Precision rig II..."Budget" glass...

• Jul 22, 2011

• #1

Trumpet

SCSC/NRA life member. MSI member

Oct 29, 2005

2,083

Ok,
So I pretty much have decided on the FN SPR (just have to work out a way to pay for one ). Now, onto glass. Like I mentioned in my earlier post, I had a Leupold VariX III 3.5-10x L/R M3 scope. It was nice. Previously I had a SS 10x on my PSSs.
Now, it seems that in the past six or seven years, optics have gotten better and more affordable. Over on SH the general consensus is that I can now get a scope that is better and cheaper than the M3 I had. I'd like to stick to a $500-$600 budget. So, I was thinking of the following...

Bushnell Elite 6500 2.5-16 tactical $639
Vortex PST 2.5-10 $599
Sightron SIII 10x42 $549
Bushnell Elite 4200 3-12 tactical (Midway sale) $549
SWFA Group buy SS 10x42 HD $799
(includes Seekins rings, Kill flash, sunshade,
mildot master, and butler creeks)

Thoughts?

 

• Jul 22, 2011

• #2

Yoshi

Invictus

Jun 9, 2010

4,520

Someplace in Maryland

Can't speak for anything other than Vortex and SWFA. I would recommend both, but lean towards SWFA.

 

• Jul 22, 2011

• #3

Trumpet

SCSC/NRA life member. MSI member

Oct 29, 2005

2,083

I liked my old SS 10x42M. From what I've read, SWFA has since improved the quality on the SS line.

 

• Jul 22, 2011

• #4

hairba111

XGMG2

Feb 3, 2010

4,969

Close to Tim Hafer's shop, Hagerstown

Don't forget Burris. Mine is a bit more expensive than you want to pay but there are less expensive ones.

 

• Jul 22, 2011

• #5

kfrede86

Ultimate Member

Feb 22, 2010

1,559

St. Marys

Millett isn't too bad either. I have one and haven't had any problems with it.

 

• Jul 22, 2011

• #6

jpk1md

Ultimate Member

Jan 13, 2007

11,313

SWFA

 

• Jul 22, 2011

• #7

bulletbill

Agent provocateur

Dec 31, 2008

2,908

SW FL

Find some used Zeiss glass. Or spend just a little bit more;


Demo scopes on the bottom, carry full lifetime warranty. And they go to VA for warranty work. Fairly quick.
http://www.cameralandny.com/optics/zeiss.pl?page=521430

They have 6-20x50's too just on another page.

 

• Jul 22, 2011

• #8

R

Ron

Banned

BANNED!!!

Apr 2, 2011

957

I like my Millett TRS-1, great bang for the buck. Warranty is lifetime and done by Bushnell.

 

• Jul 22, 2011

• #9

IndispensableDestiny

Ultimate Member

Apr 1, 2009

2,347

Hazzard Precinct, Harford County, MD

If you like Leupold, you can get a Leupold 66270 VX-3 3.5-10x50mm for about $550. I'm about to get one for my deer rifle. I took the glass off that rifle to put on my SPGHR (special purpose, ground hog rifle).

 

• Jul 23, 2011

• #10

jimbobborg

Oddball caliber fan

Aug 2, 2010

17,120

Northern Virginia

Take a look at Nikon, too. Their M223 line isn't expensive, the glass is good, and you can get all of the tacticool addons for it.

Jim

 

• Jul 23, 2011

• #11

Trumpet

SCSC/NRA life member. MSI member

Oct 29, 2005

2,083

I want to stick with a 30mm tube. I was surprised to see that Weaver gets good reviews too.

 

• Jul 23, 2011

• #12

M

mdjamesd

Ultimate Member

Mar 6, 2007

1,726

Towson

http://www.samplelist.com/ViewProducts.aspx

 

• Jul 23, 2011

• #13

R

Ron

Banned

BANNED!!!

Apr 2, 2011

957

Trumpet said:

I want to stick with a 30mm tube. I was surprised to see that Weaver gets good reviews too.

Click to expand...

The Millett has a 30mm tube. On my AR in .223 and Rem 700 in .308 it has walked the box just fine and returns to zero. Taking it off the rifle then remounting it (Picatinny rail) it's within 1 click when remounted. Midway often has them on sale for $299.

 

• Jul 23, 2011

• #14

clandestine

AR-15 Savant

Oct 13, 2008

37,031

Elkton, MD

From whats mentioned I like
SWFA
Leupold
Weaver
Nikon

Burris is a crap opitic imho. Bad customer service too.

Vortex, Millett, and Bushnell are ......meh

 

• Jul 31, 2011

• #15

Trumpet

SCSC/NRA life member. MSI member

Oct 29, 2005

2,083

OK, my budget (much like my waistline) has expanded! I'm now looking at $850-1K. What are your thoughts on a used Mk IV M3?

 

• Jul 31, 2011

• #16

clandestine

AR-15 Savant

Oct 13, 2008

37,031

Elkton, MD

Trumpet said:

OK, my budget (much like my waistline) has expanded! I'm now looking at $850-1K. What are your thoughts on a used Mk IV M3?

Click to expand...

Sounds good. Be careful of fake Leupolds, VERY careful. Even the boxes look similar.

 

• Jul 31, 2011

• #17

JCB003

Ultimate Member

Sep 10, 2007

1,212

I've been looking for some glass to put on my 18" LaRue Stealth upper. So I started checking your links and found the SWFA SS 3-9x42 package that looks hard to beat for my purposes. Tons of positive reviews. Includes Bobro mount and other accessories.

 

• Jul 31, 2011

• #18

Yoshi

Invictus

Jun 9, 2010

4,520

Someplace in Maryland

SWFA is putting out some awesome glass. Can't wait to get my hands on their new HD FFP scope. Plus, their customer service rocks! Case in point: I blew out my windage knob when training with one of our industry partners. Called them immediately and they had a replacement in the mail that day w/out me even having to send mine in first.

 

• Aug 1, 2011

• #19

JamesBailey

Form Factor'ed!

Jan 28, 2010

873

Arlington VA

Trumpet said:

OK, my budget (much like my waistline) has expanded! I'm now looking at $850-1K. What are your thoughts on a used Mk IV M3?

Click to expand...

Good scope. You might want to consider saving another few hundred and get a Nightforce. A quality piece of glass lasts a life-time, unlike most things firearms. You will enjoy it every time you look thru it. I would go cheaper on the rifle before I went cheap on glass and/or ammo.

 

• Aug 1, 2011

• #20

Rockzilla

Ultimate Member

Feb 6, 2010

4,550

55.751244 / 37.618423

JamesBailey said:

Good scope. You might want to consider saving another few hundred and get a Nightforce. A quality piece of glass lasts a life-time, unlike most things firearms. You will enjoy it every time you look thru it. I would go cheaper on the rifle before I went cheap on glass and/or ammo.

Click to expand...

just like buying a high end sound systems, then speakers on the cheap..

SWFA.. Leupold, Nightforce, US Optics, and S&B. Spend a little more, it will be well worth it. I'm sold on S&B but hey, had the chance to look through one, and use it...sold..NF & USO are good too..just an opinion...

-Rock