Reliable Short Range Whitetail Scope

[Intricater]

I have several GRSC CRS 1-6x scopes on my 5.56, 22LR-AR and 450BM-AR. The reticle is what sold me. Christmas tree, but has useful wind / moving target holds. Instant ranging from close to at 800yds. Reticle is lighted and Jap glass is comparable to Trijicon. I suppose you could get by with higher magnification, but what do you need it for in the Midwest? Just enhances the wobble of the crosshairs.

 

[Intricater]

Forgot to mention it's FFP.


For windage all you have to remember is 10 inches per bar or space.

 

[Marbles]

Probably to expensive, but S&B is magnificent for low light and reliable. Not great for dialing just due to turret design, but internals can handle it. https://www.eurooptic.com/S-B-Hunting-3-12x42-30mm-645-811-882-05-05A02.aspx

 

[wind gypsy]

Probably to expensive, but S&B is magnificent for low light and reliable. Not great for dialing just due to turret design, but internals can handle it. https://www.eurooptic.com/S-B-Hunting-3-12x42-30mm-645-811-882-05-05A02.aspx

I likey the looks of that one.

 

[Marbles]

Reading through the thread, having put a midrange LPVO (NX8) on a hunting rifle, low light performance or even bad weather performance is not great. In rain with cloud cover at 220 yards I coud not see antlers that I could clearly see with my 8x binoculars.

 

[Intricater]

I don't know about the clarity of the NF glass or where it's made, but the CRS is made in the same factory as Trijicon and the glass is excellent, as good as my Leica RF.

 

[Long Cut]

LVPO’s are horrible for low light scenarios.


S&B 2.5-10X56 if money isn’t an option. I don’t own one but it’s on my bucket list....


Fundamentally... any low power 2-4x scope with a 44-56mm objective in FFP is what you want.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

I tried an LPVO on a whitetail rig this year, it was not a great combo. low-light performance and lack of top-end magnification were both limiting at various times.

 

[Intricater]

While a larger objective lens is an advantage in low light for a thick woods gun the added weight I think is a disadvantage for handling speed. I usually run mine at 1.5x when moving through the Michigan woods. ResearchinStuff can I ask what was the LPVO you were using?

 

[ResearchinStuff]

Bushnell 1-4. Tried a credo 1-4 and yanked it after 1 range trip due to eye relief and a faint reticle.

 

[Intricater]

While Bushnells are pretty good for the money, the 1-4x24 PCL that I have just doesn't have the resolution that the CRS has. I checked the Trijicon site to look at the Credo and it seems a little pricey for a 1-4x Second focal plane scope. Do you happen to know where it was made? Who makes the glass?

 

[ResearchinStuff]

While Bushnells are pretty good for the money, the 1-4x24 PCL that I have just doesn't have the resolution that the CRS has. I checked the Trijicon site to look at the Credo and it seems a little pricey for a 1-4x Second focal plane scope. Do you happen to know where it was made? Who makes the glass?

I don't recall. I got it on the eurooptic credo closeout, roughly 50% off MSRP.

 

[Formidilosus]

Forgot to mention it's FFP.

View attachment 496580
For windage all you have to remember is 10 inches per bar or space.

I have used multiple GRSC CRS scopes, I would be hard pressed to think of a worse combination to put on a hunting rifle.

 

[Intricater]

I am using them for varmints & deer. Maybe it wouldn't work so well for big game at extended ranges, bu I've had good success with them. why do you think it's a poor choice for a hunting rifle?

 

[Formidilosus]

I am using them for varmints & deer. Maybe it wouldn't work so well for big game at extended ranges, bu I've had good success with them. why do you think it's a poor choice for a hunting rifle?

Because the reticle looks “great” on paper yet in real life off of flat ranges on small, moving targets that don’t want to be seen; the reticle covers up so much in the FOV, blocks large portions of the FOV from being able to spot splash/misses, and in total “ranging” reticles do not work on real targets.


From their own videos-


That is not a field reticle- that is a reticle that people that do not shoot fast, accurately, and on real targets in broken terrain like.

 

[wind gypsy]

Credo 2.5-10x36 looks good other than the reticle.

That 3-12 klassik is probably the most intriguing.

Honestly after all of this I think the next inbound 3-9 SWFA might still get the nod.

Edit: Credo 3-9 looks pretty good too.

 

[Intricater]

Because the reticle looks “great” on paper yet in real life off of flat ranges on small, moving targets that don’t want to be seen; the reticle covers up so much in the FOV, blocks large portions of the FOV from being able to spot splash/misses, and in total “ranging” reticles do not work on real targets.


From their own videos-
View attachment 496725

That is not a field reticle- that is a reticle that people that do not shoot fast, accurately, and on real targets in broken terrain like.

I agree that the 'Horseshoe' does cover up some valuable area. However, I think there is value in the drops and wind segments. I have found it useful to apply the bullet path to the reticle drops, making it very quick for field shots. Using a 22lr for practice & varmint hunting I've scaled the bullet path to the reticle. While the numbers don't coincide with the M855 drops of the reticle, once you know the yardages, it's quick & easy (no dialing). For sure not as precise as dialing, but works well for minute-of-woodchuck!
Thanks for you observations. I might reconsider, if can find a reticle with the proper wind hashes, I just haven't found one that checks enough boxes.

 

[Formidilosus]

I agree that the 'Horseshoe' does cover up some valuable area. However, I think there is value in the drops and wind segments. I have found it useful to apply the bullet path to the reticle drops, making it very quick for field shots. Using a 22lr for practice & varmint hunting I've scaled the bullet path to the reticle. While the numbers don't coincide with the M855 drops of the reticle, once you know the yardages, it's quick & easy (no dialing). For sure not as precise as dialing, but works well for minute-of-woodchuck!
Thanks for you observations. I might reconsider, if can find a reticle with the proper wind hashes, I just haven't found one that checks enough boxes.

A straight mil based reticle does all of that, with none of the drawbacks.

 

[Intricater]

A straight mil based reticle does all of that, with none of the drawbacks.

Since you use the mil system, which mil reticle do you prefer?

 

[Formidilosus]

Since you use the mil system, which mil reticle do you prefer?

I use every system.

Which reticle depends on the use. The only reason to use a LPVO is for 1x use- so that becomes the predominant factor. For 1x use a true daylight usable red dot with little to no other part of the reticle being visible is by far the best use at 1x; with the center aiming point of the reticle becoming visible as the power is turned up past about 2x, and the full mil reticle usable between 4-6x. Example- the S&B Shortdot II dual focal plane 1-8x.
Having said that and recognizing it’s expense and scarcity, for hunting where 1x is critical- the SWFA 1-6x, Trijicon 1-8x mil/mil, and especially the NF 1-8x’s with both mil reticles are all very usable through the entire power range.

However, at anything over that 1x, 1-whatever scopes are heavily compromised in comparison to conventional scopes in every category of use, except potentially size.