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Black Diamond or Sightron SIII for varmint/bench

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mikep View Drop Down
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    Posted: December/10/2010 at 23:01

First off, I have read up as much as I think possible and think I have narrowed down to a few scopes that may fit what I am looking for.

 

The first rifle I am looking for a scope for is a Rock River Varmint AR with a 24in bull barrel.  I am not looking for a dedicated varmint rig but something for informal bench shooting as well.  For varmint it would be limited by my current ability to 350-400 yards.  I would like to be able to stretch it to 600 on 10x10 inch steel for informal bench. 

 

I am looking at the Burris Black Diamond 6-24x50 or the Sightron SIII 6-24x50.  If there is another scope in this range I am welcome to ideas.  One I hear alot about but am not ready to try is the Vortex.  I hear alot of good and only a little bad press, but I'm going to wait just a bit.

 

 

The second rifle I am having a hard time deciding is another Rock River, but this is the LAR-8 with a 26 inch bull barrel.  This will be a 90% informal bench rifle on 10x10 steel out to as far as I am capable, I would like to get to 1000 but have never had a set up capable.  I bought this rifle just to have fun with.  I have been tempted by the Black Diamond or Sightron SIII in 8-32 but realize there will be a lot of scope power not used often.  I am in Texas and would not mind using this for longer range hogs, 200-500 yards from a rest.

 

For both of these rifles, I am not limited by weight and will be shooting from a rest or bipod most of the time.  I am not looking for something "Tactical" but something with at least a easy to use target turret and ample internal adjustment.  I am not set on these mag ranges but am pretty sure it is what I am looking for on the .223 on the .308  I'm tempted to go smaller, but with what.

 

Thanks,

 

Mike  

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Rancid Coolaid View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rancid Coolaid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/11/2010 at 10:56
First and foremost, I am no big fan of >20X optics, they show too much movement on the reticle and the FOV is necessarily small.

That said, I really like the S3, controls are good, glass is good, it is an entirely usable optic, and a great deal in its price range.


Your LAR-8 might be a 1MOA gun (which would give hits on a 10x10 at 1,000 yards, with many assumptions) but plan on it not being a 1MOA on most days.  I would set up the .308 for the shots you will be taking, not the shots you might be taking.

In my humble opinion, 6-24 is too much.  6X on the low end is high, and 20+ on the high end is only usable under certain conditions.  Add to that the potential mirage at higher magnifications (Texas can get warm) and the value of a 6-20 diminishes.

Personally, I'd look for something that maxes out in the 12-15X range.  No need to go tactical.

What is your budget?
In what will the scopes be mounted (LaRue, Aadmount, etc?)  The Aadmount is about as good as it gets for bulky, ugly, very strong, and very reliable.
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mikep View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mikep Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/11/2010 at 12:16
On the LAR-8, if I would go with a scope in the range you sugest, I honestly don't know what I would be looking for.  I had focused on the black diamond and SIII in the higher mag ranges since they had the internal adjustment I was looking for as well as good reputations.  Going with the lower mag ranges opens up quite a few others since most have the internal adustment needed.  I have a 4x14 on a 300 win mag hunting rifle that seem to work fine although I am not real fond of the scope, a Burris fullfield II.
 
I keep reading about a super sniper in the 4/5 to 16/20 range that I would be all over if availible.  I am considering the 3x9 right now for a M1A NM that wears an arms 18 mount.
 
I have thought about the super sniper HD10x but am not ready to go with a fixed power.
 
Price wise, I would like to stay in the 5-800ish range.  I'm not looking for extra features or add ons.  Reliable tracking, clear, durable, in a standard plex or mil dot are important. 
 
As far as mounting I have considered and really like the Aadmount or high Badger rings.
 
thanks,
 
Mike
 
 
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mikep View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mikep Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/11/2010 at 15:39
As far as 1in tube scopes, how would the Zeiss conquest 4.5-14 and 6.5-20 compare to the Sightron and burris.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tjtjwdad Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/11/2010 at 16:57
Never looked thru a Black Diamond or any Sightron product, but I have looked thru a Zeiss Conquest in 3.5-10x44, 4.5-14x50 and 6.5-20x50.  They have "constant" eye relief the whole zoom range, and they're just as sharp on the MAX power as it is on the LO power.  My rifles are dedicated Varmint only.  If your rifle is a switch rig (target/varmint) then you'll just have to decide where the compromises have to be made. 
 
As far as magnification goes, thats a personnel preference.  If you're in an area with hot temperatures then on the higher powers mirage could be a issue.  On my Traget rig sits a 24x Benchrest scope.  I've had the pleasure of shooting thru thick mirage.  It takes practice...
 
You'll have to consider the size of your targets.  For me, I'm primarly a ground squirrel varmint hunter and they're pretty small and they don't run around too much.  I don't use my 204 Rugers under 300 yards because it isn't giving the little critters "a sporting chance (Jerry Clower)".  Anyway, I need the magnification and it's usually in the 10-12x range but when I want to take a shot out @ 600 yards or so, it's nice to be able to crank the zoom up and not loose any resolution/clarity.  Also, if your targets tend to be on the move don't over looke the FOV.  
 
I have a 4.5-14 Burris FFII on a 17 HMR.  It's a pretty good scope for that rig.  You can call Burris C/S and ask them about the glass quality up/down their line and they'll tell you.  I'm sure Sightron will do the same.
 
HTH,
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Urimaginaryfrnd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/11/2010 at 17:28

http://swfa.com/Trijicon-5-20x50-Accu-Point-30mm-Rifle-Scope-P12887.aspx

If you want a scope in that top end 20x or so I like this one and all of them have their good and bad points but I can live with 5x on the low end as I use a fixed 6x on several rifles with no problem and its kind of nice to have one rifle with a 16 to 20x so you dont have to always drag along a spotting scope to see the holes in the target. The down side of the Trijicon is that it only has 50 moa of internal adjustment and half of that is above and half below so not a lot of internal adjustment but there are a lot of others in that same boat also. On the up side it has both fiber optic and tritium illumination which is nice against a black target center. Also look at the Vortex line they have some new scopes Viper PST which should smoke most of the other stuff in their price range.  Not a big fan of Burris Ive had more bad ones than good ones. Sightron seems to be a good company so Id buy another one of those if it came down to the two.

"Always do the right thing, just because it is the right thing to do".
Bobby Paul Doherty
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