scope advice (1,000yrd use very much on table)

[Detritus]

needing to acquire glass for a new-to-me rifle, and it's been over ten years since i last bought a new scope.
So I'm looking for info and advice on what brands to look into to find decent quality at a reasonable price (I.e. I'm not really ready to drop $2K on a scope).

I'm in the process of joining a club with a 1,000yrd range so I, of course, want a unit up to that activity as well (Yes, i'm getting a 20MOA base).

anyway, any advice or info is appreciated.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

Competing or just for some range fun?

 

[Detritus]

Competing or just for some range fun?

in my case even if i attend/shoot a match, I'm pretty much doing it for my own amusement...

Use case is pretty much me puttering around on the range at 2-300 max (can't remember what the "normal" rifle bays top out at) with occasional forays onto the club's Long Range bay for the Prone matches and practice days

So, no I'm not looking to become a "serious competitor", and don't need the best of the best etc. just something that will let me shoot what's available to me without severely limiting my enjoyment.

 

[ONE-TEN]

Yes, what is your preferred use & MAX price point? Important to know what your limit is? For instance, around $1K has been my limit for many years. Also, what style do you like? Do you want target turrets or capped? Do you prefer a reticle with hash marks, a Christmas tree style? Or do you prefer just standard crosshair reticle? Is scope weight a concern?

 

[Detritus]

Yes, what is your preferred use & MAX price point? Important to know what your limit is? For instance, around $1K has been my limit for many years. Also, what style do you like? Do you want target turrets or capped? Do you prefer a reticle with hash marks, a Christmas tree style? Or do you prefer just standard crosshair reticle? Is scope weight a concern?

probably 80% of use will be at 200yrd, 600 and 1k when that range is available (that area of CCGC is electronically scored as well as by endorsement only).

ABSOLUTE max right now is probably $1200, and that's really stretching it, as in I'd buy a cheaper unit to use until i saved up for that.

don't really think i have a preference on Target Vs Capped turrets, never had a scope with uncapped turrets, last unit i had came with i guess you'd called "capped target" turrets (tall turrets target style markings, zero settable, under caps) and I just zeroed it at 200 and removed the caps to dial in the come-ups etc. for 600 and 1k.

I do prefer reticles with hashmarks or mil-dots over a bare crosshair or cross-dot, strictly for holdover/off. i do not currently have a use for a ranging system, and I've never used a BDC reticle so far.

as far as I'm aware scope weight is not currently an issue as, even if i re-stock it, the rifle it's going on is well below the weight limit for the games i have access to.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

I answered on the high road. I'll post it here too.
Im really happy with Athlon. I can see individual bricks on house's a 1/2 mile out. The 8x34x56 one.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DQQGYZ2X

 

[Txhillbilly]

This scope will do everything that you want, plus save you some money. While the scope that CoalCrackerAI listed is a good scope, you will rarely use any scope near maximum magnification shooting longer ranges. Mirage will not allow it! Plus, the Ares ETR is next to the best scope that Athlon makes whereas the Argos is one of their lower end scopes.

https://cameralandny.com/shop/brand...2255-0139-6d8e-00163ecd2826?variation=2891656

 

[Josh06]

I have 2 of these scopes linked below but with the MOA reticle. Good glass and bullet proof scopes. I've used them pretty hard and never had any issues. It's hard to beat these for the money. If you're good with second focal plane, i'd look at Leupold VX-5 and Zeiss V-4, I've used both in the past, they have great glass for the price, but only offer SFP and I prefer FFP.
https://www.eurooptic.com/burris-xtreme-tactical-xtr-iii-33-18x50mm-34mm-scr-2-mil-riflescope-201204

 

[ONE-TEN]

I agree with Tx. The Athlon Eres ETR is one of the best bang for the buck scopes out there.

Also, the Arken SH4J 4-24x50
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CGR91JNN

And the Arken EP5 5-25x56
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BFH79YB9

These both use Japanese ED glass as well and exceptional build quality. There is a very trusted guy online who has been recommending these for years & has put them through extensive, harsh testing.

There is also the Bushnell Match Pro ED. Have read good reviews for it as well, for the under $1K variety.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CLYQ97DN

 

[ONE-TEN]

Oh, missed this one as well, which is a little lower magnification, 3-18x50(although plenty for out to 600yds & still enough for 1000yds). Good thing with this, it’s the only 100% JAPANESE made scope for under $1K! A week ago, they had the same one in 4-32x56 for under $1K, but they sold out & it’s back to $1599. But the all Japanese quality 3-18x50 Conquer 7 at $850 is still pretty awesome!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BRJQXPNF

 

[Txhillbilly]

I've got two EP5's and one SH4J. They are decent scopes on a precision 22, but I wouldn't use them on anything bigger.
When you really look through them for some time, they are really cheap scopes compared to higher quality optics.

 

[Detritus]

Ok, i now have a specific questions related to these scopes

• just how much elevation adjustment do i need (or maybe "want" is a better term) if I'm wanting to shoot 1K occasionally?
• is there a point where extra range of elevation adjustment is a waste/excessive/simply not needed?
• are there other related issues i've missed?

looking at the following two 5-25x56 FFP scopes:

the Vortex Venom , lists max adjustments of 85moa for Elevation & Windage, and most of it's contemporaries of the same or higher price-point seem to vary between 65-85moa on the same spec

and the unit from Khyber Optics specs at 120moa elevation 75moa windage.

so is there an advantage here or just hype on a spec sheet?

 

[Txhillbilly]

Personally, I wouldn't own either one of them.
Vortex really isn't a very good scope. Their failure rate is pretty high.
IMO, Only the Razor line is quality, and there are a lot better options for the money.
For what you're wanting to do, raise your budget up to $1k and you can get a scope that will last you a lifetime.
You can get an Athlon Ares ETR 1st Gen scope now for $750, and it's a hell of a scope. I just put one on one of my precision 22's.
The Ares ETR blows away the Arken EP5 scopes that I have on two other precision 22's.

 

[ONE-TEN]

I agree. I wouldn’t get either for those prices. And yes, if your cut off is in fact $1K, the Ares ETR is the #1 option. Here it is for $703 with the reticle in MOA. And it has 110 MOA Elevation. (Which us plenty, especially with a 20MOA rail.) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BYD3W4L

Now, about your question, it depends on your cartridge choice. A flatter shooting cartridge requires less total elevation. Plug your cartridge into a ballistics calculator & look at the drop at 1000yds. I like 40-50MOA (roughly 12-15 MIL)

I use this Ballistics Calculstor
https://shooterscalculator.com/ball...lbl=308+Win+168Gr+OTM&submitst=+Create+Graph+

 

[Detritus]

Now, about your question, it depends on your cartridge choice. A flatter shooting cartridge requires less total elevation. Plug your cartridge into a ballistics calculator & look at the drop at 1000yds. I like 40-50MOA (roughly 12-15 MIL)

Ok, making sure I understand.

Setting aside brand or price point considerations.

Assuming a rifle in .308 using standard 175gr loads, and 20 or 30moa scope base, a scope with 65moa of elevation range should be adequate? Obviously more range is beneficial but non-essential...

 

[ONE-TEN]

Ok, making sure I understand.

Setting aside brand or price point considerations.

Assuming a rifle in .308 using standard 175gr loads, and 20 or 30moa scope base, a scope with 65moa of elevation range should be adequate? Obviously more range is beneficial but non-essential...

If you are basing that on the link I gave you, that is simply the default they use. But the bullet drop depends entirely on YOUR specific load, based on the Weight & muzzle speed, along with the bullet type a BC (Ballistic Coefficient). And of course, the elements like weather, temperature, wind, barometric pressure, altitude, shooting angle, etc. YOU must input all those elements for YOUR specific load to get fairly accurate bullet drop & windage, this the proper DOPE.

For that specific load in 308Win, the bullet drop at 1000yds was like 65MOA. I’d say a scope with 80MOA elevation & a 20MOA rail would just about do it.

But please take our advice. That Khyber 5-25x scope for $499 is NOT worth the price. The Athlon Eres even at $1,000, IS worth it, but at $700, the Eres ETR 4.5-30x56 is a FANTASTIC deal!