Dual purpose target and deer stalking scopes

[Grandhubert]

Gentlemen, a vox pop on your thoughts on scopes for dual purpose use at various price brackets.

In terms of dual use I think what I'm after is something with target turrets, a reasonable magnification range, large objective and very importantly good tracking of the windage and elevation adjustments.

I need to find a scope for a heavy barreled Sako that is mainly to be used for target shooting at Bisley out to 1000 yards and may in future be used to pot the odd fallow doe from the highseat.

What's avaliable at in the range of a few hundred quid up to a grand? I have ironically shot with many of the various top brands at my rifle club, but those boys pride themselves on their kit and nobody has anything less than a Nightforce!

 

[Mat]

I've got a Sightron S3 6-24x50 that does exactly that: not too heavy or expensive (unlike Nightforce), optically very good and tracking is by all accounts excellent... They're about 800 quid or so or less if you buy straight from the US like I did

You're welcome to have a go with it if our paths cross again

 

[User00004]

IOR might suit your needs, various types, built to survive. Adjustable windage and elevation turrets, range use reticules.

>>IOR<<

TJ

 

[Offroad Gary]

second hand nightforce, choose the ret to suit your discipline. if you choose the np2dd you'll be able to put the dot right between that does eyes, at ranges people are not allowed to shoot deer at!

 

[Grandhubert]

I've got a Sightron S3 6-24x50 that does exactly that: not too heavy or expensive (unlike Nightforce), optically very good and tracking is by all accounts excellent... They're about 800 quid or so or less if you buy straight from the US like I did

You're welcome to have a go with it if our paths cross again

That would be great mate, I'll be up to see our goat hunting friend at some point.

I'll have a look.

 

[Grandhubert]

second hand nightforce, choose the ret to suit your discipline. if you choose the np2dd you'll be able to put the dot right between that does eyes, at ranges people are not allowed to shoot deer at!

You're a bad man.....

A bad man whose thoughts run along similar lines to my own!

 

[User00003]

Have a look at the Weaver Tactical,,this is should be a SERIOUS contender. You can get it for $649 at http://www.opticsplanet.net/weaver-tactical-3-15x50-mil-dot-30mm-riflescopes.html

..as I cannot afford the S&B PMii at the moment, I might go for this as a temporary toy.

 

[ejg]

Another good compromise could be the zeiss conquest 6.5-20x50
I'm using one since a while on my main stalking rifle. Which I also use
for the occasional target shoot.
Compared to other 20 mag scopes the conquest is very light and I think has better
glas than NF or Leupold. Very useable at last light.

edi

 

[User00003]

EJG, are they not more than a grand? I always thought Zeiss were like £1,500-£3,000 if you want BDC's, etc.

 

[ejg]

PKL,
no I mean the conquest range...the ones that Europeans actually should not own.
In my opinion the only zeiss scope worth having. (Weight vs performance)
Available in the US at around 1000 $, I got mine at around 600 Euro when I was over there.
One can find them second hand here at times.
The 6.5-20x50 weighs 21oz and has a 1" tube.
edi

 

[User00003]

PKL,
no I mean the conquest range...the ones that Europeans actually should not own.
In my opinion the only zeiss scope worth having. (Weight vs performance)
Available in the US at around 1000 $, I got mine at around 600 Euro when I was over there.
One can find them second hand here at times.
The 6.5-20x50 weighs 21oz and has a 1" tube.
edi

That's a LOVELY scope at a GREAT price - you can even get it with mil-dot

 

[Claret_Dabbler]

Amir, the Zeiss Conquest might be the way to go.

You might pick up a non-illuminated Schmidt and Bender for under a gran - not much under though.

 

[caorach]

I saw somewhere that Minox are doing a scope that would seem to fit your bill and I think the price is within your budget as well. Ah, found the advert and they do a ZA5 which is 4-20X50 and appears to have target type turrets and the prices are quoted as "from £429 to £849"

As you can tell I know nothing about them but the Minox binos are very good value for money and if the scopes are the same then they are at least worth a look.

 

[jordang]

the conquest are an excellent scope for theweight/cash just make sure you are aware that if needing repairs they have to go back to the US for work.

 

[High seat]

Hi Grandhubert, Have a look on E bay. There is a Leupold vx 111 long range scope. 6.5-20x50. Going for £500 at the minute. Target turrets. Excellent scope. Leave it on 6.5 power for stalking then wind it up for taget shooting. This scope will get you out 1000 yds no probs. Going rate new is about £900 new.Hope this helps. Cheers High seat.

 

[MountainStalker2]

Just make sure you have enough MOA in the adjustment allowing for the base that you will use to get you to 1000m. Adjustment varies between both brands and models.

 

[Cry Havoc]

Vortex scopes are very reasonably priced and recommended by Mike Norris so there must be something good for Yank..!

 

[klunk]

When I started reading the OP, I was about to suggest a Nightforce until I got to the last sentence. Since your bias seems to be towards target shooting plus the occasional stalk, it would make sense perhaps to go with that bias in making your choice. I also had a Nightforce with the NP2 DD reticle, and it will do you just fine for 1000yd, plus as has already been said, with the magnification wound right back it will also do you for the occasional snipe at a dear from a highseat. I agree with what Mountaintalker says, though, about adjustment. I used to have mine mounted on a 20MOA base which would take me from a 200YD zero, just, with the elevation wound all the way down to the stop, out to 1000YDS with +35-36MOA of elevation (.308Win with gentle-ish loads). This means, assuming similar ballistics, that your scope must be able to handle at least 35MOA of adjustment, and be depended upon to be adjusted from limit to limit *accurately*. My old Nightforce never let me down. Only negatives might be that even the lowest magnification might be too much for a wide field of view, plus they might be a bit on the weighty side, but if you're in a highseat who cares?

Did I say I *wasn't* going to recommend a Nightforce?

 

[P3T3R]

Sportsmanguncentre have got a sale on some nightforce models for around the 1k mark or maybe look out for some 2nd hand leupold mk4's

 

[taylor]

5.5-22x56 nxs gets my vote thats what i use on my long range hunting rifles worth every penny in my eyes for stalking and long range work ,yes their is better lowlight optics but the repeatability and tracking on them are one of best in the game