SHV 3-10 or 5-20

[jb79]

For the average joe who shots occasionally (but hopes to shot more this year) and wants to ring steel at 1000yrds one day am I losing anything with the 3-10?
Most of my rifle hunts would be limited to 500yards and less.
It will be mounted on a Christianson Mesa in 300 WM and be my primary rifle.

Basically I missed out on the SHV f1 In the classifieds and now have my mind set up on a night force and really like the price of the 3-10 but don’t want to be kicking myself for not getting the higher magnification in the future.

 

[mfllood3800]

I was out shooting the 5x20 today. The eye relief is very touchy- gotta be set up pretty much spot on at full mag.
But with that said, I am glad I had the 20 power even at the 650 I was shooting. It was a milk jug, and the 20 power brought it clearly to view.
With my eyes for a 1000 yard shot, I would prefer the 5x20 for sure- others may feel 10 is all they need.
A 500 yard max shot in hunting mode leaves me to believe the 10 would be sufficient. But hey you can always dial the 20 down to 10, but I bet ya wont.

 

[skierhs]

I Run a 4-14 f1. I find that the 14 is what i end up on at 1k. I know for sure you'll be happy with either but having a 16x or 18x just can be nice at times when you try to strech it even farther. Both will work though.

 

[V65Magna]

I think I would go with a bit more magnification if I were you. I think a top end of 16X would be in order for me if I were putting glass on a nice rig like that. Not to date myself, but as I moved gracefully through my mid/late 40's, I've been very happy to have a little more magnification on tap when I needed it.

 

[Kotaman]

The 10x s not enough for me at 1000. (Or 650 for that matter)

 

[jb79]

This is all pretty new to me so I am learning as I go and don’t want to buy twice! On the 5-20 do you have to be on 20 to dial?

 

[dotman]

You can ring steel at 1000 with the 10x, what will the scopes main duties be? If 99% hunting and shooting at distances of 500 or less I wouldn’t get the big heavy scope.

 

[jb79]

I killed my antelope last year at 640 with a buddies rifle and a vortex scope and it got me hooked.... the scope was turned up to 24 and it was really hard get lined up and the clarity sucked.
With the moar Reticle On a sfp I can use the Reticle to hold yardage/windage at any powe but when dialing I need to be at full mag, correct?

 

[ckleeves]

I killed my antelope last year at 640 with a buddies rifle and a vortex scope and it got me hooked.... the scope was turned up to 24 and it was really hard get lined up and the clarity sucked.
With the moar Reticle On a sfp I can use the Reticle to hold yardage/windage at any powe but when dialing I need to be at full mag, correct?

You have that backwards. SFP you need max power for the reticle to line up. Or half power and half your holds with a little practice and verification. Dialing works on any power SFP or FFP.


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[ckleeves]

You have a tough choice with those 2 scopes. I like the 5-20 shv on my dedicated varmint rifles but it is a big scope. The objective is large and it’s heavy. It’s not heavier then most of the other good quality dialing scopes though. The objective is bulky on them also, they are a lot of scope on a lightweight carry gun.

The 3-10 is a great hunting scope for a lighter ish weight carry gun but I really think If your truly wanting to stretch things to 1k it will leave you wanting a little more.


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[jb79]

Thanks guys I Appreciate the info, not in a huge hurry so I’ll just keep weighing my options. Need to decide if this will be a dedicated long range or a everyday pack through the hills hunting rifle.

 

[mcseal2]

I'd split the difference personally and go with the 4-14. It's heavy is the biggest downside. I have several older Leupold VX-III 4.5-14x scopes that have a 19.9ft FOV (field of view) at 100yds on 4.5x. I find that I can get on animals quick for closer shots with it, but I wouldn't want any less FOV. The 20ft range is my personal minimum on an all around hunting rifle. The 5-20x has 17.9ft at 100yds, while the 4-14x has 25ft. I have a 5-30x Huskemaw on my heaviest 264WM long range rifle that has an 18.1ft FOV at 100yds but it's hardly an all around rifle. I wouldn't want to hunt timber with that small a FOV. I don't yet have any of the smaller Huskemaw scopes but they have some lighter options in the 3-12x and 4-16x. Ryan has used them and says the glass isn't wonderful but they dial reliably and work well. I found a deal on a 3-12x I sent payment for today I will get tried out soon. If the glass is good enough in low light I'll put it on my 300WM, if not it will end up on my 25-06 for predators on windy days.

The difference in FOV is not a huge difference but enough of a one that it would make the difference for me. I like shooting at long range but don't consider myself a long range hunter. I practice at long range a lot so that I can make the shots when I need to, but always try to get closer. I hunt some areas too where a shot is going to be under 50yds and fast or across the canyon at 400-600yds.

 

[mfllood3800]

^^^ all great points.
I have the NX 5.5x25 and the eye relief on that is way better than the SHV I have. The NX is way more forgiving for me.

If I could offer advice I wish I knew early on it would beto not focus so much on a rifle/scope set up that was my "Do it all" rifle".
- cause then you struggle with caliber, optics etc...

In the end you will always have more than 1 rifle/scope set up.
- so plan each rifle build unique to what you will use it for.

Get a real long range set up
Get a decent light weight set up
Get a good mid range not as light, not as far, set up.

Get the one you need first, then the next and so on.
It will keep you from spending $$ on something that was a compromise to one scenario for another and in the end, not what you want on any of your future set ups, and you will have future set ups.

Cause when you decide to go LR- you will want very specific things, tailored more to this type of shooting
When you decide to go light weight- you will want very specific things that cater to this type of hunting

Sounds to me like you want to do long range, just not yet.
So build your mid range rifle now with mid range optics
You will want to go further eventually, and that will also mean a little heavier- then set up the new rifle to do that.
It just helps you answer the many questions now, a little easier.

 

[jb79]

Good points... I have a 6.5 CM that is my light weight rifle and am comfortable shoot 300-400 yards so your probably right in the setting up a mid range rifle first and then and when I decide to go long range set one up for that... decision, decisions!

 

[BRTreedogs]

I'm just learning to shoot long range too, couldn't make up my mind so went swfa fixed 10 just to get dialing and flinging lead and think it's plenty.
Do you ever Do you ever get over to central OR Redmond?

 

[jb79]

I'm just learning to shoot long range too, couldn't make up my mind so went swfa fixed 10 just to get dialing and flinging lead and think it's plenty.
Do you ever Do you ever get over to central OR Redmond?

Not nearly as much as I'd like to! Most the time I am just passing through.


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