So I have a Primary Arms 4-16x with illuminated Mil Dot. I guess I’ll use it on this rifle for a bit and see how I like that magnification option and save even more money and maybe be above $1,000 for the budget.

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX:
So I have a Primary Arms 4-16x with illuminated Mil Dot.

I hope that scope works for you. Your challenges:
- The reticle is SPF. This means your elevation and windage values only work as planned at 16x. Shoot at a lower magnification level and you're guessing on the reticle values.

- The reticle uses mil-based values, but your turrets use MOA-based values. Even at 16x magnification, you'll be doing a boat load of calculations. Windage values will be a challenge. Accurate holdovers will be possible only by using detailed notes.

- The scope has only 30 MOA of vertical adjustment. Assuming that your rifle's rail is perfectly parallel to the bore and that you don't have a canted scope base, you'll have only 15 MOA of elevation available on the turret for longer distances. However, you'll consume maybe 3 MOA of this 15 MOA to obtain a zero at 100 yards. Now you have 12 MOA available for elevation adjustment.

I'll assuming you shoot at an air density elevation of 5,000 feet -- maybe 2,000 above sea level at summer temps. With my 18" barrel and Hornady 75 grain ammo, the scope's elevation adjustment will only get you to 510 yards. In theory. Beyond 510 yards, you'll be holding over, using a reticle that isn't calibrated to the same click values as your elevation turret.

You may find that this scope works best for shorter and well-defined target distances.

This certainly will just be a temporary scope.
All of my distances will be known specific distances and getting out past 500 yards won’t happen too much so keeping it to 500 and below until I getting a better scope will not be an issue.

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX:
This certainly will just be a temporary scope.
All of my distances will be known specific distances and getting out past 500 yards won’t happen too much so keeping it to 500 and below until I getting a better scope will not be an issue.

It should work OK then, and you can develop shooting skills while you determine what your ultimate scope will be.

You will be dialing elevation for each different target distance -- you won't be holding over, unless you develop some very complex tables.

You will need to develop some personal method of using the reticle for windage adjustments. I'm not aware of a ballistic program that will give you elevation requirements in MOA and windage hold estimates in mils.

Using the mil-based reticle to measure impact corrections, then dialing the elevation/windage corrections in MOA is an exercise that I did for awhile with a Leupold scope. I won't do it again.

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX:
Well that sure did not narrow it down.

I shoot 3 gun with a 1-6 Vortex Razor and hit steel out to 500 and 600 yards with it. But that is a compromise towards needing the 1-3x range for shots from 0-150ish yards with good field of view and fast acquisition.


If this is a rifle more geared towards longer range, I would go with something in the 3-15, 5-15, or 4-12 type range.

I have a PST Gen2 3-15 on a longer range rig and it is very appropriate for your requirements.

A modern reticle with holdover and windage reference points is very useful, and for my purposes, mandatory.