Optically Clueless

Sniffer

Sniffer

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Super GunNutz
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Okanagan
I can't lie I`ve tried to get my head around optics but to no avail

I want a high powered scope even though I don't really need one right now (gun is probably only good to 400 yards from what I can gather) - I want to target shoot and leave myself lots of head room for longer range as my gun collection grows (I can turn the magnification down in the meantime - or don't this work?)

So from the research I have done I get the impression I`m looking for an adjustable scope with the upper level of magnification close to the upper end of whats possible (x24 x32 x50).

I have no clue what reticle type I want or why (whats considered good and why or is it all personal preference)?

I had a conversation recently regarding illuminated reticles and it seemed that the only advantage is if the scope were to be used in low light (hunting for example) you could still see the cross hairs so I`m not sure about this as I don't see myself needing that feature but who knows what I`ll need/want in the future

Brands. I`ve looked at a bunch and this is the opinions Ive formed thus far. Nightforce is probably held in the highest regard. Swarovski is well thought of too. Leupold seems popular and more common. Vortex is super common, seems reasonably affordable but throws up mixed opinions. Some say they love them and they back their products up with a first class warranty. Other says they're overpriced for what you get and so you're indirectly paying for the generous warranty (which seems to get used too often for a product of this type) Zeiss, Nikon, Minox, Bushnell and Sightron are hard to find solid info on but some seem to offer a lot of scope for the money (particularly Sightron)

If anyone can give me some pointers to help make an informed decision I`d appreciate it
 
Variable scopes, i.e. 4.5-30x magnification can be used anywhere in the spectrum.

Reticles can be overwhelming, a simple cross will do. I have mildot, fine cross, this that and the other. I prefer my Bushnell sfp (second focal plane) mildot reticle. Simple cross with some dots. The dots are good as reference points.
I prefer sfp so's my reticle is constant in size. Ffp (first focal plane), the reticle magnifies.

I don't like illuminated reticles, never needed one even hunting.

Familiarize yourself with ao (adjustable objective). Variable distance target shooting calls for it.

Jerry, of Mystic Presicion, is a great source of optic knowledge. Very helpful guy to deal with.
 
What gun do you plan to put the scope on? How far will you be shooting regularly? What kind of shooting? What's your budget?

All of these answers will help us give you a better idea what to look for. All the scope brands you listed make good scopes. Some companies make scopes for every budget.

The one universal truth in optics I have come to learn is "You get what you pay for". If you buy a $70 Tasco and it craps out on you in 6 months... you know why.
 
9x19p said:
More important than anything, have you got a budget in mind?
And what will this be going on?
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I`m open to suggestion on budget. Thats a good point though - I see what appears to be similarly specced scopes (8-32X or whatever) from different manufacturers and there is a HUGE difference in price - is this due to better glass or better everything? How much do you really need to spend to get something decent (I know thats subjective to some degree)?

Right now I`ll be putting this on an SKS which is overkill for sure but like Ive said before this scope needs to have headroom as my collection grows
 
kamlooky said:
Watch for the jitters when the power gets too high.
Gets a wee bit overwhelming if you're not use to it.
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Yeah I hear ya, becomes "jerky" and a little nervous I imagine? So is there a compromise (sweet spot) on the upper magnification that isn't too badly affected?
 
savagecanuck said:
I'm from Kelowna I have a few decent 6-24 scopes to look through vortex and sightron if you're close by.
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I`m not back in town until Thursday but that would help for sure if you're cool with it

Which models are they out of curiosity? Vortex in particular have a TON of different models and I can`t really tell the difference between them
 
It is important to consider the size of the field of view at the lowest and highest magnification levels, especially the lowest magnification level since if the field of view is to small because the lowest level magnification is too high you may have trouble locating your target. You should also consider the combined weight of the rifle and scope if you ever intend to go hunting on foot i.e carry it a lot!
 
Sightron bigsky 6-24×42,vortex pst 6-24×50 moa, HST 6-24×50 moa. Bushnell elite 4-16.vortex viper HS 4-16 x42 bdc, Mueller target 8 -32x40
 
Sniffer said:
I`m open to suggestion on budget. Thats a good point though - I see what appears to be similarly specced scopes (8-32X or whatever) from different manufacturers and there is a HUGE difference in price - is this due to better glass or better everything? How much do you really need to spend to get something decent (I know thats subjective to some degree)?

Right now I`ll be putting this on an SKS which is overkill for sure but like Ive said before this scope needs to have headroom as my collection grows
Click to expand...

A quality scope in 6-24x50, very common, is going to be $600 and well beyond that.
Quality is measured head to toe, front to back. Repeatable turrets, the dials that adjust for distance and or wind, are just as important as glass. Construction is also as important. It's the whole package.

Side note, the 50 in 6-24x50 is the size of the objective lens. Traditionally the big end, measured in millimeters. The other end is the ocular lens. 6-24x magnification is self explanatory.

Low quality scopes typically house poor glass in a poorly constructed tube, with sloppy turrets.

Lastly, for now, you don't need big magnification for distance. You'd be better served with a quality 1-4x20 than a cheap 6-24x50. Magnification is fantastic, I'm a big fan, but it's not the be all end all.
 
9x19p said:
A quality scope in 6-24x50, very common, is going to be $600 and well beyond that.
Quality is measured head to toe, front to back. Repeatable turrets, the dials that adjust for distance and or wind, are just as important as glass. Construction is also as important. It's the whole package.

Side note, the 50 in 6-24x50 is the size of the objective lens. Traditionally the big end, measured in millimeters. The other end is the ocular lens. 6-24x magnification is self explanatory.

Low quality scopes typically house poor glass in a poorly constructed tube, with sloppy turrets.

Lastly, for now, you don't need big magnification for distance. You'd be better served with a quality 1-4x20 than a cheap 6-24x50. Magnification is fantastic, I'm a big fan, but it's not the be all end all.
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Thats kinda where I started (considered buying a Vortex Strike Eagle 1-6x) but I keep coming back to something with high magnification

So a quality 6-24x can be had for $600? If so I`m surprised in a good way cos from the ads I had looked at on here I`d kinda figured double that

To be specific I had looked at a some Sightrons (don't know why but I like them for some reason) and they had kinda fell into that price bracket

Also whats the consensus on Minox scopes? I`ve noticed some for what seems like fair cash and they seem to be German built (usually a good sign)
 
kamlooky said:
Anything over 12x needs the third adjustment.
Get the side nawbby rather than the frunt ring turn thing.
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You mean Parallax adjustment?

On that note, I only have a cheap scope (3-9x) and to zoom in I have adjust two knobs (one to zoom and one to focus) - is this always the case or (on higher quality scopes for example) can you change magnification with one knob and have the focus correct without adjusting/having a second knob?
 
burnaby said:
Have to define the intended use, just like walking into a dealership saying you need a vehicle.
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Target shoot with lots of headroom for future expansion so no hunting CQB etc

I already have a selection of red dots for CQB and if I want to hunt I'll pick up a dedicated scope for that
 
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