Premier Reticles 'silhouette special' scopes

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blackdogxx
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Premier Reticles 'silhouette special' scopes

Post by blackdogxx »

I bought a scope for steel silhouette competiton a long while back (along about 1997 or so I think). I used the scope on a 700 BDL in 7mm-08.
Now I learn that the Premier Reticles 'silhouette special' with a mil dot reticle, built for that purpose, is sought after. I put in an email request to Premier Reticles as to whether they have a record of my purchase. I want to know the details of the scope. I am waiting for a reply in the upcoming weeek.

Although I was a fair shooter, the competition format was not to my liking and it was very long drive to the range. So the scope and rifle are basically unmarked in any way and only moly coated bullets were fired through it. My cousin is a southeast USA benchrest competitor and he set the trigger adjustment to a positive, but very short and crisp letoff.

I am wondering if I should sell the scope separately or look for a buyer for the pair, which I carried to the range in a like-new Doskocil plastic case.

Any help or suggestions is much appreciated.
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Trent
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Re: Premier Reticles 'silhouette special' scopes

Post by Trent »

Personally, I have always found that scopes and rifles sell better separately. You'll have more potential buyers, and I feel a better sale price. One of my favorite things to do is buy under priced combos and then split them up and resell them to make a little fast cash.
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GeoNLR
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Re: Premier Reticles 'silhouette special' scopes

Post by GeoNLR »

Don't take this wrong, but you need to figure out what you have to know what it's worth...

"Premier Reticles 'silhouette special' with a mil dot reticle, built for that purpose, is sought after"

Premier's 'silhouette dot' was their go to reticle for silhouette builds. What you may have is a 'First Focal Plane' scope with a mil-dot reticle. This could be a desirable scope because the reticle does not change substension as you change the power on the scope… You would probably draw a higher selling price on a tactical shooting forum IF this is the case… I guess really either way… Not saying there isn’t a loner or two out there… but I have never sold a scope for silhouette with a mil-dot reticle… FYI… YMMV.

Also – is the scope ‘boosted’ or not? That will also affect the resale as they haven’t preformed that modification in a few years… Some keep their eyes open for them and snatch them up…

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blackdogxx
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Re: Premier Reticles 'silhouette special' scopes

Post by blackdogxx »

Good points; I ordered directly from the owner who has since passed on. This was at least before 2000 when I ordered it and I described what the event was. I took his suggestions when I ordered.

I also have out in email inquiry to Premier Reticles in case they have a record of the sale to my name. That would likely describe the details about the scope. I do not recall any mention of a 'boost' , just that it was a Leupold Vari-X III modified.

If I get the details, I will post here what I learned. It's been so long ago that I shipped another scope in the original box. Steel silhouettes was a pastime shooting sport for me for a season or two, so the scope was never a concern to me other than knowing that a high quality scope outfitted for the event was on my 700 BDL. My cousin was an active benchrest guy and apparently good at it; he recognized the scope and what it was for and the shop. He mentioned it was top notch.

Thank you for replying!
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Re: Premier Reticles 'silhouette special' scopes

Post by Innocent »

Usually if it has been boosted Premier put the boost power on the scope. They did a number of reticle changes without boosting.

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Re: Premier Reticles 'silhouette special' scopes

Post by chickenchoker »

The end of the box for my scope says;

Vari-X 111 8.5-25X40mm
adj. obj. Matte Target
MULTICOAT 4

Leupold 8.5X-25X Silhouette Special

1/2 MOA DOT RETICLE

Premier Reticles, Ltd.
920 Breckinridge Lane
Winchester, Va 22601-USA

The sheet that has the specs for the scopes they handled and how to mount and the explanation of backlash in the adjustment has a date of 6/98.

Maybe this will help.
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Re: Premier Reticles 'silhouette special' scopes

Post by 1stlttightwad »

GeoNLR wrote:Don't take this wrong, but you need to figure out what you have to know what it's worth...

"Premier Reticles 'silhouette special' with a mil dot reticle, built for that purpose, is sought after"

Premier's 'silhouette dot' was their go to reticle for silhouette builds. What you may have is a 'First Focal Plane' scope with a mil-dot reticle. This could be a desirable scope because the reticle does not change substension as you change the power on the scope… You would probably draw a higher selling price on a tactical shooting forum IF this is the case… I guess really either way… Not saying there isn’t a loner or two out there… but I have never sold a scope for silhouette with a mil-dot reticle… FYI… YMMV.

Also – is the scope ‘boosted’ or not? That will also affect the resale as they haven’t preformed that modification in a few years… Some keep their eyes open for them and snatch them up… This is not showing as a repsonse.. Why would you choose a mil-dot reticle? They are designed for range estimation. Do you not move your scope adjustments for the different ranges? Get a Dot, get rid of all the hash marks that just get in the way. Are not the targets at a KNOWN range. Dave Deo Vindice

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blackdogxx
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Re: Premier Reticles 'silhouette special' scopes

Post by blackdogxx »

I take the point about the term 'mil dot reticle' ... My scope does not have any ranging capability; steel silhouette, as any person in this forum, is a game with set distance targets from about 200 yards to about 500. So the exact yardage was known to us and the fellow who ran Premier Reticles knew it too. That's why he sold a scope named a 'silhouette special' with whatever type of red dot that was customary.

I was a casual shooter encouraged to try the sport; nothing more. I do not have to know the ins and outs of scopes. But I know who converted a Leupold Vari X III into a special purpose scope and that he was one of the best in the business.

I'm simply trying to determine what it may be worth... to sell it for less than that. It is unmarked as are the base and rings as well as the rifle (wood stocked Remington 700 BDL).
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Re: Premier Reticles 'silhouette special' scopes

Post by blackdogxx »

* I have a commitment for the rifle and will be selling the scope, rings, base... all unmarked and in matte black like the scope. The base and rings were top quality, but I cannot recall what brand. I still have the Torx L-shaped wrench for the screws. I can make pictures available of the scope mounted for those interested,

I looked more closely at the scope itself and it is a 6.5X - 20X Leupold Vari-X III and does have turret knobs. Dick Thomas at Precision Reticle built it as a 'Silhouette Special' ; I took his suggestion when I was going to shoot the steel silhouette high power rifle competition. It was mounted with very good rings that are secured with a 'Torx' type L-wrench (somewhat like an Allen wrench), which I have.

I had a local gun dealer estimate the rifle value alone (a Remington 700 BDL in 7mm-08) at about $500-550 because it is unmarked and the trigger was adjusted by a family member who shoots benchrest in competition. The trigger is fairly light and short, yet positive for shooting from a standing position in steel silhouette competition.

I had forgotten that the sight picture is a fine crosshair with a single small red dot at the intersection.
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