$1000 Scope Advice

[TheCougar]

I am in the market for a new scope to put on my rifle I am building. It is a tikka t3x 7mm RM bedded in a B&C stock. I plan on using it to hunt to ranges up to 600yds on elk, deer, and antelope. My number one priority is durability and function, then features, then optical quality. I want a scope that will not break, lose zero, or have poor tracking. It need to be around the 3-15 magnification range, FFP, MIL or MOA reticle, MIL or MOA turrets, and some form of zero lock. My budget is around $1000 max. Some scopes that I've been considering:

SWFA: good durability, bad glass
Vortex Viper PST: average durability and glass
Leupold Vx-3i
Bushnell elite long range hunter: good glass and durability, nut at the top of the budget
Nightforce SHV: great durability and good glass, but terrible eye relief and out of budget

 

[dotman]

Nightforce SHV, call One Shot Gear and let them know your a Rokslide member, 3-10x42 is plenty for what you need, it's good to 1000 and has the Nightforce reliability.

NightForce SHV 3~10x42 Review by Rhian Mantha - Long Range Only

 

[FURMAN]

I would look at Sightron SIIIs. I would rate the Sightron SIIIs and the Vortex PSTs above the Bushnell.

 

[JollyRoger]

I just put a SWFA 3-15 FFP mil/mil scope on a Tikka T3X 7mm Rem Mag and so far it's been great. Definitely feels like a solid and durable scope, good turrets and eye releif. Plus at 24oz it's lighter than the SHV and the new Viper PST (both around 30oz). I know people say the glass is 'bad' but it's been just fine for me thus far.

 

[5MilesBack]

I just put a Leupold Mark 4 4.5-14x50mm scope on my 7mag. Picked it up for $699 on sale from Cabelas. I keep hearing that none of the Leupold scopes track well, but this is my second Mark 4 and they both have shown me nothing but great performance. Now, at some point I may be cursing them if they really do have a reliability issue, but until then I'm in a prove me wrong mode.

One of these two scopes is on my 6.5 CM that my daughter used this last fall. She dropped the entire gun on the rocks when it was all brand new. When I picked it up I could easily see that the windage turret had hit the rocks as there was a ding and it was turned off by 1 MOA. I reset it to zero and wasn't optimistic.....but the next week at the range it was spot on. It has tracked perfectly out to 600 and back to zero several times at the range without issue. She even shot a doe later in the season at 375 using the turrets and hammered the doe in very dim light. It was literally just a couple minutes before last shooting light. That was her first non-bench shot ever at anything.

Both of the ones I have have 110 MOA adjustable range from top to bottom. No zero stop, but they're pretty easy to see where they are with the lines Leupold has on them. I sold my NF NXS right after getting this second Mark 4.

 

[willidru]

Now that Leupold has come out with their new VX-6 HD, the last years Vx-6 have been on sale. My brother in-law just picked up the 3x18 for $850 on ebay.

 

[Formidilosus]

SWFA: good durability, bad glass
Vortex Viper PST: average durability and glass
Leupold Vx-3i
Bushnell elite long range hunter: good glass and durability, nut at the top of the budget
Nightforce SHV: great durability and good glass, but terrible eye relief and out of budget

I've used all of those quite extensively.


SWFA: Works correctly, not sure where you got "bad glass"? Glass is VX1/2 or so. Far from bad.
Vortex Viper PST: More than two dozen. All have failed.
Leupold VX-3i: High failure rates, incorrect functioning.
Bushnell LRHS: Works correctly. Probably the best choice for a 0-800 yard longer range hunting rifle.
Nightforce SHV F1: Works correctly, and again not sure where you got "terrible eye relief"? System is similar to the NXS 3.5-15x50mm F1, which is one of the easiest LR scope to use from a eyebox perspective.

 

[TheCougar]

I've used all of those quite extensively.


SWFA: Works correctly, not sure where you got "bad glass"? Glass is VX1/2 or so. Far from bad.
Vortex Viper PST: More than two dozen. All have failed.
Leupold VX-3i: High failure rates, incorrect functioning.
Bushnell LRHS: Works correctly. Probably the best choice for a 0-800 yard longer range hunting rifle.
Nightforce SHV F1: Works correctly, and again not sure where you got "terrible eye relief"? System is similar to the NXS 3-15x50mm F1, which is one of the easiest LR scope to use from a eyebox perspective.

Eye relief is 2.8-3.1 inches, which is really poor, especially for a magnum calibur. I don't want a donut scar on my face. Almost every scope I have looked at has an eye relief in excess of 3.5".

 

[ams]

Eye relief on the FFP nightforce SHV is horrible as stated above. I had the 4-14 FFP on that exact rifle, Tikka 7mm in a BC stock. Eye placement had to be exact and was so close it made me nervous. I didn't end up using it and went with a VX6 SFP 3-18. The nightforce sits on a much heavier 308 where I don't worry about eye relief because it doesn't move.

Not sure how the 3-10 SHV is, but I don't think it's FFP

 

[JustOneMoreShot]

I have the NF SHV 4x14x56 on a Tikka 270WSM and I have never had a problem with eye relief with my set up. I like the scope a lot.

 

[TheCougar]

I'm leaning towards the swfa or the bushnell elite long range hunter. I can get either for under my max budget, but I feel weird paying all that money for a scope that used to be a Tasco scope or a Bushnell scope, even if it is their high end scope.

 

[JollyRoger]

I'm leaning towards the swfa or the bushnell elite long range hunter. I can get either for under my max budget, but I feel weird paying all that money for a scope that used to be a Tasco scope or a Bushnell scope, even if it is their high end scope.

There's a good article (or maybe video) talking about the 'Tasco' name on the Super Sniper scopes. I dont remember the entirety of it, but the take away was 'this is not a Tasco like you'll find on WalMart air rifles'. A quick search should pull that up. I do understand what you mean though, and until recently I would never have given a Bushnell or a Burris a real look based on the cheap junk that came on package rifles.

 

[Mtslackcountry]

I compared the glass on a Leupold VX6 3-18x50 to the Bushnell LRHS 4.5-18 and the Vx6 was only slightly better, that's how good the glass is on the Bushnell. The Bushnell seems like it could take some serious abuse. Its built very well. I think if you get one in your hands you will think damn this is nice.

 

[duckhunter175]

Anyone running the Burris Veracity or XTR in 3-15x?? They are FFP and available with MOA or MIL and they have the MADD knob system so you can run capped windage and exposed elevation or both exposed or both capped.

 

[starsky]

Eye relief is 2.8-3.1 inches, which is really poor, especially for a magnum calibur. I don't want a donut scar on my face. Almost every scope I have looked at has an eye relief in excess of 3.5".

Spoken like someone that has never used one.

 

[ams]

Spoken like someone that has never used one.

Probably why he was asking for info.

 

[bhylton]

^^^^

 

[TheCougar]

I have never used a NF. The scopes that I have used have between 3.5-4.0" of eye relief. I am hesitant to go much closer than 3.5" with a lightweight rifle in a magnum caliber. I don't want to get kissed by my scope. A few guys have said the 3" of eye relief on the NF isn't an issue, but I have found an equal number that say it is an issue. Either way, it is beyond my budget... but if it weren't for the eye relief I would probably splurge.

 

[dotman]

I have never used a NF. The scopes that I have used have between 3.5-4.0" of eye relief. I am hesitant to go much closer than 3.5" with a lightweight rifle in a magnum caliber. I don't want to get kissed by my scope. A few guys have said the 3" of eye relief on the NF isn't an issue, but I have found an equal number that say it is an issue. Either way, it is beyond my budget... but if it weren't for the eye relief I would probably splurge.

NF 3-10x42 SHV is 3.6". This comes directly from the manual for all SHV models "It is recommended to mount the riflescope at this position with as much eye relief as possible (3.5”–4”)".

http://nightforceoptics.com/sites/default/files/SHVOwnersManual2015_FINAL_Jan27.pdf

Also give One Shot Gear a call, you may be surprised what's in your budget, just let them know your a Rokslide member or if you want to pay retail just order online

 

[TheCougar]

NF 3-10x42 SHV is 3.6". This comes directly from the manual for all SHV models "It is recommended to mount the riflescope at this position with as much eye relief as possible (3.5”–4”)".

http://nightforceoptics.com/sites/default/files/SHVOwnersManual2015_FINAL_Jan27.pdf

Also give One Shot Gear a call, you may be surprised what's in your budget, just let them know your a Rokslide member or if you want to pay retail just order online

The 3-10 is SFP only, unfortunately. If I'm going to be dialing mils, I would think a FFP would be the right choice.