Scope Opinion

All the dope on risers, rings, scopes and optics.
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tmccoy
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Scope Opinion

Post by tmccoy »

Hello,
I have a Leupold 30x Silhouette scope on my standard rifle, and like it ok, but would like a little more power. I just bought a new 1712 and have a cheap 36x BSA scope on it now, but want to find something clearer and more reliable. Want to stay in the 36x fixed power range, and considering either a Leupold 36x or a Weaver T36. How different are the optics in these? Does anyone have/had these two to compare, and Is the difference worth another $200-300? If there is a significant difference, I will go with the Leupold, but have never had a Weaver and don't know how it compares.

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Travis

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BCloninger
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Re: Scope Opinion

Post by BCloninger »

Leupold has clearer glass at a higher price, but both are good scopes.
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Re: Scope Opinion

Post by cedestech »

I have 36X on my guns. The older M8 (pre FX series) scopes can be found at reasonable prices and factory fluff and buff with a reticle change is ridiculously cheap. You'll need signature rings though
because they are VERY sensitive to being mounted mechanically centered.

Sightron makes a straight 36X also but it's 1/8" turrets and you'll have to send it off to have the 1/8" dot enlarged.

One of our shooters uses the Bullseye ocular lens add ons. He showed me and it acutally works. They are less then $200 I believe.
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High Speed
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Re: Scope Opinion

Post by High Speed »

You get what you pay for. Every Weaver I have ever looked through, looks like your looking through fog. The clarity is no where near a Leupold. And if your used to a Leupold already. I know. Lot of people using them, and you do what you have to. Pay once, cry once. My sole opinion.
Mark
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BCloninger
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Re: Scope Opinion

Post by BCloninger »

My older son says one of the meanest things I ever did was starting him off with a Leupold since now he can never use anything else. I told him Zeiss had nice glass, too. :wink:
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High Speed
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Re: Scope Opinion

Post by High Speed »

Yep, most all the German glass is good. Zeiss has been around a long time. You will find their glass on some of the finest cameras in the world.
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tmccoy
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Re: Scope Opinion

Post by tmccoy »

Thats pretty much what i figured. I saw that some people had weavers with great glass and others, not so much. I guess it is all in perspective though. Looks like i just need to suck it up and stick with Leupold. i know you do get what you pay for.

Thanks all
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Re: Scope Opinion

Post by OldRanger »

I didn't think leupold made a 36 power? Maybe get a 6.5x20 EFR doubled to a 12x40...
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tmccoy
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Re: Scope Opinion

Post by tmccoy »

Well, they used to have a 36x BR and now have a 35x and 40x competition. All fixed power. I'm thinking of going with the 40x, but need to pull out an old 10-40 to just make sure i like that power, but i think I can stand a bit more than 36x
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Re: Scope Opinion

Post by High Speed »

One thing to bear in mind, is as you increase in the X's. Your eye relief gets less. Either that, or my stock is getting longer. I have gone from (now don't anybody go flying off the handle here, I'm talking Leupolds) 6.5x20 to 25X, now to 30X. I find in order to get a full ring, I have to shift my head a little farther forward with each change. I'm about out of cheek peace. Scope is as far back in rings as it will go.
Speaking of which, anyone have any good answers for that one? Not enough eye relief?
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Re: Scope Opinion

Post by OldRanger »

They make cantalevered scope mounts that you can use to move the scope back more.

The leupold 40x is like a 56mm with a 30mm tube. And weigh 21 oz's. Kinda huge imo. The 30x is 40mm with a 1 inch tube and is 14 ounces so if your rig can add 7 ounces I guess thats not an issue.
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Re: Scope Opinion

Post by Jerry G »

OldRanger on Fri Dec 27, 2013 2:23 am

I didn't think leupold made a 36 power? Maybe get a 6.5x20 EFR doubled to a 12x40...

The Dick Thomas bumps were 18 - 40. Does anybody still do the bumps?
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dustinflint
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Re: Scope Opinion

Post by dustinflint »

I have 5 Weavers on smallbore and air rifles, one Bushnell on a Sporter air rifle and a Leupold on my highpower rifle. All are 24X and all are very clear. The Leupold slightly more clear than the Weavers and the Bushnell is probably more clear than all of them. The more you increase the magnification of the scope the more you are going to stress the clarity of any scope. For 100 meters and closer, I have found the Weavers to be great and I think that mechanically they are about as tough as you can get. I use a Leupold for highpower partly because of the increased distance but mostly because the Leupold has lots more eye relief than the Weavers and I shoot better if I'm not worried about the recoil of my HP rifle shoving the scope back into my face.

This is an aside and just my opinion: I believe that one of the biggest mistakes that both beginner and experienced silhouette shooters make is constantly changing their equipment to try to shoot higher scores. I think it happens more in scope magnification than anything else. The problem is that most shooters don't shoot enough to become completely comfortable with their equipment and even fewer shooters shoot enough to be able to consistantly shoot high scores. What little bit of time they put in with a rifle is nearly erased when the scope magnification is changed and then everything looks different when shooting. Then they shoot a little and change the scope or something else again and take three steps forward with practice then two steps back changing equipment. The key to shooting good scores is to set up the rifle then shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot and shoot some more. I know that choice of scopes and magnification are highly personal things, but I think the better strategy is to shoot a certain scope (and rifle setup) for at least a year (if not longer) before you make any changes.

Not trying to talk anyone out of making a change... or maybe I am... Anyway, hope that was worth the two minutes to read.

Dustin
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Re: Scope Opinion

Post by cedestech »

dustinflint wrote:I have 5 Weavers on smallbore and air rifles, one Bushnell on a Sporter air rifle and a Leupold on my highpower rifle. All are 24X and all are very clear. The Leupold slightly more clear than the Weavers and the Bushnell is probably more clear than all of them. The more you increase the magnification of the scope the more you are going to stress the clarity of any scope. For 100 meters and closer, I have found the Weavers to be great and I think that mechanically they are about as tough as you can get. I use a Leupold for highpower partly because of the increased distance but mostly because the Leupold has lots more eye relief than the Weavers and I shoot better if I'm not worried about the recoil of my HP rifle shoving the scope back into my face.

This is an aside and just my opinion: I believe that one of the biggest mistakes that both beginner and experienced silhouette shooters make is constantly changing their equipment to try to shoot higher scores. I think it happens more in scope magnification than anything else. The problem is that most shooters don't shoot enough to become completely comfortable with their equipment and even fewer shooters shoot enough to be able to consistantly shoot high scores. What little bit of time they put in with a rifle is nearly erased when the scope magnification is changed and then everything looks different when shooting. Then they shoot a little and change the scope or something else again and take three steps forward with practice then two steps back changing equipment. The key to shooting good scores is to set up the rifle then shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot and shoot some more. I know that choice of scopes and magnification are highly personal things, but I think the better strategy is to shoot a certain scope (and rifle setup) for at least a year (if not longer) before you make any changes.

Not trying to talk anyone out of making a change... or maybe I am... Anyway, hope that was worth the two minutes to read.

Dustin
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Re: Scope Opinion

Post by hermit5 »

High speed,i have that same problem.I've tried every conceivable combination and can't get the scope back far enough.Even took the recoil pad completely off.
This is a 6.5x20 EFR.
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