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Rabbit hole - NXS, Toric, Leupy or Swaro? |
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CrazyEddie
Optics GrassHopper Joined: December/27/2018 Location: GA Status: Offline Points: 43 |
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Posted: January/15/2019 at 09:39 |
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My search for a scope has gone off on so many tangents, but all due to additional great information (including in large part posts on this forum, and reviews by Koshkin and others). By way of background, this is going to be put on a Cooper 25-06 used primarily for hunting, where low light is critical. Ranges are *typically* under 200 yards, but I'd like to spend/cry once and have this scope serve as a longer-range option when the opportunity presents itself (for that or other rifles).
I've currently narrowed my choices down to the following, in order of price, with some pros and cons. These all fall within about a $250 price range.
Thanks in advance for any thoughts. FWIW, I'm leaning towards the Toric. |
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bugsNbows
Optics God bowsNbugs Joined: March/10/2008 Location: North Georgia Status: Offline Points: 11201 |
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I'd sacrifice the illumination and go light... Swaro. AAMOF, I had (and sold) a Cooper in 25-06. The first scope on it was a NXS. That thing wore my nabby azz out toting through the woods. A Swaro went on next.
Another option would be to find a Kahles KXi 3.5-10 x 50. I have one with the illuminated 4D dot. Awesome glass and not heavy (there aren't many 1" tubed illuminated scopes around).
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koshkin
MODERATOR Dark Lord of Optics Joined: June/15/2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 13182 |
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If low light is important, keep the reticle illuminated.
If you are willing to put up with a little weight, the best low light scope for the money is probably Meopta Meostar R1 3-12x56. They are right around $1k mark, including the new dichroic reticle they are introducing at SHOT next week. ILya
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Scrumbag
Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: October/22/2013 Location: London, UK Status: Offline Points: 4205 |
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Get the Z5i...
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Was sure I had a point when I started this post...
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koshkin
MODERATOR Dark Lord of Optics Joined: June/15/2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 13182 |
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Doesn't exist in the US (not sure about Europe). Here, Swarovski only illuminates Z6, Z8 and X5. ILya
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mike650
Optics God Joined: May/14/2006 Location: West of Rockies Status: Offline Points: 14569 |
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Swaro is coming out with a new z5 2.4-12x50 |
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“A hunt based only on trophies taken falls far short of what the ultimate goal should be.” – Fred Bear
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Rancid Coolaid
MODERATOR Joined: January/19/2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 9318 |
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Define how you hunt, please. If this is a walk-about/stalker, your list is pretty wrong for the hunting type. If it is a sit-in-a-stand-with-good-support, these are good options. I had a 25-06 many years ago and have regretted selling it since I did.
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Respect is something you earn. Equality is something you whine about not being given. |
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koshkin
MODERATOR Dark Lord of Optics Joined: June/15/2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 13182 |
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It will be a nice scope I am sure, but it is still not illuminated. Given the advances in technology in the last several years, at this stage in the game, I would not buy a $1k or over hunting scope without reticle illumination (except in places where they do not allow it, obviously). ILya
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mike650
Optics God Joined: May/14/2006 Location: West of Rockies Status: Offline Points: 14569 |
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Great advise. 👍
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“A hunt based only on trophies taken falls far short of what the ultimate goal should be.” – Fred Bear
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Rancid Coolaid
MODERATOR Joined: January/19/2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 9318 |
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Slap an $8,000 Gen3+ clip-on in front of it and boom, problem: solved. I specialize in problem solving via Rube Goldberg philosophy. And I can make better recommendations if I know how you hunt. For the record, I hunt, far too much, my wife would say, so this isn't coming from a place of academic inquiry.
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Freedom is something you take.
Respect is something you earn. Equality is something you whine about not being given. |
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CrazyEddie
Optics GrassHopper Joined: December/27/2018 Location: GA Status: Offline Points: 43 |
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Good question - sorry to have neglected to give those details. My current hunting is from a stand with support.
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CrazyEddie
Optics GrassHopper Joined: December/27/2018 Location: GA Status: Offline Points: 43 |
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Thanks for this suggestion, and for the Kahles. I'm not familiar with either (which isn't saying much). My spreadsheet is getting more complicated - but part of the fun for me is the "hunt" for the right gear! Based only on a cursory review of their site, it looks like the RGD is only 23oz, and I'm looking for the details about the dichroic reticles. That option would have to add a lot of weight to come close to the NXS (30oz) or the Toric (34oz). Glad to hear the positive thoughts on the 25-06. I've still never shot it, and I bought it totally on a whim as a way to change things up from my 30-06.
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cyborg
Optics God Gaseous Clay Joined: August/24/2007 Location: North Georgia Status: Offline Points: 12288 |
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25-06 is a fantastic round. Based on what you have listed, the Toric is a good option. Schott glass and illuminated reticle. For low light though, and I hunt here in Ga as well. I would take Ilya's advice and look for a 56mm objective. Especially when you are hunting in a thick young Pine covered cut-over. It gets really dark in there during legal hours. I personally use many different scopes for the various purposes.(I'm kinda spoiled like that) but if I didn't have the money to spend more than 2000 dollars for the scope and rings etc, I would go with the Trijicon Accupower 4.5-30x56. I have one and love it. It doesn't have the Schott Glass, but it's a fantastic scope in the price range. It isn't light weight though. But for your purpose of potentially going to other applications and still can hunt. It's an option.
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An armed public are citizens. A disarmed public are subjects. OATH KEEPER #8233 Support us, and join our cause. Cyborg |
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Rancid Coolaid
MODERATOR Joined: January/19/2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 9318 |
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If it is from a stand and with good support, it doesn't really matter that it is heavy. That said, "heavy" isn't necessary. And you will eventually be in the brush shooting it offhand, so keep weight as a factor, just not "the" factor. Having owned several NSX series scopes (and still have one), I can say people don't buy Nightforce for low light performance - or glass quality in general. They are very accurate and very repeatable, and durable. For what you are doing, you don't really need a nightforce. Last question (maybe): do you spin turrets or dope the reticle? |
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Freedom is something you take.
Respect is something you earn. Equality is something you whine about not being given. |
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koshkin
MODERATOR Dark Lord of Optics Joined: June/15/2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 13182 |
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Even without the dichroic reticle, Meopta's normal illumination control is very good. ILya
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cbm
Optics Journeyman Joined: January/11/2008 Location: SC Status: Offline Points: 580 |
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They have some good deals on Swarovski's right now on the samplelist. I personally would lean toward the Z6 1.7-10X42 plex over the Z5 3-18x44 plex(or BRH). Swarovski really is all over the place on reticle thickness, with the Z5 having some of the thinnest. You can go on their website and look up every model with every reticle thickness. It changes a lot from model to model and even from different size scopes in the same model line(Z3, Z5, Z6,etc.).
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CrazyEddie
Optics GrassHopper Joined: December/27/2018 Location: GA Status: Offline Points: 43 |
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I received a price alert ($860) on the Leupold VX-5HD, and it was such a good deal, it made me wonder why no one recommended it. I think I made a mistake. I now see that the comparable (at least price-wise) model is the VX-6HD, so I've relisted the 4 scopes below, this time with the prices I've seen, in case there is additional input (and while I await the report on the Meostar).
Thanks! Ed
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cbm
Optics Journeyman Joined: January/11/2008 Location: SC Status: Offline Points: 580 |
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Click on the SL on the top right of this forum page. The other day they had a Z5 3-18X44 for $999 and several Z6 1.7-10x42. If I remember right , there was a plex for $1299 or $1399 and a BRH for $1400 or so. They may have some of your other choices on there too. In the past, I have found their ratings to be better than expected.........so an A is basically new, a B is practically new, a C is about normal use.....at least that has been my experience. I was always pleasantly suprised at how good some of the B condition scopes were.
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Rancid Coolaid
MODERATOR Joined: January/19/2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 9318 |
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I don't do much with Leupold products, but I would find it difficult to believe their glass is anywhere near as good as Swaro Z5 or higher. I have had great success with Swaro. I have had great failure with Leupold.
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Freedom is something you take.
Respect is something you earn. Equality is something you whine about not being given. |
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supertool73
Optics God Superstool Joined: January/03/2008 Status: Offline Points: 11814 |
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I own the Leupold VX5 and VX6. They are both excellent scopes and the fire dot illumination system is superb. Optically they are very good, but not quite as good as a Swaro z6. But they are more than sufficient to get you well past legal shooting times. The ZL dials are awesome IMO. I am a huge fan of these scopes and for the money they offer a lot of scope. I sold my Z6 after I got the VX6. Optically it was a bit better, but the ZL dials gave it so much more IMO.
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