Re: WTF with all the "this VS that" optics threads
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Lowlight</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Okay something people have to consider, and think of it like buying a car. YOU as the end user need to have your OWN set of metrics on what is important, and how it will impact your particular style of shooting. If you don't know what you want, or what you need you can't make a decision... cause a lot of people are talking about buying a car because they like the windshield or the headlights, meanwhile they bought a pickup truck to take 4 kids to school.
So, some of the things to look at, or what I look at...
1. Immediately, <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="text-decoration: underline">Reliability</span></span>, does the scope have a history of reliable service. Can it take the abuse I know I am going to give it.
2. <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="text-decoration: underline">Accuracy</span></span>, both with the reticle subtensions and the turrets, regardless of the unit of measurement. Does the scope track, and track successfully to match the reticle. Will it hold zero, despite the abuse and are the clicks tactile and spaced out wide enough for me to feel them without looking.
3. Magnification, the more I shoot the less magnification I want, that is not to say I don't want some, but in many cases, I want between 3X and 16X, only for specialty rifles do I want more than 20X... but that is MY personal thinking on the matter. Does it satisfy this for me.
4. Eye relief, I want a forgiving eye relief. I know I am going to shoot from alternate positions and my cheek weld will change. Because it will change I need edge to edge clarity in the optic so I can continue to hit where the reticle is pointed.
5. Turrets, do they have a zero stop, is it settable, or pre-defined. Is the parallax adjustment responsive, even with rings on. Does the maker include the same type of scope with both MOA and Mils and does the adjustment range make sense. I also can decide if I want a single turn knob or if I am doing little more than casual shooting is a multi turn turret fine. In this area I am also going to consider if the scope will work on a flat base or not, do I am need an aggressive cant in my base, things of that nature. Will it worth to 1000 yards with a 308 on flat based AR10 or do I need to put an angle under it.
6. Reticles, what are my choices and what is important to me. I use Mils so having more than one choice in a mil reticle is important. Again they must match the turrets and be accurate.
7. And for me lastly, I am looking at size and weight, I want to keep the size to a reasonable level and the weight somewhere in the middle. If the scope is a bit shorter with a little larger objective, that might be a plus, if its long and lean, maybe not so much depending on what rifle I going to put it on.
Then, when it is all said and done, I look at what it costs, where i can get it and who is specifically selling it to me. In some cases where I can buy it will trump how much I am willing to pay for it.
But in all, I have to know what i am going to use it for, primarily and I don't engage in maybe or what ifs, I suppose if you are only going to have one rifle set up with the most features across the board I would consider a what if, but generally each has its purpose. I like the 3-12X / 3-15X scopes because its a general all around player, 20X + is a one off, game gun thing, not for everyday use in my case. These are things I think about... as should you and frankly I can't make these decisions for you, nobody should.
Finally, you don't see anything about glass in there... I don't give a shit, I am working from the best of the bunch, so glass is going to be a virtual or statistical dead heat... all I care about here is the site picture. These things are important to me... </div></div>
Not wanting to kiss your arse - but this should be a sticky post on a 'how to choose what you need for a scope'.
Many thanks!
