Remington 700 (308) Scope Recommendations

[scv_guy]

I just finished my Remington 700 build. Here's a quick rundown of the build:
Remington 700 SPS Tactical barreled action
MDT TAC 21 chassis
Timney 510 set to 2lbs
Muzzle brake installed be Randall (AR15barrles.com)

So the current scope is a
Pride Fowler RR800-2 10x42
I really like this scope how ever it has a bullet drop compensator that is dependent on bullet Weight and velocity.

I'm not familiar with Mil dot, however I'm willing to learn.
That being said my budget is $600 or so.
I'm open to suggestions,
The rifle will be used to punch paper at 300-900 yards

[BenHa]

SWFA 10x/12x
Vortex Viper PST 4-16x

[E92335i]

Vortex Viper HS-T. Just under 600.

[postal]

E92 is right on the money.....

The best scope in your price range. Get first focal plane mil/mil.

It costs extra but it's worth it. If you cheap out and go 2nd focal plane without matching knobs, in a couple months when you realize the advantage they offer, you'll be kicking yourself for not getting it..

[scv_guy]

Please explain first focal mil/mil
How is it beneficial?

[postal]

Any variable power scope.... is either....

First focal plane, or 2nd focal plane.

Most scopes, especially the cheaper ones, are 2nd focal plane.

2nd focal plane, the reticle itself always appears the same size as you zoom through the power range.

First focal plane, the reticle grows and shrinks when changing zoom.

So... for a mildot or any reticle with hold over points... a first focal plane scope, those reference points are **ALWAYS CORRECT**. The reticle grows and shrinks with the zoom, and those reference points are always right.

A 2nd focal plane scope, the manual will tell you at what power you have to set the scope for the mildots to be right.

Mil/mil or moa/moa means matching the reticle to the scope knob adjustment. (there are scopes with an MOA measurement based reticle that looks similar to mil dot)

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My first scope was a nikon buckmaster 4.5-14 mildot. 2nd focal plain, with MOA knobs.

I had to set the scope at 12x for the mildots to be correct.

The mil holds are different than dialing scope corrections in MOA......

I had charts for mils and moas and constantly get lost between the two.... and the mildots were only right at 12x.....


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My new scope is a bushnell 3.5-21 G2DMR.
This bad boy has a mil based reticle and 1/10 mil adjustment knobs and is first focal plane. The holdovers work at ANY POWER, and the hold over in mils or the correction I dial on the knobs is ALL IN MILS only. It really simplifies things.

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The vortex viper PST is available as first focal plane AND 2nd focal plane. The FFP costs more. And when you get FFP, the reticle, and knobs are Mil/Mil if you get the right one for half the price my bushnell cost. (the bushnell is nicer, but I know a lot of guys that run that vortex and are happy with it)

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Matching knobs and reticle (mil/mil or moa/moa) and first focal plane, means you have your choice of dialing for distance, or holding over, and same with wind corrections- and everything matches. You can do it on the fly without converting one system to another. And with first focal plane, do this at any power setting.

[postal]

Edit my first post......

E92 said "vortex viper" *HS-T*

I'm talking about vortex viper *PS-T* for first focal plane mil/mil.

You could check with Nathan from "short action precision.com"- I think his username here is "Iloveguns" or "Iluvguns". He's a good guy. I bought my bushnell from him. He's in socal and is an authorized bushnell and vortex dealer. He can get you a good price.

So can Mike Cecil at "CStactical.com" up in norcal.

Considering your budget is right in the ballpark, spend the money for the first focal plane mil/mil.

If you dont like it after a couple months, I'll buy it from you at $50 less than you paid and stick on my Varminter AR. That's a pretty cheap loss for you to try something I think you'll not regret in the first place....

[scv_guy]

Ok so I zero the scope at 100y and want to shoot a target at 400y, walk me through it..

[vliberatore]

Edit my first post......

E92 said "vortex viper" *HS-T*

I'm talking about vortex viper *PS-T* for first focal plane mil/mil.

You could check with Nathan from "short action precision.com"- I think his username here is "Iloveguns" or "Iluvguns". He's a good guy. I bought my bushnell from him. He's in socal and is an authorized bushnell and vortex dealer. He can get you a good price.

So can Mike Cecil at "CStactical.com" up in norcal.

For $600? Where are you shopping? The PST FFP will run $800 on the used market.

[JMP]

For $600? Where are you shopping? The PST FFP will run $800 on the used market.

I'd save up the $200 for an FFP in that case. I think it's well worth it, but that is my preference; I will not shoot SFP.

[CobraRed]

The only PST that will be close in price is 4-16x in 2nd focal. I have multiple PST's and none of them came close to $600, including used.

Ok so I zero the scope at 100y and want to shoot a target at 400y, walk me through it..

Oh geez. Might want to watch a few videos on scope adjustments and MOA. There's more to learn than someone's post can tell you.

[CobraRed]

I will not shoot SFP.

I own and shoot both. If you're operating in the 100-400 yard range and changing shooting positions often and dont already know your targets, FFP is an obvious choice. But for long range engagement, 2nd focal is a lot like shooting 1st focal at its highest magnification.

I know we like to all be scope snobs and fly the FFP flag, but there's even scenarios where the super thin reticle of a SFP is beneficial - although FFP reticles now-a-days are pretty much on par.

[sjb269]

There is no way to spoon feed you what you want to know in one or two posts. People spend many days in class learning what you are asking. The video in the link is worth a look, or two.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5AGsHSIsVo

[ExtremeX]

Ok so I zero the scope at 100y and want to shoot a target at 400y, walk me through it..

Get familiar with how to generate your own ballistic solutions... Youtube Sniper 101 and watch the series by TiborasaurusRex. There is more information in that series than most people care to know.

The more field verified data you have the more accurate you can build the charts.

In regards to scopes… a $600 budget is thin for something I would select for a 300-900 yard application.

I very much like the SWFA offerings, the fixed power scopes are a great way to get yourself into a correctly setup optic and allow you to learn the very things you are asking about at very reasonable price. They do have a 3-15x42 FFP but I haven’t used it yet and cost about $700.

Find out what you need and want in a scope, and go from there. Some of it is personal preference. I agree with the PST line of scopes, I have 3 of them, good value and balance in quality and features, but if you can spend a little more and give up some features like illumination and a zero stop that doesn’t really work that great anyways then go for a used or on sale SWFA 5-20 FFP. Tracking on all those scopes are great, and optically the SWFA 5-20 is a nice upgrade from the PST line. Optically its more in line with the Vortex Razor.

Then there is the Bushnell G2DMR optics but I don’t spend much time with them so I can’t comment from experience but also another very popular option.

If you are serious about shooting, don’t be afraid to put down a sizable but reasonable investment into an optic... Lots of great options new and used for under $1500. It works out cheaper than having to do it again. You can also grow into it and you should look at it as an investment. I buy and sell guns but I try and buy my glass for keeps.

[postal]

Ok so I zero the scope at 100y and want to shoot a target at 400y, walk me through it..

Depends on YOUR rifle, your load...'

but here's an example.

308 with 175gr sierra match kings pushing 2600 fps. (shortened factory barrel)

100 yd zero-

400 yd shot- you have your choice.
1 dial scope 2.3 mils.
2 hold 2.3 mils.
(the actual drop is 32.5 inches)

Here's the real advantage....
Windage is 5mph left to right at 90 degrees to your shot.

The correction is 5.9 inches.
Hold .4mils
or dial .4mils. (no one I shoot with dials wind corrections... everyone holds)
Windage corrections on the fly only holding, and the same chart in mils works for holdover and windage, and moving targets. No math..... no conversions from mils to moa's.

Simple, simple stuff. Even a Marine can figure it out. (Sorry Marines, love ya guys.... I couldnt help it... 6 years as a squid!)

^^^^^^^ this is mil/mil first focal plane (ffp)


Or.....

400 yds is drop of 32.5"- what is that in MOA??????? figure it out... dial it.

or, thats 2.3 mils.... wait... am I at the correct zoom for the mil hold over????????

Wind hold of 5.9inch.... what is that in moa????

Am I at the correct zoom to hold .4mils?

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See the difference?

FFP, mil/mil.... saves a lot of headache...... Trust me- I know.....

I have 1 chart in front of me that shows inches and mils. I have old charts that had inches, moa, and mils. In a hurry you get lost, and read the wrong column and mistake moa correction for dialing, for mil correction or vice versa vice.... (kinda like re redundant... though I'm still trying to figure out what "dundant" is....)