Does it exist?

[171farm]

I’m looking for the “perfect” hunting scope that isn’t a total boat anchor (below 30oz), could be used in the tight woods of PA (3 or 4x on the low end) and the wide open lands of the west (20x plus), is dependable (holds 0 and returns 0 if dialed) and doesn’t have a cluster of a reticle.

Does something like this exist? I’m not asking that much I don’t think?

Personally I think there is a scope that can do all of this except the dependable or at least consistently dependable aspect…the Leupold VX line. If there weren’t issues with holding or returning to 0 when dialed, I wouldn’t even be asking this question. I’d have a VX-6HD gen 2 4-24x52 with a TMOA reticle.

Knowing briefly what I’m looking for and a scope I’d love to buy, what are your suggestions of a scope that has everything the VX does but holds 0? Or am I going to have to compromise something and if so what’s that scope? I’d rather sacrifice the high end mag but don’t want something like an 18x that’s not clear on max mag

​

 

[sndmn11]

What to you is less than a boat anchor?

 

[171farm]

What to you is less than a boat anchor?

Low 20’s would be ideal but I’m fine under 30oz. I’ll add that to my post

 

[sndmn11]

Low 20’s would be ideal but I’m fine under 30oz. I’ll add that to my post

And $

 

[171farm]

And $

$3k

 

[Halligan]

the thing that’s going to hem you up is the 20x requirement, there a reason it needs to be that high?

 

[Binocular Henry]

March Scopes makes something like that. I don't have any experience with them but they are at least high end.

 

[RockAndSage]

The dependable part instantly cuts you down to about 4 or 5 companies. Lightweight and 20x don't really go well together, especially if you also want dependability. But then again, neither do the realities of hunting out west and 20X - anything more than 15-18x is really overkill, as you will have a very hard time either spotting your shots or keeping the animal in your scope after the shot.

I'd give a real hard look at Schmidt & Benders - I picked up a 3-12 Klassik to possibly replace a Swarovski that was twice as expensive. I went with S&B because the glass on the other reliable options just didn't do it for me, on the extremes of shooting light, looking into shadows, minimizing sun glare, etc.

Something like this might be very close to what you're looking for, on the cheap end, or you could go with one of the Metas or Polars on the higher end: https://www.eurooptic.com/schmidt-bender-4-16x50-klassik-lm-a7-asv-h-riflescope-847-811-702-30-08a02

 

[171farm]

the thing that’s going to hem you up is the 20x requirement, there a reason it needs to be that high?

I likely wouldn’t need that high often but a lot of times you hear of image quality dropping off at the high end. So if I wanted to use higher magnification on a 20+ I’d like clear in the upper teens for either shooting at distance or fine details. Number of points and or viewing game at a distance if I don’t have a spotter with me.

I’d rather give up high magnification over the low end. Most of my hunting situation will be in PA woods where a 6x just isn’t gonna work well.

 

[Gulogulo]

NX8 is sub 30 oz and meets your needs. And gives you $1000 left over for other goodies.

 

[Marshfly]

I likely wouldn’t need that high often but a lot of times you hear of image quality dropping off at the high end. So if I wanted to use higher magnification on a 20+ I’d like clear in the upper teens for either shooting at distance or fine details. Number of points and or viewing game at a distance if I don’t have a spotter with me.

I’d rather give up high magnification over the low end. Most of my hunting situation will be in PA woods where a 6x just isn’t gonna work well.

Trijicon Tenmile 3-18 seems like exactly what you are describing without realizing it.

 

[Mike D Texas]

Nightforce NX8 2.5-20 checks all of your boxes. Based on your woods hunting I would recommend second focal plane. But 2FP (for me) wouldn’t be ideal for shooting at distance.

Another good option is the Maven RS 1.2 2.5-15. It is an FFP scope but the reticle is still usable at 2.5x.

You don’t need high magnification to hunt “out west”. I was shooting at 1 mile last weekend using a 4-16 NF ATACR, on 14x making and more importantly spotting shots with a 300WSM.



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

[RockAndSage]

I likely wouldn’t need that high often but a lot of times you hear of image quality dropping off at the high end. So if I wanted to use higher magnification on a 20+ I’d like clear in the upper teens for either shooting at distance or fine details. Number of points and or viewing game at a distance if I don’t have a spotter with me.

I’d rather give up high magnification over the low end. Most of my hunting situation will be in PA woods where a 6x just isn’t gonna work well.

If you're dealing with shadows, and woods that get dark quickly, that really only adds to the value I'd put on a Schmidt & Bender. Especially if the vast majority of your hunting is back east woods hunting, with only the occasional Western hunt every few years. S&B does have higher high-end magnification on some models that might be worth looking into, but I hunt exclusively out west and find the 12x high end to be fine, but would probably prefer a 4-16x model.

Regarding image quality dropping off at higher mags, the higher the mag range (ie, a 3-9 scope is a 3x mag range, a 4-24 is a 6x mag range), the more image quality drops off at the higher magnification settings, usually. There are more lenses, meaning both more glass the light has to travel through, and the more easily any one of them can get even microscopically misaligned. The tactical world is learning this the hard way with LPVOs - they tend to be crap in low light, with tiny eye-boxes. The higher the mag range and the shorter the scope's body, the more true that becomes, generally.

 

[Marbles]

Skip the high magnification. It is not needed. Then your options open up.

But, an NX8 2.5-20x50 meets your criteria being under 30 oz. The MIL-C F1 and MOAR F1 are not overly cluttered (but I have heard they are still not the best for hunting).

A Maven RS1.2 2.5-15x42 gives me more high end magnification than I need. The reticle is decent. While not as good as an S&B, the low light performance is decent.

Mine need to see more use, so my opinion could change, but mine will be used in every from SEAK rainforest to open alpine and from what I have seen so far, it will work well. I would rather an S&B, but the Maven is about 1/3rd the price and I needed more than 1 scope.

The SWFA 3-9 is another solid scope. For the money, it is the best deal around and if they hadn't been out of stock for years I would probably just have 3 of them instead of 1 SWFA and 2 Maven's.

 

[Gulogulo]

FWIW, I recently purchased a NX8 2.5-20 and used a couple times at the range. After reading many comments that the 4-32 is optically a bit better at the higher magnifications than the 2.5-20, I was able to exchange it and used the 4-32 at the range a few times and agree that it is better at top end magnifications. Both weigh the same, 4-32 is 1" longer and only $200 more. If you say you don't need magnification up to 32x, (as I initially did) then don't go above the lows 20s.

 

[Wprinkle]

Maven, SWFA, Nightforce

 

[Slick8]

If take a look at the Trigicon Ten Mile in 3-18.

I believe it checks all the boxes but just barely on weight.

I have never had a major issue with the vx6 or mk5 line but have read many stories on them. I took a fall, more of a trip and roll which resulted in a minor dent in my mk5 two years ago. Checked it that night at 100 under lights and no movement in zero.

 

[171farm]

If take a look at the Trigicon Ten Mile in 3-18.

I believe it checks all the boxes but just barely on weight.

I have never had a major issue with the vx6 or mk5 line but have read many stories on them. I took a fall, more of a trip and roll which resulted in a minor dent in my mk5 two years ago. Checked it that night at 100 under lights and no movement in zero.

That’s the thing that bothers me…so many have no issue but then several handful of people do. Which one will I be? I really like what the vx6 has to offer.

 

[Steve300xcw]

Outside of picking out squirrels an such at a distance. I dont understand the need for the 20x. Hell even 15x is a bunch

 

[Hondo64d]

I’m looking for the “perfect” hunting scope that isn’t a total boat anchor (below 30oz), could be used in the tight woods of PA (3 or 4x on the low end) and the wide open lands of the west (20x plus), is dependable (holds 0 and returns 0 if dialed) and doesn’t have a cluster of a reticle.

Does something like this exist? I’m not asking that much I don’t think?

Personally I think there is a scope that can do all of this except the dependable or at least consistently dependable aspect…the Leupold VX line. If there weren’t issues with holding or returning to 0 when dialed, I wouldn’t even be asking this question. I’d have a VX-6HD gen 2 4-24x52 with a TMOA reticle.

Knowing briefly what I’m looking for and a scope I’d love to buy, what are your suggestions of a scope that has everything the VX does but holds 0? Or am I going to have to compromise something and if so what’s that scope? I’d rather sacrifice the high end mag but don’t want something like an 18x that’s not clear on max mag

​

Bushnell LRHS2 is probably the closest thing to what you’re describing at the moment. GA Precision has them. Mine is a heck of a good scope.

John

Bushnell LRHS-2 4.5-18 x 44 G2H reticle | G.A. Precision

New feautures for LRHS2

www.gaprecision.net