• This Forum is for adults 18 years of age or over. By continuing to use this Forum you are confirming that you are 18 or older. No content shall be viewed by any person under 18 in California.

Service Rifle Scopes

GreenGhost308

Greetings all. I am new to competitive shooting and want to add XTC service rifle matches to my calendar of things to keep me away from the office. I am looking for a scope that satisfies the regulations: No greater than 4.5x magnification and no larger than 34mm objective lens diameter. Ideally I would like a scope where the specifications come right up to those. I have scoured my favorite Euro, Planet and B&H. There are a few scopes I like. What does everybody have experience with? What is tried-and-true? My rifle of choice is my .308 M1A which has a particular appetite for 175 grain Sierra Matchkings.

Edited 2025-06-16 to correct my understanding of the objective lens diameter limit.
 
Last edited:
In order of lowest price to most expensive. I wouldn't really consider others in the under $800 other than the Sightron. There were a couple others that did OK, but are discontinued. I have used the Vortex PST and Athlon in the low price range and White Oak in teh mid price range - went distinguished and earned quite a few state and national trophies with them. I now mostly shoot match rifle so I sold my White Oak and bought a Sightron for my service rifle.

Sightron SR1 (Lance on this site is a dealer and can get good prices) around $500
White Oak DR around $800
Nightforce SR2 aroudn $1200
March Compact D45 around $1400

Get a good mount.
1/2" extended riser from YHM or White Oak, then decent rings (I like the Burris XTR low for a 1.35" height). One piece, Geissele is pricey but one of the few at 1.3". I have the ADM-RECON X because I move the scope to different rifles and it holds zero on each one.
 
Below is an email I sent to a friend who was asking the same question:

I have a Nightforce Service Rifle scope, it is a fixed 4.5 power scope.
https://www.nightforceoptics.com/riflescopes/competition/competition-sr-fixed-45x24/

I also have a March service rifle scope which is a 1-4.5 power scope:
https://www.whiteoakarmament.com/new-march-optics-1-4-5-mtr-d3-reticle.html

The Nightforce and March scopes are generally considered to be the top tier but are relatively expensive.

There are scopes designed for Service Rifle competition that are lower cost, widely used and considered to be good scopes.

Hi-Lux Across The Course scope, a variable power 1-4.5x scope. I have used one and they are pretty good scopes.
https://hi-luxoptics.com/collections/across-the-course-xtc

Athlon Helos BTR 1-4.5x. This was designed to be an Across The Course scope, I own one and used it prior to getting the Nightforce and March. It's a decent scope.
https://athlonoptics.com/product/helos-btr-1-4-5x24-atsr3-sfp-ir-moa/

Sightron service rifle scope. A 1-4.5x variable scope designed for Service Rifle. I bought one because it has a reticle very similar to my March but ended up returning it.
https://sightron.com/products/s-tac-1-4-5x24-service-rifle

White Oak Armament sells a 1-4.5x scope. It is designed for Service Rifle competition.
https://www.whiteoakarmament.com/white-oak-distinguished-rifleman-scope.html

Between all of the above there are two main types of reticles, a circle or horseshoe with a crosshair, or a circle with a dot. Some people prefer to have a crosshair in the middle of the circle, others prefer a dot.

My Nightforce has a circle with a crosshair and my March has a circle with a dot and I like both. Some people have a strong preference for one or the other.

The circle is used as an aperture around the aiming black, the sight picture for service rifle is essentially lining up a very small circle and crosshair/dot on top of a very small aiming black.

The black of the targets scale with distance such that the sight picture is largely the same between 200, 300 and 600 yards.
 
All of the scopes listed will get you in the X ring. Just a word to the wise, M1A has been supplanted by the AR 15 for service rifle competitions. The extra recoil ( especially with your 175’s) over a 77 SMK load in an AR will make rapids a chore while 13 year olds are shooting high X cleans with a mouse gun.

Single loaded 80 gr for 600 will keep up with the 175’s there too.

Not trying to discourage you from joining the fun if XTC but just know what is out there.

HM/DR/P100. Uses a March SR scope.
 
I have the Nightforce and it has served me well. ATC, Midrange, and Long Range Service Rifle (AR10 for LR) I have had them get knocked off a table, stepped on, banging against the cart, rain, sun, dust, used it as a carry handle, etc. all sorts of abuse. ZERO issues.
 
Thank you everybody who replied with good advice and specifics on scopes. My next question is; if NRA rules allow a front objective up to 34mm diameter, why do so few of the tried-and-true scope manufacturers not make a scope with a diameter of 34mm? Most of the scopes marketed as "Service Rifle..." have 24mm objectives. What am I missing? I realize that any service rifle match will be held on a bright and sunny day and objective diameter is not all that crucial but some of us would like a scope that we use for more than a handful of matches in a year.
 
Just a couple of thoughts for shooting your M1A XC. Jeff above was correct in pointing out that shooting 175s vs the AR15's is quite a challenge. Recoil recovery in the rapids being the issue.
Think about reducing that recoil. For 200 yds you don't need a 175 gr bullet. The 125 gr. Speer TNT has the same nose profile and with a reduced load that reliably works the action will help keep you on target for standing and sitting.
For 300 rapid, the 155 gr bullets shoot lights out and again reduces that muzzle movement.

Have you put weights in the buttstock of your rifle? Rest assured those AR15s are loaded with lead under the hand guards and in the butt. That significantly reduces rifle movement while shooting.

You have chosen to shoot a challenging but rewarding rifle, the M1A. I earned HM, DR, and P100 with mine when scopes were not allowed. But u have to put the work in (building tight positions for rapids) and be smart about how you are competing. Best of luck.

Bob
 
Bob3700 said:
Just a couple of thoughts for shooting your M1A XC. Jeff above was correct in pointing out that shooting 175s vs the AR15's is quite a challenge. Recoil recovery in the rapids being the issue.
Think about reducing that recoil. For 200 yds you don't need a 175 gr bullet. The 125 gr. Speer TNT has the same nose profile and with a reduced load that reliably works the action will help keep you on target for standing and sitting.
For 300 rapid, the 155 gr bullets shoot lights out and again reduces that muzzle movement.

Have you put weights in the buttstock of your rifle? Rest assured those AR15s are loaded with lead under the hand guards and in the butt. That significantly reduces rifle movement while shooting.

You have chosen to shoot a challenging but rewarding rifle, the M1A. I earned HM, DR, and P100 with mine when scopes were not allowed. But u have to put the work in (building tight positions for rapids) and be smart about how you are competing. Best of luck.

Bob
Click to expand...
A challenge is exactly what I am looking for. I spent yesterday practicing at 100, 200 and 300 yards with irons. I have some work to do But that is what a challenge is all about.
 
I’d be realistic about your eyesight first. A lot of people struggle to focus on the Nightforce crosshairs at 600 yards, but do well with a center dot reticle. I have to try and use the aperture as my sight as I’m one of those eyesight challenged shooters. My 12 yo is out shooting me with a dot reticle at 600.

Regarding build quality, my Leupold Mark AR and my Nightforce have been exceptionally reliable, even after multiple trips across the country to Perry. Unfortunately, we’ve broken 2 White Oak scopes, and a lot of our junior team scopes have broken as well (at Perry during trophy week no less). Great customer service of course, but both broke on the way to either a state or national championship. It’s almost like they know an important match is coming, so they break at the worst moment possible. But to be fair, I love everything about the White Oak scopes, except the build quality.
 
Precisionhunter417 said:
Sometimes you can find a Leupold VR Patrol too. 1.25-4x28 with firedot reticle is a good steppingstone in the middle of the pack.

The reticle is very important in my opinion.

View attachment 1669305
www.midwayusa.com

Leupold VX-R Patrol Rifle Scope 30mm Tube 1.25-4x 20mm 1/10 MIL

The Leupold VX-R Patrol Tactical Rifle Scope features a sleek design with daylight-capable illumination. The patented 1-button illumination control...
www.midwayusa.com www.midwayusa.com
Click to expand...
The adjustments are in Mils. I have one but stopped using it because of that.
 
Again, thank you everybody for your input. Just from comparing scopes mentioned in this tread to one another and considering cost; My first choice is the Hi-Lux XTC scope. One commenter in this thread gave me the impression it is a good scope. I realize that optics, like anyhting else, are a YGWYPF affair. Does anybody else speak in favor of or against the $580 Hi-Lux or even the $480 version still available through some vendors?

FWIW: the scope currently on top of my M1A is a Vortex PST Gen II 3-15X, 44mm MRAD.
 
GreenGhost308 said:
Again, thank you everybody for your input. Just from comparing scopes mentioned in this tread to one another and considering cost; My first choice is the Hi-Lux XTC scope. One commenter in this thread gave me the impression it is a good scope. I realize that optics, like anyhting else, are a YGWYPF affair. Does anybody else speak in favor of or against the $580 Hi-Lux or even the $480 version still available through some vendors?

FWIW: the scope currently on top of my M1A is a Vortex PST Gen II 3-15X, 44mm MRAD.
Click to expand...

If a Hi-Lux is all you can afford, keep saving. Our Jr team used to have them, they all broke. The glass on the couple that I looked through was awful. I haven’t seen one on a gun in a long time.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Upgrades & Donations

This Forum's expenses are primarily paid by member contributions. You can upgrade your Forum membership in seconds. Gold and Silver members get unlimited FREE classifieds for one year. Gold members can upload custom avatars.


Click Upgrade Membership Button ABOVE to get Gold or Silver Status.

You can also donate any amount, large or small, with the button below. Include your Forum Name in the PayPal Notes field.


To DONATE by CHECK, or make a recurring donation, CLICK HERE to learn how.

Classified Ads

Forum statistics

Threads
165,809
Messages
2,203,708
Members
79,130
Latest member
Jsawyer09

Share This Page

Back
Top