Long Range 101 Part 21 - Scope Quality by Brand 

It is 2022, there are some incredible values available after the rebirth of precision rifle enthusiasm... Arken Optics use CODE: "REX170" for $170.00 OFF when your cart includes the Combo Pack (CPACK), Here is the link: bit.ly/RexReviews

I'm a 70 y.o. ex military guy who did my fair share of shooting military and hunting. I hope you youngsters know what a blessing it is to have access to all of this data provided by Rex. It's probably equivalent to a Ph.d in shooting. I stumbled on his videos a couple of days ago. His methods will definitely take it to the next level. Back in my day, we did a lot of BDC shooting on long shots. And for us, a long shot was 400 + meters. I'm getting back into hunting. I sold all my equipment years ago. So I'm starting over. As a result of watching videos Part 1-21, I decided on my kit and my optics. Now just need to settle on a bullet and load. It'll be fun getting back into searching for big Mule deer. MH

Rex lays it down and runs the most knowledge based scope videos ever made.

Our Training Schedule: www.rexdefense.com

Wow as always your full research on every tiny detail of every subject of ELR shooting that you share is phenomenal. Can only thank you for your hard work and the time you have spent.

Hey, guys - I secured a discount for you! Use code "Rex5" for 5% off your entire OpticsPlanet.com order. OpticsPlanet: bit.ly/2bcrssM

Thank you T-Rex. About a year ago I bought a Falcon based mostly (but not all) on your class and charts here. What I did was take what you said about fixed-power compared to variable, then I re-graded the awesome SWFA down a bit as if it were a variable. After that the Falcon matched up pretty well with the SWFA. Bottom line: after a year I still love my Falcon and you saved me hundreds of bucks and needless whaling and gnashing of teeth.

Right on, man. Soon, we will be exploring advanced external ballistics and applying them to extreme range firing solutions. It will be glorious.

I'm slowly working my way through your entire series. Thank you so much for all the time you put into making these videos. I've learned so much from you already, I can't imagine how much I will have learned once seen the entire series. Take care, and thanks again!

Wow!. This is an excellent discussion. I'm reminded of my pre-HTML internet days when folks would present papers for education and review. I thoroughly appreciate the effort that went into this video and am making good use of the information.

Rex, After watching all important video's in your tutorial 101 series, (prolly 65 -75 or so), that pertain to my goals for shooting, I purchased a Mossberg MVP Varmint .308 win and the SWFA SS 10 x 42 Tactical Mil Quad Scope w/ side focus. I was so attracted to your teaching style that I became addicted to your video series and the sport :) Thank you so much for your fine and generous consideration in sharing your knowledge and skills. BTW, I'm thoroughly satisfied w/ both of my purchases and feel you quite literally saved me time, money and frustration in finding the right equip. for me. Thanks again, sincerely .................................

No worries. Thanks for the reply and great series of videos. I'm digging my way through...

Thank you so much for this information Rex! I bought a SWFA 10 power SS scope after reviewing your recommendations and couldn't believe the quality in this price range! its outstanding! Keep up the great work!

Took wave/optical physics a few years ago and tried to get that info out of the staff, that video was way clearer then the answers I got! Its great hearing it from a scientific standpoint instead of just "its clear or its not clear" glass. Thanks for the info and all the Paint work!

THANK YOU SO MUCH for your time and help. I really appreciate that!

I'm so glad I'm watching these before buying a scope! Thanks, Rex!

Any way we could get an updated video with today's newer options? Thanks for this video series it's amazing!!

Your videos are the best. you should put them all on a dvd format and sell it.this is the best info and graet videos

I sell scopes all day long. Your research is going to let me do the very best job for my customers. MANY THANKS for your hard work!

Sir, you are tremendous. Plain and simple. Thank you so much for your time and the WEALTH of knowledge that you have freely given us!

Some great information on here. Thanks

18:55 "glass bends when it hits light". Sweet!!! I can't wait to see that! Haha. Love the videos, Rex. I hope you got a Hathcock award or something!

This taught me a lot about scopes. Thanks for the thorough research.

12:00 Great point concerning high magnification, spot on!!! My first personal lesson in this was in binocs and spotting scopes.

Good job on the brutal truth!!! I have been watching your Sniper 101 now for the past couple days! My eyes are sore LOL But this is VERY impressive... and I'm sure like me, so many appreciate the information !!!

Yes, sir. See the description below the video for the link.

Great videos and info, thanks for the lessons. Cheers.

Wow, Awesome tutorial, Rex

TiVo, thank you for your videos. The series is amazing. I'm getting back into shooting after a 20 year spell and they have come at the perfect time for me. I was looking at a .243 but now see that a 7.08 suits my needs better. Similar to the chart you made! Killing kangaroos/camels out to 1000 yards, plinking to 1000. Thank you.

Ohh and btw, awesome series.. probably take me sometime to watch them all, but worth every minute.. learning a lot and even tho I don't shoot at those distances, I think applying what I'm learning will make for a clean and successful hunt.

Thumbs up Great explanation employing the use of optical physics. Your knowledge on the matter is impressive yet very understandable for the layman, even your explanation of wavelengths, frequency, and wave energy.

Tearing down the misconceptions! Tiborasaurusrex!

BTW, its the Bushnell Tactical Elite DMR models specifically that I'm referencing - the DMR with G2 and the HDMR with the Horus 59 reticle. And, sorry, my last sentence in my previous post sounded a bit demanding - not my intent...just ran out of available characters and really meant to state "you might want to reconsider your rankings for the Bushnell Tactical Elite DMRs and perhaps take another look at them for reconsideration." But again, your series here is awesome and priceless. Thanks!

Good work. Thanks for the research

really well done video. thank you for your time.

Great video. Thanks

I watched this series years ago. Seems like yesterday.... I can't believe more than 5 years have passed since this video. Lots of scopes that are reviewed are long gone and time keeps marching on. My great grandparents grew up on horses and by the time they had passed man had walked on the moon and much more in between.

Thanks for the quick response, I think I will go with the US ST-10..Once again, leaned a bunch from you, thanks

Very very good. S&B level..... Full review coming soon!

Great question. Its true that one can leave a variable adjusted to the appropriate magnification. This works fine for normal shooting and will not be a problem inside a certain distance. However, the stacked lens assembly inside the erector tube is built much differently in a variable than in a straight power. The extra lenses and the sum total of their optical aberrations and alignment imperfections have a negative effect on clarity, zero retention overall ruggedness, and tracking.

Every optic has its designed purposes. March makes a pretty nice scope, this particular model would be best suited for competition or match shooting. However, much of this magnification range will not be appropriate for tactical or hunting apps in the field where moving targets present themselves at unknown ranges - this is where FOV takes priority over magnification.

Great question. A simple test on paper can easily determine this. Index the optic a certain amount, fire some rounds and measure how much the POI shifted on the paper to see if it was the correct amount. Most guys test optics this way all the way out to the periphery of the lenses to confirm the turrets are working as they should.

38:54 both charts thanks so much for all of this great info!

We all have to have a bad experience at least once to "convince" us that quality truly is important. lol

Rex millions times thank you

great vids - thx !

Hey rex.... Welcome back hope ya feeling good! March scopes, are you planning on a review of some sort with those or?

Thanks for the kind words. Yeah, its been quite the project, but its good review for me as well. Sorry, I haven't uploaded the charts anywhere. The best a guy could do is a screen shot. If I do a full website one day, I will post everything.

I have been going through your classes and I like what you are doing (have done). I can say one thing though now that I've gone this far; you really can beat a dead horse for a long time. So on the topic of no American made glass I think the quote from Leopold and a few comments would have sufficed instead of your 10 minute discussion. Other than that, though, this is truly a class. Great job.

Thanks a bunch, man. Lots more coming soon. :-)

Thanks it was Highly Informative.

If you look on my channel, you will find a playlist of scope reviews in which I cover many more optics in alphabetical order.

TPS, Badger, IOR Valdada, Leupold - all pretty good, be sure to use steel rings on steel bases and aluminum rings on aluminum bases. I have a video later on on scope mounting discussing this in much more detail - check it out :-)

Hi Rex. First of all I think your videos are just fantastic and that you have an extreme amount of knowledge in all aspects of making a great shot and equipment. I am very new to long range precision shooting but have recently joined a club in my area. I have shot a fair amount of guns but basically just plinking, 22, 30-30, 303, 12 gauge, etc. Now Im looking to buy what I need in order to be able to be somewhat in the competition of 1000 yard shooting competitions, I don't want to be way out and not even look like I have a chance, my goal within a year would be to get a bronze medal in provincial 1000 yard competitions. I have talked to the provincial champion recently and asked for his advice on guns, scopes etc, I told him I am only willing to shoot match ammo right now, in the future I will load my own. I willing to spend $2500-3000 on gun and scope. His quick advice was to get a Sightron III 8-32x56 scope, target turrets with a 20 MOA rail, and to get a Savage Model 12 Target Series F-TR .308 rifle with at least 26" barrel and a Harris bipod. That was his quick best pick for $2500. Others he mentioned were Savage F-Class, Savage Benchrest, Savage LRPV, Savage LRP, and in the Savage model 12 Varmint Series the BVSS or the VLP. I guess a question for you is the same as to him, what would you say is the best combination I could get for $2500 in your opinion, what do you think of his pick? I am looking for a shoot out of the box rifle and maybe get some glass beading for harmonics. I am really looking forward to your reply and respect all your wisdom. Thank you.

I just picked up the SWFA SS 10X with the side focus for my Grendel. Amazing!

Excellent video, have you considered doing it again with updated optics?

The USO 1-8X would be my first choice, if I had the coin. That would cover all your mission possibilities. If you want advice on less expensive optics I will have to know: What do you plan to shoot at exactly and what ammo do you intend to use? Also, what is your max range going to be?

Really cool reticle for rapid target engagement - very handy for use with a semi-auto, but not really suitable for extreme range precision shooting.

Thank you sir for this job & really good video...

I have a Leupold VX3 3.5-10x50 and the only advantage it has through my eyes when compared to my old Tasco Made in Japan model is in the last 10 minutes of daylight and a little beyond, of course the turret tracking is fantastic, if I go up 30 or 40 clicks and come down 30 or 40 clicks the VX3 is bang on where it started

My wife has a new Steiner 3-12X56 scope sitting on the table right now. Once I get some rings and mounts I will do a full review. It looks pretty sweet so far.

Bummer, I didn't have room to go over all the thousands of models, but the new Bushnell Elites do offer pretty nice quality. Thanks for the heads up, sir.

Great question. Trijicon offers great optics that are great for their designed purposes, but they are not designed for long and extreme range precision shooting. These scopes are great low light optics for close to medium range rifle applications (inside the Point Blank Range (PBR) of the cartridge).

Never really got to try one yet. Hopefully soon.

Are you going to do anymore of your Sniper 101 series? I have really learned a lot and am very appreciative of your willingness to help the shooting community! God Bless...

Thanks for watching.

Either scope would be awesome. If it was me, I would do the ST-10 with EREK knob. That feature combined with the over-the-top ruggedness of the optic makes for a great battle scope. The S&B will have a little nicer glass, but I think the EREK knob will be easier to index under pressure. Both will hold their value pretty well, the S&B will always be there, the USO is hard to get a hold of sometimes. I usually prefer a clean reticle over a complicated one, but that’s just my preference. Peace.

Yeah, they are pretty dang close. A lot of it may depend on individual variances in exactly how each is adjusted or set up. But its a difficult comparison when we get into these higher end scopes.

Right on. Be careful not to get sucked into the vortex of the SNIPER 101 series, you may have to take a week off of work ;-) I hope to test a PST here soon. My buddy has one, so all I have to do is corner him on his days off and test that thing. I like all the features - all I have to do is see how well they work in the field.

nice video good info!

Are you an instructor? you put a very good material together and well explained, in my view you missed a thing or two that I will not mention but very good series altogether.

The NF 2.5-10 is plenty of optic for an AR-15, but if I had a choice and was planning to launch those SMKs to the max SS range and do all the LR stuff we are talking about in this series, I would prefer the FFP USO. If you are planning to use it more as a normal carbine, the 2nd FP NF is great.

I would use the American Eagle 168 grain Match with the 1:12" twist. Its pretty good stuff for the price. Also, look into reloading. That's by far the best way to go.

Rex, the scope is going on an FNH TSR and will be mostly used from 100 to 500 meters for target shooting. I want first round cold bore hits on 8-10" steel gongs. I am currently using 168-gr Federal Gold Medal Match Seira Match King BTHP but will be looking to start reloading in 2013. My replacement budget for the Zeiss Conquest 6.5-20x50 Rapid-Z is a little undefined but a $3000 scope would likely cause marital stress.

The full review is coming soon, its works alright - but there may be better choices out there for the money.

Redfield Revenge 6-18x44MM for 1,000 - 1,500 yards Rex, yes or no? Seriously considering this scope after looking through it today (HD Glass) amazing quality for $280, almost cant believe the price and apparently they use the same glass as Leupold

Each company has their own coating specs and the quality of lenses can vary significantly based on how well these are applied. Sometimes they are ordered with the coatings applied, sometimes, they do it in house.

Great optic for 200-800m. If you push 1.2km, the 15X should be more than plenty for shooting an spotting the shot. I only use the 25X for initial LR target identification.

When I first opened this video, I though, oh ok, 40 min. I might have to watch part of this today and finish it tomorrow. But the truth is that I couldn't stop watching. The information you've provided for us here, is worthy of charging money for. I'm very pleased with what I've learned. I was also pleased to see you rated the Vortex scope highly. I have the Viper PST 6-24x50, and I'm wondering if you've used it at all. Would you consider it worthy for extreme long range?

great video series what do you think of Rapid Reticle?

The only NF optics that will be suitable for our ELR discipline will be the first focal plane models like the 3-15 F1 series or the BEAST 5-25x56 F1. That being said, 15X is as high as you would ever want to use, even at 1 mile. The primary reason is that we will need to maintain our field of view to spot the bullet trace as it passes through its max ordinate on the way down into the target.

First, let me mention how incredible I think your video series is. I've learned a ton, and unlearned some incorrect opinions. One area though that I think your data may be outdated is the Bushnell Tactical Elite scopes, especially the 3.5-21x50mm or the 6-24x50mm. These have been tested by many (see youtube vids and snipershide forums) to have great glass characteristics, track perfectly and to be extremely durable (underwater, freeze, drop and high caliber recoil tests). Update your chart.

Rex, I recently picked up a FNAR. What would be a good choice for a scope being a semi auto in your opinion? Awesome videos btw!

No problem, sir. IOR Valdada will be a very sound choice. Just be sure you get a First Focal Plane Model or a straight magnificiation scope and you'll be golden. :-)

That would be a great optic for a hunting rifle in that cartridge. Leica optics are very nice in my opinion. I have a Ruger #1 in .375 H&H Magnum, but I havn't yet had the pleasure to try out the new Ruger cartridge.

SWFA is a great bet. 7mm STW is great, especially for those who aren't equipped to precisely adjust for drop corrections (very flat trajectory) - however for us, we will know exactly where to dial it in, so the extra speed is not near as important for us.

I love mildot the best, but the new mil quad is actually pretty slick. Its design is done very well. The side focus??? I always just grab the rear focus model and save some coin.

Tough choice. They are both TOP TIER optics. The USO may be a tiny bit more rugged, the S&B may give you a little better glass quality and clarity. But they BOTH have excellent glass and ruggedness. I went with the S&B PMII 5-25. S&B's customer service is much better than USOs and the company is very solid. God forbid you ever smash your optic or break something, S&B will get you taken care of. USO is more proprietary in nature. Either one will be top-notch.

Much appreciated.

Thanks for the advice and information you provide. With respect to potential magnification issues which Nightforce scope would you prefer the NightForce 5.5-22x56 NXS or a NightForce 8-32x56mm NXS for a 300 Win Mag?

Ive got a Meopta 4-16*44 and that clarity on it is EXCELLENT. They have been making their own lenses in house since before WW2. Was hoping it may have been on this list, but it isn't. Its reticle is in the 2nd focal plane though. They have 98% light transmission which is really noted at low light shooting. the scope was $1050AUD and it was well worth the money, they price of them now just keep going up. and America has put their foot in the door of the company so quality may drop in the future so get one before they change!

For

I have a 2 Falcos scopes and really happy with it . great value price quality.Works well up to 1200m I limited to 30WM.

Hey Rex, been going back through this series as im planning on a scar 17s with an optic, not for long range precision, but out to 600 yards or so. I am heavily looking at the us optics mr-10 1.8x10. i think with the 10x if i ever found ranges out past 600 yards (hard on the east coast). as much as you talk up us optics i wanted to check on this specific scope before selling my first born, you know. i was also considering the ior trident 1.5x8. any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks. Also, been enjoying the new vids, glad you are doing better man.

Kinda late but still great info! Is there a updated speadsheet or link to the 2017 scopes!?! Thx.

AR-15s generally have very very good accuracy performance, if you the correct optical features the only limitation to you range would be the cartridge itself. I think you optic was a descent choice. If you use the heavier boat tail bullets with an appropriate twist, you should have no problem reaching out 400-500m after we get ya all set up. What is your barrel twist rate? It should be stamped right on there.

You need your own music site as well. I dig your style! You like Russian Circles or Pelican?

Yeah, no problem. I need to get some good .50 BMG video footage for you guys. That would be cool.

Rex, thanks for your advice. I just purchased a SWFA SS 12x42 Tactical Riflescope, Butler Creek Caps, a Mil-Dot Master, a 42mm Sun Shade, a Kill-Flash and a SWFA S.S.A.L.T. 30mm Scope Mount all for less than a quarter of what I would have had to pay for a NightForce scope that that I thought "I needed."

Marital "stress" Ha ha ha . I hear ya, bro. Well put. For target shooting at those ranges, a fixed power would be very nice. I hate to sound like a broken record, but the SWFA SS10X would be the best inexpensive solution. On the FNH, I would be careful not to put on a sporting type optics, for the reasons discussed earlier. An IOR 10X would work very very well if you could spare $700ish - that would be real tough.