Optic thread - moderate experience inside…looking to weed out other no

[A5H556]

Hey guys, I'm new to this forum, but if it's like most other gun forums there are probably a billion "which optic" threads. My apologies on the front end for starting yet another, but hopefully my level of experience with such things and knowing what has and hasn't worked for me will maybe help some of the more experienced of you be able to give me some guidance on where to go next:

My experience with carbines for the past 13 years has primarily been in the "tactical" arena. I've taken a couple of classes from Vickers and used Aimpoints there. I have an SBR with an Aimpoint on it and I've used it in the local club 3 gun match with pretty good success. There's a lot of up close and shooting on the move. The longest shots are only 100 yds so it's do-able with a 1X dot. I've also tried a TA-11 ACOG with the green horseshoe (not fast enough for the closeup stuff); an Aimpoint 3X Magnifier in a Larue flip mount behind a T-1 (image distortion, massively reduced field of view, lots of $/weight for only 3X); a Leupold Mark 4 1.5-5 SPR (illumination not bright enough, SPR holds too coarse); and most recently a Bushnell 1-4 Throwdown BTR (illumination not bright enough, distorted glass, doesn't hold zero).

I just got back from our local club's monthly match and this scope (Bushnell Throwdown) cost me a bunch of points on the rifle-dominated stages. I confirmed 100yd zero just a week ago and put it in the safe. Today, hitting half a reticle high @ 100yds. Missed 8/20 targets before I quit second-guessing myself and finally just held lower.

So here's the thing, since both of the local matches (club that I shot today as well as Noveske ATL 3gun) are only 100yds max, maybe I should just go back to an Aimpoint and gain the speed/clarity. I still wonder about 1-4's, though, since everyone talks so well of them. I'm not really opposed to dialing dope if I do go to a match with longer targets, so my point there is that a reticle with holdovers MAY not be a necessity (still nice to have, though). I've got about $300-$350 I can drop into such an optic right now including a mount, or $250-$300 if it's another 30mm 1-4 and I re-use my Aero Precision mount.

Hopefully some of you can point me in the right direction.'

Thanks!

[KelsonAK]

I'm liking the Vortex Crossfire II 1-4 illuminated these days. Has held zero very well - simple reticle - bright enough for how I use it.

[StealthyBlagga]

If your budget is only $350 with mount, I'd suggest you forget getting a new optic, and instead hang in there with the Aimpoint (without magnifier). Aimpoints are clear, forgiving, parallax-free at your typical distances (not true of many scopes), and darned sure will hold zero for you. Remember to turn down the brightness 2-3 clicks for long-range/small targets - you will be surprised at how far you can make hits, provided the match director does his job and makes the targets visible (unfortunately a novel concept to some). I run an Aimpoint with 2MOA dot in Tac Limited division and normally beat the majority of Tac Scope shooters at local matches.

Save your money until the new 1-6x Vortex comes out and see what consensus develops around it.

Edited January 26, 2015 by StealthyBlagga

[Jesse Tischauser]

That scope should hold zero. Something must be wrong with the scope or the mount. If my club only had 100 yard shots for the long stuff that's where I would zero and learn the trajectory from 0-100 in case you have to hold differently for small targets at 25, 50, 75 etc.

[A5H556]

A brief update: I discovered the cause of the zero issue. When I pulled my rifle out of the bag for the first stage of the match, the elevation turret was not on zero. Figuring it probably hadn't moved that much, I just put it back to the closest zero. That was wrong and I ended up putting the elevation a full revolution high. This 25yd target from last night shows a first group where I was "zeroed" during the match and the second group where it should be after dialing a complete revolution down to the correct "zero."

Glad to have that part solved. Still, the lack of day bright illumination and the glass distortion make me want to move on. I was able to get an industry prodeal on an Eotech EXPS 3-0 w/G33 magnifier. My choices now are to run that or sell it and buy a nicer variable scope. After selling the Eotech combo, the Bushnell 1-4, and paying back the bank account for the Eotech deal cost, I would have $700 to put towards a variable scope (assuming I keep and re-use my Aero Precision mount from the Bushnell).

Bottom line: what's the best $700 scope for 3gun? (Definitely open to buying used to get more bang for buck!)

[Jesse Tischauser]

Uncapped turrets usually do that in 3-gun.

[tenchu74]

I just got it the other day so it isn't even mounted yet but after checking reviews and such I went with the Burris 1-5 XTR II. It's in the $700 price range.