What would you rather?

[ks.snow]

Looking at getting a new scope to put on a tikka t3 lite in 308. Going to use the gun for hunting and target shooting out to probably 800yds max. Needs to have good glass for hunting thats my main concern and I will be dialing the turrets when target shooting so I want them to be reliable (i.e. hold zero and track well). Trying to pick from the following:

Vortex Viper HS-T VMR-1 ($850)
Vortex Viper HS LR XLR ($1300)
Nightforce SHV ($1350)
Leupold VX-5HD ($1400)
Bushnell Elite LRHS ($1300)

Any input on these scopes would be greatly aprreciated. As a side note these are Canadian prices as well so thats why they are so stupid high

 

[skaldugwas]

I couldn’t be happier with my vx5. You could probably find one mich cheaper than the price you listed.

 

[ks.snow]

no other opinons? Leaning towards the bushnell

 

[slowelk]

no other opinons? Leaning towards the bushnell

I am selling a Vortex Razor HD LH 3-15x42 with the HSR-4 reticle well under the prices you listed. Have you considered it?

 

[Kotaman]

I just bought a VX 5 HD for $705 US. (Optics Planet Black Friday) I think for your application, the Bushnell is an excellent choice. After much research, as great as Leupold scopes are, I'm scared off of any Leupy's with a dial for consistent tracking if you are going to do a bunch of dialing.

 

[KurtR]

i have had the hslr for the last 5 years has worked good for me you can get that for 900 if you look around. Have a friend with the hst that has performed. Also the have another couple friends with the bushy and the nightforce and no problems with them. Pic a reticle you like as i dont think any of those will hold you back. seen to many leupolds not dial right to say they work

 

[Ross]

Very timely for me. Looking to spend similar coin for similar yardage. Do the leupold vx5 and 6 have same zero issues as the three? Do other manuf have same issues at all huskemaw, nightforce etc? To me that is the breaking point not going with leupold if they have this problem issue and are basically the only one with such a high zero issue. I have hunted with a leupold for four decades and never one issue so would like to go with them if there is a model with no zero issues. Enlighten me?

 

[dotman]

I would add the Sig Whiskey 5 3-15x44 ($999)

 

[Formidilosus]

no other opinons? Leaning towards the bushnell

The Nightforce and Bushnell LRHS are solid. I continue to see extremely high failure rates with your other choices. The LRHS is about the perfect scope for normal weight rifles out to 800.







Ross,

The VX5, 6's, and HD versions all have the same issues as every other Leupold. In order for a scope to be reliable, durable, and track correctly it has to be specifically built for that. The design, the erector system, the components, QC and testing all must be centered around ensuring that the finished product works every time. Nightforce checks every single scope for point of impact shift after they beat it on a table, Leupold does not. NF checks every scope for tracking accuracy, Leupold does not. NF checks every scope for perfect return to zero, Leupold does not. Etc, etc. Nightforces (at least NXS, ATACR, BEAST) that don't work or that fail are so rare because Nightforce completes over one hundred different tests and checks to KNOW that the scope is working when it leaves their factory. No one else does this.

The Bushnell LRHS and HDMR/ERS series of scopes along with SWFA SS scopes are good because their design, specs, and QC are good. This isn't me bashing Leupold, it's just facts. Leupold does not design and test like the LRHS and SWFA scopes are, let alone like NF does. The truth is almost no scopes are designed and tested as those scopes are no matter who they are from and how much they cost.

 

[TheCougar]

I have both the bushnell LRHS 3-18 and the NF SHV. NF: wins durability and finish. Loses because it is SFP and eye relief is poor (not a factor on a 308). The bushnell wins the value and feature battle and the eye box is more forgiving. It depends on your use and what you want. I would pick the NF for a 308, predicated that you are hunting with it. You’re probably not whacking critter beyond 600yds with that calibur and the SHV 3-10 is great for that range, as long as the FFP isn’t a deal breaker for you. I have my LRHS on my 7mm RM because it is a longer range calibur and the eye Relief is more forgiving. I am happy with both scopes, but if I was being 100% honest, I’m self concious of the Bushnell because people see it and assume it is a Walmart POS. It’s like showing up to a drag race with a Kia. It may have 1000 horses under the hood, but people still see the Kia logo! That being said, I like it and i don’t regret the purchase.

 

[TheCougar]

Pile on to my previous post, and this might ruffle some feathers. If you plan on dialing mils/MOA on a turret scope, stay away from all Leupolds. I have no experience with them, but a simple internet search will reveal how poorly they track. They are universally loved by guys who don’t dial and just as universally hated by guys who do dial. Check the long range forum right now. Luke Moffat just posted a thread about tracking tests with several of the scopes you are interested in.

 

[wind gypsy]

if I was being 100% honest, I’m self concious of the Bushnell because people see it and assume it is a Walmart POS. It’s like showing up to a drag race with a Kia. It may have 1000 horses under the hood, but people still see the Kia logo! That being said, I like it and i don’t regret the purchase.

Don't let the uninformed's opinions get to you.. I've had a handful of people shoot my rifles with a vortex PST and LRHS in the same session, they might not have expected the PST to be as big of a step down as it is. Bushnell label or not, it doesn't look out of place on top of a custom rifle I spent too much $ on.

 

[ks.snow]

Pretty much inbetween the SHV and the LRHS. I like the reticle better on the bushnell than the nightforce. Doesnt seem to be as crowded. Any opinion on if mil is better than moa or vice-versa? It will be going on a .308 caliber rifle mainly used for hunting. Does the lrhs have better optical quality in low light?

 

[KurtR]

mil or moa is the same its just what you like or want to learn. they are both just a unit of measurement

 

[TheCougar]

I can’t tell you about the optical quality at low light. I haven’t had them side by side, and the objectives are different sizes anyways so it is apples to oranges. There are guys way more qualified to answer that question. Just do a search in the long range forum. Mil vs MOA is up to you. At the end of the day, you are just dialing clicks, so it doesn’t really matter. The big discriminator is the FFP vs SFP and the other features like zero stop, reticle, etc.

 

[wind gypsy]

mil or moa is the same its just what you like or want to learn. they are both just a unit of measurement

Agreed. MOA is nice for people who for some reason or another need to think in inches. Are Canadians more familiar with metric so there is zero benefit to MOA?

With a FFP scope and good reticle it shouldn't matter, its just nice to be consistent with one or the other (which i'm not).

 

[TheCougar]

Mil isn’t metric. It is a unit of measurement, it is a radial measurement. You can talk imperial units or metric with mils. You won’t however... you’ll just talk in mils, ie dial 1.9 mils in elevation and hold .2 mils right for windage. You won’t really care how much that is in inches or centimeters or fathoms or whatever.

 

[wind gypsy]

Mil isn’t metric. It is a unit of measurement, it is a radial measurement. You can talk imperial units or metric with mils. You won’t however... you’ll just talk in mils, ie dial 1.9 mils in elevation and hold .2 mils right for windage. You won’t really care how much that is in inches or centimeters or fathoms or whatever.

I know. 1/10 mil adjustment is still 1 CM at 100 meters which makes it easier for someone who commonly uses metric measurements to comprehend.

If someone can't use a Mil or MOA based reticle to measure their misses they'll probably think in terms of inches or CM and use that to calculate the necessary adjustment.

 

[Snowy]

Give me a base 10 system (mils in this case) and the LRHS any day in your group of options.