Which scope would you pick for my new project? Very disappointed by european scopes offerings

ssimo

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Hi guys, I write from Italy. I aleeady posted a couple threads about my new setup but now i think i got to the right decisions. To sum it up, I currently have a early 2018 made bergara b14 hunter topped with a khales helia 2-10×50i with the standard german IV-like reticle and capped turrets. I love that gun, it's very accurate (0.3-0.7 MOA groups all day with geco 170 grains softpoints or rws dk 165 grains). This setup is very versatile but gives its best for relatively short ranges and low light situations.
I started hunting also in more open areas so i want a new rifle with more range for those places, while i will keep the rifle i already have for less open areas. So, since i really love my old b14 and since i don't like the look of most other rifles with all these fancy curves and fluted stuff, i decided to buy another b14 (still undecided between another hunter and a sporter while i excluded the wilderness series cause of the shorter barrels and fixed muzzlebrakes). Also i am young and in good shape so i prefer the relative heaviness of the b14 to the super low weight many hunters look for today. Plus i already own a b14 and i know that rifle very well so i thought keeping the same system (same trigger and ergonomics) but with another scope and a bipod would be a good idea. The caliber of the new rifle will be .308, again, but i will keep it zeroed for a more aerodynamic bullet like accubonds, eld-x or sst. I choose this caliber for availability, longer barrel life (i train with my hunting rifles constantly), good terminal performance for my max hunting range, mild recoil, no need for muzzlebrake etc. I will hunt mainly roe deer (up to 60 lbs), boars (up to 400 lbs) and fellow deer (up to 250 lbs), very rarely red deer (up to 550/600 lbs). I will keep distances inside 400 meters (450 yards).

That said, back to the topic: which scope would you put on this rig, considering that budget is not a concern?
I have always looked at european scopes but i don't find any offering i like looking at swaro/zeiss/khales/leica/S&B scopes.
The first option could be a FFP, with a Mil reticle for wind holds and a BDC exposed elevation turret. So i would dial for elevation and hold for wind. These brands sell some scopes with these features but they are in the tactical area: heavy, bulky with huge max powers. I would like a 3-12×50i or something like this for hunting. That's weird because this looks like an ideal scope setup to me.
Another option could be a SFP with a simple german IV reticles but, at this point, i would need exposed turrets both for elevation and windage. It seems like european hunting scopes have exposed turrets only for elevation tough. This doesn't make much sense to me since wind is a big variable when shooting past 300 meters or so..

So my questions:
-what do you think of the setup in general?
-which scope would you put on my new rifle?

Thanks guys, greetings from Italy!!
 

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What about a Schmidt and bender klassik 3-12x42 with the p3L reticle and a ballistic turret. It’s a ffp reticle with wind holds and the exposed turret allows you to dial for distance. The turret is limited in travel but if you’re only shooting to 400 meters it should be enough.
 
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ssimo

ssimo

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What about a Schmidt and bender klassik 3-12x42 with the p3L reticle and a ballistic turret. It’s a ffp reticle with wind holds and the exposed turret allows you to dial for distance. The turret is limited in travel but if you’re only shooting to 400 meters it should be enough.
Man this is the first scope i thought about, it woulf be PERFECT for me (the 3-12×50 even better). Then i found out the reticle is not illuminated.. here in Europe this is a very important thing in some circumstances and especially for a FFP scope which in low light, at low magnifications, can have some issues with the small reticle
 
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ssimo

ssimo

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Just looked into Minox, i didn't even know the brand but it looks amazing, on par with the other big names i mentioned. ZP5, 3-15×50 looks good. Any downside of this scope for my applications?
 
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I think the THLR reticle is only available on the 5-25. If you like one of the other reticles, the 3-15 should be a good choice.
 
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ssimo

ssimo

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I think the THLR reticle is only available on the 5-25. If you like one of the other reticles, the 3-15 should be a good choice.
It seems like the 3-15 comes with a mil reticle. That's perfect to dial for elevation and hold for wind. And 3 min magnification is much better for me.

I will do some research to see how these Minox compare to other brands i already know but it seems thry are good quality.
I always spend a lot on optics, from binos to riflescopes. Much more important than spending them on rifles in my opinion
 

Macintosh

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Man this is the first scope i thought about, it woulf be PERFECT for me (the 3-12×50 even better). Then i found out the reticle is not illuminated.. here in Europe this is a very important thing in some circumstances and especially for a FFP scope which in low light, at low magnifications, can have some issues with the small reticle
Mine has an illuminated reticle? P3 reticle is not lighted, P3L is (L=). The illumination is very low for night hunting, so not the daylight-bright red-dot look some folks want, and there is considerable bleed at higher settings, but it is lit.
 

Ernie

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You guys have mentioned the scopes, I would have mentioned.
The 3-15/4-16 is my preferred magnification range for most hunting
 
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Just looked into Minox, i didn't even know the brand but it looks amazing, on par with the other big names i mentioned. ZP5, 3-15×50 looks good. Any downside of this scope for my applications?
The only downside to this scope is the weight. The ZP5s are excellent. If weight and $$$ is not a concern I would check out the ZCO 420 with MPCT1 reticle for your needs.

The Schmidt and Bender ultrashort 3-20 or the Kahles 318i are also excellent but for my money I like the ZCO best. ZCO is Austrian and a relatively new company with a lot of talented people making great scopes.
 
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ssimo

ssimo

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Mine has an illuminated reticle? P3 reticle is not lighted, P3L is (L=). The illumination is very low for night hunting, so not the daylight-bright red-dot look some folks want, and there is considerable bleed at higher settings, but it is lit.
Man that would be perfect! I will call tomorrow and i will ask! I hope so because that scope is just perfect for me
 
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ssimo

ssimo

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You guys have mentioned the scopes, I would have mentioned.
The 3-15/4-16 is my preferred magnification range for most hunting
I agree. 3x is handy sometimes so 3-15 or even 2-12 is perfect for me. Past 450 yards i would want a bit more than 12x for small roe deer tough
 
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ssimo

ssimo

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The only downside to this scope is the weight. The ZP5s are excellent. If weight and $$$ is not a concern I would check out the ZCO 420 with MPCT1 reticle for your needs.

The Schmidt and Bender ultrashort 3-20 or the Kahles 318i are also excellent but for my money I like the ZCO best. ZCO is Austrian and a relatively new company with a lot of talented people making great scopes.

20x is too much magnification for me anyway, it would make the scope bigger with no benefits for me.

Btw thanks for the answer, have ZCO a good track record?
 
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I have SWFA SS 3-15 mil dot ffp which I like a lot. Great tracking. Nightforce NX8 2.5-20 is a reliable brand that could be a consideration, but I've only looked through them.
 
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ssimo

ssimo

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I have SWFA SS 3-15 mil dot ffp which I like a lot. Great tracking. Nightforce NX8 2.5-20 is a reliable brand that could be a consideration, but I've only looked through them.
How does NF compare to european brands like zeiss, leica, swaro, khales and s&b?
 
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