Newb Questions for Precision Optics

[danieljmaunder]

Good Evening All,

I am in process of building a Precision 308 Rifle for shooting out to 1,000 Yard. I have the actual rifle specced out, but my main questions are about the optics. As stated earlier, I will be shooting out to 1.000 Yards.

I have little to no experience shooting at longer ranges so I may need some help with Mils, VS. MOA, although all my previous scopes have been MOA. The First thing I hear everyone ask, is what is your budget. My budget is $6,000 as I want to have a very nice optic So I suppose what is comes down to are

Brands,

Magnification range for maximum 1,000 Yard Shots,

The scope must have an illuminated reticle, ( I may use this for low /no light shooting )

Mils or MOA, ( I can learn to use Mils )

As stated earlier I am new to long range precision shooting so Please bear with me.

Thanks

Daniel J Maunder

[jmnielsen]

While I'm no expert, and haven't used some of the "tier one" optics, I will give you my opinion.

I'm a huge fan of Vortex Optics, especially the fact that if you happen to have any sort of issue it can be warrantied without question. However, if I could get one scope my choice would be the SWFA SS HD 5-20x50. It's illuminated and $1500. SWFA puts out some VERY high quality optics, and I can't imagine you would need more than 20x for 1000 yards. As far as mils or MOA, I would say that it's personal preference. I do think though, that you will have more options going mil/mil.

[Kenneth]

6 grand for just an optic. That's pure craziness.

I agree with the above about Vortex. I do not own one but never read or heard anything bad about them. Always positive experiences with them as well.

[markm]

For what it's worth, and illuminated reticle is almost useless. There's about a 20 minute window as the sun drops where it's slightly beneficial. Before that, you don't need it. And after that, it's to dark to see the target, and the reticle being lit up only makes it worse.

If you have that kind of money to spend, I'd get a Nightforce and add a NOD to the front of the stock. For 2k you can get a great optic and have 4k left over for a very nice NOD.

Other than that, you can go Schmidt and Bender.... But for .308 a 12 or 15 power variable FFP Nightforce is more than adequate. I never felt under glassed with a fixed 10 at 1000 yards. And any time I get on someone's gun with a 15 or 22 power, I dial it back to 10 or 12 for better FOV and less mirage anyway.

[danieljmaunder]

Thank You,

I think at this point a Nightforce 3.5-15x50 with a Front Focal Plane is going to be the best option.

[markm]

Thank You,

I think at this point a Nightforce 3.5-15x50 with a Front Focal Plane is going to be the best option.

I think that's what's on my .308 now. It's a loaner from Pappabear.

[JWR075]

For that kind of cash there are a ton of quality options.

Nightforce (I have an NXS 12-42 on one of my varmint rifles and love it for long range and I also have 2.5-10x42 on my hunting rifle and it is also a awesome scope)
S&B
Premier (I do not have one of their scopes, but I do have a conversion done by them and it is a very nice scope)
Hensoldt
March (Have one of their BR scopes (straight 50) and love it, but not cheap and one must really know how to read mirage and wind)
Leupold (I run many Leupolds on different rifles and never had any major problems but slowly starting to replace them with either Nightforce or Vortex)
Vortex (starting to switch over to Vortex from Leupold on my varmint rifles, great customer service and I personally have never had an issue with the ones I have)
U.S. Optics

The list is long once you start looking at the models and reticle options that each company offers. As for reticle that is something that is best found out by looking thru the scope and everyone has their own personal opinion. I like a mil reticle because I find some of the other options start to become to much when trying to focus on the target, the wind and also having to deal with reading the mirage, but that is just my opinion. I would suggest trying to find a local dealer who has or can get a NF for you to look at and start from there.

[markm]

That's a good point too. Knowing what reticle you like is huge. I like a plain old Mil Dot reticle. I've nearly broken shots on the wrong half mil mark because plain old cross hair style mil and half mil reticles aren't optimal in my brain.

Another reason I dial down on FFP Scopes it to get the whole reticle a little smaller in the sight picture relative to the target. If I dial up too much I get lost in a busy reticle.

[JWR075]

Markm brought up something else important and that is one needs to think about if they want FFP or SFP, First Focal Plane or Second Focal Plane and one must decide which works best for them.

[markm]

I do prefer First Focal Plain for the above reason.... I like to dial down and shrink the reticle. Also... I'd forget to dial up to mil targets if I had a 2nd Focal plain.

Our shooting spot is low to the ground and often very difficult to laser targets through the bushes. 3 weeks back I had to old school mil our 400 yard target to confirm that it wasn't actually at 300 or 500.

FFP works good for guys like me who make mental errors.