Lightest reliable turreted scope

[big10hunter]

I currently have a Swaro X5i. This thing is a tank. Is there a smaller lighter scope with as much reliability in the turret dialing and RTZ?

 

[carter33]

Nightforce NXS 2.5-10x42. Just wish they’d have an option to cap the windage.

 

[IrkedCitizen]

Go read this sub forum. It is worthwhile.

Rifle Scope Field Evaluations

rokslide.com

 

[sportsmans challenge]

Go read this sub forum. It is worthwhile.

Rifle Scope Field Evaluations

rokslide.com

From the evaluation and what is passing the trijicon tenmile would beat the nightforce out by weight, but they are both passing the drop tests.

 

[Sage_Rocket]

Depends on how many minutes/mils of travel you want and how much magnification?

 

[eric1115]

Nightforce NXS 2.5-10x42. Just wish they’d have an option to cap the windage.

That's what I came here to recommend.

 

[SDHNTR]

Nightforce NXS 2.5-10x42. Just wish they’d have an option to cap the windage.

They do. $100 and I’ll gladly send you what I use.

 

[atmat]

The NF NXS, SWFA, and SB Klassics are all around 21oz and reliable dialers. Not sure what they weight on the Trijicons are.

 

[Hippie Steve]

Leupold:
VX3 HD 4.5x14x40 15.4 oz.
VX3 HD 3.5x10x40 14.5 oz.
Never had a problem, bomb proof, lifetime warranty, always hold zero. Any power over 16x hunting the West is a waste. With HD glass in scopes these days anything over a 40mm OBJ is a waste. Both scopes are under 1 pound.

 

[atmat]

Leupold:
VX3 HD 4.5x14x40 15.4 oz.
VX3 HD 3.5x10x40 14.5 oz.
Never had a problem, bomb proof, lifetime warranty, always hold zero. Any power over 16x hunting the West is a waste. With HD glass in scopes these days anything over a 40mm OBJ is a waste. Both scopes are under 1 pound.

These break all the time. I traded all my Leupold’s due to wandering zero and missed shots. I get a 30% discount and they’re still not worth the money.

Leupold VX-3HD 3.5-10x40mm CDS-ZL Field Evaluation

This is a field evaluation of a Leupold VX-3HD 3.5-10x40mm CDS-ZL scope. This scope was sent to Ryan Avery for an evaluation. The ammunition used was Hornady Black 168gr AMAX that was purchased by Ryan. The 20 round proof group was just over 1.3 MOA. The scope and weight- Turrets...

rokslide.com

 

[Cactus kid]

Leupold:
VX3 HD 4.5x14x40 15.4 oz.
VX3 HD 3.5x10x40 14.5 oz.
Never had a problem, bomb proof, lifetime warranty, always hold zero. Any power over 16x hunting the West is a waste. With HD glass in scopes these days anything over a 40mm OBJ is a waste. Both scopes are under 1 pound.

“Bomb Proof”
“Always holds zero”

 

[sportsmans challenge]

The NF NXS, SWFA, and SB Klassics are all around 21oz and reliable dialers. Not sure what they weight on the Trijicons are.

25 oz for the 3-18x44 ffp tenmile

 

[dirtytough]

Leupold:
VX3 HD 4.5x14x40 15.4 oz.
VX3 HD 3.5x10x40 14.5 oz.
Never had a problem, bomb proof, lifetime warranty, always hold zero. Any power over 16x hunting the West is a waste. With HD glass in scopes these days anything over a 40mm OBJ is a waste. Both scopes are under 1 pound.

JB, since they are "bomb proof" and "always hold zero" could you please drop one from 5' and let us know how it goes?

 

[ElPollo]

The lightest reliable turreted scope is probably the SWFA 3-9HD. They come in at 19 oz. At least I’m not aware of anything lighter that will reliably hold zero. They are generally backordered, but you can get on their list and get one when they get a shipment. I personally like their reticles better than anything else out there and they are less than half the cost of a comparable Nightforce.

 

[JCMCUBIC]

These are from some old notes I have on a few scopes I use that have been reliable for me in dialing:

NX8 1-8x24 - 17.6 oz
SWFA 3-9x42 - 19 oz
NXS 2.5-10x32 - 19 oz
S&B PMII 6x42 - 19.4 oz
NXS 2.5-10x42 - 20.5 oz
SHV 3-10x42 (illuminated, no parallax) - 22.2 oz
S&B 3-12x42 (illuminated with BDC) - 22.24 oz

One other I use is a S&B 6x42 Klassic (30mm) with BDC. It's probably around 17 oz but I don't have an exact weight for it. The reticle lacks any windage holds and is pretty thick so it's limited at distance.

 

[B_Reynolds_AK]

Leupold:
VX3 HD 4.5x14x40 15.4 oz.
VX3 HD 3.5x10x40 14.5 oz.
Never had a problem, bomb proof, lifetime warranty, always hold zero. Any power over 16x hunting the West is a waste. With HD glass in scopes these days anything over a 40mm OBJ is a waste. Both scopes are under 1 pound.

“Some or all of the content shared in this post conflicts with the guidance from Rokslide scope experts and may not be true.”

 

[KenLee]

Leupold:
VX3 HD 4.5x14x40 15.4 oz.
VX3 HD 3.5x10x40 14.5 oz.
Never had a problem, bomb proof, lifetime warranty, always hold zero. Any power over 16x hunting the West is a waste. With HD glass in scopes these days anything over a 40mm OBJ is a waste. Both scopes are under 1 pound.

"With HD glass in scopes these days anything over a 40mm OBJ is a waste."

I tote my 25-29 ounce 56mm Leica scopes and am happy killing game you'd never see in your 40mm obj scopes...but I'm glad you are happy with your 40mm VX3s.
An extra 11-15 ounces doesn't bother me when I'm shooting while others are already back at the camp/truck.

Not that this helps the original poster, but to me even with good glass, a bigger objective makes a big difference in low light.

 

[freddyG]

Leupold:
VX3 HD 4.5x14x40 15.4 oz.
VX3 HD 3.5x10x40 14.5 oz.
Never had a problem, bomb proof, lifetime warranty, always hold zero. Any power over 16x hunting the West is a waste. With HD glass in scopes these days anything over a 40mm OBJ is a waste. Both scopes are under 1 pound.

I’d put money on your setup not being bombproof. You just haven’t tested it. Being successful in killing animals over the years, is not a test.

 

[fwafwow]

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

I’d put money on your setup not being bombproof. You just haven’t tested it. Being successful in killing animals over the years, is not a test.

Assuming what was claimed is accurate...
The individual tests his hunting and killing skills on a consistent basis over the years. It would be fair to say that he has passed these "tests" more often than not due to the volume of animals on the ground. What makes this test passing all the more impressive is everything was done with unreliable riflescopes.

There is 100% merit to the tests and subsequent results on this site. It is also SAF that scope manufacturers insist their product boxes can handle a drop while the scopes do not have a comparable requirement. Lots of folks have upgraded their scopes, myself included to large extent, based upon the guidance from this site.

Despite all of this, millions of animals still get killed every year with these unreliable scopes. As much as their elevation and wind may drift, it often is within the levels of a hit "close enough" to allow for a kill under hunting conditions that many hunters face. A person can scream "3 inch drift" all day long, but at 100 yards that still leads to a kill in many cases.

I'll leave it to the individual to determine what is the most important "test" for them. I do wish folks would remember that what is important to them, may not be as important to others. Far too many of these same folks preaching the gospel would have a stroke if someone else rammed their beliefs down their throats.