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Old January 27, 2013, 11:55 PM   #1
Samper
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Rem 700 SPS tactical AAC-SD optics advice

I admired this rifle at a local shop for a few weeks and decided to purchase it. I'm looking for optics suggestions. My father suggested a Leupold Mark 4 but no specific model. Others that I have spoken with have mentioned Schmidt & Bender or Nightforce. I would like a rugged, durable, low light functional optic and I'm not a fan of batteries. I want to get some longer range experience 800-1000 yds but also have the ability to be accurate at ~ 30 yds. This is to be a hog gun because they have become a nuisance animal in our area. This rifle may make it to deer camp next year as well. This optic will be my most expensive to date but looking through the Schmidt & Bender and Nightforce products I don't think that I'm ready to pull that trigger. Many of the Leupolds price wise are a little more comfortable for me at this time. I'm just beginning to research this, am an amateur to any shooting >300 yds and I am open to any and all suggestions even if they fall outside of the ones that I've mentioned above. Thank you.

Last edited by Samper; January 28, 2013 at 12:28 AM.
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Old January 28, 2013, 09:07 AM   #2
Samper
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It may help if I mention that this 700 is chambered in .308.
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Old January 28, 2013, 09:29 AM   #3
Dan Newberry
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Leupold would be my suggestion.

I like the Nightforce scopes, and I do own one... but they've raised the prices to more than 2000 dollars on most models... a lot to pay.

I hope not to offend anyone who has European glass--because it's truly great, no doubt. I just think that we're living in an age where the future of Europe's economy is looking really bleak. I'd be a bit skittish of making an expensive purchase from any company based "over there" at least for the foreseeable future.

Leupold has "staying power." It's a strong American company, and they'll likely be here as long as America is here (which is another debate)...

But for magnification, you would be well served with a top magnification of 10 to 14x... it'll work very well, out to 1000 yards.

We just finished our winter "polar bear" match, and we found ourselves advising many shooters who were unable to spot their own ground strikes (when their bullets missed the targets) to DIAL DOWN the magnification, and expand the field of view. This is a very difficult thing to get folks to understand--but you really don't want more magnification than you need to quarter the target, and view it clearly. You really can have too much magnification...

I shot my .308 in the comp, with the longest ranged target sitting at 1050 yards, and a bonus gong of 10" in diameter sitting at 1065 yards... the bonus gong was easily seen in my scope's magnification, which was 15x (Nightforce NXS 3.5-15x50).

I've used Bushnell's 10x Elite tactical for these targets as well. Ten power works just fine for quartering MOA targets. I made a 755 yard kill on a groundhog (one half MOA in width) using a Bushnell 10x Elite tactical... so it'll work.

We train long range shooters here at our SW Virginia facility, and have found over and over again that if you get the shooter to overcome the mistaken notion that he can "shoot better" with more magnification, you generally see more hits at long range.

Good luck on your choice. The Mark 4 will have good resale value, too, if you get it and decide to get something different later.

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Old January 28, 2013, 09:35 AM   #4
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^^^^^^ Nice post.
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Old January 28, 2013, 09:46 AM   #5
Samper
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Thank you Dan. This is the type of information I'm seeking. I try to buy made in USA wherever possible and the Leupolds keep coming up in forums and conversation. I've (my wife) set my budget between 1-2K which pushes the majority of Nightforce and Schmidts out of my league.
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Old January 28, 2013, 11:27 AM   #6
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Might want to browse through SWFA's sample list. You might find something that will fall into your price range that isn't there now.

Trijicon might have exactly what you want.
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Old January 28, 2013, 06:18 PM   #7
tobnpr
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I have a Bushy 10X tactical on a K-31...nice optic for the $$..

And while it is possible to have too much magnification if conditions (mirage) don't allow, I always prefer max unless I can't use it. It's not rocket science to know that you can get a more precise point of aim when the crosshairs obscure less of your target- especially if you're shooting at a minute of angle target at 1000 yards.

IMO, get yourself a good long range variable optic with 20-25x minimum on the top end. You can always dial it down. Plenty of good glass out there, but decide first whether you want FFP or SFP. If you're going to be range shooting at known distances, you may be better served with a SFP scope because the reticle won't obscure as much of the target at long range.

Look at the Sightron SIII, Vortex Viper PST, SWFA SS HD, Zeiss for the long range stuff. Equip the 700 with a down angle base, some scopes are bit more challenged in elevation adjustment than others and that may help broaden your selection when making sure you've got enough adjustment to get to 1000. Not likely to be a problem with scopes in the four figure price range, but some under that, like the Zeiss Conquest, have a more limited range of adjustment.

For deer camp and hogs inside a few hundred yards, get a different optic. A "traditional" 3-9x, in just about anything for 3-4 hundred bucks or so, will suffice for minute of deer or hog...

I just think you're looking at too much compromise for one optic that'll do CQB and hit a minute of angle target at 1000 yards. JMO...
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Old January 28, 2013, 06:24 PM   #8
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I really suggest Bushnell Elite Tactical, NightForce, Leupold, Premier, or USO. While there are many others as good or possibly better, I have personal experience with these, and really can recommend all of these brands...

If the NF,USO, and S&B are not what you are wanting, the Bushnell is my next favorite... I have an ET4305 and love it... The thing is built like a tank and has not only a lifetime warranty, but a guarantee that within the first year, if you don't like it, they will refund your money...
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Old January 28, 2013, 10:10 PM   #9
Bigbuckeye
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Mine has a Leupold Mk4 LR/T....love it

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Old January 29, 2013, 01:03 AM   #10
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For that large a variation in range, you will need adjustable parallax. I am a fan of the Bushnell ET series. On my remington 700 Varmint in 308 I have the ET6245, a 6-24X 50 scope with parallax adjustable down to 25 yds and nice big tactical knobs with firm clicks. --Jerry
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Old January 30, 2013, 09:41 PM   #11
big al hunter
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I am in the "less is more" crowd. A 4-12x will do up close and way out there equally well. If you want good low light visibility get a 30mm tube with quality coatings and at least 42mm objective lens. My current pick is the Vortex Viper. Choose the one you like here vortexoptics.com

High magnification will severely inhibit finding your target at close range in hunting situations. Its ok to spend a few minutes locating a piece of paper, critters sometimes don't hang around that long.
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