Precision Rifle Scopes -what is the basic to start?

[asmo]

Do de Doo... Still for sale:

https://www.ar-15.co/threads/151408-...-H37-Brand-New

[J]

The PST is pretty dang close to the standard SWFA SS. The SS HD is much closer to the razor or XTR.

I think price reflects this well too. Just depends what OP wants to spend.

[MarkCO]

Get a Burris XTRII 4-20 and call it good. Even at 1200 yards, I have not used 20x and you certainly don't need it for 500 yards. The XTRII line is very budget friendly and feature rich with great glass and a forever warranty.

[Spdu4ia]

Keep an eye on the classified on snipershide and buy whatever is at the top of your budget. Nobody has ever said, "this scope is too good, I should have bought a cheaper one"

[Marine24]

www.samplelist.com is another good source for used scopes for every budget

[Delfuego]

Check this one out.

http://www.scout.com/military/sniper...cle-price-drop

Scotty is a friend, local boy and 100% GTG. I just saw he posted this and it will not last long.

[Tim K]

Get a Burris XTRII 4-20 and call it good. Even at 1200 yards, I have not used 20x and you certainly don't need it for 500 yards. The XTRII line is very budget friendly and feature rich with great glass and a forever warranty.

That's good advice. I'd add that the rest of the XTRII line are also excellent. Not a bad choice in there.

Another approach would be to start with a $300 Super Sniper fixed power in 16X or 20X. It'll get you started for only a few bucks, and I guarantee you'll always have a use for a second/spare/back-up scope if you take a liking to LR shooting. I have 3 in addition to the high end stuff. One lives on a .22 trainer than I use as a loaner, one sits in a drawer as a hot spare, and the third seems to be missing somewhere. Must have loaned it out...

[XC700116]

https://www.ar-15.co/threads/157439-...75#post2002375

[Erni]

Thank you for all your suggestions so far but it looks like I miscommunicated my intent here or I am not processing the sugestions right. I am not talking about 1000yard shooting - I am not ready for that challenge yet due to money, time and skills yet. I hope in a few years that becomes a possibility.

I want to build the foundation for those skills required to do long range precission matches. I want to learn to read wind, dial in dope, compensate for air density and temperature, ser up correctly in a shooting position. These are skills that I am fairly sure I lack.

My clubs range tops out below 600yards and has some plates at know distances. Honestly that is probably the only place I will get to shoot for the next year or two. ( I made the choice to trade my match shooting time for taking my kids to the range instead. )

Here is the tl;dr version:

Budget for scope only: $600-700
Maximum range distance: 600 yards
Reticle: mrad, prefer hashmarks to ovals
Turrets: mrad, zero stop desired
Magnification: you tell me
Misc: scope to be resold before buying a proper rig, unless cheap enough to stick on a hunting rifle.

I feel like most of the suggestions so far have been for 1000yard+ capable systems. (Please correct me if I am wrong here)
Is a $1000+ scope the minimum entry level scope needed to learn precision shooting skills?

[XC700116]

For what you're describing, a fixed 10X SWFA SS will do the job for $300 BUT, you will be upgrading later, and you'll need to go aftermarket in order to get a zero stop (talk to TimK to get them).

The Burris or Bushy in that just under $1K range (used or on sale) is fully capable for both your uses now, and later, no loss of investment beyond the first purchase unless you later decide to upgrade to top tier glass. (these scopes are regularly used in competition by some of the best in the game, so they are more than capable) As for the PST, while I love my vortex scopes, I'd never buy one again when you compare the total package against the Bushnell or Burris, there's no competition. Now their Razor line is a whole other story.

I highly recommend that you save the extra cash and buy something like the Burris or Bushnell and you'll have something that will serve you well long into the future, not just for now.

Just for your reference, so you know where I'm coming from, I own or have owned The Burris (4 of them), Viper PST's (2 of them), SWFA SS, Vortex Razor Gen 1, and now am running a Kahles 624i and planning on getting another one.