Good scope for hunting and long range on Bergara B14 wilderness

[Switchrodeo7]

I just bought a Bergara b14 wilderness 6.5cm 22 in barrel and now time to buy some glass. I would like a scope I can use for hunting as well as long range. I have been leaning towards NF but not sure which one. Leupold 5 might be close second. I was thinking the 56mm objective but worried that might be too big for hunting/blind etc.
any thoughts?

 

[Switchrodeo7]

That is supposed to say Bergara…

 

[TuckTruck]

I played the nighforce game and I loved the scope, but I now have a leupold vx5. If I were only shooting long range, I would have kept the nightforce, but I was also using the rifle for hunting. The leupold has a zero lock, custom turret, and shaved off almost a full pound of weight. I’ve been very happy I made the switch.

 

[Switchrodeo7]

Which objective size do you have and FFP or SFP? Thanks for the feedback…the Leupold is a little cheaper too it seems so that is a win…

 

[Scottyboy]

Which objective size do you have and FFP or SFP? Thanks for the feedback…the Leupold is a little cheaper too it seems so that is a win…

If you are going to be dialing, the leupold will fail.

 

[TuckTruck]

Which objective size do you have and FFP or SFP? Thanks for the feedback…the Leupold is a little cheaper too it seems so that is a win…

The NF was 56mm sfp. The leupold is 44mm sfp.

 

[typical_hunter]

Im a leupold fan, VX5 Hd or the VX6 hd both awesome scopes. depending on your magnification and retical preferences. i really like the model number leupold 171714 for vh5 or for a vx6 171565 or 171579 for higher magnification

 

[Rifles And More]

If you are going to be dialing, the leupold will fail.

Do you have alternative suggestions?

What exactly happened to your Leupolds?

 

[nobody]

Rifle Scope Field Evaluations

rokslide.com

Read through these, it'll open your eyes. After a VX5 failures and chasing a constantly wandering VX3i, plus the Gucci Mark 5 failures in this sub forum, I'm done with them. I'm happy I made the switch, won't be going back ever.

But hey, I'm just some random guy on the internet...

 

[Rifles And More]

Don't sell yourself short - you are 'The guy" on the internet.

I will not even look at Leupold. I've chased zero and had erector failures that baffled me before I knew better.

Just trying to avoid this:
5 monkeys were placed in a cage as part of an experiment. In the middle of the cage was a ladder with rifle scopes on the top rung. Every time a monkey tried to climb the ladder, the experimenter sprayed all of the monkeys with icy water. Eventually, each time a monkey started to climb the ladder, the other ones pulled him off and beat him up so they could avoid the icy spray. Soon, no monkey dared go up the ladder.

The experimenter then substituted one of the monkeys in the cage with a new monkey. The first thing the new monkey did was try to climb the ladder to reach the rifle scopes. After several beatings, the new monkey learned the social norm. He never knew “why” the other monkeys wouldn’t let him go for the rifle scopes because he had never been sprayed with ice water, but he quickly learned that this behaviour would not be tolerated by the other monkeys.

One by one, each of the monkeys in the cage was substituted for a new monkey until none of the original group remained. Every time a new monkey went up the ladder, the rest of the group pulled him off, even those who had never been sprayed with the icy water.

By the end of the experiment, the 5 monkeys in the cage had learned to follow the rule (don’t go for the rifle scopes), without any of them knowing the reason why (we’ll all get sprayed by icy water). If we could have asked the monkeys for their rationale behind not letting their cage mates climb the ladder, their answer would probably be: “I don’t know, that’s just how its always been done.”

 

[SDHNTR]

No Leupolds, Swarovskis, or Vortex!

Nightforce or Trijicon.

 

[Bullmark]

I have a member of my immediate family that was an executive at 3 different well known optics manufacturers…..both in the US and Europe. He’s the typical engineer geek with the mustard stain on his shirt, but he knows as much or more about riflescopes than anyone on the planet.
A lot of what he says goes over my head and I have to pressure him to translate and summarize. Although he is officially retired, he still takes consulting gigs and travels the globe doing it.
All I can say, without taking all day, is the European optics are my choice and with good reason. The difference in company culture is something that most would never think about but it is a huge factor.
The Schmidt Benders, Leica, Swaro, Meoptas of the world start the process by defining what they want in the optic. Meaning features, performance, tolerances etc.
They then go about designing and building the product to those specs. They cut no corners and they are committed to each variable. Even the factory workers have a different mindset and are proud of their work and craftsmanship.
Once the product is finished and is exactly what they envisioned, they price it. Of course they have margin requirements, but the price is what it is……and if it’s so expensive it narrows down the potential universe of buyers then it just does.
Compare this MO with most other optics companies and you’ll see major paradigm shift. A scope produced in the Pacific Rim, for example, is designed and priced first with a specific target audience and price point.
Whether it’s the < $300 market or the $2500-$3000 group, that’s what drives the process.
That’s why you’ll see a scope with a 1” tube that has a far too high magnification range…..which is a problem. They couldn’t build it within the budget and use a 30mm tube, so they squeeze it into a 1”.
That is but one example but I’m sure you get the point.
As far as which scopes to buy it’s usually always based on a budget…that’s understandable. And if that budget is $400 you may be thinking it’s impossible to afford European glass……and you are correct for the most part.
For me, I’m not a rich man but I’d rather have a decent factory rifle with better glass than the opposite.
If I was gonna spend less than $1000, I’d probably buy a Meopta or one of Swarovski’s lower end models. You may give up some features but the glass will be pristine and dependable…..which are probably the 2 most important details anyway.
If price is not a consideration I would first choose a desired reticle. There are many super nice scopes out there but they don’t have my preferred reticle.
Next, look to demos and used…..I’ve bought almost all of my optics that way and saved a bundle. Great glass does not wear out.
Sorry to go on so long, so I’ll wrap it up.
For my eyes there is no one scope that I prefer over the others. Some are better in certain areas:
Clarity, brightness, edge to edge — I choose the Swaro Z8i.
Best eye box, eye relief and performance in a glaring sun— hands down the Leica Magnus
Build quality, turret design, durability, and a close second in the other 2 categories— the Schmidt Bender Exos and the Polar.
There are some fine scopes out there that I’ve never tried….either b/c they were too heavy or didn’t have a reticle that I liked well enough to spend a lot of money on.
Anyway, I hope this helps you….good luck.

 

[Rifles And More]

No Leupolds, Swarovskis, or Vortex!

Nightforce or Trijicon.

Owned:
Zeiss - No Failures
Minox - Failed - elevation adjustment quit working.
Leupold - Failed - chasing zero, tapping on the tube
Meopta - No Failure
Swarovski - No failure
Bushnell (LRHS) - Failure - bad out of box, would not adjust.
Nightforce - No failure
SWFA - No Failure

Gravity is not my friend. I try to be careful, but all of them have probably been dropped at one time or another.

Bulletproof to date have been SWFA and Nightforce. - Really, the only two scopes I dial with.

I did beat the piss out of my Swarovski this year. A drop right on the elevation turret from standing, getting thrown in the back of the truck under gear and washboarded down the road, sub zero exposure overnight, etc. and it has held up so far with zero retention and being dialed down and back to zero.

@SDHNTR I know that is not your experience.

 

[SDHNTR]

Owned:
Zeiss - No Failures
Minox - Failed - elevation adjustment quit working.
Leupold - Failed - chasing zero, tapping on the tube
Meopta - No Failure
Swarovski - No failure
Bushnell (LRHS) - Failure - bad out of box, would not adjust.
Nightforce - No failure
SWFA - No Failure

Gravity is not my friend. I try to be careful, but all of them have probably been dropped at one time or another.

Bulletproof to date have been SWFA and Nightforce. - Really, the only two scopes I dial with.

I did beat the piss out of my Swarovski this year. A drop right on the elevation turret from standing, getting thrown in the back of the truck under gear and washboarded down the road, sub zero exposure overnight, etc. and it has help up so far with zero retention and being dialed down and back to zero.

@SDHNTR I know that is not your experience.

Which Swaro are we talking about? My problems were with the Z series. The X5 is a different beast.

 

[ScreamingPotato]

It's crazy this is the first forum I've seen where Leupold is universally hated by everyone. It's interesting, and potentially educational. I'm definitely paying attention as well, though I did just buy a VX5 which so far is the most expensive glass I've ever put on a hunting rifle. I almost went with one of the Trijicons because of yall, but ultimately the weight difference got me and I caught the VX5 on sale. Hopefully I don't have to come back and say yall were right.

 

[Rifles And More]

Which Swaro are we talking about? My problems were with the Z series. The X5 is a different beast.

The lowly Z3

 

[SDHNTR]

It's crazy this is the first forum I've seen where Leupold is universally hated by everyone. It's interesting, and potentially educational. I'm definitely paying attention as well, though I did just buy a VX5 which so far is the most expensive glass I've ever put on a hunting rifle. I almost went with one of the Trijicons because of yall, but ultimately the weight difference got me and I caught the VX5 on sale. Hopefully I don't have to come back and say yall were right.

24hrcampfire is worse with the Leupold run down!

 

[Pickettpuncher]

I’m amazed anyone kills anything without it being a $2500 nightforce. You’d think that’s all that’ll hold up to a 22lr

 

[Scottyboy]

Do you have alternative suggestions?

What exactly happened to your Leupolds?

Sure. Lots of suggestions; but without knowing what “long range” means to the OP and what he needs the scope for, hard to say. Generally speaking, and I think you agree in a later post, leupold is not the answer.

What happened with my leupolds? Well, I’ve only had 2 so my sample size is obviously meaningless. But I had one fail (would not hold zero) on a muzzleloader hunt in the gila 4 years ago…no blatant abuse, just cruising around. Was loaned a Burris and problem solved (*not saying Burris is the end all be all either, just so happened a Burris rep was hunting the same week for a TV show and had some spares)

The second was a trip to Argentina and it did not survive the flight(s) to my end destination. (In a pelican case meant for my rifle/scope) Once at camp, went to check zero and no matter how many times I spun the dial, the impact would not move left-right-up-down, it’s almost like it was frozen.

Never again.

 

[ftischler]

I just bought a beggar a b14 wilderness 6.5cm 22 in barrel and now time to buy some glass. I would like a scope I can use for hunting as well as long range. I have been leaning towards NF but not sure which one. Leupold 5 might be close second. I was thinking the 56mm objective but worried that might be too big for hunting/blind etc.
any thoughts?

I put a Vortex Viper on mine and i have really enjoyed it.