Scope advice

kohana

Member
After reading all the reviews the Sako 85 seems to fair pretty well, the biggest problem is the scope, I decided on either S&B 8x56 or Leupold 3.5-10 x 50, but would welcome comments as I want to shoot both deer and foxes hence picking the .243. but looking around the £1000 mark to spend on a scope?

Any comments

Kohana
 
i.o.r scopes are the dogs bits glass is from shoots factorey in germaney very very clear better far better than the scopes you have picked s/b is good leupold dont come close and yes i have had a few leupold scopes have a look at i.o.r
 
The Schmidt & Benders are nice and good glass, unless they have dropped off in the last few years since I got mine, but I doubt that.

Another option that I will propose you look at are the Meoptas. Nice glass and seem very robust. I have a 7x50A and I am very happy with it Oh and they seem quite keenly priced too. In the Classifieds there a couple for sale new from a spnser fo the site I seem to recall seeing.
 
Go with S & B and you wont go far wrong.

Leupold are now made in china but still have premium price tag.
Compared with the likes of S&B, Swaro, Zeiss, NF, IOR, or Doctor the leupolds have abismal low light performance.

One thing that is not that well know is that most of the makes listed above only have +-2.5 diopter where as the Doctor has +-5
 
You won't go far wrong with your sako! Mine clover leafs
straight from the box with home loads.
The I have leopolds, prefer my Swarovski Z6I 2-12x50
 
I have both and the Leupold is pants compared to the Schmidt,if not shooting at dawn or dusk then it would'nt matter to much but the Schmidt just sucks in loads more light,i need to get a new scope myself and it won't be another Leupold thats for sure.
Neil.
 
If stalking 8 X you might find to much as your eye cannot readily accept easily anything above 7X so a variable might be more suitable .
Remember the higher the magnification the greater the error and its a matter of compromise

Personally I stick to old steel tubed Pecar if you can get them the optics are on par with more expensive optics. German optical lenses have always been the best
 
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Buy a Swarovski Z6 2-12x50 from Mcleods in tain ex demo stock £995.00

Moses, as always, a man of taste.

Kohana, if you have a grand to spend, buy this scope today, before someone else of this site slips in and buys it.

MacLeod also has a whole raft of Swaro PH's from £600 - £800, better all round choice than either of the options you have listed. Put a good variable on that 243, keep it around 6x for stalking and you can crank it up for a longer shot at a fox.
 
You could get a spanking nev PV 2.5-10x56 illuminated No 4 ret for £825.00!!

Z6 gets my vote though, well worth investing now before they go up again.
 
I would advise you get an illuminated version if you can. IOR do them as do Meopta.

I must say the meopta I have just aquired has a lovely illuminated central dot and is extremly usefull when fox shooting. Current review in shooting sports of the 7x56 Meostar and I concur that the optics are excellent.

As for Leupold well my mate has 2 and I use a mark 4 tactical, its not quite as good as a 56 mm nightforce but I think I now reached an age where the optics out perform my eyes. However on this scope eye relief is very critical unlike some other brands, so eye position can be difficult if you need to take a quick shot.

Recently have used a fixed mag Kahles on a .17 C/F this is v clear but the reticle is to fine for me and non illuminated.

If you can get hold of a s/h nightforce it would be a good choice.

Good luck, you might need to spend an afternoon in a good gun shop.

D
 
Go with S & B and you wont go far wrong.

Leupold are now made in china but still have premium price tag.
Compared with the likes of S&B, Swaro, Zeiss, NF, IOR, or Doctor the leupolds have abismal low light performance.

One thing that is not that well know is that most of the makes listed above only have +-2.5 diopter where as the Doctor has +-5

Think you'll find that most of the scope manfacturers get their glass from China now...including quite a few of the above.
 
Think you'll find that most of the scope manfacturers get their glass from China now...including quite a few of the above.


That is just so much ********. The top scope makers make their own, or else have it made by Schott to their specifications - S&B do this I think.
 
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Thank you to everyone that replied, all duly noted. Spent good couple of hours in a gun shop today, and you'll all be pleased to know I'm not going for a Leupold.

But now looking S&B or posibly a Docter


Thanks once agian

Kohana
 
I've posted this several times so some of the regulars are probably sick of it but...

If you want to save some pennies consider going for a top quality 2nd hand scope from someone reputable like MacLeods of Tain. I paid £250ish for an 8X56 S&B a while back and to be honest I could probably sell it for more than that now. It is top notch glass for not a huge pile of cash and the money saved can always find a use elsewhere. Also if you can make do with a fixed magnification scope you can also save money and a lot of people with variable scopes never change the magnification. My S&B is never off 8 mag :) and I use it in forest and on the open hill with no problems.
 
Just a point about Chinese glass. I have been buying european optical parts for my business for thirty years until my supplier went belly up. I now buy from China, and what a revelation! The product is better made to a closer tolerence, more uniformly precise batch to batch and cheaper. Sad but true, the Chinese are making great optics, they just haven't been accepted by the masses yet. It seems a badge still has credibility whether deserved or not is another story.
Go with S & B and you wont go far wrong.

Leupold are now made in china but still have premium price tag.
Compared with the likes of S&B, Swaro, Zeiss, NF, IOR, or Doctor the leupolds have abismal low light performance.

One thing that is not that well know is that most of the makes listed above only have +-2.5 diopter where as the Doctor has +-5
 
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you have a good budget , so i would get as much magnification as poss , i have a s&b 8x56 and the 8x mag is not good enough for those longer fox shots at night..
 
Just a point about Chinese glass. I have been buying european optical parts for my business for thirty years until my supplier went belly up. I now buy from China, and what a revelation! The product is better made to a closer tolerence, more uniformly precise batch to batch and cheaper. Sad but true, the Chinese are making great optics, they just haven't been accepted by the masses yet. It seems a badge still has credibility whether deserved or not is another story.
A little reminiscent of the Skoda badge in recent years, not forgetting they used to make very serviceable tanks during the war,:D...............Some chinese stuff is far & away better than some of our own gear, because they are using brand new machinery & production techniques, taken from "US" & improved upon, just like the Japs did in the 70's with cars & motorbikes, there is rubbish from all sources.............. just have to check out what you are going for.:cool:
 
Not long ago i bought a sako 85 finnlight in .243 and im pretty pleased with it,bought a second hand s&b 8x56 scope for it,its taken alittle getting used to it as ive always had a 6x42,but for me its a good set up.Go for the 8x56 s&b you can pick up a mint one for £350.
 
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