Caliber Specific Scope

ninosdemente · December 5, 2017, 05:38 PM

I bought this http://www.cabelas.com/product/barga...0.uts?slotId=1 about 1 1/2 weeks ago as I was planning on getting an ar .223 within the next couple of weeks. I got the 3-12x40 scope. Well not getting the ar in the time frame I was hoping for. What are your opinions/thoughts on this type of scope?

Would like to know what advantages does a caliber specific scope has vs one used for all calibers?

I was planning on using the ar for just paper target practice, no competition. Not really sure how far a .223 can travel. So far I have been shooting at the 200 with my 30-06 rifle.

But now that I'm not getting it. Was planning on using it on a S&W M&P 15-22. This is probably over kill for what I really need. This was wanting to go as far as shooting at the 100yds. Was planning on using it in the meantime until eventually I get the ar.

But not sure if I should just return it and get something better when I do get the ar or is it even a good idea to use the scope I have and mount it on the M&P 15-22 and get something for that rifle specifically? Thanks for the help.

Rangerrich99 · December 5, 2017, 06:19 PM

As I understand it (I don't own any 'AR-15" specific scopes, but I'm familiar), the scope in the link is "AR-15" specific because it isn't built to take high recoil forces. It's not necessarily a fragile scope, but if you put it on say a .30-06 and broke it, they wouldn't cover it because it was never built to take that kind of abuse.

So "AR-15" scopes aren't necessarily cheap or fragile, but I'd be careful putting them on a rifle that had a lot more recoil impulse.

This is just my opinion however. As I stated above, I have no first-hand experience with that type of scope.

NHSHOOTER · December 5, 2017, 06:22 PM

I dont see any reason you cant mount that scope on whatever rifle or caliber you want, you will just have to figure out the difference in drop at different distances. No matter the caliber, just zero it at whatever distance you would like.

Don Fischer · December 5, 2017, 07:46 PM

Caliber specific scope? Years ago we simply bought a scope and learned to shoot. These days you have to look into them pretty hard! If you simply bought a scope of similar power, sight it in and learn to shoot!

OzeanJaeger · December 5, 2017, 07:50 PM

Return it. A ballistic specific reticle on the wrong rifle would drive me crazy.

jmr40 · December 5, 2017, 08:06 PM

There ain't enough difference to worry about. I really like scopes with dots or hash marks on the cross hairs for long range work. But the differences in bullet drop between all common calibers is so close that any of them can be used.

Even though the scope may be designed for 223 shooting 55 gr bullets at 3000 fps zero the scope at 100 yards with most any caliber and bullet weight. The next mark on the scope will be plenty close at 200 yards. With some guns and loads the actual zero will be 190 yards and 210 with another. Certainly not enough difference to cause you to miss on big game. You'll find the same with the 300, 400 yard and other marks.

Simply take it to the range and shoot at those ranges and see where it impacts. You will probably find you are slightly above or below the hashmark or dot on the scope at each range. But in the hunting fields that doesn't matter. You'll almost never shoot at game at EXACTLY 200, 300 yards etc. anyway. In the real world it will be something like 187, 312, 399, etc. Even if the scope is perfectly calibrated for the ammo you're shooting you still have to compensate slightly. And beyond about 300 yards you need a rangefinder. The long range marks on the scope will get you close enough that very little if any hold over/under is needed.

If you want more precision a scope with dials combined with a range finder will make it much more accurate. But it is also a lot slower and you often don't have time to get things dialed in while hunting.

ninosdemente · December 6, 2017, 10:11 AM

Thank you all for the input. Honestly the reason why I bought this was because of the sale price. I still have much to learn about scopes. Not sure what makes a good and bad scope other than the price points you in that direction. Still trying to learn what different reticles are really used for or what they work better at.

I did go online and try to search differences between caliber specific scopes vs non caliber specific scopes. With so much information that one can obtain online, although at times they may not be reliable it's hard to determine what is and what is not correct information for someone who has no idea about scopes. Other than thinking the higher magnification the better. Due to my inexperience I opted out for the sale. Now that I'm not getting the ar15 soon, I simply planned on putting it on the semi 22lr rifle. Which is why I was wondering if it was fine putting the scope on the other rifle. Thanks again for the help guys.

Don Fischer · December 6, 2017, 11:31 AM

I have one rifle I like to shoot target's at long range with once in a whole. It has a Nikon 4 1/2-14x with BDC reticule. The reticle is BS, hate the thing! It also has turret's and that is what I adjust with. Out to 300 +/- yds I zero all my scope's to MPBR and hunting they work out great. In my 4 1/2-14, those little circles don't mean squat to me! They just clutter up the view! If the range you normally shoot is 300+/- yds, forget that garbage, zero MPBR. If you shoot beyond that get cross wire's, just cross wire's and turret's. Learn to adjust with the turret's. Someone mentioned something about exact ranges and they were right but if the target is way out there, missing don't take much effort. The farther off the target, the faster the bullet drop's.

December 5, 2017, 05:38 PM	#1
ninosdemente Senior Member Join Date: March 23, 2017 Location: Northwest Indiana Posts: 831	Caliber Specific Scope I bought this http://www.cabelas.com/product/barga...0.uts?slotId=1 about 1 1/2 weeks ago as I was planning on getting an ar .223 within the next couple of weeks. I got the 3-12x40 scope. Well not getting the ar in the time frame I was hoping for. What are your opinions/thoughts on this type of scope? Would like to know what advantages does a caliber specific scope has vs one used for all calibers? I was planning on using the ar for just paper target practice, no competition. Not really sure how far a .223 can travel. So far I have been shooting at the 200 with my 30-06 rifle. But now that I'm not getting it. Was planning on using it on a S&W M&P 15-22. This is probably over kill for what I really need. This was wanting to go as far as shooting at the 100yds. Was planning on using it in the meantime until eventually I get the ar. But not sure if I should just return it and get something better when I do get the ar or is it even a good idea to use the scope I have and mount it on the M&P 15-22 and get something for that rifle specifically? Thanks for the help.

December 5, 2017, 08:06 PM	#6
jmr40 Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2008 Location: Georgia Posts: 10,805	There ain't enough difference to worry about. I really like scopes with dots or hash marks on the cross hairs for long range work. But the differences in bullet drop between all common calibers is so close that any of them can be used. Even though the scope may be designed for 223 shooting 55 gr bullets at 3000 fps zero the scope at 100 yards with most any caliber and bullet weight. The next mark on the scope will be plenty close at 200 yards. With some guns and loads the actual zero will be 190 yards and 210 with another. Certainly not enough difference to cause you to miss on big game. You'll find the same with the 300, 400 yard and other marks. Simply take it to the range and shoot at those ranges and see where it impacts. You will probably find you are slightly above or below the hashmark or dot on the scope at each range. But in the hunting fields that doesn't matter. You'll almost never shoot at game at EXACTLY 200, 300 yards etc. anyway. In the real world it will be something like 187, 312, 399, etc. Even if the scope is perfectly calibrated for the ammo you're shooting you still have to compensate slightly. And beyond about 300 yards you need a rangefinder. The long range marks on the scope will get you close enough that very little if any hold over/under is needed. If you want more precision a scope with dials combined with a range finder will make it much more accurate. But it is also a lot slower and you often don't have time to get things dialed in while hunting. __________________ "If you're still doing things the same way you were doing them 10 years ago, you're doing it wrong" Winston Churchill

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December 5, 2017, 06:19 PM	#2
Rangerrich99 Senior Member Join Date: March 20, 2014 Location: Kinda near Phoenix, AZ Posts: 1,254	As I understand it (I don't own any 'AR-15" specific scopes, but I'm familiar), the scope in the link is "AR-15" specific because it isn't built to take high recoil forces. It's not necessarily a fragile scope, but if you put it on say a .30-06 and broke it, they wouldn't cover it because it was never built to take that kind of abuse. So "AR-15" scopes aren't necessarily cheap or fragile, but I'd be careful putting them on a rifle that had a lot more recoil impulse. This is just my opinion however. As I stated above, I have no first-hand experience with that type of scope.

December 5, 2017, 06:22 PM	#3
NHSHOOTER Senior Member Join Date: November 26, 2012 Location: Concord NH Posts: 1,002	I dont see any reason you cant mount that scope on whatever rifle or caliber you want, you will just have to figure out the difference in drop at different distances. No matter the caliber, just zero it at whatever distance you would like.

December 5, 2017, 07:46 PM	#4
Don Fischer Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2017 Posts: 1,868	Caliber specific scope? Years ago we simply bought a scope and learned to shoot. These days you have to look into them pretty hard! If you simply bought a scope of similar power, sight it in and learn to shoot!

December 5, 2017, 07:50 PM	#5
OzeanJaeger Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2014 Posts: 301	Return it. A ballistic specific reticle on the wrong rifle would drive me crazy.

December 6, 2017, 10:11 AM	#7
ninosdemente Senior Member Join Date: March 23, 2017 Location: Northwest Indiana Posts: 831	Thank you all for the input. Honestly the reason why I bought this was because of the sale price. I still have much to learn about scopes. Not sure what makes a good and bad scope other than the price points you in that direction. Still trying to learn what different reticles are really used for or what they work better at. I did go online and try to search differences between caliber specific scopes vs non caliber specific scopes. With so much information that one can obtain online, although at times they may not be reliable it's hard to determine what is and what is not correct information for someone who has no idea about scopes. Other than thinking the higher magnification the better. Due to my inexperience I opted out for the sale. Now that I'm not getting the ar15 soon, I simply planned on putting it on the semi 22lr rifle. Which is why I was wondering if it was fine putting the scope on the other rifle. Thanks again for the help guys.

December 6, 2017, 11:31 AM	#8
Don Fischer Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2017 Posts: 1,868	I have one rifle I like to shoot target's at long range with once in a whole. It has a Nikon 4 1/2-14x with BDC reticule. The reticle is BS, hate the thing! It also has turret's and that is what I adjust with. Out to 300 +/- yds I zero all my scope's to MPBR and hunting they work out great. In my 4 1/2-14, those little circles don't mean squat to me! They just clutter up the view! If the range you normally shoot is 300+/- yds, forget that garbage, zero MPBR. If you shoot beyond that get cross wire's, just cross wire's and turret's. Learn to adjust with the turret's. Someone mentioned something about exact ranges and they were right but if the target is way out there, missing don't take much effort. The farther off the target, the faster the bullet drop's.