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Noob needs help!!! |
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BediBran
Optics GrassHopper Joined: October/18/2012 Location: Houston, TX Status: Offline Points: 4 |
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Posted: October/18/2012 at 15:14 |
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I just bought my first rifle two days ago (30-06) and I am in need of a Scope. The only thing is I don't know the first thing about them and which one I should be looking at. I keep reading about sniper scopes and varmint scopes, tactical scopes and plinker scopes. There are so many damn scopes it is making me feel very overwhelmed. I will be shooting between 100 and 300 yards at hogs, deer, rabbits, squirrels and pretty much anything else that will die. Of course there will be some target shooting too. Any and all help will be greatly appreciated and will help me find the right optics for my gun so I can finally shoot the damn thing.
Thanks Brandon |
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SVT_Tactical
MODERATOR Chief Sackscratch Joined: December/17/2009 Location: NorthCackalacky Status: Offline Points: 31233 |
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What is your Price range? I think a standard 3-9 would be best for you. ITs about as universal as it comes.
how far are you from Dallas area? SWFA, the site host, is right outside of Dallas in Red Oak Tx. You could take your new rifle there and they could fix you up right.
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"Most folks are about as happy as they make their minds up to be" - Abraham Lincoln
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BediBran
Optics GrassHopper Joined: October/18/2012 Location: Houston, TX Status: Offline Points: 4 |
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I'm in Houston, so not too far. So what are the differences between the varmint, mil-dot varmint, tatical and such? 3-9x42 4-12x52 all these numbers confuse me. Do you recommend somewhere in Houston to go and "talk shop" and maybe get fixed up with something? Does SWFA have a website I can buy from?
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BeltFed
Optics Retard Joined: February/12/2008 Location: Ky Status: Offline Points: 22284 |
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Well I wouldn't recommend a 30-06 for rabbit or squirrels, unless you got some mighty big (50lb+) squirrels.
Give us a little more background on your rifle, where you hunt (open country or dense woods), when you hunt (early morning, late evenings, middle of the day), your experience and shooting skills (new shooter to experienced iron sight shooter), and your price range (you get what you pay for in glass and a cheap scope is a waste of money, and a top end scope may not be needed). Answer thes questions and we should be able to give you some suggestions.
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Life's concerns should be about the 120lb pack your trying to get to the top of the mountain, and not the rock in your boot.
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BeltFed
Optics Retard Joined: February/12/2008 Location: Ky Status: Offline Points: 22284 |
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SWFA sponsors this site and you can click on their logo at the top of this page and go straight to their site.
The first No.s in a scope is the power or magnification range. example 3-9 means the scope will magnify the image anywhere from 3x what you see with the naked eye up to 9x.
The last No. is the diameter of the objective lense. The lense that gathers the light for the image. Usually but not always, the larger the objective lense, the more light gathering ability. There are other factors though.
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Life's concerns should be about the 120lb pack your trying to get to the top of the mountain, and not the rock in your boot.
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Skylar McMahon
Optics Jedi Knight Capt. BlowHard Joined: April/05/2011 Location: TEXAS Status: Offline Points: 6082 |
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I agree with SVT. The 3-9 would be a great option for you.
I would check out the Trijicon 3-9X40 or the Zeiss Conquest 3-9X40. For hunting, I feel those would be great options.
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EAGLE
Optics Journeyman Joined: August/08/2011 Status: Offline Points: 346 |
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Trijicon and/or Conquest 3-9x40
Eagle |
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stickbow46
Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: January/07/2009 Location: Benton, Pa Status: Offline Points: 4678 |
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So I'm thinking BF that they say everything in Texas is big a 30-06 for those 50lb wabbits might be good [:}
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Pearls of Wisdom are Heard not Spoken
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Longhunter
Optics Journeyman Joined: February/02/2006 Status: Offline Points: 466 |
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Hilarious! "Kill the wabbit!"
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bugsNbows
Optics God bowsNbugs Joined: March/10/2008 Location: North Georgia Status: Offline Points: 11200 |
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I'd also recommend looking at the Sightron close-outs. Good deals there. A 3-9 X 42 Big Sky would be a winner. I'd suggest a regular duplex type reticle.
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If we're not suppose to eat animals...how come they're made of meat?
Anomymous |
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DCAMM94
Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: April/19/2008 Location: Fort Worth Status: Offline Points: 3491 |
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All good recommendations. I have a 3-9x40 Zeiss Conquest on my Win Model 70 in 7mm-08. Great rifle/scope combo out to 300yds. Ballistics are similar to your 30-06 with proportionate weight to caliber bullets. The Sightron Big Sky is also a great recommendation.
One thing to keep in mind. It's not always necessary to spend a ton of money on your scope. I tend to like nice, but not custom or super high-end rifles. By the time I have either purchased a finished rifle or done everything I want to do to it (stock bedding, pillars, new stock, etc.), most of my rifles come in around $800-$1000. Unless you're doing super long-range or specialty shooting, you can get fine glass in the $400-$600 range. If you want to dabble in target shooting at longer ranges, and are willing to put in the time to learn to do it properly, you should check out this scope:
It's manufactured for/by SWFA. I don't own one, but I've checked them out at SWFA, and they are supurb. If I was doing it all over again, it's what I would put on my .223 bolt action--heck, I may buy one and rig up a target .308 just to play with it. Every shooter is different, but with a .30-06 or a .308, with practice and the glass in this scope, I could ring gongs all day out to 750m, and be comfortable with 500yd shots on big game. Good luck in your search. |
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Although personally I am quite content with existing explosives, I feel we must not stand in the path of improvement. -Winston Churchill
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BediBran
Optics GrassHopper Joined: October/18/2012 Location: Houston, TX Status: Offline Points: 4 |
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All Great advice! I will take this and do some more research. Sounds like the 3-9x40 is the way to go. The rifle I bought is my first one. I got it at a super clearance price because the store had it there since 2007 and was trying to get rid of it. I got a Mossburg 100 atr 30-06. I know that is a pretty big bullet and it would completely obliterate squirrels and rabbits. My shooting history is not very extensive but I do pick up on things very easily and I have a very sharp eye. So shooting anything feels very natural to me and almost seems easy to hit targets. I shot the gun last night with no scope and no sights just looking down the straight barrel. I kept it about 8-10 inch group at 75 yards. I'm really excited to get this scope thing figured out and start shooting longer distances. Once again thanks for all the feed back!! I hope to join in on more discussions on the forum seeing as this is also my first forum to join.
Thanks again, Brandon |
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SVT_Tactical
MODERATOR Chief Sackscratch Joined: December/17/2009 Location: NorthCackalacky Status: Offline Points: 31233 |
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I still can't recommend making the drive to RedOak and talking to the boys at SWFA in person enough. They will be more than happy to explain the options and show you stuff as well as throw in a bit of knowledge to help you learn.
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"Most folks are about as happy as they make their minds up to be" - Abraham Lincoln
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BeltFed
Optics Retard Joined: February/12/2008 Location: Ky Status: Offline Points: 22284 |
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SWFA is a resource I wish I had as handy as you. Take your rifle with you, and they can help you with picking a scope, rings, and mount.
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Life's concerns should be about the 120lb pack your trying to get to the top of the mountain, and not the rock in your boot.
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pyro6999
Optics Retard OT TITAN Joined: December/22/2006 Location: North Dakota Status: Offline Points: 22034 |
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for the 30 govt 06 i cant hardly see any reason not to go with a 3x9. in its price range the 3x9 zeiss conquest is tough to beat. i wouldnt pass up looking at a scope from vortex either.
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They call me "Boots"
375H&H Mag: Yeah, it kills stuff "extra dead" 343 we will never forget God Bless Chris Ledoux "good ride cowboy" |
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Shenko
Optics Apprentice Joined: April/20/2008 Location: WA Status: Offline Points: 249 |
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The Sightron 3.5-10x42 SII Big Sky looks like a heck of a deal, and there's nothing wrong with any of the other suggestions here, either.
SWFA has the Burris Fullfield II for $148. A guy could get by pretty well with one of those. |
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tman1965
Optics Master Joined: July/20/2010 Location: South Georgia Status: Offline Points: 1456 |
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+1 |
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Sometimes my tongue outruns my brain and I say something I haven't thought of yet!
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Kickboxer
MODERATOR Moderator Joined: February/13/2008 Status: Offline Points: 23679 |
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I wouldn't recommend 30-06 for squirrels and rabbits, either... try 375H&H
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Opinion,untempered by fact,is ignorance.
There are some who do not fear death... for they are more afraid of not really living |
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