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  1. #1

    Default Scope for long range shooting

    Hi guys.

    I'm looking for some help with regards to a scope for long range shooting. I will be using my 7mm Rem Mag. Ive just got it back from having glass bedding done and I've had the barrel free floated. I'm a true beginner when it comes to this. I have been doing my own reloading for hunting so Ile be looking for a good all round target bullet and load for my 7mm. I've been looking at some scopes, I tend to lean for open turrets instead of hold over. Is there a scope in the SA scene that I should be looking at. There is alot of info on this subject but majority of it is all in the USA.

    Any help would be greatly helpful.

    Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Scope for long range shooting

    You can look at the Leupold LRP series scopes (I have one, love it, mushy elevation clicks is an irritation), or the Vortex PST series (I have no experience with these scopes).

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    Default Re: Scope for long range shooting

    Any scope you can find overseas, you can find here.

    Before you look at any scope, first create the drop chart for the load you expect to be using. From the drop chart, see what the MOA drop is at the max distance you are looking to shoot. The scope you choose must have 2x that MOA adjustment available.

    Then filter scopes by your budget, and check against what other people use to shoot the range you are looking for.

  4. #4

    Default Re: Scope for long range shooting

    So depending on your budget. Alot of guys will say up to 16x power will be adequate to 500m. This 100%.

    Vortex makes great scopes. And good after sale. I have 2.

    Lynx makes the new LX3 range which is also crystal and affordable price due to be SA company. I have the LX3 5-30x56 on my 308. Shooting at 500m turning it up to 30x its incredibly clear.

    Is 30x necessary. Nope. But its nice to use instead of spotting scope to look at impacts at 500m

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    Default Re: Scope for long range shooting

    Quote Originally Posted by shooty View Post
    Vortex makes great scopes.
    Hear here!

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    Default Re: Scope for long range shooting

    Define "long range" for you? Is it 500m? Is it 1000m or is it 2km? The answer to that will determine a lot, and you will be surprised how short some of the brand names fall when it comes to 'far far shooting'..

  7. #7
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    Default Re: Scope for long range shooting

    I’ve just recently started down the long distance rabbit hole and I’ve found that there is no need to go more than 10-12x to shoot gongs at 1000m. It’s the same advice I received when I was looking for a scope. Shooting paper for groups at 500m plus will do well with a higher powered scope and a nice fine reticle. I hardly ever turn my scope to its 18x max. That’s my very limited experience.

    The scopes I had on my shortlist were:

    Vortex Viper PST Gen 2 3-15x44
    Bushnell DMRII 3.5-21x50
    Bushnell LRHS 4.5-18x44
    Burris XTRII 3-15x50

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    Default Re: Scope for long range shooting

    Of this list, Vortex is the best choice. I would go with Vortex Viper PST Gen II 5-25X50 FFP. Sometimes you need that 25X, because it's not always the gong you will be shooting at.

  9. #9

    Default Re: Scope for long range shooting

    IMO 18 to 25 magnification gives you a good balance between good magnification to shoot at smaller targets(aim small)/ see hits at long range and enough internal adjustment.

    I have a Vortex PST ii 5-25x 50 and it gets the job done, used a Kahles K624i on a previous rifle and it was awesome but unfortunately double the price of the pst ii.



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  10. #10
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    Default Re: Scope for long range shooting

    Right, so my opinion, as I asked above, is what you define what you see as long range shooting. There are some fundamentals I look for in a scope though.

    In any of the scopes you need three things in my mind:

    - Glass Clarity - Doesn't help if you can't see the gong. Most glass today is good enough, but when you look through my R4000 Vixen hunting scope and a R40 000 Vortex Razor, you do see quite a difference. Edge shadow, and focus via parallax is important. You want a crisp clear picture on 4x or 24x (or whatever your choice of magnification is).

    - Adjustability - At ranges of 1000m and above you probably need a 20moa rail, and good adjustability. I've recently seen a well known shop advertise scopes with 5-30 magnification and Schott glass for under R10k. Reading closer these scopes had dismal internal adjustment, we're talking 50MOA vertical and horizontal. Now, remember that's only 25moa each way, and with a 20moa rail you have maybe 45 moa actual adjustment (depending on your initial zero adjustment). Here is where your high-end scopes do have the edge. Something like the NF ATACR has 120moa elevation (60moa each way). That's why they cost what they do. IOR Valdada has started doing 40mm main tube scopes, allowing for even more internal adjustment, but again, be prepared to fork out around 50k for something in that range.

    - Tracking - Reliable tracking is key. The click value should equal the value in reticle. The closer you get to the extremes of the scope adjustment, the more likely it is the scopes will start faltering, and that's all to do with the spring mechanism(s) inside the scope. Again this is prevalent in the cheaper scopes more than the expensive items. You might think you're adjusting that last 5moa, because the turret is clicking, but the inside spring is already at max compression.

    The MOA vs MRAD debate is interesting, and is honestly up to the individual. First Focal vs Second Focal, again, up to the individual, though most people will say FFP is better. If you're dialing turrets and not holding over, it won't matter to you, but be sure to know what magnification your reticle is calibrated for. Reticles, well there's another personal choice. My best mate loves the Horus style reticle, I'm not a fan of it, I prefer a fiber B2 style reticle. Find what you like.

    Using my 6.5CM out at Sean Pirie's course I hit the 0.8moa (speaking under memory here) target at 1.5km using a budget Falcon Optics 4-18x44 in SFP. With 20moa rail and the ballistics of the rounds I was using, I had a usable 17.5mrad, and needed 19mrad, so dialed back 0.5mrad, held over 2mrad and second shot was impact. The Falcon Optics range of scopes is some of the most underrated scopes I've ever seen, track true and have decent glass, but can be hard to obtain here in SA, and getting them from the UK is a pain in the arse! A nice feature is that the reticle is calibrated at 10x, and Sean was telling us that you rarely need to go over 10x for longer range shooting.

    NF, Burris, Vortex etc all make great scopes, but there are budget options that will surprise you, like some of the Hawke range, Sightron and also Athlon. I personally am a big fan of some Athlon optics.


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