Brand and Option Overload.

Tyler

Tyler

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So I'm looking to scope one of my rifles: A Mossberg (I know, shut up) MVP Varmint in .223/5.56. The scope that came with it is an $80 Barska 4-14x44 or something, which helped me with load development and to determine the rifle was worth keeping... so it's time for an upgrade.

All I will be doing is shooting 62-68gn bullets at Figure-11's on a standard range from 100m to 600m and maybe to 800m. Not pushing bush or living out tactical fantasies.

Budget: $500-$1000. The more reading I do, the more I want to stay away from the lower end optics, so it will likely wind up being closer to $1000. Though I'm not opposed to saving a few hundred by buying used or from a brand that offers more value per dollar spent. Once the rifle is gone, it would be nice to be able to keep the scope for another application.

Looking around at what's available gets confusing after a while. Even more so once you throw in options. With each passing year, there seems to be another optics company that I have never heard of popping up with offerings from China, and even established brands, like Vortex or Bushnell have apparently gone to the dogs in an effort to compete for sales. In terms of features alone, much seems to have changed over the past year in terms of availability and standard options.

My only hard requirements are that it have an MRAD reticle with adjustments in mils as well, be adjustable for parallax (AO or side, don't care), and have some sort of 'Horus style' reticle. I really like the idea of having some sort of grid in place so I can just hold-over and not mess with deflection/windage at all. FFP/SFP: don't care. An objective smaller than 50mm is good for me as well.

So what's out there that won't fall apart on me and give me decent glass with good adjustments?
 
You can usually find a lightly used or nib Bushnell 3-12 LRTSi on the EE for close to your $1000 limit (I sold one sometime in the last year for $1100, nib, if I recall). They're great scopes (I have 2). Mil/mil, FFP, illuminated x-mas tree type reticle (G3) with nice turrets with a zero stop, good glass and tracks solid. You could also look for the same model with no illumination for cheaper or the older LRTHS as well.
 
For what you have described in budget, features AND function, I would offer you several of the Athlon optics.

For the top of your budget range, Midas TAC.... step down in price and features, Argos BTR 6-24..... again, Talos BTR 4-14.

Another option would be the new Sightron STAC 4-20 FFP option.

All will do what you want, track and function properly.

PM or email .. Thanks

Jerry
 
Thanks for the suggestions, all.

Jerry, what and who are 'Athlon'? Disgruntled Bushnell employees? I heard about them for the first time just yesterday. For example, the Athlon Talos 4-14x44 looks a lot like the Falcon Menace M-18, which in turn resembles other 4-14x44 offerings from Vortex and Ziess. Do these all come out of the same factory in China?
 
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Tyler said:
Thanks for the suggestions, all.

Jerry, what and who are 'Athlon'? Disgruntled Bushnell employees? I heard about them for the first time just yesterday. For example, the Athlon Talos 4-14x44 looks a lot like the Falcon Menace M-18, which in turn resembles other 4-14x44 offerings from Vortex and Ziess. Do these all come out of the same factory in China?
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Athlon is in fact ex-Bushnell guys. Whether they are disgruntled or not, who knows. They follow pretty much the same recipe as Bushnell though in that they OEM scopes to various factories depending on price bracket. The higher end stuff being made by LOW in Japan (same as Bushnell's Elite Tactical line) and by all accounts it's nice stuff (as is Bushnell's high end stuff) and the lower end is built in China. The only scope of theirs I have experience with is a Talos 4-14 that I had very briefly on a .308 (windage didn't track well) and then on a .22lr before selling it. You're correct in that it's basically the same scope as that Falcon Menace. I definitely wouldn't suggest getting anything that low budget, to be honest. I'm not trying to be a snob by any means but you'd be doing yourself a disservice. If you were shopping in that price bracket I'd suggest one of this eolder Bushnell fixed 10x.
 
Tyler said:
Thanks for the suggestions, all.

Jerry, what and who are 'Athlon'? Disgruntled Bushnell employees? I heard about them for the first time just yesterday. For example, the Athlon Talos 4-14x44 looks a lot like the Falcon Menace M-18, which in turn resembles other 4-14x44 offerings from Vortex and Ziess. Do these all come out of the same factory in China?
Click to expand...

You can go to Athlon website for more info... all I know is that they offer some fantastic scopes for the money and how they are specing their product overseas is working.

I have little doubt that some entry level products are sourced by multiple brands from the same factory(ies) but not all insides are the same... and that can really affect your end result.

My testing on a number of Athlon products have shown them to track well and offer excellent value in their glass quality. They tend to punch well above their price point.

last weekend, an Argos BTR6-24 was used on a production class rimfire rifle to take the overall win at a LR rimfire match in ON. Feedback on the tracking was spot on in -16C weather at varied distances.

The Ares BTRs I used last season helped me to podium at both of the matches I attended with both matches having around 50 shooters.

They seem to be working very well... and if something were to go wrong, they have a lifetime no brainer warranty.

Jerry
 
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