Crimson Trace Scopes Good for Long Range?

**Shane Tuttle** · February 25, 2021, 01:03 PM

I'm getting a KRG 1500 punched out to 6.5-284 Norma. Discussion here: https://thefiringline.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=610185

MidwayUSA has a sale on these Crimson Trace Scopes. My goal is to shoot long range target, ranging from 600-1000yds. I had a Leupold in mind until I saw these. Any thoughts on them? Not sure if they have zero stop feature...

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1020619264?pid=133422

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1020618830?pid=351470

MarkCO · February 25, 2021, 01:16 PM

The reports are coming back as really good, but sales have lagged in a very competitive market that they arrived late to. There are some at Midway that are 50% off, and they sure are tempting.

hub1home · February 25, 2021, 02:04 PM

You got me at Leupold. That is what I go with unless the cost difference is quite a bit more. The main reason is Leupold's quality assurance.

std7mag · February 25, 2021, 07:57 PM

Crimson Trace is a known, quality name.
Not like your buying a Barska! Pure junk!

I think the Series 2 &3 scopes are being phased out.
Crimson Trace just brought out their Brushline & Hardline series of scopes.

There is a review by Ballisticxlr on this forum, in this topic of Gear & accessories. Good read.

ocharry · February 26, 2021, 11:11 AM

shane....i have a 2 series for just over a year now,,6-24x56--34mm tube....i really like it...really nice glass, turrets are good, has 80min of elevation and 60min of wind..turrets have 25min per rev...i think, plus the reticle has 40min left and right and down....and 30min up......it does not have a zero stop, on this model......only model that has that is the 5 series as per CT

these scopes are jems for sure...i put mine on a 6.5CM with a 20min rail...zeroed it is about 20min from the bottom of the elevation so i kinda figure i have somewhere around 100 min of elevation with the reticle..( i like this reticle in my scope, not so sure about the other one they offer, looks kinda busy to me)...think i have around 60 or so on the knob plus 40 in the glass......if i was gona do it again i think i would maybe use a 25-30min rail just to squeeze out a little more elevation and then maybe the zero stop would be the bottom ... lol

i went to CT web sight looks like they still have the 2 series scope listed and do not list the 3 and 5 series scopes...i also noticed that none of the newer models have a 34mm tube......i never had a 34 until this scope,,,mostly 30's it does make a difference

i think all of these scopes(2,3,5) use the same glass....japan ED...and i think maybe the reason(well probably more than 1)they are getting out of this line is the 34mm tube....and no traction in the market

i really like everything about the scope i have... i also have a notification for a 3 series from midway....they say they are coming...i dont know if they are or not but if they do i want one of them...or if they dont i might spring for the 5 series.....but i would definitely but another 2 series again if the others were not available

either way i really dont think you will be disappointed in one of these scopes...and with them being half price.....i think they are a steal and i also think that CT knocked it out of the park....way over looked ...and they do have a life time warranty with free batteries if illuminated ...i also DO NOT think CT is going away so the warranty should be good to go

but hey that is just my opinion and we all know about those and what they are worth

ocharry

ballisticxlr · February 27, 2021, 11:54 AM

I've taken the opportunity to wring out one of each of the series 2, series 3 and series 5 and to test them against each other and against some other optics in the same price class as the prices midwayusa had going last I looked. The Vortex Viper PST Gen 2 is pretty decently comparable but the CT's are better IMO. The Athlon ETR is also directly comparable. The Bushnell DMR and XRS are a small notch above the CT's.

The glass is the same on all of them and it's super nice. Turrets are all basically the same too. Really good glass quality, super clear, nice color rendition. There's a tiny bit of color sep right at the edge which I most people won't notice or care about. Tracking was spot on on all of them. The essential difference between the series 5 and the others is all series 5's come with 34mm tubes and 6x or better magnification range. The series 3's are 5x mag range. The series 2's are 4x mag range. personally the series 2's are probably the thing for most people. I got the series 5 originally because I couldn't figure out where the 2 and 3 series were made. Turns out they're all made in Japan. At this point I'm wishing I bought 2 of the series 2 or 3 instead of just one of the series 5.

Reticles get hard to see on the series 5's and a little less so on the series 3's but they're good to go top to bottom of the mag range on the series 2's.

**Shane Tuttle** · February 27, 2021, 03:37 PM

Thanks, everyone, for the input. That helps to make the decision easier. For the range that we're shooting, I want the reticle to be sharp. I might be passing on these scopes, as good of a deal they are.

February 25, 2021, 01:03 PM	#1
Shane Tuttle Staff Join Date: November 28, 2005 Location: Montana Posts: 9,443	Crimson Trace Scopes Good for Long Range? I'm getting a KRG 1500 punched out to 6.5-284 Norma. Discussion here: https://thefiringline.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=610185 MidwayUSA has a sale on these Crimson Trace Scopes. My goal is to shoot long range target, ranging from 600-1000yds. I had a Leupold in mind until I saw these. Any thoughts on them? Not sure if they have zero stop feature... https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1020619264?pid=133422 https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1020618830?pid=351470 __________________ If it were up to me, the word "got" would be deleted from the English language. Posting and YOU: http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/posting

February 25, 2021, 01:16 PM	#2
MarkCO Senior Member Join Date: October 21, 1998 Location: Colorado, USA Posts: 4,308	The reports are coming back as really good, but sales have lagged in a very competitive market that they arrived late to. There are some at Midway that are 50% off, and they sure are tempting. __________________ Good Shooting, MarkCO www.CarbonArms.us

February 25, 2021, 07:57 PM	#4
std7mag Senior Member Join Date: June 23, 2013 Location: Central Taxylvania.. Posts: 3,609	Crimson Trace is a known, quality name. Not like your buying a Barska! Pure junk! I think the Series 2 &3 scopes are being phased out. Crimson Trace just brought out their Brushline & Hardline series of scopes. There is a review by Ballisticxlr on this forum, in this topic of Gear & accessories. Good read. __________________ When our own government declares itself as "tyrannical", where does that leave us??!! "Januarary 6th insurrection". Funny, I didn't see a single piece of rope...

February 26, 2021, 11:11 AM	#5
ocharry Senior Member Join Date: October 20, 2006 Posts: 687	shane....i have a 2 series for just over a year now,,6-24x56--34mm tube....i really like it...really nice glass, turrets are good, has 80min of elevation and 60min of wind..turrets have 25min per rev...i think, plus the reticle has 40min left and right and down....and 30min up......it does not have a zero stop, on this model......only model that has that is the 5 series as per CT these scopes are jems for sure...i put mine on a 6.5CM with a 20min rail...zeroed it is about 20min from the bottom of the elevation so i kinda figure i have somewhere around 100 min of elevation with the reticle..( i like this reticle in my scope, not so sure about the other one they offer, looks kinda busy to me)...think i have around 60 or so on the knob plus 40 in the glass......if i was gona do it again i think i would maybe use a 25-30min rail just to squeeze out a little more elevation and then maybe the zero stop would be the bottom ... lol i went to CT web sight looks like they still have the 2 series scope listed and do not list the 3 and 5 series scopes...i also noticed that none of the newer models have a 34mm tube......i never had a 34 until this scope,,,mostly 30's it does make a difference i think all of these scopes(2,3,5) use the same glass....japan ED...and i think maybe the reason(well probably more than 1)they are getting out of this line is the 34mm tube....and no traction in the market i really like everything about the scope i have... i also have a notification for a 3 series from midway....they say they are coming...i dont know if they are or not but if they do i want one of them...or if they dont i might spring for the 5 series.....but i would definitely but another 2 series again if the others were not available either way i really dont think you will be disappointed in one of these scopes...and with them being half price.....i think they are a steal and i also think that CT knocked it out of the park....way over looked ...and they do have a life time warranty with free batteries if illuminated ...i also DO NOT think CT is going away so the warranty should be good to go but hey that is just my opinion and we all know about those and what they are worth ocharry __________________ The felon does not fear the police, and he fears neither judge nor jury. Therefore what he must be taught to fear is his victim." - Lt. Col. Jeff Cooper, USMC

February 27, 2021, 03:37 PM	#7
Shane Tuttle Staff Join Date: November 28, 2005 Location: Montana Posts: 9,443	Thanks, everyone, for the input. That helps to make the decision easier. For the range that we're shooting, I want the reticle to be sharp. I might be passing on these scopes, as good of a deal they are. __________________ If it were up to me, the word "got" would be deleted from the English language. Posting and YOU: http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/posting

February 25, 2021, 02:04 PM	#3
hub1home Senior Member Join Date: November 15, 2014 Posts: 182	You got me at Leupold. That is what I go with unless the cost difference is quite a bit more. The main reason is Leupold's quality assurance.

February 27, 2021, 11:54 AM	#6
ballisticxlr Member Join Date: April 25, 2020 Posts: 83	I've taken the opportunity to wring out one of each of the series 2, series 3 and series 5 and to test them against each other and against some other optics in the same price class as the prices midwayusa had going last I looked. The Vortex Viper PST Gen 2 is pretty decently comparable but the CT's are better IMO. The Athlon ETR is also directly comparable. The Bushnell DMR and XRS are a small notch above the CT's. The glass is the same on all of them and it's super nice. Turrets are all basically the same too. Really good glass quality, super clear, nice color rendition. There's a tiny bit of color sep right at the edge which I most people won't notice or care about. Tracking was spot on on all of them. The essential difference between the series 5 and the others is all series 5's come with 34mm tubes and 6x or better magnification range. The series 3's are 5x mag range. The series 2's are 4x mag range. personally the series 2's are probably the thing for most people. I got the series 5 originally because I couldn't figure out where the 2 and 3 series were made. Turns out they're all made in Japan. At this point I'm wishing I bought 2 of the series 2 or 3 instead of just one of the series 5. Reticles get hard to see on the series 5's and a little less so on the series 3's but they're good to go top to bottom of the mag range on the series 2's.