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1000 budget for a varmint scope

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Grand poo bah View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Grand poo bah Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: 1000 budget for a varmint scope
    Posted: January/08/2010 at 09:52
HELP!!!

This is so overwhelming when I start looking at all of the high power options.  I'm looking at a 6-20x50 range.  The brands I'm looking at are Trijicon, Bushnell, Nikon, Horus, Leupold and Zeiss.  Any advice would be greatly appreciated.  I'm using a Next Generation Arms ar-15 flat top .223 I'm interested to see if any one has used the Trijicon Accu-Point or the Horus.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SVT_Tactical Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/08/2010 at 09:56

Whats your target? Game? Paper?

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pyro6999 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/08/2010 at 10:06
if it me i would look at zeiss and trijicon, they will have the best glass imo of the companies you listed.


Edited by pyro6999 - January/08/2010 at 10:08
They call me "Boots"
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SVT_Tactical Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/08/2010 at 10:10
Didnt' look at the subject line  Thanks
 
let me see......
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SVT_Tactical Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/08/2010 at 10:25
Bushnell 6500 is my recomendation for top pick. Its the top of the Bushnell line and has great optics.
This is a little more magnification and you will have some left over.  Great scope clear optics and has the DOA reticle which you may or may not like but they offer it with  Mil-Dot too for a little cheaper
Both come with a few free thing through a promotion but thats not a reason to choice it over the others.  And don't forget the elite 4200 line up as well to save more and still have great optics!
 
Trijicon is a good option too but is slightly over your budget but not by much.  It has the great illumination, which is nice all the time, that is like no other and has several reticle choices too.  Our resident redneck will chime in I am sure as he is a diehard fan of these . I lik'em too
 
Zeiss is great to but again slightly over you limit for the conquest line and way over for the diavari but this one is nice for a little bit more but i feel the bushnell 6500 will be slightly clearer and has more magnification.
 
I haven't used horus so I dont' want to comment on them and am not the biggest fan o leupold simply because of well personal reasons. Nikon is good but i think these three listed above are slightly better.  But this Nikon is worth checking out if you want to save even more and have still good optics.  this one has the fine crosshairs which make it good for varmit but can get lost sometimes being so small


Edited by SVT_Tactical - January/08/2010 at 10:33
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Grand poo bah Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/08/2010 at 10:27
using it for small critters and paper. max is about 500yds.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pyro6999 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/08/2010 at 10:31
you could get the 6x24 4200 elite and save a lot of money and still have a very nice scope.
i dont feel the 6500 would be brighter than the zeiss, when i compare my 4200 to the conquest they are close but i give the low light level nod to the conquest. i would expect to see similar results with the 6500 as well.


Edited by pyro6999 - January/08/2010 at 10:34
They call me "Boots"
375H&H Mag: Yeah, it kills stuff "extra dead"

343 we will never forget

God Bless Chris Ledoux
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Randall45 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/08/2010 at 11:05
The Sightron S3 is going to be better than the scopes you listed for under $1000.I feel the 6500 is a good choice than the Trijicon.The S3 is just a better scope all around in my honest opinion.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tjtjwdad Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/08/2010 at 12:37

The Leupold VX-3 series is pretty good and is probably just as versitle as any thats been listed.  What type of shooting;

 

- Ground squirrels, prairie dogs in large alpha fields for several hundred yards, etc... probably want a scope with plenty of magnification.

 

If the critters are larger over a shorter distance then maybe the magnification won't be used. 

 

What I would be interested in finding out from the Bushnell Elite 6500 people is how clear is the optics is in the higher magnifications in the 4.5-30 scopes because if they’re clear all the way from the low to the high end, those would be very appealing.

 

I can say based on the scopes that I own, the Leupold VX-3/Zeiss Conquest comparisons are;

 

- Optical quality, draw.  If you're doing all the shooting in broad daylight the light gathering abilities become a moot point.

- Eye relief;  Zeiss.  Its constant through out the zoom range which is nice especially if your twisting the zoom knobs a lot.

- Internal elevation/wind controls;  Leupold 30mm models have plenty of travel.  The Zeiss is limited due to it being a 1" scope.  This may be a moot point if you're using one of these Varmint reticles and/or if your rig is pretty flat shooting. 

 

I can say from experience that the Nikon Monarch I have (6-24x50 FCD) gets a little hazy around 18x all the way up to 24x.  I can focus it out with SF knob but then there is a slight bit of parallax.

 

Jim

 
 
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Grand poo bah Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/08/2010 at 15:49
this is great feedback.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Grand poo bah Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/09/2010 at 12:05
ne one use the trijicon and the bushnell 6500
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pyro6999 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/09/2010 at 12:15
urimaginaryfrnd and rifledude do im surprised that neither has chimed in.


They call me "Boots"
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343 we will never forget

God Bless Chris Ledoux
"good ride cowboy"
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sparky Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/09/2010 at 13:00
Just an FYI there is a Trijicon 5-20x50 Accu-Point on the sample list for $750. Great scope but I think it only has about 50MOA of adjustment.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote biggreen747 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/09/2010 at 20:04
We measure it with a micrometer, mark it with a crayon, and cut it with a chainsaw.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Urimaginaryfrnd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/10/2010 at 15:37
Originally posted by pyro6999 pyro6999 wrote:

urimaginaryfrnd and rifledude do im surprised that neither has chimed in.


 
We arent allowed to talk to him till he switches to a La Rue mount. Roll on Floor Laughing
The Accupoint 5-20x50 is a very nice scope.  It only has 50 moa of internal adjustment but that is plenty for most applications out to at least 600 yds once past that life becomes much more expensive.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/10/2010 at 21:40
For around $500 your best bet is Vortex Viper 6.5-20x50.  It is a very nice scope that offers a lot for the money.

If you are willing to spend more, Sightron S3 6-24x50 would be my recommendation.

ILya
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