I'm building a .300 blackout upper for shooting paper at 100 and 200 yards primarily, and once in a while 300 yards.



What should I look for when shopping for scopes?




 

Can anyone help a first time sight buyer?

Steiner P4XI

What budget do you have in mind?  Are you looking for a magnified optic (riflescope) or a red dot?  If you do not intend to use the rifle for home defense or shooting at close range (25 yards or less) you can go with higher magnification for more precise shot placement.  What degree of accuracy are you seeking - small groups like benchrest, or just hitting plates or large torso type targets?  These various uses would influence what I would suggest.

I would ordinarily suggest a relatively low powered variable or a small red dot for a .300 BO given its trajectory and normal use, but it would be helpful to know a bit more about your plan and purpose for the rifle.

Rookie move on the title... I updated it.

This build is going to be for groups at the range only. I have other stuff with red dots so on this build I simply want to go with a scope.


1-300 dollars with 300 being absolute max. Aiming for under 250.


A magnified optic to answer your question. No close range shooting. Small groups off a bi-pod and/or standing just to mix it up.


I've got a few in my list at Amazon but when I started to read the specs I realized I could benefit from some guidance. If it would help I could post a few of them..?..

I would suggest the SWFA SS 10x42 fixed power, but that's slightly out of your price range IIRC. Great scope. It's widely considered to be built like an $800 scope but without the price tag. I have one...it's great. And if you're just shooting groups then fixed power is fine.

Maybe save a little more, or look for used.

ETA: Here it is: LINK Price actually isn't that bad at $300. Used should come in under that around $250.

Thank you. What is the fixed power part? No magnification adjustment?

Perhaps the Nikon P-300.  It is a basic budget Nikon tactical scope 2-7x with a reticle specifically designed for .300 Black Out.  7x is plenty magnification for the .300 BO, and if you are not going to be using it up close, the 2x on the bottom end will be no detriment.  It will be more versatile than a fixed 10x scope.   I'm not crazy about Nikon's BDC reticles.  That's just due to my personal preference, but many really like them and find that using them, particularly with Nikon's "Spot On" ballistic software, works out well. Given the trajectory of .300 BO, I might break my personal rule against bullet drop reticles and go with something like the P-300.

Price will probably be somewhere between $175 and $199.

http://ads.midwayusa.com/product/653571/nikon-p-300-blackout-rifle-scope-2-7x-32mm-bdc-super-sub-reticle-matte?cm_mmc=pf_ci_google-_-Optics+-+Scopes+-+Under+12X-_-Nikon-_-653571&gclid=CNK4kbeKpM8CFQsyaQodZjQKcg

Yep. Just like the old days.

If you're bench shooting then that's not an issue. You'd have it on 10x all the time anyway. I have a Vortex 2.5-10 and it's on 10x all the time.

I'd recommend a Vortex Diamondback 4-12 with a BDC reticle.

The optic is very lightweight and about $200 at most places.

You'll need a 1" tube cantilever mount to clear your CH.

Side charger.... so no need to clear it.

So the 2-7x32 would mean magnifies 2 to 7 times and the 32 represents the diameter? But, if so, the diameter at what point?


I like the idea of being able to dial back the magnification if for no other reason the pure flexibility it adds. I'm thinking gravel pit shooting, but who knows what will come along.


I'm trying to get an idea for reticles.


I've searched for the BDC, and got some Google images. What are the other top reticle choices?

Yes, 2-7x32 means it is a variable power scope with a zoom range from 2x on the low end to 7x power on tbe high end.  The 32 is for 32mm objective.  That is the size of the glass lens in tbe big end of the scope.  Generally speaking, the larger the size of that lens, the more light can enter the scope.  For technical reasons that would take some time and space, 32mm is a good size that will provide good brightness for use in low light conditions.  Scopes that top out at 7x usually have an objective of somewhere between 28mm and 36mm.

Reticle design is highly subjective.  What one person likes might be terrible in the opinion of others.  The reticle in this Nikon scope is a variation of the three post German #4.  That design is favored by hunters and is one of my personal favorites.  It has three thick posts, one coming in on each side and one coming up from the bottom.  They are superimposed over relatively thin regular crosshairs.  Those posts draw the eye rapidly to the center, even in low light, while the finer crosshairs give you a precise aiming point.  The thick posts also help you get on target faster for quick shots or when shooting at a moving target.  I have several scopes with that type of reticle, including a very high end Austrian Kahles Helia CL 2-7x36.

The Nikon take on the German #4 in this scope is to add holdover marks (subtensions) that match the expected bullet drop for .300 BO at known distances.  Nikon uses little circles.  I'd rather have simple dots or hash marks that match the turret click values, either marching MOA or MRAD (Nikon turrets are MOA) but people who use Nikon scopes with those type holdover marks seem to like them just fine.

A pure target scope usually just has very fine, thin crosshairs.  They let you see the center of the target more precisely.  But they can be hard to see against a dark background or in low light.

There is no prrfect reticle for all purposes.  The best general purpose reticles are probably the simple duplex and the German #4 or a variation, the 4a, which has longer posts.  The duplex is like the German #4, except it has a 4th post coming down from the top.

What sort of precision are you looking to achieve at the 200/300 yard line?

Many scopes with BDC type reticles make shooting a rifle for groups difficult. ie: Chevron type reticles. Something with a Mil-Dot or TMR type reticle will make groups easier.

For 100 to 200 yards I'd get a quality red dot. Aimpoint, EOTech, Triicon etc.

Can you explain the turret values and matching? Do some scopes have changing reticles depending on the turret adjustment?

 

I like the idea of the 300 black out scope (Nikkon). I looked at the reticle online, as well as the German 4 (which I really like), and it seems ok to me.


On the Nikkon with the drop circles would I zero it at , for example, 300 yards then move the scope up so the next circle below center is now on target at say 250 yards? How's that work vs. turret values ? Lost on that part.


Perhaps a visit to a shop would solve a lot of these questions. However I don't like to go to the smaller shops and use their time with no intention of buying there, and the larger shops are farther away.

I would spend some time reading and researching how scopes work on your own. Plenty of resources out there. Then apply that knowledge to a particularl scope you're interested in.

And why 300 blk if only exclusively used for paper punching?

Also .300 blk is not a budget friendly ammo.

I think I gave you too much to ponder in one post.  Sorry.  Its easy to get out in the tall grass when it comes to optics and the way turrets and reticles work in relation to each other.  It might be best to use the KISS principle for your first scope with holdover capability.  That's why I thought the .300 BO specific P-300 might be a good place to begin.  You will use the MOA calibrated turrets to get zeroed.  Nikon will have instructions on what zero to use so that the holdover "circles" work for the reticle.  You will pick thisvup rapidly when you start shooting. Nikon also has its "Spot On" blistic software to help you be even more precise.

I did some reading last night. The Nikkon comes setup for a Remington 115 grain bullet. If used with anything else one must chrono the load to make the correct adjustments to the Nikkon scope. I don't really like this idea. Am I understanding correctly that doing this with the Nikkon is the same thing as zeroing in a scope, but with software?

 

I also think I understand what you're saying with turret adjustment. Let's see.


What you were saying is you like to zero the scope.  Then if you change bullet weight/speed, distance, the wind is blowing hard, etc. you adjust your reticle via the turret on the scope (vs. the Nikkon method). So if you're low an inch at 100 yards and you have a 1/4 MOA adjustment on your scope you give it four clicks which in turns raises your reticle up in the scope picture. Is this correct?