Long range scope

[Sandman]

I am looking for suggestions on a long range scope (~1000 yards). I have a .308 and want to max out its capabilities. I need ideas from people who shoot long range. Money isn't a factor (within reason)...so let's hear it!

[broylz]

the best one for no budget, ino, is the nightforce nsx 5.5-22x50 which will run about 1600+ depending on where you look. for half of that cost, id probably choose a bushnell elite 6500 4.5-30x.

that said, what kind of .308 do you have? just because it shoots .308 doesnt necessarily mean its capable of repeated 1000 yard shots. most shooters cant either so i assume you will also be getting the proper range time and possibly some training?

[Jasongar8]

Nightforce.

[Magiccarpetrides]

If your on a budget go to swfa or Quality optics and accessories from Leupold, Bushnell, Burris, Nikon and more! the swfa (tasco) super sniper 10x is a great buy in the $275 range

[mcurrier]

Vortex Razor HD 5-20x50

[nightrunner]

Swarovski or nightforce is good, maybe see if leupold has a high enough powered scope for 1000yd.

[Guest josh123]

If your on a budget go to swfa or Quality optics and accessories from Leupold, Bushnell, Burris, Nikon and more! the swfa (tasco) super sniper 10x is a great buy in the $275 range

ditto!! but be careful if you end up purchasing here that you make sure what grade it it...these are all used to some extent and they rate them in 3 grades, demo a,b,and c a being near new, b having slight wear and or minor signs of use, and c obvious wear.. i have personally bought all 3 grades and they are pretty accurate i would not reccomend purchasing a demo c but the other 2 i have purchased were rated demo a and demo b and both looked brand new

i have a nikon monarch 8-32x50 on my rem 700 and i couldnt be happier..if i remember correctly i paid a little over $600 for it

[Links2k]

I have the Nikon Monarch 6-24x50 on my 700SPS Tactical. I agree with Josh. They can be had for a llittle over $600.

[Guest DaG]

Money isn't a factor (within reason)...so let's hear it!

U.S. Optics or Schmidt and Bender

[Sandman]

U.S. Optics or Schmidt and Bender

Ha ha ha I was waiting on that one. That might be a little too much...the nightforce is about the limit I think.

[Sandman]

the best one for no budget, ino, is the nightforce nsx 5.5-22x50 which will run about 1600+ depending on where you look. for half of that cost, id probably choose a bushnell elite 6500 4.5-30x.

that said, what kind of .308 do you have? just because it shoots .308 doesnt necessarily mean its capable of repeated 1000 yard shots. most shooters cant either so i assume you will also be getting the proper range time and possibly some training?

A remy 700. I have had some training and plan on getting plenty of range time once it warms up.

[Guest BigJ45]

It all depends on what kind of shooting you are going to do. I have a Leupold 24x target scope on my 1000 yd prone gun that is used just for 1000 yd target shooting and it is fine for the job. But on my long range hunting/tactical rifle I just replaced a VX-3 6.5-20 with a NXS 5.5-22. This is my first NF scope and so far I am considering it money well spent and wishing I could afford to replace all my Leupolds with NF's.

[RWF]

just keep in mine what you want this set up to do. 1k gun only or be able to shoot 300 to 1k.

the NF or Vortex HD should have the adjustment range.

because say you use a 20 MOA scope mount and a 1" scope tube with a low moa range of adjustment you may not be able to hit a 300 yard target just shoot over the top of it.

[Sandman]

just keep in mine what you want this set up to do. 1k gun only or be able to shoot 300 to 1k.

the NF or Vortex HD should have the adjustment range.

because say you use a 20 MOA scope mount and a 1" scope tube with a low moa range of adjustment you may not be able to hit a 300 yard target just shoot over the top of it.

Good point. I would like to shoot 300-1000 yard ranges.

[Guest Gopher6]

If you're using a NF, Leupold or other high end scope, you won't need a 20 minute base, they have enough elevation range to cover 100 to 1000 yards.

[Chris]

You can't beat Swarovski's optics! They aren't cheap, but worth every penny.

[Guest DaG]

If you're using a NF, Leupold or other high end scope, you won't need a 20 minute base, they have enough elevation range to cover 100 to 1000 yards.

My leupold MK4 8.5x25 LRT has 51 mins up and 37 mins down. With a 20 MOA base I still have to put on 33-34 mins over my 100 yd zero with a 175 SMK @ almost 2700 FPS. If you're gonna shoot at 1K, you will want a 20 MOA base....just about guarantee that. Even the guys shootin' 6.5x284 barrel burners are runnin a base. For 308 with a short barrel and lower velocity you want all the added adjustment you can get. Just my 02. BigJ45 chime in here.....

DaG

[broylz]

IOR is another good company to look at.

as stated above, pretty well count on gettign a 20MOA base. TPS makes a budget friendly option and is availible from SWFA. i also like their rings.

stay away from anything in the 1" tube range as it limits the amount of travel. most will be 30mm tubes with a few being 35mm and fewer being bigger than that. the tube diameter will determine the amount of travel it will be capable of to some extent. the rest is mechanical. the size of the objective determines the amount of light that passes through which helps with field of view and contrast. i would go with a 50 or 56mm to get to 1000 but if its going to be a bit more portable and shoot closer in a majority of the time, id go down as far as 40-50mm

[RWF]

My leupold MK4 8.5x25 LRT has 51 mins up and 37 mins down. With a 20 MOA base I still have to put on 33-34 mins over my 100 yd zero with a 175 SMK @ almost 2700 FPS. If you're gonna shoot at 1K, you will want a 20 MOA base....just about guarantee that. Even the guys shootin' 6.5x284 barrel burners are runnin a base. For 308 with a short barrel and lower velocity you want all the added adjustment you can get. Just my 02. BigJ45 chime in here.....

DaG

+1 also try to stay MOA/MOA or MILS/MILS. it will make things easier on you.

[Magiccarpetrides]

I just watched Tactical Arms....Larry Vickers uses a Schmidt and Bender on his .308 and .338...so you should too :-D

[Guest BigJ45]

My leupold MK4 8.5x25 LRT has 51 mins up and 37 mins down. With a 20 MOA base I still have to put on 33-34 mins over my 100 yd zero with a 175 SMK @ almost 2700 FPS. If you're gonna shoot at 1K, you will want a 20 MOA base....just about guarantee that. Even the guys shootin' 6.5x284 barrel burners are runnin a base. For 308 with a short barrel and lower velocity you want all the added adjustment you can get. Just my 02. BigJ45 chime in here.....

DaG

OK. What distance are you zeroed when you still have 51 moa up? Without the 20 moa base you still have to put the same 33-34 moa on to get you from 100 to 1000, all the base does is change where you are in your adjustment range inside your scope. Scopes function better when the adjustments aren't near their maximum in either direction. Say my goal is to be able to shoot from 100 to 1000 and I know I need 30ish moa of adjustment. Then I mount a scope on a 20 moa base and find that at 100 yds I only have a few clicks down left but have 70+ moa up then I am going to put a flat base on it and still have 50 moa of up adj. But If I mount one on a flat base and when zeroed at 100 find that I only have 35 moa up left then I am going to put a 20 moa base on it and give myself 55 moa. Some rifle/scope combinations need elevation in the base and others don't but in my experience most (not all I learned last month) will zero at 100 with a few moa adjustment to spare on a 20 moa base. I personally don't like to use last 5 moa of adjustment in a scope if I can help it.

[Guest DaG]

OK. What distance are you zeroed when you still have 51 moa up?

Me thinks you misunderstand me. 51 is total mins up so sayeth Leupold. Not 51 mins up from 100. Ask me how we came to that conclusion. I distinctly remember the sickening sound of Nitrogen escaping from the elevation turret at your place.......not that you had a part in it but I do remember you laughing hysterically.

[Guest BigJ45]

Me thinks you misunderstand me. 51 is total mins up so sayeth Leupold. Not 51 mins up from 100. Ask me how we came to that conclusion. I distinctly remember the sickening sound of Nitrogen escaping from the elevation turret at your place.......not that you had a part in it but I do remember you laughing hysterically.

Well, it was one of the funniest things I have ever witnesses first hand. I mean you had just paid lots of money for a scope that came with the detachable turret option at no extra cost. A Mk4 8.5-25 is supposed to have somewhere around 75 total minutes of elevation adjustment but if I were you I wouldn't use those last 25 or so either, for fear of hearing a whoosh again. lol