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Rifle Scopes **Updated** Lightweight hunting scope
- Thread starter Mk23Bill
- Start date
You are very correct in pointing out the superlative March 3-24X42. It is an awesome little scope with a weight of just around 21 ounces.
The reason I pointed to the March 1.5-15X42 was in direct response to the summary post from the OP in which he stated:
He was looking for a 2-12X42 and the 1.5-15X42 was the closest to his specs, even though he starts lower at 1.5X and goes higher at 15X. It is also at 21 ounces, a little heavier than what the OP wished for, and equivalent to the 3-24X42, but I believe the new technology used in the objective lens group to use a 42mm objective with a 1.5X magnification contributes to the heft of the scope. When you grab it, it does feel a little heavy at the front, or heavier than you would expect. I don't know what magic Deon used to accomplish this feat but I really like this scope.
I'm in a similar boat, OP. I'm looking for glass for a Sig Cross after selling a NF 2.5-10x42 because the CA was just too much for me. Does anyone have experience with a S&B Klassik 3-10 and a Swarovski Z5i 2.4-12? I can afford to go higher but if I don't need to that's great as well.
I also had the Razor mentioned above and while the glass was excellent for the cost the windage knob was mush.
I also had the Razor mentioned above and while the glass was excellent for the cost the windage knob was mush.
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Im Currently putting together a light “er” weight hunting rifle. Primarily for deer /elk decided on a 7 Rem mag. Manners Elite Hunter-TA with mini Chasis. Rem 700 LA. 24”’Proof Sendero and probably run either a MK5 3.6-18 with H59 or Teemor 3, or a Khales 3-18 with SKMR3/4z The NF ATACR 4-16x42 with T3!is also an option but NF in general are typically on the heavy side.
I didn't say anything about cheap glass, Leupold is far from cheap glass, nor is Vortex, in the higher end Non-Walmart/BigBox Bushnell's arent either. He said he was hunting out to 400 yards and wanted a light rifle set-up. The Razor is like $1200 or $1300 a Leupold VX-3HD is less than half that. Heck, at 400 id go with a Leupold VX-Freedom, I've taken Deer in those ranges with less. If you miss an Elk even at 500 yards with any decent scope, you ought not be hunting in the first place, just my humble opinion.
You've got the wrong Razor, the LHT usually runs between $800 and $900.
We have a pair of mint demo models for $799.00 https://www.snipershide.com/shooting/threads/display-models-for-sale.7084478/#post-9597484
I’ve got a couple of the S&B Klassik 3-12x42 precision hunter model with P3 reticle and their BDC elevation dial. Dial is not as precise as the PMII and only gives 3.2 mils of up but it has tracked and returned to zero every time. No parallax adjustment but that hasn’t bothered me. Shot a cow elk at 370 and no problem, heck when I looked at the magnification it was at 8X…
I had a similar question as OP come up recently in recommending an optic for a friends light weight AR (5ish pounds). He is looking for a lightweight optic to plink with, shoot hogs at about 100y (at night with pig lights) so needs illumination (just the dot is ideal) and target shooting steel to 400y, occasionally 600 (so no need to dial) but ideally Mil reticle. His budget is more limited at $1k max but way more comfortable around $600ish. Seems this is probably very similar to the original question for a light weight hunting optic.
Some optics I found that might fit both OP’s question and this application. Although hunting optics is not my area, I know LPVO’s and precision optics much better. Definitely appreciate anyone’s expertise in this area.
Trijicon AccuPoint 3-9x40 (mildot reticle)
13.3oz, Older design, still good in today’s market? Very light. Annoying MOA/MIL turrets/reticle but capped turrets/no dialing so more annoying than a problem.
Trijicon Accupoint 2.5-10x56 (mildot reticle)
20.7oz, 56mm objective too large for AR? Same older design.
Leupold Mark 3HD 3-9x40 (Firedot TMR)
15.8oz, Newer design, no info on optical quality.
Leupold Mark 3HD 4-12x40 (Firedot TMR)
16.2oz, same as above.
Vortex Razor LHT 3-15x42 (HSR-5i MRAD)
19.1oz, 15x too much for SFP for only 400y? I’m used to shooting 6x SFP at that distance so it seems like a lot/small FOV.
Any thoughts on these optics or other optic suggestions? @Glassaholic @koshkin @CSTactical
Some optics I found that might fit both OP’s question and this application. Although hunting optics is not my area, I know LPVO’s and precision optics much better. Definitely appreciate anyone’s expertise in this area.
Trijicon AccuPoint 3-9x40 (mildot reticle)
13.3oz, Older design, still good in today’s market? Very light. Annoying MOA/MIL turrets/reticle but capped turrets/no dialing so more annoying than a problem.
Trijicon Accupoint 2.5-10x56 (mildot reticle)
20.7oz, 56mm objective too large for AR? Same older design.
Leupold Mark 3HD 3-9x40 (Firedot TMR)
15.8oz, Newer design, no info on optical quality.
Leupold Mark 3HD 4-12x40 (Firedot TMR)
16.2oz, same as above.
Vortex Razor LHT 3-15x42 (HSR-5i MRAD)
19.1oz, 15x too much for SFP for only 400y? I’m used to shooting 6x SFP at that distance so it seems like a lot/small FOV.
Any thoughts on these optics or other optic suggestions? @Glassaholic @koshkin @CSTactical
I picked up a 2.5-10 S&B Polar off of another member here and got it out to the range last week. Weight is decent, glass is fantastic, no clue on tracking but I'm not too worried about it. Seems like a great scope, too bad retail on these is so high.
Late last year EO hiked up the prices on S&B by about 10% due to the dropping value of the US dollar, I believe this spring was another price hike. Schmidt did this back around 2016 if I remember and were basically pricing themselves out of the market so Schmidt USA did big price drops, I am hoping the same happens again within the next year as I love Schmidt scopes but at current prices I'll go ZCO, March and others before I choose Schmidt.
Amazing scope. Prob one of the best hunting scopes on the market.
After debating the S&B Klassic 3-12x42 and the Leupold VX-6HD 2-12x42 I finally went with the VX-6. A couple ounces, an inch in length, and the customized turret tilted me to give it a go.
Took it to the range today for initial site in. The scope was easy to get behind and I liked the firedot and used it to zero….I was able to pick a brightness setting that was clear in full daylight but did not overwhelm my point of aim. I was also shooting with a Meopta Optika 6 2.5-15x44 and the Leupold was noticeably brighter and seemed a little clearer. So far I am pleased, and just need to get my custom load CDS dial in hand and spend some more time with it in the field to really see how it performs…..especially at dark thirty.
Also highly recommend one of the S&B Polar’s mentioned above. Best hunting optic I have ever looked thru.
Took it to the range today for initial site in. The scope was easy to get behind and I liked the firedot and used it to zero….I was able to pick a brightness setting that was clear in full daylight but did not overwhelm my point of aim. I was also shooting with a Meopta Optika 6 2.5-15x44 and the Leupold was noticeably brighter and seemed a little clearer. So far I am pleased, and just need to get my custom load CDS dial in hand and spend some more time with it in the field to really see how it performs…..especially at dark thirty.
Also highly recommend one of the S&B Polar’s mentioned above. Best hunting optic I have ever looked thru.
Good choice I had a VX5HD with custom turret for my Tikka CTR and that dial was right on out to 800 yards.
Don’t hunt anymore but liked it so much I just bought the VX6HD 1-6x24 for my Mini Fix and will get the dial ordered for it.
Running mine on a Fix .308, and really like the weight/balance….it does not feel bulky or cantilevered even with the suppressor.
These are all very reasonable options, but I have to admit that the HD-LHT 3-15x42 has become my nearly standard recommendation for a hunting scope around $1k.
ILya
Recently purchased a Vortex Razor HD LHT 3-15x42 with mil reticle for my newly acquired left handed Bergara HMR in 308. I have been very pleased with it. I was considering other scopes as well (Nightforce NXS 2.5-10x42) but it checked all the boxes and Midway was running a sale I couldn’t pass up on. Plan was to put together a nice rifle within my budget for primarily hunting that didn’t weigh a ton, but also had some long range characteristics.
**Update**
First off, I’d like to extend my genuine gratitude to all who participated in this thread. You offered many great suggestions, both in terms of available scopes, as well as the features that might be most useful in my application.
Based upon the depth of experience represented by those who’ve responded, I felt comfortable modifying some of my initial baseline requirements. In particular, I stopped stressing over the relatively minor difference between a 17 oz scope vs. a 21 oz scope, and I rethought the potential usefulness of illumination, particularly at the lower settings.
In the end, I decide to go with the March 1.5-15x42. Yeah, it blew up the budget a bit, but I’ve been very well served over the years by adhering to the ‘buy once, cry once’ school of thought and then properly caring for my gear.
For the money I feel like I’m getting above average glass, good light transmission, solid construction, reasonably light weight, wide parallax adjustment, my preferred zoom range and then some, a good eye box (particularly up to the 10-12x area), extensive, precise and repeatable reticle travel, illumination as a bonus and a reticle that will allow for known holdovers in those quick reaction situations where dialing in might not be possible. I also think the relatively compact dimensions of the scope will improve the handling of, and otherwise be a good match for the 20” barreled rifle it will eventually be sitting on.
It would have been nice if March offered a first focal plane model in this zoom range to at least compare against this one, but as this thread once again demonstrates, the perfect scope does not exist and there will always be some compromise required. But I feel like this ticks off a lot of the boxes of the features I was looking for, while also offering enhanced flexibility should I ever want to expand the maximum range limits that I specified earlier.
So once again, thanks to all who contributed.
First off, I’d like to extend my genuine gratitude to all who participated in this thread. You offered many great suggestions, both in terms of available scopes, as well as the features that might be most useful in my application.
Based upon the depth of experience represented by those who’ve responded, I felt comfortable modifying some of my initial baseline requirements. In particular, I stopped stressing over the relatively minor difference between a 17 oz scope vs. a 21 oz scope, and I rethought the potential usefulness of illumination, particularly at the lower settings.
In the end, I decide to go with the March 1.5-15x42. Yeah, it blew up the budget a bit, but I’ve been very well served over the years by adhering to the ‘buy once, cry once’ school of thought and then properly caring for my gear.
For the money I feel like I’m getting above average glass, good light transmission, solid construction, reasonably light weight, wide parallax adjustment, my preferred zoom range and then some, a good eye box (particularly up to the 10-12x area), extensive, precise and repeatable reticle travel, illumination as a bonus and a reticle that will allow for known holdovers in those quick reaction situations where dialing in might not be possible. I also think the relatively compact dimensions of the scope will improve the handling of, and otherwise be a good match for the 20” barreled rifle it will eventually be sitting on.
It would have been nice if March offered a first focal plane model in this zoom range to at least compare against this one, but as this thread once again demonstrates, the perfect scope does not exist and there will always be some compromise required. But I feel like this ticks off a lot of the boxes of the features I was looking for, while also offering enhanced flexibility should I ever want to expand the maximum range limits that I specified earlier.
So once again, thanks to all who contributed.
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Man if March made that in a FFP with a tree reticle like the FML-TR1, with maybe an illuminated 2 MRAD radius circle/donut. Even better if it had the newer wide angle eye piece and maybe somewhere in the 2-20x range. Like if I could merge the 1.5-15x42 SFP with the 4.5-28x52 FFP, that would be the perfect do everything optic.
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