Which single scope for multiple calibers/guns/uses poll

[Crow Hunter TN]

I have read A LOT about FFP scopes and their benefits. I have only ever used SFP scopes.

I think I would like to have FFP scopes on my rifles.

-Tikka T1X 20" bbl .22 LR -Targets, squirrels, muskrats and other nuisance critters- (Credo 3-9X40 now)
-Tikka T3X .223 -Walking varmint/coyote/nuisance critters big enough or far enough away the .22 is inhumane- (Credo 3-9X40 now)
-Tikka T3X .308 -Eastern Whitetail mostly, eventually want to try an elk hunt, might be in East TN but probably "out West"- (Credo 3-9X40 now)
-Tikka T3X Varmint .223 -Target shooting and planned Prairie Dog shoot in the spring- (Credo 2.5-15X42 now)

Ideally, I would like to have the same scope and reticle on all 4 rifles for familiarity and practice.

85% of my shooting will be 200 yards or less hunting here in West TN.

So far, I haven't found a FFP scope that I can see the reticle at low powers and in shadowed areas/looking up into trees/etc.

What didn't work for me:

-SWFA 6X - Could not see the reticle in low light
-SWFA 3-15 - Could not see the reticle in low light at low powers
-Athlon Helos 2-12X42 -The reticle was great, but too short to get the eye relief I needed without very tall rings and a rail making the rifle very unbalanced and hard to use offhand
-Sightron STAC 3-16X42 - Reticle was very thin and only really visible with illumination <6X and reticle stadia only visible at 8X or greater and 14x-16x were nearly unusable due to "smearing" of colors.

The scopes in the poll appear to be the "state of the art" for hunting reticles in the < $1,500 realm.

Which one of these should I try next? If you have a different suggestion, please list it.

 

[echampion8]

If you’re looking for something useable at low power for hunting under 200 yards, the Bushnell lrhs/i/2 was specifically designed for that. It would work for everything you listed especially since 85% of your shooting is hunting up close.

I chose the Burris XTR III illuminated with the SCR2 reticle. Being illuminated I don’t have any issue picking up the reticle. It is usable without illumination at about 6x-8x depending on your backdrop and eye sight.


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[Macintosh]

I’d simply toss having the same reticle on all 4 guns out the window—you have varying uses, if having all 4 rifles is useful then tailor the optics as well. If the reticle was an issue on some of the ones you mentioned, the tenmile wont work for you. Not sure what reticle you have on your credos now, but for your local hunting inside 200 yards—if its anything like mine—any of the ffp reticles are a compromise, not “best solution”, so I would not be in a rush to replace those scopes if you like them.
To me, your varmint 223 is the obvious choice to try a ffp scope. The maven you mentioned or a s&b klassik 3-12 are both similar magnification, similar price ffp scopes that the reticle will appear similar to a duplex at low mag, while offering milling at any higher magnification as well as a turret that allows dialing elevation. While
Probably not ideal, in a pinch both could be moved to your 308 if you wanted and not be overly huge or too limiting for your local hunting as well.

 

[JGRaider]

LRHSi

 

[5MilesBack]

For 200 and under, I wouldn't bother changing. Even 300.

 

[JohnJohnson]

Don't get me wrong I love telling people about the way the truth and the light of FFP scopes but why the need to switch at all? What are you doing for the 15% of your shooting that isn't under 200 yards?

 

[Crow Hunter TN]

Don't get me wrong I love telling people about the way the truth and the light of FFP scopes but why the need to switch at all? What are you doing for the 15% of your shooting that isn't under 200 yards?

The 15% is shooting at 400 yards at the semi-local TWRA range and in the field on the farm when it is cut. I usually just walk the shots in and don't dial or use holdovers. I want to start trying to dial/use holdovers.

The biggest part of my hunting is actually with a shotgun wing shooting.

I do, however, spend some of my time every year shooting problem varmints around the property. Usually muskrats digging holes in the dike and squirrels trying to get into the attic or chewing on roof flashing and an occasional ground hog or coyote. My "best shot" ever was a swimming muskrat headshot at ~120 yards downhill with a .22 Magnum Marlin 25M with a Simmons 8-point 3-9X40 scope.

I have historically always used Duplex reticles either Leupold or the above mentioned Simmons.

In 2022 I did a complete purge of all my non-Tikka rifles and all my duplex scopes and decided that I wanted to get into shooting at longer range and that led me to researching reticles for hold overs. Before I started posting on Rokslide I had purchased several Trijicon Credo 3-9X40 Mil-Square scopes since they were the lightest and least expensive Mil/Mil scopes that I could find that were from a company I had used before and trusted.

As I dug further in and learned more about it, I realized I probably should have gone with FFP scopes if I was planning on using the reticles at my typical 3-6X settings that my scopes sit on most of the time.

So, I tried out several and nothing so far has been something I could really use for most of my shooting except for the Athlon Helos 2-12 but it is too short for Tikkas with my LOP to get the eye relief I needed without going with really tall mounts.

I have almost relegated myself to just using what I have and if I ever do go elk hunting "out West", get closer. But before I give up completely I wanted to give it one more try. I have narrowed it down to the 3 scopes in my poll as being the "best" low power usage scopes less than $1,500 and available to buy.

I have reservations on the Bushnell and the Trijicon because they are both .06 Mil thick reticles, which I don't think will be thick enough for my eyesight being I had trouble with the SWFA 3-15 and the 6X. But the Bushell does have the circle, which is much thicker and I really like circle/horseshoe reticles.

The current Credo 3-9 that I am using (.05 Mil) is borderline when it starts to get dark here but it does have illumination. The Credo 2.5-15 is way too thin for me, but should be fine on prairie dogs in bright sunlight, however it is a SFP scope.

The Maven seems like it would be the best bet based on reticle thickness, but it is also the most expensive of the 3. If I were going to outfit 4 rifles with them it would be $4,800+tax versus the ~$3,800+tax for the Bushnell.

I wanted to use FFP scopes on everything that has reticle hold overs so that I won't mistakenly try to use a holdover on a SFP at lower magnification. Hence my trying to find a FFP scope that I could use on all 4 of the rifles.

Sorry for the long post.

 

[JohnJohnson]

The Maven seems like it would be the best bet based on reticle thickness, but it is also the most expensive of the 3. If I were going to outfit 4 rifles with them it would be $4,800+tax versus the ~$3,800+tax for the Bushnell.

I'd go Maven over the Bushnell. Bushnell just fired all of their people at one of their locations and are closing it down I think. I believe they may be going through a restructure and I feel the Maven is a safer bet and better scope.

 

[Rich M]

Why not have diff scope for each rifle? Gonna have to rezero every time you mount it. Might get old quick.

 

[Crow Hunter TN]

To further add, as if I haven't written enough.

My plan was to get the .22 outfitted and use it to learn to read the wind and do dialing/wind holds and have whatever I learned from that carry over directly to using the big game and varmint rifles.

That is my primary focus on getting the same scopes on all of them.

I think to do that they all need to be the same, either Mil/Mil or MOA/MOA and they need to have a zero stop elevation turret. So that is why I was leaning towards just making all of the scopes the same.

 

[Crow Hunter TN]

Why not have diff scope for each rifle? Gonna have to rezero every time you mount it. Might get old quick.

I agree. That is why I want to get multiple copies of the same scope. All on different rifles.

Sorry if I wasn't clear in my giant wall of text.

 

[JohnJohnson]

My plan was to get the .22 outfitted and use it to learn to read the wind and do dialing/wind holds and have whatever I learned from that carry over directly to using the big game and varmint rifles.

Then that leaves the Maven. The Trijicon has like half the internal elevation travel of the Maven (17.5 versus 29) and the Bushnell's closest parallax is 50 yards when compared to the Maven's 10 yard minimum. You want a lot of elevation travel on a .22lr trainer and you want it to parallax down inside 20 yards ideally but at the very least not 50.

 

[TN2shot07]

It won’t be a popular opinion on here but I’d be patient and check out that new Leupold Mark 4 in 2.5-10. You can go ffp or sfp, moa or mils. Seems like a perfect fit for those mostly close in shots

If you want to pull the trigger now I’ve had great luck with my Mavens but don’t own that model.

PS - Wish we had a 400 yard twra range around here, ours is limited to 100!

 

[Macintosh]

I would not be looking for four ffp scopes if 85% of my shooting was under 200 yards. Try one. If you like it, onward. If not, well, you’re not replacing four scopes (again). If you are hunting inside 200 yards you arent dialing or holding over, so no downside to not having the same scope on that rifle, just point and shoot.

 

[huntsman22]

my vote goes to the LRHS/LRTS......

 

[FLS]

my vote goes to the LRHS/LRTS......

They’re great scopes, but not in production anymore. It doesn’t matter how good they are if you can’t find one for sale. Like all the guys scrambling for TMKs six months ago. Doesn’t matter how good they are if you can’t get one.

 

[echampion8]

They’re great scopes, but not in production anymore. It doesn’t matter how good they are if you can’t find one for sale. Like all the guys scrambling for TMKs six months ago. Doesn’t matter how good they are if you can’t get one.

LRHS2 is still in production. Sold by GA Precision.


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[FLS]

I stand corrected. They had been out of stock for a while. I much prefer the LRTS 3-12. I wish they would bring that one back.

 

[echampion8]

I stand corrected. They had been out of stock for a while. I much prefer the LRTS 3-12. I wish they would bring that one back.

They came back in stock in June. Took a while for the supply chain to catch back up. I’m with you on the 3-12. Probably the best all around scope ever made.


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[huntsman22]

The LRTSi is the pick of the litter......