Howdy all,

I'm in need of a scope for my new PredatOBR in .308

I recall seeing on here that for a semi-auto .308, the recommended brands are either Nightforce or the higher-end Vortex lines i.e. Viper or Razor, due to the recoil & reciprocating mass of the .308 bolt.  I recall him saying they are the ones that will hold up over time.  I believe it was member "LRRP" that said that & apparently he is an experienced ex-mil guy with a lot of long range knowledge.

I see the Viper Gen II models are out and it looks like I can grab one in 5-25x from Optics Planet with a code for right around 1k.

What feedback do you all have for me regarding my situation?  Would the Viper Gen II be a good choice for the price?  Any other recommendations?  I would really like to stay around $1k if possible.

As I approach the big 5-0 I want great quality glass and a little extra magnification.  But most importantly I want it to hold up in the long run.

Thanks for the help as I'm new to the long range scope game.

Your options are more limited with the stated cost target.

Reticle, adjustment, and other preferences notwithstanding, I think a used Horus Bushnell DMR 3.5-21 or one of the same scopes with G2 or G3 reticle that tend to run on sale new around 1K is one of the best values. They are compact, decent optically (a little bit of chromatic aberration occasionally) and get your a christmas tree reticle on a compact scope that pairs well with a short gas gun. You will not find one with illumination in that range, which may be an issue if you do a lot of low light shooting.


If you check the LaRue industry forum pictures of rifles at the factory waiting to be test fired, they are all wearing Bushnell 3.5-21s.

I think the Gen II Viper PST would be a great choice. But how much magnification do you need? I think 15x would be plenty for a 308 AR. Check out Sport Optics. They are running a sale right now. It's a promo code I believe that you apply at checkout.

My local range has steel out to 950 yards. I would think at least 20x would be beneficial

Btw, what happened to the LRRP guy on here?  He seemed to have a lot of knowledge. Haven't seen any posts by him lately.

I know this is not what you want to hear, but I think your budget is too low given the high quality of your rifle.  If there is any way you can wait a period of time and save up, I think you will be happier in the long run. LaRue makes some badass rifles, and I think at $1k you will not be able to realize the full potential of yours.  

I admit that my knowledge is a tiny fraction of what others on this forum have, and I certainly mean no disrespect to you.

There's a saying when it comes to optics.  Whatever your rifle cost, you should plan on spending fairly close to the same for a quality and proper optic.  Obviously his is also based on use of the rifle.  My 5.56 cost me $2,500, optic was $2,400.  My .308 cost me $2,800, optic was $2,500. I could have easily spent more, but knowing what my shooting is, it wasn't necessary.  Just as an FYI, the scope for the .308 is the Vortex Razor HD GEN II 4.5-27.

IMHO ,get what you can afford now . Later when you have the $$$$ sell it and upgrade. In the mean time you can shoot and enjoy your new rifle. I just got a POF P308 and mounted a Nikon `P-308 30mm tube 4-16x42 SF Trajectory-Compensating BDC 800 Reticle scope in a Aero precision ultra light mount and have had no problem out to 500 yards so far so good. My plan is to upgrade if I need to next year.  But so far I am doing great with the Nikon. FYI  Grab a Gun has them at the insane price of $350.00 now  Model # 16307 .

I have a .308 tOBR that I've been shooting for a few years (since they came out).  It has a Vortex Viper PST 4-16 FFP (gen 1).  

My range only goes out to 600.  My best group at 600 was 2.5 inches or something like that.  I haven't tried out to 1000 but am sure this scope would be sufficient.  I have a PST 6-24 on my bolt rifle and enjoy that one also.  They both track 100% accurately and you can't beat the Vortex warrantee.