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Optic for Duty .AR plattform .308 |
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cspa27
Optics GrassHopper Joined: May/16/2014 Location: Georgia Status: Offline Points: 2 |
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Posted: May/17/2014 at 13:47 |
I'm looking for a new optic to put on a dedicated law enforcement precision rifle. I've recently gone to the LMT MWS system with a 16" barrel. The gun is amazing and stacks rounds on top of each other. Lately, sadly, my eyes are getting older and I'm having a hard time getting things done with a 2.5-8x Leupold I started shooting with. I need more zoom in order to make target identification and do my bench rest stuff at longer range.
I've sold my old optic and have approximately $1000.00 to spend if I really stretch my budget (we buy our own gear here). My priorities are: 1. At LEAST a 15x magnification 2. Illuminated reticle if possible 3. MOA turrets with MOA reticle 4. Clarity of glass 5. Light transmission 6. Ability to track a target within 50 yards or so (most shooting for LE is within 70 yards) I've been doing a great deal of research and I'm looking mainly at the Vortex PST 4-16x50mm FFP model with the MOA / MOA. Just wanted to know if anyone had guidance on this type of setup. I get a pretty substantial discount through Burris and Leupold, but the Vortex has the same features and a great price point. Any assistance or insight would be great. |
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Rancid Coolaid
MODERATOR Joined: January/19/2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 9318 |
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Did you buy the rifle?
With all due respect for you and your chosen profession: The single optic you want does not exist, not in that budget. Having spent many, many hours behind many, many rifles looking at targets near and far: 4X on the bottom end is way, way too much magnification for an optic that will be tracking a target at 50 yards or less. Add target movement to that and you have a very difficult situation. Add a "2-way range" situation and it gets even worse. My recommendation would be a scope that does everything you want AND a backup red dot site for close encounters. There are scopes that do both, but they are not inexpensive. Personally, I avoid Leupold, too many failures. That said, their LE discount makes them almost competitive in that space. I don't have experience with that particular Vortex, but do have experience with Vortex and like their stuff. Add to that the warranty and their customer service, they become hard to beat in anything other than astronomically-priced optics. My 308 AR wears a 2.5-10 Nightforce, it is almost exactly what you want - but almost 2X your budget. If you can scrimp and save for awhile more, that would be a good choice. It doesn't give you 15X on the top end, but good 3-15s aren't easy to find, and non-existent with that feature set in a <$1000 scope. How important is illumination? ***Whatever you get, add a Burris Fastfire3 to it, they are great little sites for close-up work and mine have served me very well.
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Sparky
Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: July/15/2007 Location: SD Status: Offline Points: 4568 |
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The 2.5-10 Nightforce that RC mentioned is a nice scope. It is the first Nightforce scope I had looked through and I was surprised that I could see the target at 200yds better with it at 10x than my Leupold 4.5-14 at 14x. Better glass trumps magnification every time.
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Rancid Coolaid
MODERATOR Joined: January/19/2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 9318 |
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I agree whole-heartedly on the better glass, and NF isn't know for the best glass. It is definitely serviceable (your statement says more of Leupold than it does NF, in my opinion.)
I re-read my initial post - done on a tablet, it is a bit ramblings. Here is shot #2 For your budget, get a SS3-15X with a fastfire riding on a ring half or offset pic rail. The SS isn't illuminated, but it works fine in low light at 3X. If your department expects you to take a high-magnification, low light shot, they damn sure should pony up for that equipment (A PVS-22 would serve that purpose nicely, and at only $10,000, it can be mission-critical gear.) My only concern with that setup is the reticle can be a bit thin at 3X, especially in low light. If you can bump the budget a bit, the options open up nicely. Also be aware, I am no fan of Leupold, I hear they are catching up, but I have too many years of hearing how great they were when they weren't great at all. With an LE discount, they are close to competitive; without it, don't even bother. Use the Burris discount for a fastfire, great little optic. There are better, but they'd suck up most of your budget.
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Respect is something you earn. Equality is something you whine about not being given. |
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Sparky
Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: July/15/2007 Location: SD Status: Offline Points: 4568 |
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Absolutely. I used the Leupold vs NF since he already has a Leupold and would give him a reference. And you had talked about the NF. |
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