Long range scope

Colonel

Well-Known Member
I'm going to start target shooting out to 600yd and need a good scope, I don't want to spend a fortune so I was thinking of a vortex 6-24x50 or a bushell elite tactical 4.5-30x50. What do you guys think?
 
What's the budget if you don't mind me asking?
Check out the "IOR Recon". It's big bulky and heavy. Two lads I know have them on target / stalking rigs and swear by them. They cost around €2000 and this includes mounts.
 
The vortex viper is top quality glass for the money. The lifetime warrany makes it a no brainer for me. They also do the viper in several flavours depending on your perversion ( covered turrets, exposed turrets, elevation turret only exposed. FFP SFP)

And from anywhere between 330 to 700 knocks the socks off most competition at the price range....
 
Recently looked at some scopes for the same reason. Sightron S111 6-24 x 50 had reasonable optics and good positive turrets and seemed good for the price. Bushnell Elite Tac 4.5-30 x 50 seemed better made, but felt quite heavy. Great optics. Slightly cheaper was the Leupold 6-18 x 40 (VX2)AO which was great for the money. Nice bright optics. For 600 I'd want something with slightly more zoom, so the Bushnell or Sightron seemed better suited to that purpose and range for me. Not a lot in it price-wise so I'd have probably opted for the Bushnell. Looked at a few Vortex scopes too, including the Viper PST (SFP). Didn't think optically that it was any better than my M18 Falcon (FFP) but was twice the price. The M18 has been doing sterling service on my .308 and was a bargain. For longer ranges though I think I'll be changing to either the Bushnell or a Leup Mk4 Tac 6.5-20 x 50. Looked at some used Nighforces but preferred the Leups and even the Bushnell.

To the OP...you haven't mentioned budget. If budget isn't a consideration, the Leup or a S&B target/tac scope should be on your wish list. If budget is an issue, the VX2 6-18x40, used Sightron S111 or a target Falcon scope all offer good value and performance. Best thing is to get to some RFDs and have a look at some.
 
Consider a fixed power Leupold or Weaver with AO and 1/8 minute turrets. Lots of world championships won and benchrest records set with everything from 10X to 36X.
 
I'd suggest waiting and see what the people in your chosen discipline use. You'll find there will be a good reason that something general won't work and they've all gone for a particular style of scope and ret.
 
That's a good bit of advice Toxster, I've joined the club but not shot there yet. I brought a second hand 308 match rifle with a Leupold 6-20x50 scope on it, but it hasn't got a target turret on and I thought a bit more mag would be better. I've decided go to the states later this year hog shooting, so I think I might leave it for now. Thanks for all your input, all those initials now need decoding.
 
Vortex high end are fine but just for f&&& sake don't get 1st focal plane if you are not going to range an animal at all powers and you do want to shoot targets.
The crosshairs will be too small at low power but cover too much at full power when you really need to see the tiny dot you are trying to hit at 600m.
Zeiss Conquest are very clear, Sightron and Leupold VX5 and above are fine. Leupold and Vortex seem to have the best warranties.
I have a very good fixed power 24x target scope that is great for the 'Fly Shoot' etc (ultra fine cross hairs and a dot that covers 3mm at 100m) but it is absolutely totally useless for anything else.
I've used a 1st focal S&B for ranging .............'targets' at every zoom level and it was great (for me) but in a 'fly shoot' it would have blotted out what I want to hit.
It's 'horses for courses'.
 
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Optically hard to beat even by big name scopes is the old Zeiss conquest 6.5-20x50. I have tried time and time gain next to top tactical scopes. Only disadvantage is that it doesn't have a huge adjustment range. Lightweight also.
edi
 
Having shot with some of those scopes, I do not see much difference between the top and bottom. There is certainly not the 25 point difference this test gives between the Bushnells and the S&Bs.

The reason is, that this test gives 25% weight to reticle choice. So a scope with superb optics but only one reticle is down 20 points.
 
Whatever you choose make sure it has zero stop.thats a great thing to have on your scope.vortex is a decent range scope.i wouldn't have another for hunting.i thought the low light shooting wasn't good.
 
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