Which scope?

[hollywoood 0]

Schmidt and Bender 5-25 x 56 PM II with P4 reticle in first focal plane. Thats what I use for longer range hunting (up to 500 yards) with my .204 Ruger Mk II Hawkeye. Unreal quality, easy to use, clarity is astounding. Quite simply one of if not the best scope in the world, fact.

 

For deer stalking and the like, I use a Docter Optic Classic 3-12 x 56 on my Tikka T3 lite hunter in 6.5 x 55 SE. Again, amazing scope for the money, to be honest, I don't think you can get a better, more robust scope, with as good a quality optics as the Docter for less. It is comparable to the Schmidt to be honest. To the untrained eye, and on a 'blind' test, I think most people would be extremely pushed to tell the difference in glass quality.

 

I have also currently replaced a Swarovski with a Docter on my .22 WMR due to the unbelievable light gathering qualities of the Docter and its excellent performance in low light conditions. Again, on blind test most people would pick the Docter over the Swarovski (and that includes people who should be able to tell the difference...even the guy from the local gunshop who sells the scopes picked the Docter which considering he is a Swarovski dealer proved a nice little point for me, for double the money you don't get double the scope buying Swarovski!).

 

Swarovski have amazing clarity crystal clear optics also, but seem to be a little overpriced when compared to Doctor and definately arn't as robust.

 

Zeiss also have amazing optics, but really bad customer service...buy a Zeiss with caution as if and when something does go wrong you may be without a scope for months (if they offer to honour the warranty at all that is)!

 

Leupold, Nightforce have got to be next in line. A lot of people sing the praises of Nightforce, and quite rightly so, but I believe most of those people must be into long range benchrest shooting as they arn't as practical in the field as say the Schmidt. All Nightforce scopes come in the second focal plane once you get above the 3-12 mag ranges scopes. That can be quite annoying as the point of aim will shift every time you alter the mag setting unlike first focal plane scopes (once the light has passed the reticle you can do pretty much what you want to it without shifting the POA.) When you are in the field in the pitch black, flashing a lamp around with poor or no concept of range, the last thing you want to do is start trying to remember where to aim on certain mag settings, let alone take into account windage, and actually just acquire the target quickly prior to letting off a shot....second focal plane just isn't practical.

 

If you want to buy a scope for life, I can't think of a situation that the Schmidt 5-25 x 56 PM II couldn't cope with better than any other scope I have ever used, and if you did want it for benchrest type stuff you can get a P3 mildot reticle, or a P4 reticle in extra fine crosshairs etc, whilst the option of the second focal plane is now available in the second generation schmidt PM 11's...if you want it schmidt have got it.

 

Also, re the 34mm scope tube on the schmidt, if you log on to red-deer.co.uk you can get apel fixed mounts for approx £160 delivered next day...you wouldn't want to put crap tyres on a ferrari, same go's for the schmidt. You can also get swing on, swing off mounts for approx £285 which mean you can remove the scope for safety if you're that way inclined which I'm not. They return the zero to within 1/2 MOA and are pretty amazing bits of kit. Like everything in life, you should expect to get what you pay for or more...

Edited April 25, 2008 by hollywoood

[dickyboy 1]

Thank you very much Hollywood...........but i'm confused

 

Excluding the s+b pm11 can you name a couple of good s+b scopes that don't move aim point when varying and a doctor scope of the same quality please........then i shall test those out..............thank you

[fastrac10 0]

Thank you very much Hollywood...........but i'm confused

 

Excluding the s+b pm11 can you name a couple of good s+b scopes that don't move aim point when varying and a doctor scope of the same quality please........then i shall test those out..............thank you

 

Just on a point that Hollywood made about the reticle on the second plane. When you get upto the level of money of s+b or nightforce, swarovski, I havn't spoken to anybody with these scopes that have trouble with point of aim moving when changing mag. You will no doubt have trouble with cheaper scopes. As so many people have said on here, buy the best you can afford!

Cheers

Fastrac10

[snapper5 0]

As Chris said earlier in this thread, I too saved a fortune by buying and importing a Leupold VXIII 6.5-20x50 for use on my 223 from the States. (Specifically http://www.theriflescopestore.com/index.html who were great to deal with.) It's not a difficult process and with the exchange rate at the mo you get a good deal.

 

S

[SNAP SHOT 194]

i think the backup service from leupold was excellent, when i bought mine it came without an allen key to adjust the zero setting on the turrets.

An e-mail to america and i had two in the post three Day's later!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! fooking excellent........i thought.

[subseauk 0]

Anybody come up against this new export law in the US? Basically sounds like all the top end optics have now got an export ban on them even to the UK?

 

Cheers

Kev

[SNAP SHOT 194]

Trouble is mainly with the mil-dot reticules into ireland anyway, but the rest are fine..............they are tightening their export though.........

[topgun1 10]

Anybody come up against this new export law in the US? Basically sounds like all the top end optics have now got an export ban on them even to the UK?

 

Cheers

Kev

i dont know what you class as top end scopes,but i just got a leupold from the states no problem and no duty either as they put it down as $30 value when it was $640

[Mr_Logic 5]

Anybody come up against this new export law in the US? Basically sounds like all the top end optics have now got an export ban on them even to the UK?

 

Cheers

Kev

i dont know what you class as top end scopes,but i just got a leupold from the states no problem and no duty either as they put it down as $30 value when it was $640

Which retailer was that one?