So many choices so little money need a long range rifle scope

[Barnesnbow]

I dial a ton with my SWFA 5-20 and it’s been flawless. Picked it up for $800 used, but they can be had new or demo units for $900-ish.
I have close to 1,000 rounds down using the SWFA 5-20 and it’s flawless.

I picked up a 3-9 SWFA for a lightweight gun I’m putting together in a magnum and looking forward to testing it out. I’m betting it will also work great and no issue at 9x hitting 1,000. I used a fixed 10x SWFA for a year before getting the 5-20. I wasn’t a fan of the glass on the non-Hd line of SWFA’s, so that’s why I went with the 3-9 over the 3-15. Turrets and glass are that much better in the HD line in my opinion. If they made a 3-15 in HD I’d be all over it.

I have a little experience with the Vortex Viper scopes that a buddy had. I didn’t like them at all. It was like looking down a toilet paper roll. Pretty sure they were the HST line, which is a SFP version of the PST. He eventually sold them and moved to the SWFA 5-20 as well after using mine.


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do you dial with the 3x9 swfa?

 

[Don_Parsons]

Vortex 3-15 PST with lite up retical,,, 5 years and its still holding in there,,, there dirt cheap used as they work for the up close and personal on out to range,,, pretty easy to go after the 12" gongs at 1400 metres """if""" you choose to do the parallax/ manual focus...

That way your eye is not straining to see things up close to distsnce,,, try to get the adjustable lite retical that allows you to use the high power setting in the dark timber back grounds of day light hours,,, then use 1 of the other 8 settings in dim/ flat light conditions,,, this reduces to much lite feed back to the eye when sigthing in on the target...

You'll be glad to go this route since you'll be the first to shoot in the morning hours,,, and the last to return to camp at night,,, an extra few minutes ahead of folks that dont have lite up retical systems...

Once you use it,,, you'll never go back,,, the nice thing about them is the battery is easy to change and they last a long time,,, the trick to remember is turning it off at the end of the day... Ha...

The Tree style retical will allow you to reach out to shots of 36/ 37 MOA,,, then hand dial at things past that,,, nice thing about vortex is the large grip dials with solid clicks you can feel...

They are a bit heavy,,, but are built on a solid platform,,, and at a frugal price point used,,, $400 to $500 ish if you shop around on the hunting and outdoor forums,,, my friend got one in 6-24 power in immaculate condition for $400...

Good luck finding what works for you...

Don

 

[BAKPAKR]

do you dial with the 3x9 swfa?

I have dialed with my SWFA 3-9 out past 1000 yards. It has tracked and returned to zero well.

 

[freediver111]

do you dial with the 3x9 swfa?

Yes.


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[DB Cooper]

I own 5 or 6 Leupolds (and love them), and got to shoot through a NightForce last Monday...…..

Buy the Nightforce!

 

[Jamesmar10]

I have a Nightforce SHV 5x20x56 that I have ran on a Savage 7mm. Rang steel at 1200 yards only shot live animals out to 475 with it. I love the scope. Tracks well and is super clear. I have had it on several hunts and it has held good. Only con is That it is a little bulky.

 

[stiwarrior]

Zeiss V4 here has been nothing but awesomeness to me, I also have a PST GEN 2 5-25x50has been great so far just glass quality compared to my zeiss is just not there and last is my vortex HST 6-24x50, same as pst but less quality glass than any of my other scopes
Currently on my second Zeiss v4 6-24x50 #65 reticle with windage turret.
Vortex warranty I have read is the best and will replace no questions asked.
I have owned Zeiss scopes in the past and have yet to have on fail.
Leupold glass is really good too, I have a VX3-L 4.5-14x56 that I have had for the longest time, sighting is a little hard since the turrets are really mushy and does not track perfectly, but once set, caps go back on and scope holds its zero.

I wouldnt have bought a Zeiss scope if it wasnt for there summer deal that included free scope mounts for around 900 bucks.
All in all I loved the scope, and has already replaced a vortex viper HST and a Zeiss conquest HD5

 

[Wyomuleskinner]

I would steer clear of vortex. Out of those options you listed I would vote uso. But I would give some serious thought to saving a little more and go nightforce or Leupold mark 5

 

[bdg848]

Athlon. Check out Cyclopsreviews on youtube.

 

[Wyomuleskinner]

Athlon. Check out Cyclopsreviews on youtube.

I have an athlon on one of my guns I use for kids and it has worked flawlessly

 

[bdg848]

I have an athlon on one of my guns I use for kids and it has worked flawlessly

I haven't gotten a lot of time behind my Athlon but the reviews I watched were impressive. He would lock it down on a bench and roll the dials between his hands as fast as he could like starting a fire by rubbing two sticks, then put the dial back to zero and the crosshairs were dead center back on the starting point. That test made the standard "box test" seem really boring and not as impressive.

 

[Gila]

I have a Nikon black x-1000 on a Tikka. I am used to 2nd focal but the FX is a 1st. Glass is better than I expected. Tracking has been excellent so far. At long ranges I dial up...this scope is not the best for using the reticle to range with. I have always hunted using MOA but the scope comes in MIL as well. It has survived numerous unintentional drop tests and has kept zero. Not saying it is the best....but works for me

 

[Fyrpwrhd03]

SWFA ?