Centrefire Advice

[maktayla 50]

Scopes are a personal thing and what one person likes you'll have two others saying it's crap for them and they wouldn't touch them. The top options (Swarovski and Zeiss etc.) are a bit pricey here so anything that's centre fire rated will do and as long as the mounts are strong then it'll hold zero for you.

 

To get an idea of what's in your budget have a look on Uttings (for new scopes). I picked an MTC Mamba as it does everything I need for now and I can't afford £1000 for a Zeiss.

 

I think the best thing you can do is to have a look around the different sites (including GunTrader) and see what pops up in your budget but as it has been mentioned there are more accessories that you'll soon want so keep that in mind if £500 is your ceiling.

 

Draw up a shortlist based on what you think will suit and people will give you the benefit of their experience if you have questions on a particular model.

 

Happy shopping!

Thankyou for the advice Chuck

Forgot all about Uttings.. To be honest I didnt think they were still going. Remember them having a 2 or 3 page spread in the Airgun World magazine over 20 yrs ago

Same as you, could not afford a new zeiss, swarovski or similar. I have a brand new set of Bushnell Banner (Dusk & Dawn) scopes 4-16x40 IR. Ive never put these on a rifle. Would you know if these scopes would suffice until I could afford something more?

 

I got in touch the Firearms Officer today. Really nice and helpful. Talked to him and took everyone's advice on board. He told me to state Deer and Lawful Quarry. He said that would cover fox as well. He talked through the process with me in some detail. I asked him a question regarding the amount of ammo he thought would suffice for me to purchase and hold. He asked me how much I have on my ticket for my HMR, and I told him 500. Told me to put down 500 because things have changed. They no longer ask for how much you want to purchase. All they ask if for how much you are asking to hold.

Getting all excited now....Its like applying for a grant all over again...

[charlie caller 3,654]

Thanks guys

So nice to have this input/advice. Got quite some time to save. Its the glass that has now got me thinking as well. Ive been shooting rimfires for the last couple of years and its not been too much of a thing when it comes to glass. I have also been a photographer and i know all too well how much decent glass can cost. I have no idea of the recoil on a .243 and, please correct me if i am wrong, i wouldnt imagine it being as much as say, a shotgun for example. Put a long story short, thanks to you all, i now have a better understanding on the rifle and barrel life, but what would i be looking at for a decent glass, i.e make and prices. Sorry gents, yet again, budget is tight.

Nikon prostaff 3-9x50 mate the best value scope in the country, my pal has a S&B on his rifle I have a prostaff on mine, and we really do struggle to see the difference even at night, around £160.00, and as you know your cameras, you will be aware of the quality of Nikon lenses.

[maktayla 50]

Thanks Charlie.

Oh yes... I know how good Nikon are. Ive got quite a shopping list coming along now. I love shopping......

What do you think of those Bushnell Banners I have. If you think its better I step up a little bit more, maybe get a 50mm lens, like the Nikon, rather than the Bushnells 40mm, then I would sell these along with my camera and hopefully raise a nice little sum towards a rifle, scope and moderator.

[TheRealChuckNorris 42]

The Bushnell scope should be fine to tide you over if you need to allocate more of your budget on the rifle to begin with. The Nikon for £160 is good value too but can understand the desire to sort the rifle first as you already have something that will do. 50 vs 40 ml will help with the light a bit more but that will really only come into play at first / last light and not as much of a difference vs Zeiss or the top ones which will buy you an extra 15 mins or so.

 

The great thing about the net is that you can do plenty of research. The kind of stuff that would have taken us months and cost about the price of a rifle in petrol driving around to view them all. Keep looking until you unearth that bargain that makes you sit up and take notice.

 

Sounds like a good FEO!

Edited May 7, 2014 by TheRealChuckNorris

[maktayla 50]

Thanks Chuck,

You've just made me a lot happier. I can ease off a bit now regarding the scope. I can save over time for an upgrade but at least I know I've got a scope I can use on a .243.

You are right about the net and, to add to that, this site and people like you. Your advice is worth its weight in gold to me. Thanks. Its surprising how much much of a step up it is from the rimfire to the centrefire and how much more there is to learn. A whole lot more. I will no doubt be starting a lot more topics regarding advice on a centrefire. Not only with the different types of ammo, but also re-loading and so on and on and on..........

 

My FEO was great. Very approachable and helpful.

[charlie caller 3,654]

Yep your Bushnell will be fine to get you going mate, there are bucket loads of .243 rifles around for sale, and a bargain will appear, stick to Howa/Weatherby Tikka, Remington, Cz, along those lines and you wont go far wrong, and as for reloading advice, when the time comes ask away

[andrew macmillan 8]

The Bushnell scope should be fine to tide you over if you need to allocate more of your budget on the rifle to begin with. The Nikon for £160 is good value too but can understand the desire to sort the rifle first as you already have something that will do. 50 vs 40 ml will help with the light a bit more but that will really only come into play at first / last light and not as much of a difference vs Zeiss or the top ones which will buy you an extra 15 mins or so.

 

The great thing about the net is that you can do plenty of research. The kind of stuff that would have taken us months and cost about the price of a rifle in petrol driving around to view them all. Keep looking until you unearth that bargain that makes you sit up and take notice.

 

Sounds like a good FEO!

totaly agree with chuck ref the FEO, breath of fresh air me thinks

[Deker 3,478]

Thanks Charlie.

Oh yes... I know how good Nikon are. Ive got quite a shopping list coming along now. I love shopping......

What do you think of those Bushnell Banners I have. If you think its better I step up a little bit more, maybe get a 50mm lens, like the Nikon, rather than the Bushnells 40mm, then I would sell these along with my camera and hopefully raise a nice little sum towards a rifle, scope and moderator.

Whilst it is a general rule of thumb that bigger lenses let in more light, it isn't quite that simple, quality of glass/grinding/coatings/etc., all come into play.

 

It is certainly possible for a 40mm lens to be "better" than a 50mm lens. I am making no references to the scopes you mention specifically above!

[charlie caller 3,654]

Very true Deker, a good quality 32mm or 40mm lens will let in more light and be far sharper than a cheap scope with a lens like a bell end on it, I know I bang on and sound like a sales rep for Nikon (I wish) but I genuinely dont understand how they can produce scopes of the quality they do at the price point they do?? I am currently saving up for a top of the range side focus Monarch, they have to be seen to be believed.

[Alsone 789]

Tibersaurus Rex has some very good scope videos on Youtube.

 

Although most are aimed at long distance use as his thing is sniping, he does analyse glass quality and turret tracking (also very important), and rates them in a rnage of models.

 

Might be worth looking up his channel and going through his scope videos until you find the ones with the tables and quality ratings.

 

That said, you shouldn't go far wrong with Nikon, Zeiss or at the top end S&B.