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Range Report: Weaver Tactical 3-15x50 EMDR

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torisdad View Drop Down
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    Posted: July/11/2011 at 17:03

The SWFA box arrived on Friday in time to head to the local shop and have the scope mounted. I bought the rifle there and they were kind enough to mount it and boresight free of charge. I usually mount scopes myself and have never had any issues but this being my first $500 plus scope I wanted to make sure the rings didn't need lapping and it was torqed to specs.

I've owned and used fine high quality optics but most were astronomy optics not riflescopes. I'm a single parent dad so Saturday afternoon I dropped off my five yr. old daughter(Tori) at my sister's and picked up my Brother-Inlaw and his Rem. 700 in .22-250. It looks exactly like the police model gglas owns but I think it has a different designation. It's topped off with a Nikon 5-20x44 SF Monarch. He loves his Nikons, owns three (more on that later).
 
The magnification, paralax and eyepiece focus adjustments are all smooth and without any rough spots. The eyepiece does turn a bit too easy for my taste but otherwise is very good.  I did a few informal tests before I sighted in the scope. It passed the yardstick test @ 5x 10x and 15x measuring a perfect 10 mils at all magnifications @ 100 yrds.  Eyerelief was as advertised at almost 4" and only changed slightly at 13-15x. The eyebox is friendly and overall I found the scope easy to use without any eyestrain at all.
 
I checked the side focus using my Nikon Monarch Gold 1200 Rangefinder and it was dead on from 35-300yrds. where I decided good enough. I checked it at four distances.
 
I know it's not apples to apples. The Weaver is $750, FFP EMDR  and has a 6mm larger objective. The Nikon is $520,SFP and NikkoPlex but before, during and after the shooting started  I used every chance I got to do A/B comparisons without making it too obvious to my BIL.
 
First off the Nikon is not a terrible scope but it does have some issues. Somewhere between 13-14x it gets hazy with a yellow tint. At 10x it's bright,sharp tothe edge and has good contrast. All in all I think there are much better choices at that price point, Vortex Viper for one.
 
I set up one target at 50 yrds. and we each set up targets at 100 yrds. We used Birchwood Casey targets with a 1" center bull and .5" bulls on each corner. My first shot at 50 yrds. was 1.75" low and 2.75" right. I converted the inches to mills(had to double the clicks because I was shooting at 50 yrds.) and the next shot was .25eft and dead on in elevation. That's the first scope I'VE EVER OWNED that did that. Two shot zero WOW. My BIL was impressed. His Nikon won't do that.
 
I moved on to 100 yrds. I shot one five shot group first, .75" dead on in elevation but off about .1 mil left. I gave a click right and shot another group, .55" and dead on both ways.
 
At this point I was feeling a bit cocky and decided to "attempt" to show off. I shot the box. The corner bulls are 8" apart so I made the needed 2.2mil (22clicks) adjustments between shots. I either hit or came within .3" or so of the first four bulls. On my last shot, return to zero, I turned the turret the wrong direction which sent me completely off the target. It only took me second to figure out what happened. I cranked it back up 5 mils and it returned to zero perfectly.
 
After using the scope for a couple of hours I find that I really like this reticle. The open subtention in the middle of the crosshairs is helpful as well. I don't care for Mildots but I do like the EMDR circles hashesat the half mil are a very nice touch. I can see where it will help with ranging if that's your thing, I use a rangefinder myself. The hashes will also help with holdover or windage if you choose to go that route and not use the turrets.
 
I shot about 80 rounds before we packed it in. During the shoot from time to time I would look into the woods (shaded areas) to check contrast, depth and so forth. The Weaver ousted the Nikon at every turn and it wasn't very close. By the end of the day even the Nikon lover was very impressed with the Weaver Tactical. He says it's too heavy, and it is, but it's a bench and bipod gun so it doesn't matter to me.
 
 
Now the only question is,will it stay on the .17 or will I move it to the Ruger T/V .223? Too much time and not enough glass.
 
Andrew
 
 
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cheaptrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/11/2011 at 17:09
Well done! Thank you for sharing.
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Bitterroot Bulls View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bitterroot Bulls Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/11/2011 at 21:35

Read about the Nikon's optics in your review, but not much on the Weaver.  I would like to hear more about the image, if you could.

Sounds like the tracking was doing well, indeed.

Thanks,
-Matt
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sparky Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/11/2011 at 21:56
Thanks for taking the time to share this with us.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote torisdad Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/12/2011 at 15:45
Originally posted by Bitterroot Bulls Bitterroot Bulls wrote:


Read about the Nikon's optics in your review, but not much on the Weaver.  I would like to hear more about the image, if you could.

Sounds like the tracking was doing well, indeed.

Thanks,
Sorry about that. Seems I was a bit vague about the details of the Weaver's optics and that is the best part about the scope.
 
It's bright, clear and sharp to the edge at all magnifications. The color in this scope is outstanding. The difference between the Weaver and the Nikon at high mag, 13-15, is big. The Nikon's colors seem muted or dull even and the color in the Weaver is bright and correct. At 5-8 mag the differences are more subtle.
 
The depth and contrast are also very good. I could see deeper into the woods with more clarity at high mag with the Weaver than the Nikon and it wasn't close.
 
Until recently I was a Nikon fan myself having owned several. Two 4.5-14x40 AO Monarchs I think they were 40mm but may have been 42's. It was 2001 and 2002 when I purchased those. neither of those scopes showed the yellow tint or haze at high mag either. I  also owned a 3-9x40 BM.
 
 They were good scopes but not nearly in the class of the Weaver and they shouldn't be. Apples to Oranges but I expected better optics and tracking from the newer Nikons.  
 
I left out a few other things as well. This thing is built like a tank. The turrets are well made, easy to adjust and reset to zero. I will say this however, were it not for the locking feature of the turrets I could easily see them being accidentally moved from zero. They turn easlily but aren't mushy. They are audible and firm isn't the right word but the clicks are positive and I am confident in them. The clicks line up perfecly with the side hash marks as well as the bottom lines. The turret locking mechanism works very well and is easy to use once you get used to it.
 
No sunshade included and no caps or covers included whatsoever. Weaver missed the boat there. The SuperSlam Sunshade does fit the Tactical 3-15x50 but not the 4-20x50, go figure. There are no plans for a sunshade for the 4-20, I asked.
 
I wish they would expand the line to include a 4-20 EMDR mil,mil I would get one for the .223. I like to keep things simple.
 
Andrew
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blue109 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote blue109 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/03/2011 at 16:31
back from the dead....
just got my weaver and i had a few questions. the lines on the dial seem to be a tiny bit off from the center line on the turret on my scope? i have removed it and tried to re-align it but it feels like the teeth are off a bit.  also, the turret wont always lock if i push it straight down. it feels like it hits a "step" half way down and i have to turn it (more like a small wiggle) to get it to drop down. yours do this at all? or should i make a phone call.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote venatic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/04/2011 at 10:58
Mine was pretty much as you described but after sighting in I re-zeroed the turrets and they lined up perfectly. Mine also hits a step on the way down and I wiggle it and it locks. So far I like the scope but only had it at the range for sight-in.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote blue109 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/04/2011 at 12:08
yea..not a deal breaker. i actually swapped the elevation and windage dials and they lined up better. the line is almost dead center on the windage now and halfway dead on for elevation (if that makes sense...as in the white paint of both parts are touching, but not perfectly centered) only bothers me because my crappy tasco (ZOS copy? ) 10-40x60SF has really solid clicks and the lines are dead on. would have thought a $700 scope would be at least that good.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote torisdad Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/06/2011 at 09:07
Originally posted by blue109 blue109 wrote:

back from the dead....
just got my weaver and i had a few questions. the lines on the dial seem to be a tiny bit off from the center line on the turret on my scope? i have removed it and tried to re-align it but it feels like the teeth are off a bit.  also, the turret wont always lock if i push it straight down. it feels like it hits a "step" half way down and i have to turn it (more like a small wiggle) to get it to drop down. yours do this at all? or should i make a phone call.
Same here man. I swapped mine as well and it helped. Each time I use this scope I get more impressed. I moved mine from the .17 HMR tack driver onto my Ruger Target/Varmint .223. Three holes touching from a benchrest @100yrds. 53gr. Hornady Superformance ammo.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote blue109 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/06/2011 at 09:39
cool. as long as mines not a reject. im otherwise pretty happy with it. would have loved the SS5-20 but the weaver was breaking the bank as it was.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote blue109 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/24/2011 at 16:08
almost seems to simple to mention, but i got the turrets lined up. the ring with the reference line is pressed onto the turret ring but it can be moved. unlock turrets...line up reference mark with turret mark. maybe add a drop of glue or something. perfect line.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ahiaring Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/11/2012 at 18:39
Overall would you consider this a scope worthy of price? would you buy another?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ahiaring Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/11/2012 at 18:40
Are you satisfied with the repeatability and return to zero of the weaver?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ahiaring Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/11/2012 at 18:40
Curious cause I am just about ready to order the 3-15 mil mil version
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote blue109 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/12/2012 at 08:47
Originally posted by ahiaring ahiaring wrote:

Overall would you consider this a scope worthy of price? would you buy another?


yes. i spoke about one of my bugs with the turrets index not lining up but it was an easy fix. the only other issue so far is the brass internal screw that holds the turret knob to the actual gear that moves the reticle backed out a bit. i was a little worried when the knob stopped working but figured out the issue and took 10 seconds to tighten it. no more issues. the one in the windage knob was a little loose too. both issues seem to be a problem with whoever is doing the final assembly on these.

im using a bobro mount from SWFA and it is amazing. i store the rifle without the scope so it goes on and off pretty often. never had an issue and never lost zero.

i wanted a FFP/mil-mil/ilum scope and my price range locked me into the weaver or the PST. i scored the weaver on a black friday deal and was able to use the $50 weaver rebate that has now expired so my out the door price was 630. seemed like a no brainer. the scope is a tank and i have no doubt it will stand up to anything i put it through. glass is really nice in my limited experience. ergonomics are good. i cant see any reason to buy anything else in a sub $1000 scope. if i could afford the SS 5-20 id be all over it but at half the price im verry happy.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote torisdad Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/12/2012 at 10:56
I just caught up with the thread guys. Pretty much +1 on most everything cept I didn't have the brass screw issue. I would have gotten the 5-20ss as well @1K but I was about 2 weeks short on having the cash for it at the time.
 
I'd do it again for sure!
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