Light and compact dialable scope?

SDHNTR

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Does anyone make a standard size, 1”, 2-10x or 3x9x 40-42 ish mil scope that has reliable dials and weighs less than 14 oz?

And please don’t say Leupold VX3 3.5-10 CDS, although the specs are ideal, I know.

I’m not putting a 20 oz scope or some big bell on this compact .260.
 
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you may want to list a budget, But my answer is probably no. At least not that I know of. Especially in the $400 or less range.
 
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SDHNTR

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Budget is not so much an issue, finding the right scope is. I don’t want to drop $2k, but not afraid to spend some money for the right scope.
 

jhm2023

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Light and reliable dialing don't really go together. I think you'll have to pick one over the other unless there is something I don't know about out there.
 
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SDHNTR

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Of the several dozen scopes I’ve owned over the years, I’ve only had 2 scope problems, both of them Vortex.

Wishful thinking I guess! You guys are confirming what I have come up with on my own too. Which also begs the question... why can’t someone figure out light AND reliable dials. Or why can’t Leupold just fix their CDS issues?
 

jhm2023

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My mountain guns all wear VX-3 cds scopes. I have yet to have an issue with them but I only dial enough to confirm the drop on my handloads out to 600 and for the occasional longer shot while hunting. They're only 13 oz. If I were going to dial a lot, I'd probably use a mark5hd but they are ~30 oz. and that's too much weight on a lightweight mountain gun for my liking.
 
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SDHNTR

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My mountain guns all wear VX-3 cds scopes. I have yet to have an issue with them but I only dial enough to confirm the drop on my handloads out to 600 and for the occasional longer shot while hunting. They're only 13 oz. If I were going to dial a lot, I'd probably use a mark5hd but they are ~30 oz. and that's too much weight on a lightweight mountain gun for my liking.
I agree and that is exactly how I will use this rifle/scope set up. I won’t dial frequently, but even at that, the CDS seems to have return to zero issues reportedly. Fake news?
 

jhm2023

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I can only speak to my experience which has been favorable. My living room walls can also attest to how the CDS has worked for both myself and my wife.
 
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SDHNTR

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The closest you’re going to get is a 3-10 NF SHV. If what you seek existed I’m sure almost every member here would have one.
Yeah and that’s all the more frustrating! There’s obviously a huge market, but no manufacturer can forgive it out?
 

204guy

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The fact no one makes dead nuts reliable and light, isn't because there's no market. It might be doable with exotic metals but the price must be prohibative.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
 

mcseal2

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I've had the best luck with my 3-12x Huskemaw of anything I've tried. It has dialed reliably on my 300 win mag that gets treated worse than it should. I like it enough I picked up a 5-20x used recently for my other primary hunting rifle. I really wanted a 4-16x, but couldn't pass the 5-20x at the price I found it for. I have a 5-30x on my heavy 264 win mag I play at long range with that's been consistent too.

The 3-12x weighs 21oz, it's no featherweight. I had a Swaro Z5 3.5-18x on the rifle before going to the Huskemaw. It lost zero after taking a pretty bad impact a couple times and I wanted to go to something else before the AK trip. So far the Huskemaw has held up to the abuse.
 

mcseal2

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I sent two VX-6 scopes back to Leupold due to CDS return to zero issues. They replaced the erector system and I sold them after getting them back from the shop. I advertised them that way and included the letters from Leupold when I sold them. They are a great company and stand behind their products, I just didn't have great luck with them when I dialed them to much. I shoot to 600 yards in a pasture near my house regularly, they get dialed a lot. I have a 1-6x VX-6 with the CDS that I don't ever dial after having the earlier issues, it has held zero just fine.
 
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Does anyone make a standard size, 1”, 2-10x or 3x9x 40-42 ish mil scope that has reliable dials and weighs less than 14 oz?

No.

an additional 7 or so ounces is a cheap price to pay for the aiming device you count on to hit your target.
 
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SDHNTR

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No.

an additional 7 or so ounces is a cheap price to pay for the aiming device you count on to hit your target.
I’d rather just get closer or pass on the shot than carry the extra weight. But I also still refuse to accept that it can’t be done. Especially because I don’t think there is a manufacturer out there that truly understands the demands of western mountain hunters’ optical needs. If they did, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.
 
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SDHNTR

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And I’m not sure I buy the cost rebuttal either. A Leupold VX3 with CDS Is a $500 scope. Even if they made the erector assembly out of titanium, or even the whole darn thing out titanium, it wouldn’t cost an extra $1000. Yet a 13 oz scope with reliable dials at $1500 would sell like hot cakes!

I think this is more a case of ignorance on the part of manufactures and/or excessive overall willingness to simply accept the status quo on the part of consumers.
 

ramont

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Or maybe unrealistic expectations on the part of some consumers mixed with a lack of understanding of how to test or use a scope properly.
 

Thomas11

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I just got a Zeiss 4x16x50 in the vx4 line. I know u said not 50 but this scope is much smaller than I anticipated. It’s a couple ounces lighter than the 4x16x44. This scope weighs like 21 oz and is very compact.
 
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