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Scopes that track the best

Dstaffk5

Silver $$ Contributor
Looking to get a new scope for a 264 wm. I want a scope that tracks true and has high clarity. Needs to be at least 30-42 power (variable). $3200 or less. I can spend more for the right scope. MOA preferred, and I don't want a very busy reticle. I hear the high end Nightforce tracks well. Also the high end Bushnells. Not using the rifle for competition, but longer range hunting. What's the opinions here?
 
Nightforce and Kahles for a hunting rifle. Also, surprisingly, the Razor HD LHT tracks perfectly for me. I had a zeiss V6 that was perfect, but a friend had one that was not, so I can’t recommend that.
 
Bushnell XSR III

I have the first gen Bushnell XRS 4.5-30x50mm (ED glass) and the thing is tougher than steel. I dropped my 18 lb rifle 4 feet to the concrete floor hitting the scope right on the elevation turret. Still tracks perfectly.

The XRS III is 6-36x56mm with ED glass and in the USA could be bought for around 2,000 USD.
Helluva deal for real.

I also have the first gen DMR 3.5-21x50mm. All I can say... if you forgot a hammer, you can use the scope to drive nails into wood. Then mount them back on the rifle and your cold bore will be on the money.

Maybe I just got lucky with the XRS and DMR.
 
A checker answers all but believe it or not, the NF comp seems to be the best of glass and tracking, in a package that doesn't weigh a ton...in spit of the well deserved rep the earliest models received. The NF BR and March seem to be bullet proof. I haven't had a Valdada on a tester yet but I hear the same about them. The sightrons and old weavers do well but not all are perfect. Same with Leupold Comp, 40 and 45x...IME. There are others. I want to test a Kahles as I'm a big fan of theirs and hear good things about them as well. Come to think of it, I did test one and that one tested perfect, too. We are blessed with good optics. It usually costs a penny or so but they are good and even the most expensive can make one that isn't perfect.
 
Bushnell XSR III

I have the first gen Bushnell XRS 4.5-30x50mm (ED glass) and the thing is tougher than steel. I dropped my 18 lb rifle 4 feet to the concrete floor hitting the scope right on the elevation turret. Still tracks perfectly.

I bought one when they first came out quite some time ago. It's now
sitting on the Grandson's CZ 457 for bench work. One of the best tracking
scopes I've ever used. It got semi-retired as I needed more usable power.
As it is, and comparing my NF Comp against my March High Master ??
They both track without a hitch.
 
A lot of great suggestions here. Make sure you check the tracking on whatever you decide on. I would make the weight a priority as well. If weight is not a concern, get a high-end sniper-type scope. They tend to be very durable........Mine is a Valdada Recon....Durable with 150min internal adjustment.

Regards
Rick
 
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A checker answers all but believe it or not, the NF comp seems to be the best of glass and tracking, in a package that doesn't weigh a ton...in spit of the well deserved rep the earliest models received. The NF BR and March seem to be bullet proof. I haven't had a Valdada on a tester yet but I hear the same about them. The sightrons and old weavers do well but not all are perfect. Same with Leupold Comp, 40 and 45x...IME. There are others. I want to test a Kahles as I'm a big fan of theirs and hear good things about them as well. Come to think of it, I did test one and that one tested perfect, too. We are blessed with good optics. It usually costs a penny or so but they are good and even the most expensive can make one that isn't perfect.
I’m quite fond of my NF comp and how well it tracks. What kind of scope checker do you find useful ?
 
If you're hunting big game I would go a NF ATACR in 5-25, thats way more than enough for as far as you would be shooting big game. It's plenty for past 1000 yards. If you really feel the need for more power the ATACR in 7-35 is available, they are bullet proof and tract great. The Kahles are great tracking scopes too. I have killed animals out to 1000 yards+ with a 5-20x and it was plenty. I have the ATACR 5-25 on quite few of my LR hunting rifles and several of the NF NX8's in 4-32x50 and they have been very good scopes too. If you're hunting PD and such then I can see going a little higher power.
 
If you're hunting big game I would go a NF ATACR in 5-25, thats way more than enough for as far as you would be shooting big game. It's plenty for past 1000 yards. If you really feel the need for more power the ATACR in 7-35 is available, they are bullet proof and tract great. The Kahles are great tracking scopes too. I have killed animals out to 1000 yards+ with a 5-20x and it was plenty. I have the ATACR 5-25 on quite few of my LR hunting rifles and several of the NF NX8's in 4-32x50 and they have been very good scopes too. If you're hunting PD and such then I can see going a little higher power.
This^^^^^

I realize you are looking for more power, but the NF ATACR 5-25 has worked very well for me. It has allowed me to shoot sub-MOA groups on steel at 1425 yds during practice. (practice, practice, practice). I even ran one on a match rifle for awhile, until I switched to a NF 15-55 competition scope. I have two mounted on LR hunting rifles and one on my PD rifle. I have not felt lacking. Good luck and good shooting.
Steve
 
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Im currently using a variety of optics for dial and shoot style rifle. All of them have been checked on paper at a 100, I check them every year actually to see if anything has changed, wanting 30x plus for power eliminates some really good options but you still have plenty to choose from. Here some I like a lot. All of the mentioned scopes have had zero issues.

Valdada Recon Gen 1 on a 338 Lapua (heavy, great optics and tough)

NF Atacr F1 on a 300 Norma improved, (also on the heavy side, tough, good optics)

Leupold Mark 5 on a 7 Saum, (lighter scope, small footprint, optics don’t handle mirage as well as others)

MeOpta Ootika6 on a 6.5 PRC (a surprising performer, optics out shine many other scopes costing twice as much, tracks perfectly, a little big though for hunting)

I’ve had a few sightribs that do well for what you’re wanting too. Id probably go with the ATACR for your purposes out of the scopes I mentioned but any of them would serve you well I believe.
 
I’m quite fond of my NF comp and how well it tracks. What kind of scope checker do you find useful ?
I made a couple of runs, with his permission, of the Charlie Hood design and sold a couple of hundred of them on here a few years back. No immediate plans to do another batch but if I do, they'll be a tad wider for today's scopes and like the others, I will only offer them for Davidson bases. I may do more in the future but just not soon.

If the demand is there, I'd certainly do another batch when time allows. Terrible pic. They were very nice scope checkers. A credit to Charlie's design, not me. The reason I only offered them for Davidson bases is I didn't want the responsibility of them being put on heavy recoiling rifles. The mass and weight of the checker and a couple of 36+ ounce scopes, along with a heavy recoiling gun, it was mathematically possible to shear 6-48 base screws. Not likely, but possible. I just didn't want to be responsible for $5,000 worth of scopes bouncing off of a concrete floor. Believe it or not, I had people actually get mad that I wouldn't make them for pic rails. :(

There was another member that offered a very different version for pic rails on here. Not sure what happened to him. Haven't seen him post in a while, that I recall.
 

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