Need help choosing a Scope

C

CocoMelon

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Hey everyone, I just picked up a Tikka CTR IN 6.5 creed. I am going to use it at the range and maybe, if I can, get into hunting with it.

I am familiar with semis and handguns but precision or hunting is not my forte and I really don’t know much about it.

I know I want FFP over SFP and that I want MRAD over MOA. I want illumination. Whether I want 5x25 or 4x14 is where I am stuck. Conversely Leupold or Vortex. Cabelas had a viper pst gen 2 for $400 off right now in 5x25. Is this my ticket and the way to go?

Has anyone seen any other deals that would be enticing or comparable? The vortex warranty is nice but something more durable would be nice too or should I say, of better quality.

My price point is $1000-$1300. Is the anything worth considering under $1000? Anything good on EE so I don’t pay tax? Etc.

Thanks
 
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I just would advise you either talk to shooters at your club/range to get pother options. Vortex is popular but theere are many other comparable brands at better price points. The leupold might be your best choice of the two, but there might be others that 'fit your bill'.
Athlon, Arken, Bushnell . . . the possible list goes on.
 
MOA is actually better for the average shooter. The subtensions are more intuitive and the clicks are finer. The MIL is a weird dimension for most people.

For field use, 20x is realistically the highest magnification you will use. More than that will cause problems, especially if you are new to scoped rifles.

In my 36 years of shooting, I don't think I have ever actually needed an illuminated reticle. Sure they are cool and whizzy and all the kids have them but seriously ask yourself when and how often you expect to need illumination.
 
IDC is right about MOA - if you were militarily trained it might be good to use MIL but it's much easier to adjust a shot when the tree 'bars' equal 1inch @ 100, 2-inches @ 200, etc. And illum scopes are only advantageous if shooting at Dusk/Dawn, but many of the 'better scopes' are now coming 'with' to accommodate the "New Kids". Also, Since Coco plans to shoot target at first, the 5-25x is a good choice unless he's shooting 200yds plus.
 
Do you shoot with other people? It's nice to shoot the same scope as your group, whether it's moa or mils. FFP is the right choice. The advice about MOA being easier makes no sense and is silly advice. You don't call out corrections in inches or CMS, that's dumb. You call them in moa or mils. Your reticle is a ruler, so use it to make your adjustments
 
1 MOA is 1" at 100 yds
1 MIL is 3.6" at 100 yds

Most targets will have 1" squares or 1" rings.

When the correction is 1 MIL or 2 MIL, then maybe MIL is not so difficult to use but when the correction is 1/3 MIL, it becomes a lot less intuitive.

I have been shooting long range for the better part of 20 years. I have shot to 2000 yds. If anyone thinks my advice is silly then .........
 
MILs are simple. Base 10, use meters for distance and it's easy peasy. 0.1 MILs at 100m is 1cm. 0.1 MILs at 600m is 6cm. With a FFP scope you'll be measuring off the reticle, so there won't be any converting inches or cm anyway.

The gen 2 PST is a good scope. Not a ton of elevation to work with, so use a 20 moa scope base to get the most out of it.
I've never touched anything Arken, so no opinion there. I keep reading that the EP5 is the only one worth getting, but it's hard to tell hype from unbiased opinion.
I personally wouldn't touch anything under the Leupold VX5 line if I was planning on cranking turrets, and if I was really cranking it would be a Mk5. I have a bunch of Japanese Bushnell elite scopes that are quality, but none fit your budget. I don't know what the Forge scopes are like, they could be an option if they track reliably.

Another scope close to your budget with the features you want is the Delta Javelin. Noticeably better quality glass than the PST and 5-25 Midas Tac (I own all 3), solid tracking, has a 34mm tube with more elevation than the 30mm PST, and has illumination. It's basically a rebranded Athlon Ares ETR with different reticle and 10yr warranty compared to Athlon's lifetime warranty. They seem to retail for a little over your budget before tax and shipping, so it may not be an option.
 
I Dont Care About You said:
1 MOA is 1" at 100 yds
1 MIL is 3.6" at 100 yds

Most targets will have 1" squares or 1" rings.

When the correction is 1 MIL or 2 MIL, then maybe MIL is not so difficult to use but when the correction is 1/3 MIL, it becomes a lot less intuitive.

I have been shooting long range for the better part of 20 years. I have shot to 2000 yds. If anyone thinks my advice is silly then .........
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Why do I care about inches? If I shoot at a piece of paper and need to make a correction, I use my reticle. If I'm 1/10th low and a 1/10th left, I make that correction. I don't care how many inches that is. If I'm shooting steel at 1200 meters or yards, I watch my misses and use my reticle to make a correction. I don't think about how many inches or centimeters that is. I've never been unable to make a correction or needed a 1/3 of a mil, LoL. If you like MOA, that's great, but to say it's more precise or easier than mils is misleading
 
I'm in a very similar situation to the OP. Just picked up a CTR in 308 for a dual purpose hunting/target setup.

I'm looking at the Athlon Ares 3-18x50, Athlon Helos BTR Gen2 4-20x50 or Vortex Strike Eagle 3-18x44. All MRAD. A bit out of my budget is the Tract Toric 4-20. Reach out to Jerry @ Mystic Precision, he has helped me a lot with some of these recommendations.

If you want to go down the optics rabbit hole I found this playlist very helpful: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCzJy0eY5h1GqUpIW2tg8yD5hHGN1Qsc4

Good luck and happy shopping.
 
laker415 said:
Why do I care about inches? If I shoot at a piece of paper and need to make a correction, I use my reticle. If I'm 1/10th low and a 1/10th left, I make that correction. I don't care how many inches that is. If I'm shooting steel at 1200 meters or yards, I watch my misses and use my reticle to make a correction. I don't think about how many inches or centimeters that is. I've never been unable to make a correction or needed a 1/3 of a mil, LoL. If you like MOA, that's great, but to say it's more precise or easier than mils is misleading
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In a sense you are correct. 1. If you are deciding between MOA or MIL you first need the proper reticle for the caliber. 2. MOA or MIL is only of relevance when NOT adjusting your scope for distance.

For the average shooter it is therefore pointless if choosing MOA or MIL.
 
laker415 said:
Why do I care about inches? If I shoot at a piece of paper and need to make a correction, I use my reticle. If I'm 1/10th low and a 1/10th left, I make that correction. I don't care how many inches that is. If I'm shooting steel at 1200 meters or yards, I watch my misses and use my reticle to make a correction. I don't think about how many inches or centimeters that is. I've never been unable to make a correction or needed a 1/3 of a mil, LoL. If you like MOA, that's great, but to say it's more precise or easier than mils is misleading
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Actually I use MIL reticles.

1/10 MIL is 0.36" at 100
1/4 MOA is 0.25" at 100

As 0.25 is less than 0.36, MOA clicks are more precise. You keep saying that I am misleading or silly and yet each time you are incorrect.

Most of us are older and more used to inches rather than centimetres. If someone told me I needed to adjust 7 centimetres, I'd have no clue how much that was. But we all know what 6 inches looks like.
 
I Dont Care About You said:
Actually I use MIL reticles.

1/10 MIL is 0.36" at 100
1/4 MOA is 0.25" at 100

As 0.25 is less than 0.36, MOA clicks are more precise. You keep saying that I am misleading or silly and yet each time you are incorrect.

Most of us are older and more used to inches rather than centimetres. If someone told me I needed to adjust 7 centimetres, I'd have no clue how much that was. But we all know what 6 inches looks like.
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Why would someone tell you to adjust 7 centimeters or 6 inches?
 
As far as I have ever seen, Leupold doesn't make a scope in FFP that has has target turrets, side focus, illuminated MIL reticle etc etc for even near the $2000 price point...

As for MIL/MOA, I only shoot MIL and most if not all shooters that I have met at PRS competitions also shoot in MIL. The 5-25 is the way to go, PST GEN 2 or Strike Eagle are great options, Athlon Midas Tac would be my next pick!
 
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Thanks for chiming in everyone.

To the point below I have also seen the Burris XTR iii on sale for a good price but a bit over my budget.

I’m lost in the 5x25 thing but think I will be inclined to try a 3x18 or 3x15 where the Athlon would fall.

Lots of mil / Moa talk here which is good witty banter. My math skills are terrible so I need to look at this again.

Thanks again everyone. Let’s keep it going lol


mv2 said:
I'm in a very similar situation to the OP. Just picked up a CTR in 308 for a dual purpose hunting/target setup.

I'm looking at the Athlon Ares 3-18x50, Athlon Helos BTR Gen2 4-20x50 or Vortex Strike Eagle 3-18x44. All MRAD. A bit out of my budget is the Tract Toric 4-20. Reach out to Jerry @ Mystic Precision, he has helped me a lot with some of these recommendations.

If you want to go down the optics rabbit hole I found this playlist very helpful: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCzJy0eY5h1GqUpIW2tg8yD5hHGN1Qsc4

Good luck and happy shopping.
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If your going with a FFP scope with christmas tree, then Mil OR MOA will work cause like other have said already, all your doing is spotting measuring and adjusting to that measurement. Really the reason to go with one or the other is that youll be shooting with others and then you can be on the same page as the others shooters.

Myself Im running SFP scopes in MOA and when Im shooting steel all my targets are like 6" 12" 18" plates, so using inches is very easy to adjust for.
 
Anybody have any thoughts on Athlon? Specifically ATHLON ARES ETR 3-18X50

I like the 3x18 but if i want that in a Leupold I’m into for $3500. How is their warranty? Glass, etc?
 
The ares is a good a scope. I had the 4.5-30 model and thought it was solid for the price. I don't think it's as good as people claim in terms of a razor killer, but for most users it's great. There is one in mils on the EE right now for $1200 shipped I think.
 
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