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Scope for custom rifle

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mwyates View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mwyates Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Scope for custom rifle
    Posted: April/09/2005 at 21:36

OK.  I'm taking the plunge and having a custom rifle built.  It will be 260 Remington in a 700 action with a #3 taper Lilja barrel and a lightweight McMillan stock.  The rifle will weigh about 6 1/4 lbs and I want to keep total weight to less than 7 1/2 lbs with scope and mounts.  If price was an object, I wouldn't think twice about using my favorite, a Leupold VXIII 2.5-8X36.  In this case though, on a 3K rifle, I'm thinking I should go with a Swarovski 3-9X36 1"..

Anybody know of anything better?  No Conquest recommendations, please

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dilligaf View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dilligaf Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/09/2005 at 22:31

Guessing that you will be shooting medium ranges and possibly hunting with the rifle (caliber and magnification of the scopes you mentioned). There are a lot of really good scopes available for your application. Choosing between the two scopes you mentioned the Swarovski will have better glass. But Unertl, USO, NF, and others will have better glass that the Swarovski. Base your choice in optics on what the primary function of the rilfe will be. If you answer the following questions, it should help to narrow your optics search.

 

How far do you plan on shooting it?

What type of reticle do you prefer?

What will you use the rifle for? (hunting, target, competition?)

Are you looking for a 1" or 30mm tube?

What size objective are you comfortable with?

What eye relief do you want?

What is you optics budget? (don't forget to include base/rings)

 

Hope I helped more than confused,

Joe

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STWSniper View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote STWSniper Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/10/2005 at 00:06
I think the Swarovski 3-9x36 sounds like a good match for your custom rifle.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ranburr Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/10/2005 at 00:09

Conquest Or that Swaro sounds ideal.

 

ranburr

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cheaptrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/10/2005 at 07:22
Swaro is good, maybe a Zeiss VM/V is better. Probably about as light as the Swaro too.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ots03 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/10/2005 at 14:02
Swarovski is a hard to beat scope.Some scope with similar cuality is the Gerhardt/nickel but is hard to find in america. Another good scope is the Kaps
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote STWSniper Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/10/2005 at 16:02
I agree with cheaptrick, the Zeiss VM/V may be even better than the Swaro.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote riverrat Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/10/2005 at 20:27
gonna spend the bucks$??? get a S&B or Unertl!!!!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote argentine Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/11/2005 at 07:50

Sometimes half the fun is putting the thing together...sort of like ordering accessories for a new car.  I did the same thing about ten years ago.  I went with a S&B for about

$1500 and I have never regretted it for a moment.  Ironically, my out of the box old ruger M77 in 7X57, now tefkoted and Macmillan stocked, sporting a Burris Euro still shoots every bit as well as my custom job. It weighs about a pound more but it cost about $2500 less.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mwyates Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/11/2005 at 09:18

Thanks for all of your input.  S&B's are great scopes, but they are all too big and heavy for this application.  I have ruled out anything with a 30mm tube, because they look funny on a trim rifle.  I looked at the Zeiss VM/V 3-9 with a 1" tube, but it's a noticeably heavier and longer than the Swaro.  I was thinking about being really practical and getting a fixed power 6X42, Swaro used to make a 1" model, but I don't see it listed anymore.

 

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote zaj56 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/11/2005 at 16:18
   I'd go with a Leo. ultralight 3-9x33. At about 8 oz. it is probably the lightest variable made (mid range) You'll still have great optics, and you'll be able to keep the weight of that rig under 7lbs. A gun like that deserves a really light scope! You can spend the money saved on a pair of top binos like Zeiss, Swaro, or Leica. I beleive that would be the ultimate setup.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote argentine Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/13/2005 at 09:18

I have to agree with zaj56, if weight is your primary consideration the Leo ultralight is the best compromise of weight and quality.  And if you don't have a good high end set of bino's, his additional advice is also good.  But you probably do if you are already at the custom rifle stage in this crazy hobby of ours..

 

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote gozarian Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/13/2005 at 13:46
Good choice!  I personally would go with the 3-10x42 because I like the magnification and larger objective.  I would also check out a new Kahles!  Good luck!

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Chris Farris Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/31/2005 at 15:33

Originally posted by riverrat riverrat wrote:

gonna spend the bucks$??? get a S&B or Unertl!!!!

 

Really!....which Unertl would you use?

 

Kahles CL Multizero or Zeiss VMV are tops.  Swarovski and S&B are third and fourth place.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote riverrat Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/31/2005 at 16:09
There's only one Unertl on the new company's site! There are good ones still around to be had. A buddy that shoots
competition buys them and uses them for NRA high-power!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Chris Farris Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/03/2005 at 17:42
That was my point.  They only make a fixed 10x with no parallax.  USMC does not even buy them any more.  I think they are more of a collectors item and have seen their better days......about 30 years ago.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Roy Finn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/14/2005 at 12:37
ChrisWhat happened to the spell che ck, PM's etc. I'm a retired cop, we need these tools or at least I do anyway. Heck, that was one reasons I became one!!!! 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote STWSniper Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/17/2005 at 13:36
I don't think a S&B or Unertl would be a very good scope choice for a lightweight custom rifle. Of course any fixed 10X scope would be a very unwise choice for a hunting rifle. The Swaro or Kahles in 3-9 would be my 2 top choices for a lightweight custom rig.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dilligaf Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/17/2005 at 17:15

Originally posted by STWSniper STWSniper wrote:

Of course any fixed 10X scope would be a very unwise choice for a hunting rifle.

 

Not good for hunting? Fixed 10x tactical scopes are designed to hunt things that hunt you back. While its not what I would recommend for a light weight rifle set up, they are more that up to the task.

 

Joe

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote STWSniper Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/17/2005 at 19:52
I do not know of many people who would use a fixed 10X scope for hunting purposes. They are made for tactical rifles not a hunting rifle. I could not see a 10X scope being practical for any hunting situation, that is just my opinion though. I would think a fixed power scope in 4X or 6X would be better suited for most hunting scenarios. Of course I prefer a good variable power scope in the 3-9 or 4.5-14 range. 
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