Long range scope

[RichardF]

I’ve got a max of $1000 to spend on what I hope will be a good scope to shoot at a 1000 yd distance at the farm shooting mostly paper with the hope of prairie dog plinking as well. I’m currently leaning towards a Vortex Viper Gen II 6x25. Any suggestions of others or a comment on Vortex?

[Bro. Dave]

I like Vortex scopes and just put one on a 6.5 Creedmoor chassis bolt gun. It's a little over your indicated price range, but you might find one that someone tried and didn't like or a deeper discount. It is the Golden Eagle and is a pretty nice scope for the price.

The magnification starts at 25 and goes to 60, so it pretty much caters to distance shooting. You can spend a lot more money, but the reviews were pretty consistently good.

[chief38]

After owning many different brands, I've become a Leupold fan for over 8 years now. I feel they are about the best I've ever had and they are very high quality Scopes - guaranteed for life.

I have heard some good things about Vortex Scopes but have no hands on experience - sorry. Good luck with your choice!

[Ivan the Butcher]

I've shot Long Range since 2007. The guys that bought Vortex, all had something much better by their second year shooting 1000+ yard!

If you are only shooting out to 600 the Vortex is a very fine scope! (and affordable!)

I think a 6.5-20x 40mm or 50mm Veri-III Leupold new or used should do the trick for you (I've bought 1 new & over 10 used!) You will need Target Knobs. Unless you had Military Sniper or Artillery training, MOA is easier to work with than Mils. (if your farm and range finder are Metric Mils might be easier) But 1/4 MOA scopes have finer adjustments tan 1/10 MIL scopes and 1/8 MOA are even finer. You will want "Target" crosshairs instead of "Hunting Plex" crosshairs (Too Thick at distance!) and Leupolds "Target Dot" is even better. I've had all three!

The Leupold scopes with the hump out of the bottom are a gimmick! But do get the biggest Objective lense you can afford. 50mm = 2", 56mm = 2 1/4", it doesn't sound like much for the money, but the bigger lenses gather far more light for the dollar! Little furry targets are hard to find in the shadows!!! Bullseyes and tin cans in sunshine are easy with smaller Objective Lenses. Buy once, cry once!

I use the 6.5-20 scopes on 223 Bolt, 223 AR-15, 22-250 (Now sold off), 22 BR, 6mm PPC, 308 AR-10 & 300 Win Mag. I have a Leupold 8-25x 50 (1/8 MOA clicks) on a 223 set up for 1000, I use a Nightforce 8-32x56 BR (1/8 MOA clicks) on my long range 308 and a Nightforce 5.5-22x56 NXS on my 338 Lapua Mag. And a Burris (Signature Series) 8-32x 45 (1/8 MOA clicks)on my 6x284. On a good day, I can hit Flies at 200 yards with any of the rifle/ scope combos! (except the AR-10)

Some people have good luck with Nikon. I've never used them, and never seen them a the Long Rang shoots.

Burris is making some pretty good scopes for long range. Not as good as as Nightforce, but better than Vortex by a far margin. The 3 I've used were all very good!

Depending on what you can find used, you may need to up the scope budget by about 25%. I can't promise you will actually get what you pay for, but I do know that in ALL things, Nothing Good Comes Cheep!

Ivan

[OMCHamlin]

Most of my experience has been with a 6.5-20 X 50mm Leupold Vari-X III LRT, with a very small (custom by Premier Reticle) Target Dot reticle w/target turrets. I found my most recent Leupold 6.5-20 X 50mm, with a Horus type reticle, on sale at Brownells for $879, and free shipping. I'm just on my first Vortex scope, so I don't have enough opinion on that brand. My next glass choice with a good quality to cost ratio is Nikon, the various Monarchs in particular.

[sar4937]

Your going to need some scope rings or rail with increased MOA as well or your scope will run out of elevation. 1000 yards takes some special ammo too.

[H Richard]

I have been Prairie Dog hunting for about 10 years, and I have used both Leupold and Nikon. The Nikon 6.5 - 20X has the largest objective lens and is the brightest, the Leupold 6-18X with the custom ranging elevation knob made specifically for my gun & load was easier to use, just read the distance with the range finder and dial it in on the scope.

Now, I shot the dogs at usually 300 to 500 yards, normally at around 14X setting, and a few at out to 800, so I don't know about 1000 yard shooting. I would think 20X would be minimum.

[sar4937]

Targets for 1000 yard matches are pretty big. Would it even be possible to clean kill a prairie dog sized target? Probably will need a .30 caliber rifle, which would be pricey to shoot. Better to sneak up a bit and use a .223 or .22-250. Even a 1 MOA rifle, plus wind and mirage would struggle to hit a prairie dog consistently if at all at 1000 yards. Yeah, there is probably a U-tube video with a person doing it.

[Ivan the Butcher]

Originally Posted by sar4937

Targets for 1000 yard matches are pretty big. Would it even be possible to clean kill a prairie dog sized target? Probably will need a .30 caliber rifle, which would be pricey to shoot. Better to sneak up a bit and use a .223 or .22-250. Even a 1 MOA rifle, plus wind and mirage would struggle to hit a prairie dog consistently if at all at 1000 yards. Yeah, there is probably a U-tube video with a person doing it.

The course of fire on the range I shot at 1000 yards was 4 targets: 16" Square (1.5 MOA), 10" Round (1 MOA), 8" Square (3/4 MOA) and 5" Round (1/2 MOA). My Savage Model 12 223 (1:9 Twist, heavy stainless, Target Single Shot, Left eject, right hand bolt) will shoot 3" at 1000 yards. I believe they discontinued this rifle a few years ago. But 3 friends have this gun in 6BR 1:8 twist, and one has a 22-250 1:9 twist. They are still out there! I bought mine 6 years ago used 6 years ago with scope, bases, rings, 2000 bullets (same lot #), 16 pounds of powder (same Lot #) 2000 Rem 7 1/2 Primers (same Lot #), 500 Brass (from LC over run a few years back!), dies and loading data. All for $1900, about fair market value at the time!

Pop can size targets are very doable with good quality rifles straight out of the box. Savage makes them, Ruger makes them, Remington say they do, but not without some work, that I've seen!

The cartridge choice is problematic if you want 308, but .223 Rem, 6 BR, 6 & 6.5x47, 6 & 6.5 Creedmoor, and 6.5x284 are all doing it, but not with store bought ammo Remington, Winchester, and Hornady ammo (the Lapua Brand factory 6 BR ammo has been astounding!, .25 MOA and Better at 1000 yards!)

Ivan

[sar4937]

The NRA 600 yard MR-1 highpower rifle target is 60 inches to the 5 ring, the 1000 yard LR target is 6 feet to the 6 ring. Yes, there are shooters that score 8's or better, but most don't in consistently in local clubs. Some .223's fall out of the air before hitting paper at 600 yards, .308's make it. I wonder if the OP has a .25 moa rifle? If he does, would they want to shoot out the barrel on prairie dogs.

Wait, what? Pop cans at 1000 yards by your average rifleman?

[Ivan the Butcher]

Originally Posted by sar4937

The NRA 600 yard MR-1 highpower rifle target is 60 inches to the 5 ring, the 1000 yard LR target is 6 feet to the 6 ring. Yes, there are shooters that score 8's or better, but most don't in consistently in local clubs. Some .223's fall out of the air before hitting paper at 600 yards, .308's make it. I wonder if the OP has a .25 moa rifle? If he does, would they want to shoot out the barrel on prairie dogs.

Wait, what? Pop cans at 1000 yards by your average rifleman?

The official record on prairie dogs is 2 miles! 1 MOA at 2 miles is 34"!

Pop cans at 1000 yards? Do you want those upright or on end? It won't happen every shot, but with practice it will happen the majority of the time. I notice women, with little experience, attain this quickly. They have fewer bad habits and follow instruction and corrections better than most men!

Ivan

[sar4937]

Not to beat a dead horse, but I figure if the OP was a capable 1000 yard shooter he could have answered his own post. Probably going to have to spend more on glass and mounts. I thought they might want an average sort of answer. This is degrading into a discussion about extreme accuracy. I belong to a 1600 member rifle/pistol range with a 600 yd. facility. There aren't that many members shooting pop cans at 600 yds.