforce NXS scopes. Late in the day when the winds had subsided just a bit (not gusting as bad as earlier) I shot a 93-2X, loaned my rifle to a young Lieutenant attending The Basic School, who promptly shot a 95-1X.

I've also tested the scope in every way imaginable. I shot 3 shot string at 100yds using 8.5x, 20x and 32x respectively for each shot resulting in .5 MOA (my own handloaded ammo). I've shot base, up 6 MOA, right 6 MOA, down 6 MOA and back left 6 MOA and shot .5 MOA for the first and last shot.

This scope is fine and you can win with it if all the rest is working correctly.

One of its best features is the built in cant bubble which appears at the bottom of the reticle. I level the rifle, level the scope with a level sitting on the elevation knob, and the cant bubble is perfectly level. This allow absolute perfect cant (or lack thereof) for every shot.

It also has an etched glass reticle (MIL-DOT)

I'll take nothing away from Nightforce, Leupold, Nikon and the rest, but this scope will serve you well and you'll have to have great talent, a great rifle and perfect ammunition to out perform it.
 
#14
Re: Talk me out of a Konus M30

If you want the Konus, buy the Konus.

I submit to you that you can probably run a set of low rings with the Millet TRS-1, I used mediums and had room to spare.

There are 3 other options that I believe you should consider:

Weaver Grand Slam tactical from midway, 3-10x, mil/mil on sale for 300 bucks right now.

Bushnell 3200 10x mil/mil, about 219 bucks.

Super Sniper rear focus, about 300 bucks.

I have a milltet TRS-1, I have been pleased with it, though it is not currently on a rifle. It is a lot of scope for the money.
 
#15
Re: Talk me out of a Konus M30

All the Konus scopes I looked at with mil dots have 1/8moa of adjustment. I, and most people, want 1/4. Pretty important. 1/8 is for a benchrest scope, not a tactical scope.
 
#16
Re: Talk me out of a Konus M30

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: DougMH</div><div class="ubbcode-body">It's amazing how these posts get off topic. You ask about a Konus M30 and everybody wants to push their scope.
</div></div>

The title of the post says "talk me out of a konus M30". So this post is not going off topic. I don't have any experience with a Konus but I have seen people who like them. However, I would go with a Nikon , Bushnell or Vortex for the price range like most have already stated. It's not that everybody tries to push their scope all the time but rather give some useful information to a guy that has a budget and wants to make the best possible decision with his money as we all try to do.

Good luck with whatever decision you make OP
 
#17
Re: Talk me out of a Konus M30

I'm feeling better about my choice of Konus. Honestly, I asked you guys to talk me out of it so everyone felt free to trash talk.

My purchase has been delayed by my ex-wife, her mothers bankroll, and their lawyer. I am just hoping the price at impactguns.com doesn't jump in the next month.

I'm finishing my Saiga12 build first, them the Savage. Now I just need a base, rings, bipod and to figure out how to get Cerakote to stick to Choate Synthetic material...
 
#18
Re: Talk me out of a Konus M30

A friend and I shoot long range and both own a KonusPro M30 scope. Mine is an 8.5-32X52 and his is a 4.5-16X40. I have put at least 500 rounds downrange using the Konus. My buddy probably over 1000 with his. He has developed a problem with the elevation turret not moving internally after only 23.8 MOA...it keeps turning but nothing is moving inside. I also have a problem with my turret getting past 36 MOA and I have a 20 MOA base. I checked my total MOA travel for elevation and it is less than 60 MOA (more like 56 MOA...not enough for 1000 yard shooting. So with all this being said...I have shot .55 MOA groups at 100 yards and my friend actually shot .185 MOA with his mounted on a Remington 308 Milspec...all 5 shots basically in the same hole...so the scope can do well but may fail later on. Hope this helps.
 
#20
Re: Talk me out of a Konus M30

Wouldn't you know it... Research has changed my mind yet again.

BK81008: Millett 4-16x50 Matte Tactical 30mm tube, Illuminated, .1 Mil Click (The Konus only has 1/8 MOA)

We have a new winner. Mil/mil The Millet reticle seems much finer than the Konus, and the turrets/knobs have been moved according to Millet/Bushnell to clear the large Savage bolt.

I have yet to hear an issue from the last year with the Millet since the changeover hassles during the buy-out of the company.

I might try to find a used one from someone who upgraded, or here on the Hide exchange. If you guys know of one in need of a good home, feel free to hit me up.
 
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