Need a new scope after 20 years...market has changed

[Looking Up]

I have found myself in need of a new scope. I haven't purchased or researched scopes in about 15 years, and the scope I need to replace is over 20 years old. My has the market changed. I need some help/recommendations as I am not familiar with a lot of what is offered today. The scope I am replacing is a Nikon Monarch 3-9x40. It has been great up until this year when something internal let go and POI started shifting all over the place. The gun I will be rescoping is a Thompson Center Omega muzzleloader, .45 caliber. This is a hunting gun, and is very accurate. Typically shoots around 1 MOA or less with the load I use. Range is 300 yds maximum...and that would be paper only. Useful hunting range is 200 yds and under, with typical shots usually in the 50 yd range.

My priority for the new scope is as follows, in order of priority:
1) Holds zero and doesn't break under recoil
2) Generous eye relief
3) Uncomplicated reticle
4) Glass quality and brightness, especially low light/dawn/dusk

I have reviewed much of the scope reviews on this site. That saved me from a purchase I almost made. As a result, I have a list of possibilities:

1) SWFA SS HD 3-9x42
2) Zeiss Conquest V4 3-10x44
3) Burris Fullfield E1 3-9x40
4) Burris Signature HD 2-10x40

Also considered but leaning against:
1) Nightforce SHV 3-10x42 (cost vs use)
2) Vortex Viper HS 2.5-10x44 (reviews of the company)
3) Leupold VX-3 HD 3.5-10x40 (Almost purchased...rejected after finding reviews on this sight)
4) Leupold FX-3 6x42 (not available)
5) SWFA 6x42 SS (not sure if I want a fixed power)

Thoughts or any others I should consider? I have rejected most sub $200 scopes due to quality, poor reviews, and country of origin.

 

[dirtytough]

Of your main list #1 is the only scope I would buy off of it.

I would also look into some of Trijicon’s offerings.

 

[Bubblehide]

Read the scope testing-drop testing thread here on Rokslide, in the stickies of the "long range hunting" forum, those results will significantly limit your choices for reliable scopes to Nightforce, SWFA, and Trijicon' 10 mile and Credo HX. There are a couple more I am forgetting at the moment.

 

[Looking Up]

Read the scope testing-drop testing thread here on Rokslide, in the stickies of the "long range hunting" forum, those results will significantly limit your choices for reliable scopes to Nightforce, SWFA, and Trijicon' 10 mile and Credo HX. There are a couple more I am forgetting at the moment.

I did read those. Main reason I kicked out the Leupold. I did not see any tests for the Zeiss and Burris I listed.

You listed the Credo HX and not the regular Credo as a possibility. Any reason why? I see they have a 3-9x40 in the standard Credo.

 

[Fordguy]

From a dollars/use point of view, the burris fullfield line have been working great for me for a few years now. My hunting shots are very similar to yours, out to 200, but typically half that or less. I don't remember ever having any of the fullfield line lose zero and I travel to hunt in hot weather, sub zero weather and anything in between.

 

[Yukon Cornelius]

I purchased a leupold vx3 after a friend of mine dropped his rifle/pack down a mountain cliff sheep hunting. It held zero and if my memory corrects it was a 300 foot drop down a mountain cliff. Pack was shredded and rifle was beat to shit and scope was scuffed and nicked but held true.

 

[Yukon Cornelius]

Read the scope testing-drop testing thread here on Rokslide, in the stickies of the "long range hunting" forum, those results will significantly limit your choices for reliable scopes to Nightforce, SWFA, and Trijicon' 10 mile and Credo HX. There are a couple more I am forgetting at the moment.

Thanks for that suggestion. That vx3hd failed hard.

I’m currently looking for a lpvo for my socom that is a little more powerful than my current 1.5-5 and I’m hoping that I find a tested optic

 

[griller]

Based on your use & budget the SWFA 3-9x should be a solid choice.

 

[Leverwalker]

Thanks for that suggestion. That vx3hd failed hard.

I’m currently looking for a lpvo for my socom that is a little more powerful than my current 1.5-5 and I’m hoping that I find a tested optic

Hey Cornelius, just wanting to clarify. I've got a FXII on my big bore (45-70) that has stood the test of time but a newish (to me) VX3 on my .338 and after reading through the site, have some concerns. Your first post seems to say your Leu has been abused and held up, but this post mentions it failed hard. Can you clarify - failed in the test, or in your experience, or both? Basically wondering if I need to sell of the Leu and move to another before the planned western hunt over the next couple of years. Thanks.

 

[Looking Up]

Based on your use & budget the SWFA 3-9x should be a solid choice.

That is the one I am leaning towards now. I don't think I really need to dial for my use, but I do like that this scope has passed impact tests well. The only thing I am not sure of is the glass on the SWFA. I've never seen one...didn't even know about one until a few weeks ago. How would it compare to something like the Conquest V4, or the old Nikon Monarch I had for clarity and brightness? I know this isn't the top thing to consider...but it does matter.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

My muzzleloader was worn a Swaro Z3 3-10 with the BRH reticle for over 15 years now. It has taken a lot of tumbles and I’ve never touched the dials. I pull out out every year, load the same charge of blackhorn 209 and a Hornady SST and it punches the center out of the target at 100 yards. I fire a few more shots on steel at various distances, clean it, and it’s ready to go.

The BRH reticle is mil based which is great and very simple. It gives me 360 yards to the bottom bracket at 4.5 mils.

 

[Yukon Cornelius]

Hey Cornelius, just wanting to clarify. I've got a FXII on my big bore (45-70) that has stood the test of time but a newish (to me) VX3 on my .338 and after reading through the site, have some concerns. Your first post seems to say your Leu has been abused and held up, but this post mentions it failed hard. Can you clarify - failed in the test, or in your experience, or both? Basically wondering if I need to sell of the Leu and move to another before the planned western hunt over the next couple of years. Thanks.

I bought a vx3 after a friend of mine had an experience where it held zero after tumbling. So I was suggesting one. It isn’t a HD model. Then I saw the HD tested and it failed hard.

I hate to say it, but I’m a leupold fan. It would be hard for me not to buy one.

I’m currently looking for a lpvo that leupold doesn’t make. I’ve gotten it narrowed down to a nightforce 1-8, sig tango 1-8 or 1-10, or the trijicon credo 1-8

 

[Looking Up]

Its middle of the road glass. Its not great, but its not crap. Just a solid scope with a good reticle.

So would the Zeiss Conquest V4 also be considered middle of the road glass nowadays? I have an older Zeiss Conquest 4.5-14x44 and I consider that glass excellent...but I do not have a $2000+ scope to compare it to either.

 

[Looking Up]

How do the SWFA 3-9x40 and the 6X compare glass wise between each other? I like that the 6x has an adjustable parallax.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

Its middle of the road glass. Its not great, but its not crap. Just a solid scope with a good reticle.

That thing does not have middle of the road glass. It’s mediocre/serviceable glass. Optics with middle of the road glass generally start at about twice the price of the SWFA. It’s the same glass as the fixed powers and if you get one of those in 12x+ it’s not even usable without terrible eye fatigue, washout, and glare and that optic has less lenses which means more light transmission resolution.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

How do the SWFA 3-9x40 and the 6X compare glass wise between each other? I like that the 6x has an adjustable parallax.

It’s the same glass, the 6x has less lenses internally.

If you want badass glass buy the Swaro Z3 that a guy is selling on here for $675.

 

[Bubblehide]

I did read those. Main reason I kicked out the Leupold. I did not see any tests for the Zeiss and Burris I listed.

You listed the Credo HX and not the regular Credo as a possibility. Any reason why? I see they have a 3-9x40 in the standard Credo.

The Credo is a good scope that will take some abuse, the HX has passed the drop-RTZ tests, and appears to be more robust.

 

[Looking Up]

I actually looked at the Swaro Z3 when I first started looking...based on swaro reputation. I have since read some things about this particular model (Z3) that leads me to believe it may not be appropriate for a muzzleloader. Reliability/ability to take recoil is my number one consideration here.

 

[Leverwalker]

I bought a vx3 after a friend of mine had an experience where it held zero after tumbling. So I was suggesting one. It isn’t a HD model. Then I saw the HD tested and it failed hard.

I hate to say it, but I’m a leupold fan. It would be hard for me not to buy one.

I’m currently looking for a lpvo that leupold doesn’t make. I’ve gotten it narrowed down to a nightforce 1-8, sig tango 1-8 or 1-10, or the trijicon credo 1-8

Thanks.

 

[ElPollo]

That is the one I am leaning towards now. I don't think I really need to dial for my use, but I do like that this scope has passed impact tests well. The only thing I am not sure of is the glass on the SWFA. I've never seen one...didn't even know about one until a few weeks ago. How would it compare to something like the Conquest V4, or the old Nikon Monarch I had for clarity and brightness? I know this isn't the top thing to consider...but it does matter.

Glass is one of the last things I look at on a rifle scope. The SWFA scopes generally hold zero as good as anything short of Nightforce and have about the best hunting reticle available. The glass is good enough to get you past the times you should be shooting. Have two friends using Trijicons successfully and both are hard users. One uses the 3-18 FFP and it rides year-round on washboard roads in a truck in the desert and still holds zero. The other is a plain-Jane 3-12 SPF Huron that rides in a scabbard on a mule several months a year. The 3-18 has one of those illuminated Xmas tree reticles that are usable but too busy for me. The 3-12 has a standard duplex crosshair. All of these scopes have glass in the zone with Nikon, but the Nikon I had (3-12 M-Tactical) would not hold zero from a half of day riding in my truck. I’ve never owned a Zeiss scope but the version that was drop tested didn’t do well.