What scope should I use?

[jamesdmock]

There are several variables to selecting the scope to suit one's needs. Cost must be considered if one has a limited budget. Second to that is what type of shooting will I be doing. Personally, I have shot many of the premium scopes and I am very grateful to the manufacturers for their generosity in allowing me to test and write up my opinions of their offering. Personally, I have had more success shooting the Valdada 36x. Most of this was at short range BR. The optics of this scope are outstanding. Recently, I completed an evaluation of the 10x-60x March High Master. Let me say that it lived up to its billing and I place it in the top 3 of scopes that I have tested. I will not rank these top three further, but the two mentioned plus the Nightforce 15-55X Competition is included. when it comes to bang for the buck the next tier of scopes include several....the Delta 5x-50x; the Vortex Golden Eagle; and the Sightron 10x-50x ED. Of course, there is the choice between front focal plane and second focal plane reticles. Without going into that topic here, I prefer second focla plane reticles for BR shooting.
Are there others to test? Maybe. I have had a strange curiosity about the March 40-60x EPZ. with its unique eyepiece magnification zoom. Thanks for reading my optics tests over the years. I have no particular expertise in optics, but an amazement at the advances made since I used my first Weaver back in the 1960's. Good shooting.

 

[Ranger188]

James, if you could get your hands on a March 8-80x56
and see if the 80 is really usable and how much difference the
non ED glass is compared to the SD glass

The new Valdada 10-60 scope.
See if the reticle is usable for BR and if the glass is just as good as the 36x or better
for the longer range group.

Two different scope, but still high end.

 

[jamesdmock]

James, if you could get your hands on a March 8-80x56
and see if the 80 is really usable and how much difference the
non ED glass is compared to the SD glass

The new Valdada 10-60 scope.
See if the reticle is usable for BR and if the glass is just as good as the 36x or better
for the longer range group.

Two different scope, but still high end.

I have a friend with a March 8x-80x and the powers above 60 are not very usable in the Louisiana atmosphere. I have owned a Terminator Valdada and I must say that it is only one of three scopes that I have seen 6mm bullet holes at 600 yards. If it weren't so BIG, then ......

 

[JEFFPPC]

I have looked thru a March10x80 during a 500 yard match on a bright warm sunny day. I was looking at 6mm holes. Scope was very dark, very small FOV, and not sharp, BUT and I say again But, the bullets holes jumped out at me and looked big. Fellow who shoots it loves it and wins a lot. I would say in summary....Ugly but very efficient.

 

[JimPag]

I have a friend with a March 10x-80x and the powers above 60 are not very usable in the Louisiana atmosphere. I have owned a Terminator Valdada and I must say that it is only one of three scopes that I have seen 6mm bullet holes at 600 yards. If it weren't so BIG, then ......

James it is a 8-80 not a 10-80. I have one on a Borden BR CM action with a 30BR barrel and just shoot SR score up to 300 Meters with it. The 80 is useable on some days but for most days it is not. I usually keep all my variables on 50X whether it's a 10-60, 40-60, or a 15-55. I have 2 or the old 36-55 zooms and 1 40-60 and there is a slight difference in the brightness of the 2. The super ED glass offers a slight brightness improvement over the old ED glass. The game I play is dominated by the 15-55 Comp hands down. While I say IMO those scopes have the best clarity and brightness out of any scope that I have ever had, but while I still have a couple of those, one of them is a prototype that NF gave to Tony Boyer which I own now, I still prefer a March scope maybe because they are a little darker that's why in my opinion to me they handle mirage conditions better than then the NF Comp scopes. I've heard many other people say the same thing.

 

[jamesdmock]

James it is a 8-80 not a 10-80. I have one on a Borden BR CM action with a 30BR barrel and just shoot SR score up to 300 Meters with it. The 80 is useable on some days but for most days it is not. I usually keep all my variables on 50X whether it's a 10-60, 40-60, or a 15-55. I have 2 or the old 36-55 zooms and 1 40-60 and there is a slight difference in the brightness of the 2. The super ED glass offers a slight brightness improvement over the old ED glass. The game I play is dominated by the 15-55 Comp hands down. While I say IMO those scopes have the best clarity and brightness out of any scope that I have ever had, but while I still have a couple of those, one of them is a prototype that NF gave to Tony Boyer which I own now, I still prefer a March scope maybe because they are a little darker that's why in my opinion to me they handle mirage conditions better than then the NF Comp scopes. I've heard many other people say the same thing.

You're correct. The scope is a 8x-80x. My post corrected.

 

[Turbulent Turtle]

The March-X 8-80X56 has ED glass. The design is about 9 years old. My experience going from the March-X 5-50X56, little brother of the 8-80, same design, to the March-X 10-60X56 HM was that the mirage was better controlled with the latter.