Another Newb asking for insight.

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srgallan

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Hi all,

I was hoping to poll the collective experience for some insights. First off, I just recently bought my first rifle (Savage 10TR) and looking for glass to put on it now. My range yardages will be from 100 up to 600 yards onto paper (the odd metal). I am looking to a price point due to other priorities in life and unsure in terms of how serious I will get into it or even the time to go out and play. I am hoping to buy something decent enough to get started and sell later/upgrade if & when appropriate.

Being I just started reading about scopes this weekend some of the information is new to me so more reading up to come. Purely based on a limited knowledge and from sales by some of the retailers here I have a list;

Started out - Vortex Diamondback HP & Nikon Prostaff 7
Currently looking at Vortex Viper 6.5-20 & Nikon Black x1000 MOA 4-16x50

Any insights on those two scopes or if there was something else for same or little bit more $$ worth considering that you have experience with?

Side note: Got a RCBS reloading kit for a good price, thought it might be fun to learn over to Winter months so hoping to develop something else there too.
 
It's good to hear you are getting into reloading as well! There is no need to spend thousands on an optic to start off with. At the same time, it's unwise to purchase something you will outgrow quickly.

I would recommend looking around at some used optics. There are a couple of brands (Leupold, vortex, bushnell tactical, even some Nikon) that have unconditional lifetime warranties. The neat thing about these scopes is you can sell them for what was paid - because they are guaranteed, they are pretty solid investments.

While it is an unpopular choice, I'm going to suggest looking for a fixed power scope. 10x mAgnification is all you will need to hit a 2MOA target at 600yd (12"). Fixed power scopes are getting harder and harder to find, and there is nothing wrong with variable magnification, but i have some pretty good fixed power scopes at gun shows for cheap. A new bushnell elite tactical 10x42 sells for ~$250. This is a great starter scope. the optics compete with others 5x the price, and they eye box is bigger and more forgiving than most variable power optics.

I have been shooting for close to 30yrs and started reloading 20yrs ago. I have come to shooting from a hunting or practical approach. Load development is done off the bench ( I would recommend buying three boxes of factory ammunition, in 3 different bullet weights. Sight yourself in with the middle weight bullets - 50yd is usually my choice, typically resulting in a ~200yd zero -, and see which Bullet weight gives you the best groups. Probably a good idea to clean the gun a couple times as you shoot through the 3 boxes, but when you are done you will have 60 fire formed brass and you will have a good guess at which bullet weight your gun likes to spin the best.)

Sorry for the O.T., but that's how I start out with new to me guns. I have mainly shot at 100, 200, 300yd. 400 @ 500 rarely, and mainly to verify trajectory. After I find a load and sight in, rarely do I suoot from the bench, focusing mainly on standing and field positions. I moved to Saskatchewan a couple of years ago, and with all this space around me I have started shooting farther, I want a higher magnification scope because I'm feeling pretty limited by 2.5-8x. As a result I have done a lot of research on the subject. At this time there really seem to be 3 classes of scopes;

1) hunting scopes - standard duplex or BDC reticle in the second focal plane, capped adjustments

2) tactical scopes - milling or christmas tree reticle often First Focal Plane, exposed turrets possible zero stop

3) Target scopes - ultra fine reticle, SFP, 20x + mag

Tactical scopes have gained a lot of popularity, and are the most flexible in that they can, to some degree, function in the other two categories. That's the main reason I recommend starting with a fixed power scope. It will provide you experience, and when 10x starts to limit you, your experience have made clear which category is best for you.
 
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The 1st gen vortex vipers have been problematic, recently they released a gen II - All reports on the GEN II are very positive. Great scope for ~1500. Leupold LRP 6.5-20 would be a great choice too in that price range. I don't have any experience with Nikon black, but both prostaff and monarch lines have performed well for my needs. Of what you listed, my preferences would be

1> viper pst gen II 5-25x
2> Nikon black

Sightron scopes are a really good value in that price range too.
 
Thanks Hand Skills - your insight is appreciated and noted. At the moment I will have to defer my scope and rings procurement til after Christmas.
 
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