Need Help / 308 Optic out to 1000yds

[4x4strongman]

After quite some time I have finally moved to 308 in my AR platform rifle. I have been trying to do my due diligence in research on good scopes that would suit it well --- 308 / 18 inch barrel.
I am looking for Japanese or German glass, Preferring 2-4x magnification on the low end and anywhere from 16-25x on the higher end. I don't imagine myself needing anything above the 25, but I am more than willing to look at anything.

I am looking for recommendations / user reviews on higher quality optics, preferably with some durability to them aswell. Anything from Athlon, Leupold, Nightforce, Vortex, etc.... Anything really good quality.

So far I am favoring the NX8 2.5-20 followed by the MARK5HD 3.6-18. I think these two magnification ranges fit what I am looking for well and provide the durability I would like.
I would also consider the NX8 4-32 and 5HD 5-25 if someone can help me understand they might be better.

I haven't looked much at Swaro/Zeiss because from what I have heard they are a bit lacking in the durability department. But I am more than open to recommendations for them.
I am however thinking of picking up a Conquest V4 SFP for next hunting season, if I participate.

Looking to stay in the 2k range on the high end, but if something is perfect for me I can go to 3k about.

Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated!!! Thanks everyone.

 

[natdscott]

So far I am favoring the NX8 2.5-20… think these two magnification ranges fit what I am looking for well and provide the durability I would like.
I would also consider the NX8 4-32 and 5HD 5-25…

Yes.

(Nightforce is a very good favor. Do that.)

 

[Rookie]

RAZOR HD GEN II 4.5-27X56 RIFLESCOPE EBR-7C MOA RETICLE

aaoptics.com

 

[natdscott]

RAZOR HD GEN II 4.5-27X56 RIFLESCOPE EBR-7C MOA RETICLE

aaoptics.com

If you like warranties and customer service reps, Vortex is a great option. probably the best in the industry.

 

[4x4strongman]

If you like warranties and customer service reps, Vortex is a great option. probably the best in the industry.

I have heard that the vortex is customer service is amazing, I will look into the HD GEN II a bit more today

 

[jaymark6655]

NightForce (NXS or ATARC) Not familiar with the NX8, but I bet its pretty good
Sig (Tango 4)
Vortex (make sure to get higher end, not their cheap ones)
I would use any of those, but for strength I prefer that NXS.

 

[BR8818]

I went with this scope on my 308 i built earlier this year so far I like it. Glass is pretty good the turrets feel great and lock the windage is capped. I don't really use the illumination but only the center is illuminated.

Meopta Optika6 3-18x50 Illuminated MRAD 30mm FFP Riflescope 653574

FREE SHIPPING on Meopta Optika6 3-18x50 Illuminated MRAD 30mm FFP Riflescope 653574

www.eurooptic.com

I was going to buy the NX8 2.5-20 but decided to try this first and sell it if I didn't like it. Well now I'm torn because I like the meopta but want the "compactness" of the nx8.

 

[BR8818]

Oh and eurooptic has demo nx8's for $1600 or $1800 w/tremor reticle.

 

[Goodcat]

Swaro is great. NF NX8 is hot garbage. If you go NF, get the ATACR. The 7-35 is amazing. I run Razor Gen 2 4.5-27, to me above that is fairly diminishing returns.

 

[4x4strongman]

Swaro is great. NF NX8 is hot garbage. If you go NF, get the ATACR. The 7-35 is amazing. I run Razor Gen 2 4.5-27, to me above that is fairly diminishing returns.

What about the NX8 series do you not like?

 

[natdscott]

I have heard that the vortex is customer service is amazing, I will look into the HD GEN II a bit more today

Well. Mine was a backhanded compliment.

Vortex’ warranty and service department is so good because they get so much practice.

Me? I don’t have time for that crap.

 

[TJ Kackowski]

OP, you will find that natdscott is a serious user of long range optics and knows his stuff, especially when it comes to what will work and what won't work in serious competition.

However, all backhanded compliments aside, if you're interested in scopes in general and Vortex in particular, you need to give Alan Alcorn a call. He owns and operates A&A Optics and had forgotten more about scopes than you or I will ever know.

https://aaoptics.com/

Alan won't steer you wrong on a scope recommendation for any use and price range you have in mind. He's also an INGO member and supporter.

 

[natdscott]

OP, you will find that natdscott is a serious user of long range optics and knows his stuff, especially when it comes to what will work and what won't work in serious competition.

However, all backhanded compliments aside, if you're interested in scopes in general and Vortex in particular, you need to give Alan Alcorn a call. He owns and operates A&A Optics and had forgotten more about scopes than you or I will ever know.

https://aaoptics.com/

Alan won't steer you wrong on a scope recommendation for any use and price range you have in mind. He's also an INGO member and supporter.

Appreciate the kind words, TJ…not sure I deserve them.

Alan is indeed a gentleman and a scholar. He chooses to be a significant backer of Vortex, and I respect that. Because of who he is, I wish he’d pick up another brand or two.

In my mind, a company has to stand behind all their product, and their reputation is built as an aggregate of the performance of same…not just the “good stuff”; that is especially true when there’s no transparency about the strata.

Some of Vortex’ stuff is pretty good…the Razor 2 ranked right at the top of a recent tracking test of some of the best scopes in the world. Some of their optics though, are confirmed goat toenail fungus.

And then you get to the bad ones.

I just refuse to recommend—if a guy has NXS or ATACR money—that he F-around with sorting Vortex.

Just buy the Nightforce or S&B stuff, and consider it a known-quantity.

I am fairly assertive regarding sighting systems, both optical and iron, because I have had them fail, and sometimes CAUSED them to fail.

Of the 4 scopes I’ve killed, only ONE of them happened during “simple training”. All of the other three caused me pain in one way or another, but in retrospect, I must say that the education was good for me.

I’m just lucky the education was “free”: no dangerous games were being played, so I didn’t have to die to learn what I learned.

But in all seriousness, I like to try to have sights sorted well enough on anything I use that I could rely on them with my life, if required.

That can be as simple as a drift-adjusted leaf-and-elevator with a post…or it can be a modern marvel of optical and mechanical engineering.

If it HOLDS, and it ADJUSTS, and it REPEATS/REVERSES adjustments, I don’t really care what it is, I can learn to make hits with it.

But any sight or brand that is found to have frequent issue with the above requirements has no place in my locker.

I’d literally prefer to go to war with a 60 year old Lyman All Weather or Weaver K Micro than I would some of the modern shiitake coming from some of these brands, Vortex included. I might not be able to see as well, but at least I could HIT what I could see, and if I dropped the rifle, the scope would survive the trip.

 

[roscott]

OP, I’m not your ultimate long range guru, but consider the weight of the project you are building. You mentioned it’s a 308 AR with an 18” barrel and you might use it for hunting and up to 1000.

To me that sounds like you are trying to build a do-it-all gun, which is not a bad plan at all! Just consider that everything is a trade off, and what is the perfect setup for the long range expert might be pretty dang unwieldy for someone looking for general use.

Some of the scopes being mentioned are incredibly heavy. I did a 6.5CM AR that is extremely accurate and is WAY too heavy to be useful for anything except very long range prone shooting. I learned the hard way.

Just my 2 cents, and I’m sure these guys aren’t steering you wrong. They just might be steering you toward their experiences.

 

[avboiler11]

18” 308 Gas Gun?

Bushnell 4.5-18x LRTSi or 3.5-21x DMR3 (DMR2 if you need illumination).

 

[Goodcat]

Well. Mine was a backhanded compliment.

Vortex’ warranty and service department is so good because they get so much practice.

Me? I don’t have time for that crap.

I’ve never sent a Vortex in for warranty. Though I’ve never owned any of the cheap crap long enough for it. I’ve personally tossed many rifles with razors into piles of rocks 10 feet away to prove a point, never had a loss of zero, ever.

 

[Goodcat]

What about the NX8 series do you not like?

The eye box, and lack of color clarity are my primary two complaints. NX8 do not hold a flame to other NF scopes in my experience, and in the experience of people with way more experience than I. The NX8 was like the .40 s&w, a mistake.

 

[indyjohn]

I love these kinds of threads, gives me an excuse to shamelessly post porn.



Vortex Viper 4-16x50. The last time I had this rifle on the 1,000 yd line at Atterbury, I set it to 10x and it was plenty to engage a 44" target black. With the Bassett low mount it took 36 minutes of elevation to get into the 10 ring (100 yd zero). The characteristic Alan Alcorn told me he liked about the Vortex line is that they will consistently track elevation and windage changes. I have many Vortex scopes, one had an elevation turret that froze for reasons unknown. I mailed it in with their warranty form and had it back within 10 days. I don't shoot enough long range nor have the income to spend Nightforce money. This works for me and I am plenty happy with it.

BTW, the loads I built to make 1,000 yds supersonic made the receiver ring like a tuning fork. YMMV.

 

[roscott]

FWIW, I just ordered a Razor 2 LHT from Alan. (Thanks Alan!)

Hopefully it will be the do-it-all light-ish scope I’m hoping for!

 

[thelefthand]

It all depends on what you're REALLY going to do with your system. If you're going to go out west and hunt elk with it, then spend $3k to make sure everything is 100% dependable. If you're a competitive shooter who travels all around the country competing, and trying to get, or keep your sponsers, spend the $3k. If you're going to plink around at the local range, and want to occasionally shoot out to 1000 yds, then $800 to $1500 on an Athlon or Vortex will be more scope than you ever need.