New scope options

Trying to wade through all the available scopes and choose a winner, will put my requirements down here and would love to hear real world feedback or models to look at etc.

The rifle this is for is a 6.5 Grendel Howa with a short barrel carbon sleved, this rig is destined to go into a light weight chassis at some point so keeping weight down is very high on the priority list! It's a pest control rig and shots will be from 50-500m, I'm not shooting tops or ringing gongs at long range. Zoom range to suit the 50-500 in my opinion would be 3-10 ish, more is not really needed and probably adds weight. I like the idea of a CDS or similar turret with a zero stop, I use quite a few different rifles so having range marked out on the dial so I can just tag it with the LRF, dial and bang flop is just the sort of simple that I need - I will be shooting hand loaded ammo so can keep it consistent. Simple reticle is fine as with the CDS (or equivalent) mildots wont be needed for elevation at least, even better if it's a fire dot.

Budget is up to $1200, one model I already have on my list is the Leupold VX3I 3.5-10x40

Cheers!

I wouldn't expect too many bang flops @500 yards with a Grendel, I shot a couple of red deer at 400 yards with my 22" 6.5G when i had it, 123gr eldm @2550 ish fps, and there was no bang flops, more like hits and runs. Inside 250 yards it was ok thou.

I'm picking you will be using it for goat control, I'm thinking beyond 300 yards it'll be marginal.

I personally like more than 10x once the range starts getting out there. But i do use a couple of 2-10's Weaver Super slams, i quite like them.

vxr 3-9 with a cds turret

I have a VX3i. It's packed with features for the price point, but the eye relief is shocking. I can live with it, but wouldn't buy another!

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Originally Posted by GWH

I wouldn't expect too many bang flops @500 yards with a Grendel.

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Point taken, I wouldn't be shooting Reds or anything big with it at that sort of range, real world I'd say 99% of shooting will be well under 300m.

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Originally Posted by MB

I have a VX3i. It's packed with features for the price point, but the eye relief is shocking. I can live with it, but wouldn't buy another!

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Whats hard about the eye relief? Do you find it too hard to get in the right spot? At all zoom or just max zoom? Which one do you have?

Don't want to sound rude but are you sure it's not your particular setup with a cheek weld, LOP or ring height issue etc?

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Originally Posted by Mintie

Whats hard about the eye relief? Do you find it too hard to get in the right spot? At all zoom or just max zoom? Which one do you have?

Don't want to sound rude but are you sure it's not your particular setup with a cheek weld, LOP or ring height issue etc?

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Scope is setup as well as possible for me, but my head has to be in exactly the right position otherwise vignetting is an issue. Seems worse at higher magnifications.

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Originally Posted by Mintie

Whats hard about the eye relief? Do you find it too hard to get in the right spot? At all zoom or just max zoom? Which one do you have?

Don't want to sound rude but are you sure it's not your particular setup with a cheek weld, LOP or ring height issue etc?

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They are terrible. If they were all you know then you probably wouldn’t pick up on how much of an issue it is. Without sounding like a “scope snob” I’ve been using pretty much exclusively swaro scopes the past few years and recently got a rifle that has a VX3i on it and it’s almost unusable to me

1 to 6 or 1 to 8 scope like the vortex strike eagle would fit the bill. The one off my ar sits on a howa mini in 7.62 x39. The bdc hash marks after working them out for that round come in at 180, 260, 340 and 420 yards and there's a bit of windage/moving target ability as well. For me it has worked so well at goat culling the 223 now hardly gets a look in.
It's also accounted for quite a few deer.
Vastly underrated short to middle distance round and the grendel should be no different

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Originally Posted by Ryan_Songhurst

They are terrible. If they were all you know then you probably wouldn’t pick up on how much of an issue it is. Without sounding like a “scope snob” I’ve been using pretty much exclusively swaro scopes the past few years and recently got a rifle that has a VX3i on it and it’s almost unusable to me

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Too add, I’ve actually had a bit of experience recently also with a 4-12x40 vx freedom and I actually found it a lot more comfortable to use than it’s much more expensive sibling the vx3i

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Originally Posted by Mintie

Whats hard about the eye relief? Do you find it too hard to get in the right spot? At all zoom or just max zoom? Which one do you have?

Don't want to sound rude but are you sure it's not your particular setup with a cheek weld, LOP or ring height issue etc?

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small box your eye needs to be in to be at the right focal lenght I assume. makes for a very unforgiving scope and slows things down

vx1 3-9s were pretty simple to use with my eyes, the 4-12 on the other hand were awful

you put your eye behind it and you either got all black or a small tube of light in the middle surrounded by black
till your head hits the right spot then its normal

if your budget is $1200 then snap up the Swaro 4-12x50 that's on here. Not sure if its still available but really good optics and light weight, even for 50mm objective.
500yds with a Grendel ....LOL :ORLY:

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Originally Posted by chainsaw

if your budget is $1200 then snap up the Swaro 4-12x50 that's on here. Not sure if its still available but really good optics and light weight, even for 50mm objective.
500yds with a Grendel ....LOL :ORLY:

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Its sold, looks like it was only a couple of hundred below retail anyway so not a great buy. They do look light weight but a bit bulkier than I'd like, this rifle is pretty compact.

For 500m shots I'm not talking big game.

Attachment 196239

VX3 HD 4.5-14 CDS
This is the lightest.
You will want good mag for best shot placement with the Grendel.
Eyebox if the VX 3i is not so good and relief varies with power. Wouldnt notice if you hadnt used better but is an OK compromise for the size and weight. Dials do turn while carrying so get the zero lock.
You will want to dial.
I dont think the 3.5-10 has parallax and you may or may not want that.

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Originally Posted by Dusty Fog

Vixen 3-12 or 4-16. Pretty light

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Cheap and light, but no locking zero or dialing turret.

Check out the Burris HD I've just brought a 3-15 for my Howa mini for $800 brand new and they are miles ahead of the vx3.
I would never own a 3-14.5 because of the eye relief

Sent from my CPH2145 using Tapatalk

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Originally Posted by 25/08IMP

Check out the Burris HD I've just brought a 3-15 for my Howa mini for $800 brand new and they are miles ahead of the vx3.
I would never own a 3-14.5 because of the eye relief

Sent from my CPH2145 using Tapatalk

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I had a look at them and was really surprised in person how bloody huge the ocular lense end of the scope is. They are very nice scopes for the money but in my mind would require mountain higher than other options to ensure bolt handle clearance

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Originally Posted by 25/08IMP

Check out the Burris HD I've just brought a 3-15 for my Howa mini for $800 brand new and they are miles ahead of the vx3.
I would never own a 3-14.5 because of the eye relief

Sent from my CPH2145 using Tapatalk

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I see it has 80 moa of elevation adjustment too, pretty good for a 1 inch tube, 3-15 is a handy mag range too.

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Originally Posted by Ryan_Songhurst

I had a look at them and was really surprised in person how bloody huge the ocular lense end of the scope is. They are very nice scopes for the money but in my mind would require mountain higher than other options to ensure bolt handle clearance

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A bit bigger than i would like put for the price and with there warranty you can't go far wrong.
In the ideal world i would love another Z8

Sent from my CPH2145 using Tapatalk

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Originally Posted by Ryan_Songhurst

I had a look at them and was really surprised in person how bloody huge the ocular lense end of the scope is. They are very nice scopes for the money but in my mind would require mountain higher than other options to ensure bolt handle clearance

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Unfortunately the larger eye piece is what gives many more "modern" scopes the better FOV vs older designs like the VX3.
Also helps with the more forgiving eye box.

Not a problem if you have a less than 90° bolt or have a cheek riser but definitely can be an issue.

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Originally Posted by Ryan_Songhurst

Too add, I’ve actually had a bit of experience recently also with a 4-12x40 vx freedom and I actually found it a lot more comfortable to use than it’s much more expensive sibling the vx3i

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Yup, I "upgraded" from a VX1 3-9x40. Regretting that now. The VX1 was a bloody good scope for the price!

Will have the new meopta meosport here soon within this price range.

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Originally Posted by 55six

Will have the new meopta meosport here soon within this price range.

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Look good. Mil or MOA?

Actually the vx31 is easy to use and better than the vx5hd for quick tRget acquisition.
No different in me finding the target on swao z3 z5 and z6
But you need to set them up just right
My 10 cents worth

I'm currently looking into Tract toric 2-10x42 model with bdc for bush/ allrounder scope. Nice large fov at lowest mag and bdc reticle for quick med range shots. On top of that it comes with a capped moa zero lock turret for lugging through bush and more precise longer shots when dialling is needed and still waterproof without the cap. According to reviews quite good glass and lifetime warranty. Only slight negative is it's bit heavier than some out there but ticks alot of boxes. Wished they were available in stores to check out before forking out cash!!

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Originally Posted by 55six

Will have the new meopta meosport here soon within this price range.

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I have looked at the meosport and Optica 6's and was very impressed.

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Originally Posted by 300CALMAN

I have looked at the meosport and Optica 6's and was very impressed.

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Not the greatest reviews by buyers on 24 hour campfire but the Americans are pretty hard on anything not made in the USA.

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Originally Posted by Hornady ELDX

Actually the vx31 is easy to use and better than the vx5hd for quick tRget acquisition.
No different in me finding the target on swao z3 z5 and z6
But you need to set them up just right
My 10 cents worth

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Careful adjustment fore and back, checking several shooting positions and powers.
A small cheek riser glued onto the butt.

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Originally Posted by Ryan_Songhurst

Too add, I’ve actually had a bit of experience recently also with a 4-12x40 vx freedom and I actually found it a lot more comfortable to use than it’s much more expensive sibling the vx3i

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the 4-12x40 Mark 3HD is mil/tmr/5.5mil ZS on vx freedom chassis.
way nicer eyebox vs the vx3

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Originally Posted by Steven1

I'm currently looking into Tract toric 2-10x42 model with bdc for bush/ allrounder scope. Nice large fov at lowest mag and bdc reticle for quick med range shots. On top of that it comes with a capped moa zero lock turret for lugging through bush and more precise longer shots when dialling is needed and still waterproof without the cap. According to reviews quite good glass and lifetime warranty. Only slight negative is it's bit heavier than some out there but ticks alot of boxes. Wished they were available in stores to check out before forking out cash!!

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Before you order let me know. Maybe we can share shipping. Quite keen on one

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Originally Posted by superdiver

Before you order let me know. Maybe we can share shipping. Quite keen on one

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You won't regret it.

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Originally Posted by striker

the 4-12x40 Mark 3HD is mil/tmr/5.5mil ZS on vx freedom chassis.
way nicer eyebox vs the vx3

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That looks like a good no nonsense scope.
16.2 oz about 460g so not too heavy either.

The vx3 HD 4.5-14 is 13.3 oz and the same price.