Lightest scope with a 'tree' reticle and 25-30x top end, that isn't a POC

[FromMyColdDeadHand]

Bored. Looking to put together a really light rifle, mainly just because I've tended to over do rifles and make them beasts. Getting a Howa mini action to play with and was wondering about a light scope for it. Don't really care about the cool factor, just looking for a solid scope with a tree reticle and hopefully a 25x high end. I'm used to Premiers and Vortex Razors, but not looking for something that beefy. If going to 15-20x would give me a lot more options, I'd like to hear it. Don't have a weight target in mind, just wondering with out the ability to finger-fondle a bunch of scopes in person.

THX.

[Leaveammoforme]

I've owned two 1 inch tube Leupold VX-3's with the "Varmint" reticle. One was 4.5x14 and the other is 6x24.

I've since gotten rid of the 4.5 but both were nimbly bimbly. Might be worth the look as they aren't expensive or heavy and the reticle is very usable.

The 4.5x did have a better gross target ranging setup than the 6x.

https://www.leupold.com/reticles/reticle-varmint-hunters-13

[mebiuspower]

Vudu 5-25x

[FromMyColdDeadHand]

Vudu 5-25x

ZOnks. That's it, but was looking to spend less than that. Something between what you two mentioned, but forgot to add FFP.

[Tx_Aggie]

ZOnks. That's it, but was looking to spend less than that. Something between what you two mentioned, but forgot to add FFP.

What sort of price range are you wanting to stay within? Under $1500, under $1000?

[gunnerblue]

Bushnell LRTS 4.5-18

[FromMyColdDeadHand]

What sort of price range are you wanting to stay within? Under $1500, under $1000?

Between those. FFP, 10MIL rotation turrets and zero-stops with a feature reticle all start to add up I realize- but it amazing what the scope guys have done over the last decade.


Bushnell LRTS 4.5-18

That is looking interesting. A little heavy at 40oz.

It seems that the 56mm are 40ish oz, 50mm are 30oz and I found a Vortex that is 24oz

DIAMONDBACK TACTICAL 6-24X50 FFP, but no zero stop and 6MILS per rotation, MSRP is $500 explains why.

STRIKE EAGLE 5-25X56 FFP, 30oz due to more glass but 10MIL and zero lock on the turret.

RAZOR® HD LHT™3-15X42 HSR-5i (MRAD) Reticle | 30 mm Tube, 6MIL locking turrets, only 3-15x44, but 19oz... $1300

[Furbyballer]

Leupold mk5 5-25, NX8 2.5-20 and 4-32

[el_chingoton13]

I have a vortex diamondback tactical 6-24 and it gets cloudy over 20x and just picked up a strike eagle 5-25 and it's pretty great but the top end is so so. It'll be rare to be in the top end of the mag range.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Tx_Aggie]

Between those. FFP, 10MIL rotation turrets and zero-stops with a feature reticle all start to add up I realize- but it amazing what the scope guys have done over the last decade.

If you shop around there are some great deals to be had with those features. But there's also quite a few scopes that sacrifice quality in the name of adding lots of extras.



That is looking interesting. A little heavy at 40oz.


The LRTS that gunnerblue recommended isn't 40oz. It's 28 oz. And is a terrific scope. It's made in Japan by the same OEM that builds the Vortex Razors, all of the Bushell Elite Tactical scopes, and other higher end optics. Plus it checks all of your other boxes: FFP, 1 mil per Rev turrets with a zero stop, Tree type holdover reticle, and if you know where to look you can find them at or under $1k.

Open box demo for $720: https://cameralandny.com/shop/brands/bushnell/bushnell-elite-tactical-lrts-4-5-18x44mm-flat-dark-earth-ffp-g3-open-box/64cf9a60-8964-0138-cbe4-00163e6c3713?variation=2716221

Brand new un-opened for $999: https://cameralandny.com/shop/brands/bushnell/bushnell-elite-tactical-lrts-4-5-18x44mm-flat-dark-earth-ffp-g3/c32f12e0-363b-0138-8be7-00163ecd2826?variation=2153237



The DMR II is heavier at 34oz, but features a 34mm Tube and 50mm Objective, same Japanese glass and turrets as the LRTS.

Open box for $899: https://cameralandny.com/shop/brands/bushnell/bushnell-elite-tactical-dmr-ii-3-5-21x50-g3-open-box/cfb17f50-b23f-0137-15b2-00163e90e196?variation=1995546

Or NIB at GA Precision for $1199 with a free Kestrel: https://www.gaprecision.net/ga-store/optics/bushnell-dmr2-kestrel-deal-1.html

Both of the above vendors are legit. They ship quickly and often have very competitive prices. In fact I bought a Kestrel from Cameraland a month or so ago.






It seems that the 56mm are 40ish oz, 50mm are 30oz and I found a Vortex that is 24oz

DIAMONDBACK TACTICAL 6-24X50 FFP, but no zero stop and 6MILS per rotation, MSRP is $500 explains why.

STRIKE EAGLE 5-25X56 FFP, 30oz due to more glass but 10MIL and zero lock on the turret.

RAZOR® HD LHT™3-15X42 HSR-5i (MRAD) Reticle | 30 mm Tube, 6MIL locking turrets, only 3-15x44, but 19oz... $1300


I'm a fan of the higher end Vortex lines, but the Diamondback Tactical and new Strike Eagle are both made in China, and won't compare optically to the Bushnell Elite scopes or even to something like a Vortex Gen 2 PST. The new Strike Eagle is getting good reviews for it's price point, and I haven't had an opportunity to look through one personally so I can't say how close it comes to a PST. I have played with the Diamonback Tactical scopes and if your budget can swing $1000 there are much, much better options.

The new Razor LHT 3-15 scopes are optically very nice, built in Japan by the same OEM that builds the Gen 2 Razor tactical scopes, and very light. They are also SFP, and have hunting oriented reticles instead of the christmas tree type you said you were looking for. But they're also tailor made for a lightweight, long range hunting rifle.

Really the scope that Bushnell LRTS is a nearly perfect fit for what you describe. Japanese glass, a proven optical design that's been around for a while, 248oz, 10 mil per rev locking elevation turret with zero stop, christmas tree reticle, and priced right at $1000 (the same as a lot of scopes that are made in China (nearly all Athlon) or the Philippines (Gen 2 PST, Burris XTRII)). If you want and illuminated reticle, for an extra $100 you have that option also.

[JoshNC]

NF NX8 2.5-20.