My Five Favorite Scopes
A smart shooter is probably thinking that articles with opinions on scopes are like assholes: everyone has one and everyone thinks that everyone else's stinks. The issue with scopes generally however is that there are a lot of good scopes out there and there is also a lot of trash out there. Among the good scopes, there are also quite a few that are significantly overpriced and there are few scopes out there which work well for every possible application. Actually, there are no scopes that work well for every possible application.
When it comes to scopes, there are three things that are important: the glass, the turrets, and the parallax. When you pay big money for a scope you are generally paying for quality of glass. This is the number one consideration for a scope purchase because just about any company can make a scope that provides clarity on a sunny and clear day. The problem is that many of these scopes are a shit sandwich when it comes to the quality of workmanship on other aspects of the scope that are just as important. It never ceases to amaze me when people put shitty glass on a good rifle and then blame the rifle when they have performance issues.
This article comes with a caveat. I was trained using a mil dot style reticle and that is what I have a strong preference for. If you prefer MOA, that's fine. Most of these scopes offer MOA turrets and reticles as an option. I have never been a fan of ballistic reticles because - in my experience - they just don't work. Another thing I can't stand is when a company produces a scope with MOA turrets and a MIL reticle. My biggest question is WHY? Finally, readers will notice that for long range optics I have a strong preference for first focal plane scopes and the reason for this is because it allows you to use that mil style reticle to the greatest degree possible for quick elevation holds and for ranging. So, without further ado, here are my top five.
5. Swampfox Arrowhead LPVO
I use the 1 - 10x version of this scope on rifles that are not designed to shoot very far. I have one on my 7.62x39 AR-15, a 300 Blackout AR-15, a short barrel 300 Blackout bolt action, and a DSA made FAL. This is the least expensive scope on the list but it works very well on a platform that is not designed for shots beyond 300 yards. The glass is pretty decent, the turrets are passable, and it can be adjusted without any special tools. The range of adjustment on the illuminated reticle is good for a variety of conditions (I prefer green over red illumination) and there is no reason you shouldn't be able to consistently make good shots on any target within 300 yards (the realistic maximum range for these weapons) using this particular scope. There is no parallax adjustment and that is a major drawback to this scope when shooting it at maximum power. It is a second focal plane scope but, with a low power variable optic, this does not offer the same kind of disadvantage that it would on a long range platform. A step up from this would be the this offering from Athlon optics which incorporates an equally good reticle on the first focal plane and better quality turrets. I like the Athlon on short barrel rifles chambered in 5.56mm (which offers increased range. I am well aware that the FAL, being chambered in 7.62x51, is considered better for long range than a 5.56mm - but the FAL is a 3 MOA gun at best and I wouldn't be comfortable using it for shots beyond 300 yards
4. Vortex Viper PST Gen 2 3-15x44 FFP
This is a great scope with a great warranty from Vortex. I have consistently made 1,000 yard shots with this scope using precision AR-15s chambered in both 5.56mm and 6.5 Grendel. The EBR-7 reticle is a "Christmas Tree" style reticle that allows for good self-spotting and quick follow up shots. The glass is good quality and the turrets are a major improvement from earlier versions of this scope. I will say that I do not like the fact that they use set screws on the turrets to hold them in place as this makes it more likely for things to come loose and for the turrets themselves to be damaged. The parallax adjustment is quite good and this scope is all most people need to get into long range precision shooting at a reasonable price point. The reasonable weight is another great feature of the Vortex.
3. Nightforce SHV 4-14x50mm F1
This is one of my favorite hunting scopes from Nightforce. It is a bit heavy for a hunting scope but offers some of the best parallax adjustment for a scope I have seen at this price point, good turrets, a reticle that will not make your eyes water looking through it all day, and an illuminated reticle to boot. It is a no frills offering from nightforce that doesn't have some of the features seen on scopes I ranked higher on this list. However, for a price of $1,250.00, it's hard to go wrong with this one. It actually sits on top of my Remington 700 .308 Winchester precision rifle and I have made shots with it out to 1,250 yards. If you don't need illumination, a scope at the same price point which is actually better than the Nightforce can be found here from the same company that made my #1 offering.
2. Leupold Mark5 HD
Leupold ranks high on this list for every good reason in the world. The Mark 5 actually came out after the Mark 6 and Mark 8 series and, with this offering, Leupold made a scope available in a variety of zoom and reticle choices which, while expensive, is hard to go wrong with. The parallax adjustment is excellent and Leupold avoided the tendency to put range markers on their parallax knob (which are rarely accurate). My preference is the PR2-MIL-FFP offering which sits atop my Lone Star Armory AR-10 chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor. This scope offers some of the best quality of glass on this list and the only drawback to it is the fact that, when considering its features, it is the most expensive option I have given here. At 30oz it weighs the same as the Nightforce but doesn't feature an illuminated reticle. It beat out the Nightforce for quality of glass alone.
1. Tract Toric 30mm LR 4-20x50 FFP MRAD
This is my favorite scope. It is absolutely loaded with features. It has everything that you need and nothing that you don't. The parallax on this scope rivals what I have seen on scopes that cost $1,000.00 more. They got away from using set screws on the actual turrets - which are incredibly robust in their own right - and the glass is comparable to what you will get from Leupold or Nightforce. They offer a great warranty and a price that I would say is below market value (if you wait for a sale, this scope can be had for less than $1,000.00). The zero stop isn't a pain to install and everything about this scope screams quality. The only drawback is the weight; at 34 ounces it is the heaviest scope on this list by a four ounces. I am fine with hauling around a little extra weight for this level of quality, but I know this can yield quite a bit of extra pain on a hunt. Still, if that extra weight gets me an animal where another scope might not, I am happy to carry it (and this scope is built like a tank so I don't worry so much about my zero being knocked off by airline baggage handlers). Again, Tract's Toric Hunt Series featured here offers many of the same features in a lighter weight package coming in at 28.3 oz (although I did not like the range of parallax adjustment as much on the Hunt Series). I have Toric scopes on my 300 WinMag precision rifle (her name is Matilda and she is my favorite rifle), my 300 WinMag hunting rifle, and my ultralight 6.5 Grendel hunting rifle.
When it comes to scopes, there are three things that are important: the glass, the turrets, and the parallax. When you pay big money for a scope you are generally paying for quality of glass. This is the number one consideration for a scope purchase because just about any company can make a scope that provides clarity on a sunny and clear day. The problem is that many of these scopes are a shit sandwich when it comes to the quality of workmanship on other aspects of the scope that are just as important. It never ceases to amaze me when people put shitty glass on a good rifle and then blame the rifle when they have performance issues.
This article comes with a caveat. I was trained using a mil dot style reticle and that is what I have a strong preference for. If you prefer MOA, that's fine. Most of these scopes offer MOA turrets and reticles as an option. I have never been a fan of ballistic reticles because - in my experience - they just don't work. Another thing I can't stand is when a company produces a scope with MOA turrets and a MIL reticle. My biggest question is WHY? Finally, readers will notice that for long range optics I have a strong preference for first focal plane scopes and the reason for this is because it allows you to use that mil style reticle to the greatest degree possible for quick elevation holds and for ranging. So, without further ado, here are my top five.
5. Swampfox Arrowhead LPVO
I use the 1 - 10x version of this scope on rifles that are not designed to shoot very far. I have one on my 7.62x39 AR-15, a 300 Blackout AR-15, a short barrel 300 Blackout bolt action, and a DSA made FAL. This is the least expensive scope on the list but it works very well on a platform that is not designed for shots beyond 300 yards. The glass is pretty decent, the turrets are passable, and it can be adjusted without any special tools. The range of adjustment on the illuminated reticle is good for a variety of conditions (I prefer green over red illumination) and there is no reason you shouldn't be able to consistently make good shots on any target within 300 yards (the realistic maximum range for these weapons) using this particular scope. There is no parallax adjustment and that is a major drawback to this scope when shooting it at maximum power. It is a second focal plane scope but, with a low power variable optic, this does not offer the same kind of disadvantage that it would on a long range platform. A step up from this would be the this offering from Athlon optics which incorporates an equally good reticle on the first focal plane and better quality turrets. I like the Athlon on short barrel rifles chambered in 5.56mm (which offers increased range. I am well aware that the FAL, being chambered in 7.62x51, is considered better for long range than a 5.56mm - but the FAL is a 3 MOA gun at best and I wouldn't be comfortable using it for shots beyond 300 yards
4. Vortex Viper PST Gen 2 3-15x44 FFP
This is a great scope with a great warranty from Vortex. I have consistently made 1,000 yard shots with this scope using precision AR-15s chambered in both 5.56mm and 6.5 Grendel. The EBR-7 reticle is a "Christmas Tree" style reticle that allows for good self-spotting and quick follow up shots. The glass is good quality and the turrets are a major improvement from earlier versions of this scope. I will say that I do not like the fact that they use set screws on the turrets to hold them in place as this makes it more likely for things to come loose and for the turrets themselves to be damaged. The parallax adjustment is quite good and this scope is all most people need to get into long range precision shooting at a reasonable price point. The reasonable weight is another great feature of the Vortex.
3. Nightforce SHV 4-14x50mm F1
This is one of my favorite hunting scopes from Nightforce. It is a bit heavy for a hunting scope but offers some of the best parallax adjustment for a scope I have seen at this price point, good turrets, a reticle that will not make your eyes water looking through it all day, and an illuminated reticle to boot. It is a no frills offering from nightforce that doesn't have some of the features seen on scopes I ranked higher on this list. However, for a price of $1,250.00, it's hard to go wrong with this one. It actually sits on top of my Remington 700 .308 Winchester precision rifle and I have made shots with it out to 1,250 yards. If you don't need illumination, a scope at the same price point which is actually better than the Nightforce can be found here from the same company that made my #1 offering.
2. Leupold Mark5 HD
Leupold ranks high on this list for every good reason in the world. The Mark 5 actually came out after the Mark 6 and Mark 8 series and, with this offering, Leupold made a scope available in a variety of zoom and reticle choices which, while expensive, is hard to go wrong with. The parallax adjustment is excellent and Leupold avoided the tendency to put range markers on their parallax knob (which are rarely accurate). My preference is the PR2-MIL-FFP offering which sits atop my Lone Star Armory AR-10 chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor. This scope offers some of the best quality of glass on this list and the only drawback to it is the fact that, when considering its features, it is the most expensive option I have given here. At 30oz it weighs the same as the Nightforce but doesn't feature an illuminated reticle. It beat out the Nightforce for quality of glass alone.
1. Tract Toric 30mm LR 4-20x50 FFP MRAD
This is my favorite scope. It is absolutely loaded with features. It has everything that you need and nothing that you don't. The parallax on this scope rivals what I have seen on scopes that cost $1,000.00 more. They got away from using set screws on the actual turrets - which are incredibly robust in their own right - and the glass is comparable to what you will get from Leupold or Nightforce. They offer a great warranty and a price that I would say is below market value (if you wait for a sale, this scope can be had for less than $1,000.00). The zero stop isn't a pain to install and everything about this scope screams quality. The only drawback is the weight; at 34 ounces it is the heaviest scope on this list by a four ounces. I am fine with hauling around a little extra weight for this level of quality, but I know this can yield quite a bit of extra pain on a hunt. Still, if that extra weight gets me an animal where another scope might not, I am happy to carry it (and this scope is built like a tank so I don't worry so much about my zero being knocked off by airline baggage handlers). Again, Tract's Toric Hunt Series featured here offers many of the same features in a lighter weight package coming in at 28.3 oz (although I did not like the range of parallax adjustment as much on the Hunt Series). I have Toric scopes on my 300 WinMag precision rifle (her name is Matilda and she is my favorite rifle), my 300 WinMag hunting rifle, and my ultralight 6.5 Grendel hunting rifle.
Comments
Post a Comment