Good scope for hunting and long range on Bergara B14 wilderness

[deltadukman]

Bullmark is spot on. I have the same rifle in a 300wm and had a Leupold VX-6 fail on me the week before a big hunt but had been doing funny stuff prior to that I dismissed as being a "me issue". I overnighted a Swaro X5 from Euro optic that was on a heck of a sale. Like $1000 off because it was an outdated reticle, more of a plex reticle that I prefer on a hunting scope. I don't trust the Leupold dialing scopes any longer because of that. Their fixed powers are fine I assume. Sent it back to Leupold and they rebuilt the erectors, and I sold it. I have since switched out two scopes to Swaros. I, too, didn't want to believe the Leupold failure stories until it happened to me.

 

[fwafwow]

The lowly Z3

Maybe a good candidate for the Form test in the off season?

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

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.

Nice to see someone has done their due diligence and reviewed every post containing "Leupold scope" and calculated the breakdown by response type. After all theses years of Rokslide's existence, I am surprised that your hard work yield zero positive comments about Leupold scopes.

 

[Rifles And More]

Maybe a good candidate for the Form test in the off season?

Why?

 

[fwafwow]

Why?

I don’t think he’s tested a Swaro. Some other members who love their scopes are reluctant to send one in for testing because they say something equivalent to “I would never subject my scope to that sort of ‘abuse’”. Since it sounds like yours has taken some use, I thought you might be open to the test. But I understand if you would not.

 

[SDHNTR]

I don’t think he’s tested a Swaro. Some other members who love their scopes are reluctant to send one in for testing because they say something equivalent to “I would never subject my scope to that sort of ‘abuse’”. Since it sounds like yours has taken some use, I thought you might be open to the test. But I understand if you would not.

I seem to remember him putting an X5 through the paces.

 

[Justin Crossley]

I'm pretty sure @Formidilosus tested an X5 that my brother sent to @Ryan Avery for that purpose.

 

[fwafwow]

I'm pretty sure @Formidilosus tested an X5 that my brother sent to @Ryan Avery for that purpose.

My bad. But has he tested a Z?

 

[fwafwow]

I'm pretty sure @Formidilosus tested an X5 that my brother sent to @Ryan Avery for that purpose.

I found a Riton X5 review but no thread - anywhere - with either Swaro or Swarovski in the title posted by Form.

 

[Justin Crossley]

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?

We need more info to recommend some scopes. What type of hunting and shooting do you have in mind for this rifle?

I found a Riton X5 review but no thread - anywhere - with either Swaro or Swarovski in the title posted by Form.

I don't think he posted one. Not sure why.

 

[Formidilosus]

I'm pretty sure @Formidilosus tested an X5 that my brother sent to @Ryan Avery for that purpose.

I did start the eval of the X5, but did not get to finish it, it was not posted. The short answer is that it generally held zero from 18” drops, but lost it totally on left side 36” drops.

As for Z3/5/6 scopes- while I have not done an eval for the forum, I have shot and used a bunch of them. They are very fragile scopes, have significant problems with correct and consistent dialing, and are not what I would term in any way reliable and durable.

 

[SDHNTR]

I did start the eval of the X5, but did not get to finish it, it was not posted. The short answer is that it generally held zero from 18” drops, but lost it totally on left side 36” drops.

As for Z3/5/6 scopes- while I have not done an eval for the forum, I have shot and used a bunch of them. They are very fragile scopes, have significant problems with correct and consistent dialing, and are not what I would term in any way reliable and durable.

I so wanted that scope to work! I’d love something with NF like durability and Swaro glass!

 

[bhylton]

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

From what I have read the SHVs hold up pretty well and can be bought on sale for well under the price of the leupolds listed here...

 

[bojangles808]

i went through this same search recently and it came down to trijicon tenmile on sale at eurooptic or a nightforce shv.

 

[Pickettpuncher]

From what I have read the SHVs hold up pretty well and can be bought on sale for well under the price of the leupolds listed here...

I’ve not seen a shv for $700 with more than 10 on the magnification side yet. But when I do I may spring on one

 

[NevadaMike]

Do you have alternative suggestions?

What exactly happened to your Leupolds?

I have only owned Luepold and bought 2 VX-6 scopes on the Black Friday sale at Cabelas. They were 10% off + a $200 credit. Not a bad deal so I bought 2. To the point, while sighting in the new scope and on round 18 the leupold failed. It went blurry, the side focus would not correct it and while troubleshooting I noticed it would no longer go below 5X on the zoom. It should have gone down to 3X. I returned them both. Now m Fierce sits naked while I look for new glass.

 

[Brendan]

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

Had my X5 fail this year. Cost me an Elk and a Deer unfortunately before I realized it (zero stop failed so I was off by a MILE too). On it's way back to swaro for service / repair now.

No drops or anything either. Dead on before I left home, traveled in a pelican case in my jeep, then carried in a gun bearer in the field. Only thing I can guess is getting carried under my arm, put down, picked up, etc. - all normal stuff. Probably should have tested it after the Elk, but I brushed it off as a tougher shot. Deer was a softball and the thing stood there staring at me....

I love Swaro Glass so will keep using Z3/Z5 for BDC reticles, love their binos and Spotters, but I'm now in the Nightforce camp for anything that dials.

 

[wapitibob]

swfa ss fixed $280 20oz
Arken epl4 $400 24oz
NF shv $900 same glass as nxs ~30oz
NF nxs $1600 32oz
NF atacr $2500 34oz

 

[wind gypsy]

Had my X5 fail this year. Cost me an Elk and a Deer unfortunately before I realized it (zero stop failed so I was off by a MILE too). On it's way back to swaro for service / repair now.

No drops or anything either. Dead on before I left home, traveled in a pelican case in my jeep, then carried in a gun bearer in the field. Only thing I can guess is getting carried under my arm, put down, picked up, etc. - all normal stuff. Probably should have tested it after the Elk, but I brushed it off as a tougher shot. Deer was a softball and the thing stood there staring at me....

I love Swaro Glass so will keep using Z3/Z5 for BDC reticles, love their binos and Spotters, but I'm now in the Nightforce camp for anything that dials.

Can you elaborate more on this? Did you go to turn the elevation back to zero stop and end up dialing down way too far past it?

 

[Brendan]

Can you elaborate more on this? Did you go to turn the elevation back to zero stop and end up dialing down way too far past it?

That's basically what I can gather. Looked at the elevation turret and it was like it had gotten dialed up, so dialed back to "zero". I assumed carrying it under my arm in the gun bearer I'd inadvertently dialed it up. I think it was actually probably at zero or close to it, with the reading wrong, and I dialed it all the way back down to the limit of the scope. I ultimately did test it after the second miss where I could find a spot and it was WAY off target at 100 yards.

Hindsight is 20/20 - should have hiked out to somewhere I could have tested right then. But, I was in timber, out hunting, busting my butt trying to find and get on elk so probably wasn't thinking 100% straight. And, you're never expecting a failure like that.

Had some other gear issues with my normal gear just not cutting it in single digit / sub zero and snowy too. Already turning into an expensive offseason...