Help me with long range rifle decisions please!

[ar15barrels]

ANYWAYS, what do you guys think of the Weaver Grand Slam Tactical 3x10x40? http://www.midwayusa.com/product/598...-reticle-matte



I know the reticle is in the 2nd focal plane, but for long range shooting I'll be at 10x anyway and when at lower magnification at shorter ranges (like when hunting), range estimation isn't as critical. There is no paralax adjustment, but at the rangeI have all the time in the world to getmy check weld prefect, abd when hunting the targets will most likely be at the ranges where the scope is paralax free anyways. My one concern is the 56moa total elevation adjustment, but I believe that could be solved with a 20moa base, correct?



This optic is highly recommended on snipershide, which carries a lot of weight in my mind, but I'd like to get other opinions as well. No need to reply if your answer is "It's terrible, you have to save up another $1k to get anything halfway decent."

I think that a fixed parsllax scope is only useful if you are only shooting at the distance where the scope is parallax free.
If you want to use it at multiple distances, you need adjustable parallax.
Go read my "choosing a scope" thread in CAPRC if you don't understand why parallax is important.

[Grunt81]

I think that a fixed parsllax scope is only useful if you are only shooting at the distance where the scope is parallax free.
If you want to use it at multiple distances, you need adjustable parallax.
Go read my "choosing a scope" thread in CAPRC if you don't understand why parallax is important.

I just registered. Looks like an awesome site. I read the "choosing a scope by features and price" thread, but I didn't see any explanation of parallax...

[russ69]

I wasn't going to post this, but decided it was time for a real-world testimony. I shot this group a couple of weeks ago.

I didn't see this earlier. If your off the rack gun shoots these kind of groups, I'm thinking, I'd never sell that gun. I would like to see a 5 shot and a 10 shot group from that gun, on a clean target. That 3 shot group is either the worlds biggest fluke or you have a really good gun there.

[Grunt81]

. I would like to see a 5 shot and a 10 shot group from that gun, on a clean target. That 3 shot group is either the worlds biggest fluke or you have a really good gun there.

I agree 100%. The issue I'm running into is the dam barrel heat. Even with taking two other rifles to shoot, it's hard to have the patience at the range to truly test its capability by letting the barrel cool. This was shot the Friday before thanksgiving with the 9x Nikon package scope. I actually went back on Thanksgiving and had a few horizontal and vertical strings touching, where 3 of the 5 rounds would touch, and the other two rounds would bring the group to around 0.8 MOA. That's really not good enough for me but I have to accept it's capability the way it is. I prefer a 12x, even at 100 yards. I've thought about taking my Lee handpress and reloading between groups to kill time and probably will soon.

However, thus far I haven't noticed a benefit between full-length sized brass and once-fired neck-sized. This next batch I make will be twice-fired neck sized. Also, I still need to figure out components my rifle likes consistently. I'll finish off my 250 box of NCC 168 before I try 155 or 175 smk, or Hornady hpbt. I also bought a pound of IMR 4064 to try out.

By the way, I've always sorted my brass by head stamp year and weight when testing groups. This particular group happened to be shot with the only 5 rounds I made with mixed year head stamp (Lake City) brass. It was full-length sized since it was the first time shooting and was rounds 11-15 of my firt .308 hand loads ever.

I recently came up on small batches of PPU and Winchester .308 brass and may try that soon for comparison. Once I find a load that is consistent at 100 yards, I'll start setting up my paper back at 200 yards. Once again, my 9x scope and pencil barrel may be the biggest factors holding me back but I accept that as it comes. Once again, I know I have a dedicated hunting rifle with plenty of power for most 4-legged bad guys in the 48 states, at the very least. The only reason I'd build a precision rifle, is if I planned on competing. So if the only purpose of the rifle is to put small little groups on paper, I'd definitely research a different caliber that bucks wind better....Now, if for whatever reason I decided that .308 was the cartridge I'd want to compete with, I'd get a long heavy barrel and new stock for my Savage 11, and probably just pick up an Axis or Ruger American for hunting.

[Grunt81]

By the way, before I start getting asked, I did have 5 rounds of this load. These targets are the dirt cheap Big 5 air rifle targets for 5m with 3/4 bullseye. I stenciled in diamonds around the bull to see them better. There are actually 5 of these targets on an 8.5x11 paper. The first round, was actually shot at a different target. When I looked through my spotting scope, I noticed two other dam pesky .22 holes near my shot. Maayyybe that was an accident. Pissed me off a little and decided to shoot the remaining four rounds at a fresh target. What you see is rounds 2,3, and 4 of the five. After three rounds, went through the same hole, I thought I was missing and made a conservative adjustment on my scope. You can see the fifth shot in the bottom of the diamond.

[weaverftw]

^ lies. That group was shot at 25yd, don't lie

Just kidding!

Btw, I just bought the SWFA SS 10x42, by all accounts it's WAY better than anything else below $800-900 and I'm going to be target shooting 90% off the time so I didn't want to compromise ruggedness or turret tracking for lower magnification.. When I do decide to take it hunting this spring or summer, I will just use a buddy's 3-9x hunting scope or maybe get another optic just for hunting (something I won't care about abusing).

Any tips on bases and rings? I'd like a solid one piece base, but not sure what size (height) to get or what rings are decent. The SWFA has 156moa of elevation adjustment, so I don't think I'll need a 20moa base, but what do y'all think? 78moa is more than I'll ever need, right?

[CarlB]

I just registered. Looks like an awesome site. I read the "choosing a scope by features and price" thread, but I didn't see any explanation of parallax...

This might help

http://www.6mmbr.com/parallax.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-ied67wwHY

[JMP]

JMP. All I did was recommend to the OP that he get a quality variable power such as 3-12x or 4-16x.

I think we have a different definition of "quality".

Btw, I just bought the SWFA SS 10x42, by all accounts it's WAY better than anything else below $800-900.

I'd have sold you a 6-24x50 FFP Vortex PST for $799 (used). The SWFA 10x42 isn't "WAY better" than that scope.

The SWFA has 156moa of elevation adjustment, so I don't think I'll need a 20moa base, but what do y'all think? 78moa is more than I'll ever need, right?

I'd actually put on a steep cant since the scope doesn't have a zero stop. It'll help if you loose track of zero.

[Grunt81]

^ lies. That group was shot at 25yd, don't lie

Just kidding!

Btw, I just bought the SWFA SS 10x42, by all accounts it's WAY better than anything else below $800-900 and I'm going to be target shooting 90% off the time so I didn't want to compromise ruggedness or turret tracking for lower magnification.. When I do decide to take it hunting this spring or summer, I will just use a buddy's 3-9x hunting scope or maybe get another optic just for hunting (something I won't care about abusing).

Any tips on bases and rings? I'd like a solid one piece base, but not sure what size (height) to get or what rings are decent. The SWFA has 156moa of elevation adjustment, so I don't think I'll need a 20moa base, but what do y'all think? 78moa is more than I'll ever need, right?

Ah, ya got me!!! Haha, yeah right. Other than a bb gun I had when I was 10 and a .22lr, the only center fire round I've shot anywhere near 25yds is 5.56 NATO to zero irons before qualifying.

Hey man, there's no doubt you've done hours of research on what you're looking for. I know I did entire days worth of research before committing to my Savage Trophy Hunter. If what you bought makes you feel absolutely warm and fuzzy that you are getting the best product FOR YOU AND WHAT YOU NEED IT FOR, for the money. That's all that matters. Congrats and enjoy.

There's also a dam near infinite wealth of information out there and in here on how to reload. Everyone posting here will be glad to debate on how to do it and what set up to get and so on and so forth.

You'll do just fine.

[Grunt81]

I think we have a different definition of "quality".

No doubt about that. But for what it's worth, I do respect and appreciate all of your opinions out there, from those of you might have been doing this almost as long as I've been alive.

I'd have sold you a 6-24x50 FFP Vortex PST for $799 (used). The SWFA 10x42 isn't "WAY better" than that scope.

The OP said that from what he's read, it's supposed to be one of the best scopes BELOW the $799 and up price range.

I'd actually put on a steep cant since the scope doesn't have a zero stop. It'll help if you loose track of zero.

Maybe there are aftermarket turrets he can buy that have a zero mark?

[weaverftw]

Maybe there are aftermarket turrets he can buy that have a zero mark?

I'm slightly confused about what exactly you're talking about. The turrets have 3 screws you can loosen and move the turret so that the 0 on the turret cap lines up with the true zero value. How would I lose my zero and what is a zero stop?

[LRShooter]

You can easily lose the zero by dialing up more than 1 revolution and than losing count/forgetting to reset/turning down more than you turned up, etc.

If you never shoot past 200 yards this may not be a problem.

Zero stop won't let you turn down below the zero.

[Grunt81]

^^^Wisdom....good to know.

[weaverftw]

You can easily lose the zero by dialing up more than 1 revolution and than losing count/forgetting to reset/turning down more than you turned up, etc.

If you never shoot past 200 yards this may not be a problem.

Zero stop won't let you turn down below the zero.

But it has hash marks on the turret itself so when you go a full revolution from zero you can tell that it's one revolution away. Wouldn't this make it easy to tell if you're at the zero or not?

[ar15barrels]

I just registered. Looks like an awesome site. I read the "choosing a scope by features and price" thread, but I didn't see any explanation of parallax...

Go read "How to use your scope".
It might be in the training forum instead of the optics forum.