Need a Scope Before October—What Would You Choose?

[mattmann]

Ill keep my eyes peeled for a NX8 as well! It apprears nightforce has some awesome zoom ranges that im not use too. 2.5-20 is impressive! Thank you!

Also keep your eyes open for Swarovski. They are amazingly clear glass. I have a couple and love them. I hear folks say they don’t hold up well but mine went to Africa and rode in the bed of a Toyota for 2 weeks and did great.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[UncleNommies]

Swfa is my default for most things. I like my mavins but not at current prices.

I did some digging into the SWFA 3-9 and really leaned towards the Maven. Its within my budget, but if there is equal or better quality for cheaper, im in on that! From everything I have read, SWFA is pretty resilient.

 

[B_Reynolds_AK]

Use your Arken and the 308 your back east hunting. The 7 BC wont do anything better than the 308 for your stated use case back home, in fact it will be worse. It will have more recoil, less barrel life and more expensive to shoot. The 308's perfect for that. Order a S2H scope and join the wait. It will be exactly what you're looking for in an out West scope to put on your 7BC. @UncleNommies

 

[kkp005]

The Swfa 3x9 and a credo 2.5-15 in mils are solid choices .. Have both and each one is impressive

 

[Rich M]

Im not that illiterate

I have some bushnell scopes that have stood the test of time, never shifted zero and have killed some critters. Always liked the circle plex.

My last 2 scopes: Trijicon Huron and S&B T96 Polar

If you’re not trying to accumulate a couple scopes, buy once cry once. Get something that is just really good and pay the extra for it.

 

[UncleNommies]

I have some bushnell scopes that have stood the test of time, never shifted zero and have killed some critters. Always liked the circle plex.

My last 2 scopes: Trijicon Huron and S&B T96 Polar

If you’re not trying to accumulate a couple scopes, buy once cry once. Get something that is just really good and pay the extra for it.

I'm definitely in the buy once, cry once category on this particular rifle. Id just like something to last me!

 

[ColPenguin]

This is not on your PDF list. I think the SWFA 3-15 gen 2 is a better value at its price point than the Maven RS1.2.

Thread 'SWFA SS 3-15x42mm Gen II Field Evaluation'

Jan 6, 2025

This is a field evaluation of the SWFA Gen 2 3-15x42mm scope. This scope was sent to Ryan Avery for an evaluation by a forum member. It was personally purchased. The ammunition used was Winchester loaded 175gr SMK*. The baseline 30round group with the lot of ammunition was 1.7” at 100 yards.


The scope:




Turrets:

The Gen 2 version comes with swappable capped and exposed turrets. Turrets are 5 mils revolution, elevation has a zero stop, and they are revolution indicated.





Reticle:

The SWFA Milquad reticle has .5 mil per hash...

• Formidilosus
• Replies: 4
• Forum: Rifle Scope Field Evaluations

• 

 

[UncleNommies]

Use your Arken and the 308 your back east hunting. The 7 BC wont do anything better than the 308 for your stated use case back home, in fact it will be worse. It will have more recoil, less barrel life and more expensive to shoot. The 308's perfect for that. Order a S2H scope and join the wait. It will be exactly what you're looking for in an out West scope to put on your 7BC. @UncleNommies

The 308 has served me well over the last few years and will continue to! Its a Ruger American gen 2 predator and when I add the PTR Vent 1 suppressor, that joker is like carrying a ladder through a hallway lol. Its incredibly unbalanced and unwieldy. Thats partially why I built a 7 BC. 16.5" Proof PXT barrel and it will be paired with either an Airlock ZG7 or the Dead Air Ti OTB if it clears the stock! There's a strong chance im getting in line on the S2H scope.

 

[UncleNommies]

The Swfa 3x9 and a credo 2.5-15 in mils are solid choices .. Have both and each one is impressive

These must be solid scopes, I've seen both of these recommended religiously throughout Rokslide posts. I'm not against a SWFA, ive just never had the opportunity to look through one! Ill see if they have any dealers in my area to go check one out!

 

[UncleNommies]

This is not on your PDF list. I think the SWFA 3-15 gen 2 is a better value at its price point than the Maven RS1.2.

Thread 'SWFA SS 3-15x42mm Gen II Field Evaluation'

Jan 6, 2025

This is a field evaluation of the SWFA Gen 2 3-15x42mm scope. This scope was sent to Ryan Avery for an evaluation by a forum member. It was personally purchased. The ammunition used was Winchester loaded 175gr SMK*. The baseline 30round group with the lot of ammunition was 1.7” at 100 yards.


The scope:




Turrets:

The Gen 2 version comes with swappable capped and exposed turrets. Turrets are 5 mils revolution, elevation has a zero stop, and they are revolution indicated.





Reticle:

The SWFA Milquad reticle has .5 mil per hash...

• Formidilosus
• Replies: 4
• Forum: Rifle Scope Field Evaluations

• 

I just read through the evaluation and it seems like a solid choice. I like the fact it comes with smaller turrets to swap on, i wonder if it comes with smaller turret caps as well. Ill have to research this more!

 

[ColPenguin]

I just read through the evaluation and it seems like a solid choice. I like the fact it comes with smaller turrets to swap on, i wonder if it comes with smaller turret caps as well. Ill have to research this more!

It comes with both turret caps and larger tactical turrets that you can slip over the small turrets. There are also thread protector rings for one of its configurable options.

So you could run capped windage and tactical elevation turret if that's your preference. Extra turret parts in the box, but an option for anyone's preference.

 

[Choupique]

Swfa 3-9 are in stock right now.

 

[HandgunHTR]

Honestly, for 200 yards and in and the occasional shot at distance if, or when, you go out west, all you need is the SWFA 3-9 or fixed 6X.

No need to spend more money on more X's that you don't need or other features that you don't need. At 200 (or even 300 yards) with the 7BC, you really don't need to hold for wind, so a simple plex reticle will be all you honestly need. Now if you are looking for a scope that you will use to improve your longer range shooting, then a good mil reticle will help, but I recommend against anything with a tree-type reticle (like the one on the Tenmile) until you get better at using the scope at distance. That being said, unless you have a trainer that is already set up like your 7BC I wouldn't really call that 7BC an economical option for lots of practice.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

Id say $1800 and less, but if I can get a quality scope and spend less, that's more monies for a suppressor!

The Trijicon AccuPoint 3-9x40 is probably one of the best set-and-forget 200 yards and in scopes out there. And it’s usually around $600. It’s really nice for hunting in the woods.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

These must be solid scopes, I've seen both of these recommended religiously throughout Rokslide posts. I'm not against a SWFA, ive just never had the opportunity to look through one! Ill see if they have any dealers in my area to go check one out!

There won’t be any dealers. Anyway, SWFA scopes are great hunting scopes. They aren’t made to look really good holding up to your eye in a gun store and looking out the window. They are made for seeing and hitting the target repeatedly and in field conditions.

 

[BCDJR]

Check out Tract scopes.

 

[LongWayAround]

Honestly, for 200 yards and in and the occasional shot at distance if, or when, you go out west, all you need is the SWFA 3-9 or fixed 6X.

No need to spend more money on more X's that you don't need or other features that you don't need. At 200 (or even 300 yards) with the 7BC, you really don't need to hold for wind, so a simple plex reticle will be all you honestly need. Now if you are looking for a scope that you will use to improve your longer range shooting, then a good mil reticle will help, but I recommend against anything with a tree-type reticle (like the one on the Tenmile) until you get better at using the scope at distance. That being said, unless you have a trainer that is already set up like your 7BC I wouldn't really call that 7BC an economical option for lots of practice.

No, no. You totally need that 18x Tenmile for deer at 200yd...

I second the swfa 6x. I haven't killed any animals with mine, but have shot it to 850yd on steel.

 

[UncleNommies]

Honestly, for 200 yards and in and the occasional shot at distance if, or when, you go out west, all you need is the SWFA 3-9 or fixed 6X.

No need to spend more money on more X's that you don't need or other features that you don't need. At 200 (or even 300 yards) with the 7BC, you really don't need to hold for wind, so a simple plex reticle will be all you honestly need. Now if you are looking for a scope that you will use to improve your longer range shooting, then a good mil reticle will help, but I recommend against anything with a tree-type reticle (like the one on the Tenmile) until you get better at using the scope at distance. That being said, unless you have a trainer that is already set up like your 7BC I wouldn't really call that 7BC an economical option for lots of practice.

I appreciate you breaking it down like this and bringing up some valid points. I would like to improve longer range accuracy. The furthest available range is have is 500 yards at a friend's house. In my line of work I use laser guidance systems to stripe long lines on roads and parking lots. Being accurate at distance inherently makes me more accurate at closer range. I feel the same applies. That is why I would like to be effective at further distances than 200 yards in the event I do go out west, which has been a serious topic with my brother and I. I do not have a trainer, but that's not completely out of the question either.

 

[UncleNommies]

There won’t be any dealers. Anyway, SWFA scopes are great hunting scopes. They aren’t made to look really good holding up to your eye in a gun store and looking out the window. They are made for seeing and hitting the target repeatedly and in field conditions.

Reliability and durability are most certainly some of the deciding factors for me! I hunt a lot of rock bluffs and shear rock walls so being able to take abuse is a must!

I know the Arken EPl-4 was so-so in the drop test, but last year my brother slipped going up the rocks and his r700 .270 fell down about 5 ft and his elevation turrent met a nice boulder. Later that morning he harvested a buck around 120 yards away and I was impressed that it held its zero. Made me feel a little better about mine with it being a less expensive scope compared to others!

 

[UncleNommies]

No, no. You totally need that 18x Tenmile for deer at 200yd...

I second the swfa 6x. I haven't killed any animals with mine, but have shot it to 850yd on steel.

I guess it's one of those, rather have it and not need it, then need it and not have it deals lol. Ive made longer shots on game, but the average is around 200ish yards with my style of hunting! On my 4-16 im usually below 8x.

Most of the time if I see a glimpse of deer hundreds of yards away in the thick timber, I locate them with my scope rather than trying to find them with binos then relocate with my rifle. I like already being on target and having that little extra magnification to determine if it is a legal buck or not. Due to the topography in my area, deer can disappear quickly over these steep ridges, drainage, and rock fields/bluffs! So the ability to act quickly is important.