When buying a scope, so many people get caught up in having good glass or highest magnification, but fail to think about the reticle. While clear glass is important, it's not the most important. In my experience, clear glass is clear glass. I'm not going to spend $500 more for clearer glass. I don't know about you guys, but I can't tell much of a difference between one HD glass or another just looking at in the store. What I look for in a scope is FFP (First Focal Plane), tracking, reticle, glass, magnification, tube and lense size, and warranty.
FFP - I like to use my reticle to estimate distance and having an FFP allows me to do this at any magnification. More importantly, my wind holds will be true at all magnification. This is good because more often than not, I am using my scope to call corrections and wind holds.
Tracking - Very rarely do I use a holdover when making a shot. Sometimes if I'm shooting ELR, I'll have to max my scope out and hold over. I also sometimes use a holdover to make a quick follow up shot. Other than than, I am dialing everything on the turrets, so they have to be 100% correct. They cant be off .1 or .2 mils going from 300 yards to 1400 yards, down to 500. It needs to track reliably and consistently. This is paramount!
Reticle - Reticles are a personal preference. I can use mil dots, but I prefer hashmarks with half hashmarks (.5 mil). I also like the reticle lines in the scope to be thin enough not to cover up targets under 1 moa, but thick enough to see in low light at lower magnification. I also llke a plain and simple, easy to use reticle, like the S&B PMll or Vortex Ebr1c. I don't want to get lost in a field of dots or Christmas trees.
I always fall back to K.I.S.S.
(Keep It Super Simple)
Glass - Unfortunately, this is a tough one. Everyones eyes are different, and a lot of people's left and right eyes see different as well. So, clear glass to you may not be clear to the next person. And what you think might be clear glass on a nice day with a little overcast, may not be so clear with some light rain. In the end, it's all about perception. With that being said, I do like HD glass. Generally, I can see enough of a difference in the store. And in foggy or less than ideal conditions, the HD glass does make a difference. At least for me.
Magnification - Better to have it and not need, than need it and not have it. When engaging multiple targets, spotting your bullets, or scanning, it's important not to use too much magnification. When using your scope at higher magnification, you will likely lose a moving target due to a lack of field of view. A rule of thumb (that I don't use) is, 1x power per 100 yards. I don't like this rule, as I'm left eye dominant but shoot right handed. Not only am I left eye dominant, but there is a significant difference between my left and right eye. When shooting pistol I use my left eye. So, what I do is set my magnification as low as I can, while still being able to comfortably see the half hashmarks. This is typically about 12x. I use maximum magnification when shooting groups or sighting in so I can see every little nuance of movement. I do this to make sure I'm perfectly still.
Tube and lens size - Common scope tube sizes are: 1 inch, 30 mm, 34 mm and 35 mm, with 1 inch and 30 mm being the two most common. Typically, the the larger the main tube, the more internal adjustment you will have. And the bigger objective lense, the better light gathering ability you have. But is bigger better? Well, not in a counter sniper operation. The glint from your scope could give you away, or if you're hunting and don't take your rifle's camo or shape into consideration, that big objective lense realy sticks out. Generally, with high end optics, I go with bigger is better. Especially if you're using higher magnification.
Warranty - Some people don't even bother to look at the warranty information. I don't mind spend more to know if anything happens to my scope it's 100% covered, no questions asked. If I spend $2000 on a scope I want a guarantee!
Not all warranties are the same. Some scopes will have a lifetime warranty, but in the details they will tell you it's only against manufacturer's defects. Manufacturers like SWFA and Vortex have a 100% lifetime guarantee. That means if I fall and land on the rifle and it breaks the scope, they will replace it, no questions asked. I will gladly pay extra for that piece of mind.
In the end, picking a scope is personal preference. I recommend doing a lot of research. Look at reviews, good and bad, and find out how previous warranty claims went and what the issues were. Check for videos on tracking. And when you are at the range; don't be afraid to talk to people and ask to see their scopes. Most people love showing off their stuff and bragging about it.
I started on a mil dot scope and moved on to the mil - quad by SWFA. The SWFA 5-20x50 HD is on my M700 .308 and I'm using a Vortex Razor Gen ll 4.5-27x56 EBR 1C on my Tikka T3X A1. I like 30 mm tube or larger 5 - 20 power minimum, FFP with a mil reticle and large turret knobs. Pick the best scope you can buy and learn The reticle inside and out.
The Overwatch
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