Long Range Scope

[bobcat1506]

I just built a 6BR for long range dog hunting, hopefully for 600 to 900 yards. I've narrowed my scope down to a Leupold 8-25x with the Varmint reticle or a Nightforce 8-32 NXS maybe with the MOAR reticle. I've got other rifles for shorter ranges and the Leupold Varmint has worked out well but at the longer ranges I suspect "clickability" will be more valuable than a reticle with hold offs. For those long range hunters out there what has been your experience?

 

[fdshuster]

1/8 moa clicks for the NF, and higher magnification, over 1/4 moa clicks and 25x maximum, make it an easy choice for me: Nightforce BR but in 12-42x's. Three with the 2DD reticle and one with the R2.

 

[sendero72]

I bought the NF 8-32x56 Zero Stop "moar" reticle at the beginning of deer season in August. Its great for deer, but for dog shooting at 900 yds, you may wish for a finer crosshair. I also have an old NF 8-32x56 BR and I love the fine crosshair and the ajustable luminated crosshair. Can't understand why they didn't have the fine crosshair option for the new ZS MOAR version.

 

[alf]

Most of my PD rigs have the VHR, and they work fine till you start getting out there. Mine don't have knobs, and I've thought about getting some M1's installed for when reaching beyond the reticle.

I do have a couple of NXS 3.5-15 and 5.5-22 NF's with the NP-R1 reticle for dedicated LR plinking at PD's. I don't think I'd go over the 22X, as you start to lose a lot of adjustment range with anything higher. I like the simplicity of the NP-R1 reticle with it's 2 MOA hold points, and don't mind the 1/4 MOA clicks for doggin'.

 

[DCRYDER]

Dont overlook the Sightron 8-32x56 and 10-50x60. I think they are the best bang for the buck.

 

[jotrot]

8x32 2dd ret. would be awsome, might be little challeging on a moving yote

 

[dansig]

I have the Nightforce 12-42x, looking at the target at 1000m is awesome, but when I pull the trigger I hit the target at 500m... there's just not enough adjustment to get to 1000m without putting a 40moa base on the rifle, and then I can't shoot at 100-300m

so I am getting the Nightforce 5.5-22x with zero stop and high speed turrets. then I get another 55moa of adjustment...

 

[birdog]

The 8.5 -25 Vari X 3 has "94 MOA" in it .

This will get you we past 1,000 yds.
Varmint hunters reticle is great.
You can pick up one of these for $9XX new.

The 8.5 - 25 Mark 4 has 75 MOA

I have one of each. Both have Varmint Hunter
reticle.
Both scopes went on my last pd hunt.

NF 32x has 65 MOA. I do like the zero stop and
high speed adjustment.
In NF, the 5-22 may be the way to go. It has 100 MOA.
NF is almost twice the money of the Leupy.

 

[sscoyote]

I agree with the Leupold/VH reticle choice. Another nice aspect of that reticle is the 3 1.8 MOA windage units alng the reticle's horizontal axis that allows for good windage reticle accuracy whilst spinning turrets for anything beyond your vertical reticle applications.

 

[bobcat1506]

I think I am leaning towards a higher magnification scope and have been looking at the Sightron 8-32x or 10-50x SIII with the Illuminated MOA-2 reticle. Does anyone have any PD experience with these scopes? How many moa is the dot?

 

[alf]

The 32X has 70 MOA of adjustment...the 50X only 50 MOA.

You may be limiting yourself depending on what's left after you mount it up....

 

[bobcat1506]

I've got a 10 MOA base on it now. With 70 MOA of adjustment, logic would seem that it would be 35 in each direction. If that assumption is correct, based on the chart I ran on Hornady's website I should be good out to just past 1100 yds. Please let me know I'm off base!

 

[alf]

Most seem to theorize that your scope will automatically end up in the middle of it's adjustment range when it's mounted.

I'd hazard a guess that the majority of the time it favors the wrong side of good.

Also, when you start playing at distance with the majority of your up used, it will leave very little left for the windage.

 

[bobcat1506]

Thanks alf. That's the kind of real world experience I'm looking for.

 

[alf]

No problem...

For reference, I run 40 MOA bases on my LR toys with 15 or 22X NF's. I can still get a 200 zero and I'm around 15-20 MOA from the bottom of my scope. So playing at 1000-1500, I'm still in the middle to upper third of my adjustment range.

 

[bobcat1506]

alf, what caliber are you running? 6BR out to 1500?

 

[alf]

alf, what caliber are you running? 6BR out to 1500?

Out to maybe 1000 or so is with a Dasher or 22-204.

Beyond that, the bigger stuff comes out for playing, not doggin'.