High Power match rifle scopes

[Bennybooboo]

Looking to move into high power match rifle. What are the common features found on rifle scopes? Magnification range? AO vs side focus? Reticle preferences?

Do any make/model dominate the field?

 

[1lnbrdg]

6X24 side adjustable AO with1/4 min dot and 1/4 min adjustment works for me. Sightron, they also have a 8X 32 that works but I slightly prefer the 6X standing.

 

[watercam]

I concur. That said, we are not limited to 20x max any more. Unlimited scope power now. If you can hold it steady enough!

 

[akajun]

Sightron stac series with the MOA2 reticle, the 50mm objective model. I turn it down to 4x for standing

 

[JMayo]

Bench rest, Night Force 15x55
Is what I use.

 

[Erud]

Have you thought about shooting HP with irons?

 

[chkunz]

Have you thought about shooting HP with irons?

If you are just starting our in HP XTC this is what I would recommend also until you get to about the expert class and then you can decide to switch to scope if you chose. It is much easier to learn the fundamentals with irons.

 

[USMCDOC]

Bench rest, Night Force 15x55
Is what I use.

John.. sorry.. that don't apply to this game

 

[Bennybooboo]

Thanks for the input!

 

[Rtheurer]

Looking to move into high power match rifle. What are the common features found on rifle scopes? Magnification range? AO vs side focus? Reticle preferences?

Do any make/model dominate the field?

Some things to consider. And some things i experienced switching from Irons to scope on a NRA Match Rifle XTC.

Getting the scope far enough forward to get the proper eye relief of 2.5 to 3" you need from the occular of the scope and maintain the shorter balance point for OFF HAND and Sitting Rapid. a: solution was to get White Oak's extended scope rail and LOW rings.

Finding a Scope that was not too heavy. After shooting irons and my Service Rifle i found that the big 30mm Tube and 50mm Plus objective scopes created some sort of weird counter balance like a grand father clock when shooting offhand and sitting with a little cant. It seems crazy that this is an issue.. But my OH scores went way down and it was not fun to shoot with a big Heavy Night FOrce scope. Fine for prone... But off hand.. not so much.
a: Solution: a simple 1" tube scope with a 40mm Objective like the old Veri X III leupold or the Sightron S Tack above is a great option. you dont need light gathering ubber glass to shoot in the daylight during matches. You dont need 100 minutes of elevation on a Course gun. You DO need it to track up and down and left and right. 15X is plenty power and 20X or 25X is fine.

I like a Dot. Personal preference however. I get the largest Dot Leupold makes.
1/4 MOA adjustments so its the same as my Match sights on my Palma and prone rifle's.

Over view... Keep it low to the barrel.. Light weight, and repeatable adjustments.

Russel

 

[Trebor Snave]

Watching this thread with interest; someday I'll leg out and get back to my match rifles. Irons are no longer an option for me.

 

[m1jeff]

If budget is not a concern, then the March 2.5-25x42 second focal plane.

On my budget, I went with the Sightron S3 6-24x50 with the target dot. A bit large and a bit heavy, but performs very well.

For reasonable weight, I’d consider an older Leupold Veri-X III 6.5-20x40 with a dot.

 

[USMCDOC]

i like the classic Leupold 24X BR FC or the Nightforce 3.5 - 15 NXS .. both are great for high power long range prone. But for XTC.. i would say no lower than a 4X no higher than 8X is my thinking..

 

[Michael C]

I use the March 2.5-25x42 on both my space gun and my Any rifle. I have it in a Geissele service rifle mount as it gets it forward and low enough. It has a dot, which I like and I use the March service rifle scope on my service rifle and the reticule is almost the same. I put the same scope on my Any rifle and it works without issue to 1000.

 

[marty dabney]

sightron S-Tac 4-20 with the MOA-2 reticle works well. i used one for a couple of years. i'm now using a Burris XTR II 3-15.

 

[Twdmar]

Sightron 3-16 stac fits nicely on a match rifle because its light.

 

[Bennybooboo]

Thanks for the informative replies!

Had a Vortex Viper HS-T 4-16x44 VMR reticle laying in the shop, so i mounted it and it wasn't bad at all. I've preferred the target dot reticle on my silhouette rifle for a long time, and now i think I'll find something similar for this.

Anyone want to trade for a Leupold 6.5-20x40 EFR with targrt dot reticle?

 

[243Mendoza]

Make sure that the reticle you choose can be seen again the black of the aiming point. This depends on your vision and wobble; the worse of either then the larger the reticle is required; I prefer a .4 to .5 moa dot. Remember that you are shooting sling supported high power rifle and not off the bench or rest so your hold will not be rock solid.

 

[Michael C]

Agree with the above and that is why for me, I like a dot reticule.