New scope for woods rifle

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Jun 1, 2024
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I’m interested in purchasing a new scope for hunting from 0-300 yards in mature Eastern hardwood forests, rhododendron thickets, dwarf birches, and other potentially thick terrain. Think the kind of terrain where elk or large deer might bed down.

My first requirement is rugged and dependable. A scope that reliably tracks and repeats is essential.

My second requirement is a good, simple reticle. Something great for quick, close range offhand shots is essential. It would be nice, but not essential, to have references for 200 and 300 yard holdovers. The bullet’s expected trajectory is similar to a 140-grain 6.5 CM.

My third requirement is excellent light-gathering for first light and last light shots in the woods or dark timber shots. I’m leaning towards a 50-56mm objective.

My fourth requirement is to weigh 16-24 ounces (I am trying to get the ~7.5# rifle to weigh close to 10 pounds, without going over. I expect the suppressor to weigh ~16.3 ounces).

My fifth requirement is a low end magnification of 1-3x and 6-10x at the top end. A 2-8x would be great. A 1-6x is another option. I’ve also thought about just getting another SWFA fixed 6x scope or using a 3-9x40 until I find the perfect option. I tried a older, quality, fixed 4x for this and it didn’t work.

Quick dialing is not a requirement, but a nice to have.

Illumination is a plus, but not a hard requirement. If illuminated, I prefer tritium/fiberoptic to batteries.

I prefer mils, but this is not a hard requirement.

Budget is a flexible $750. I have discounts available, so this is not MSRP. I can get a Trijicon AccuPoint 2.5-10x-56, Nightforce SHV 3-10x42, or SWFA 3-15x42 within this budget.

The front runners are currently the TR22R and the TR22-2G.


None of these options is perfect.

Am I missing some other option?

Finally, where I really need help is with pictures or video of what I can actually see through these scopes in various lighting under field conditions. I haven’t found that yet. My LGS’s don’t have a great selection of scopes, so going over there to look through the different options and compare them isn’t a real possibility.
 
I’ve longed for the same for years…for now I’ve settled on Huron 1-6 on anything that’ll be used for faster shots and 3-9 Huron or AccuPoint for everything else. For what it’s worth, the 3-9 AccuPoint with a post feels super quick up close, even with the more narrow 3x FOV compared to 1 or 2x. I wish the AccuPoint was 1.5-8 or even 2-10 in a 1” tube.

Edit: I’ve not gone to larger objectives, but it seems to be very popular here for your use case.
 
Re looking thru scopes because you cant find at a retailer: Ive tried taking pics thru scopes. Even posted a thread on it here with sxs comparison of a couple. As far as I have been able, It is simply not possible to get a sense of what it looks like thru a scope in a photo, with regard to brightness of the image in low light. And you absolutely cannot compare one guys photo to another guys photo.
 
What you are looking for pretty perfectly describes the TR22-2G.

Actually looking at that scope I might have finally found the niche to put my 270 back into service. I didnt want to retire it but didnt really have a job for it. Low light woods gun might be just the ticket.
 
Re looking thru scopes because you cant find at a retailer: Ive tried taking pics thru scopes. Even posted a thread on it here with sxs comparison of a couple. As far as I have been able, It is simply not possible to get a sense of what it looks like thru a scope in a photo, with regard to brightness of the image in low light. And you absolutely cannot compare one guys photo to another guys photo.

Thanks. I wondered if this was the case.
 
These are the scopes I would consider for that use. The Posicon turrets are not great for dialing, but can be changed to a BDC by S&B for a few hundred.




Edit: All are out of budget, but at those prices I am rather tempted.

Thanks. Even though they are outside my current budget, it’s nice to see other options that actually fit the requirements better.

It might be worth waiting a few extra months to get that 2.5-10x56.
 
Oh boy again! We get same question every other day…

I know. I think it is a symptom of the fact that there are only a few reliable options at the midrange price point. And none of them are perfect.

Edit - part of my hope with this thread is that someone would suggest some obscure, affordable European brand that was a 6x50 or something,
 
I’ve longed for the same for years…for now I’ve settled on Huron 1-6 on anything that’ll be used for faster shots and 3-9 Huron or AccuPoint for everything else. For what it’s worth, the 3-9 AccuPoint with a post feels super quick up close, even with the more narrow 3x FOV compared to 1 or 2x. I wish the AccuPoint was 1.5-8 or even 2-10 in a 1” tube.

Edit: I’ve not gone to larger objectives, but it seems to be very popular here for your use case.

Yes, I have the AccuPoint 3-9x40. That has been an excellent scope for my lightweight CZ 527 in 6.5mm Grendel, with which I have taken shots on steel at 420 yards, but which is really a 50-200 yard rifle.

What I don’t like about the AccuPoint 3-9x40 - and this is only a minor thing - is that it has the Mil-Dot reticle, but the adjustments are in MOA. The 2.5-10x56 has the same defect. But I figure that the extra light gathering is worth the extra weight (which I don’t mind anyway on a 9.3x62).
 
What I don’t like about the AccuPoint 3-9x40 - and this is only a minor thing - is that it has the Mil-Dot reticle, but the adjustments are in MOA. The 2.5-10x56 has the same defect. But I figure that the extra light gathering is worth the extra weight (which I don’t mind anyway on a 9.3x62).
Are you going to dial it, or use the reticle? Totally makes sense if you planned to dial much. But seems irrelevant if you arent dialing hardly ever, if ever.
 
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