Top FT Scope?

[luddite]

I have been PMd a few times asking for a reccomendation for FT scopes so I thought that I'd post my opinion on the subject.
The Leupold Competition range is the best range finder of them all, with the 45x being the best, the 40x next and the 35x needing more skill and care but a superb rangefinder nevertheless. They are sidewheel scopes and are very compact and light. The only downside is that they are fixed mag. If some way could be found to halve the magnification for standing or kneeling shots they would be the ideal FT scope.
The 20-50x50 Leupold is a great scope but requires a high level of skill to use effectively and is quite temperature sensitive. They are also a light and compact sidewheel scope.
The Leupold Mk 4 is a good side wheel range finder but has the same charachteristics as the 20-50 scope and is very sensitive to head/eye position.
The Nightforce NXS 12-42x56 sidewheel scope is a superb rangefinder second only to the 45x Leupold Competition but suffers from a blind spot from 15 yards to 24 yards where the target cannot be range found but can be viewed at 12x. It is a solid piece of kit and consistant in any temperature. I have been asked about my opinion of the lower mag NFs and having never used them can only conjecture, but I feel that the 32x will not rangefind well.
The Nightforce 35x FT scope is a superb front parallax scope but is quite bulky and heavy and requires 2 turns of the parralax ring.
The Schmidt and Bender PM II 5-25x50 is a superb scope being a side wheel scope with superb lenses. The range finding is superb up to 50 yards but between 50-55 is not as good as the Leupold Competition range. The target can be bracketed with the reticle which comes in mil dot or ladder(ie lines)
The Burris 8-32x44 is a superb scope with unbeatable lenses and it will see the target clearly under any light conditions and is a superb range finder. It's achilles heel however is it's front parralax which can be very stiff and notchy on some scopes. If this scope had a side wheel it would be the top FT scope.
The Bushnell 8-32x40 is similar to the Burris but is not quite as good but is a superb scope nevertheless.

[TARGETZERO]

you mention the lupe 20 50 50 bieng temp sensitive,does this happen with all ov these scopes?as the one i own ive never noticed this,i totally agree as to more skill bieng used, to get the best from this scope though

[xbow]

Very useful info Ludd.

The Leupold Mk 4 is a good side wheel range finder but has the same charachteristics as the 20-50 scope and is very sensitive to head/eye position.

Does this apply to the Competition Series at all as I've been thinking of getting one to replace my Big Nikko.

Thanks,

Vic.

[RobF]

you mention the lupe 20 50 50 bieng temp sensitive,does this happen with all ov these scopes?as the one i own ive never noticed this,i totally agree as to more skill bieng used, to get the best from this scope though

ricardo123 on here has one thats been dipped silver and hasnt seen any temp shifts yet.

[ETH]

you mention the lupe 20 50 50 bieng temp sensitive,does this happen with all ov these scopes?as the one i own ive never noticed this,i totally agree as to more skill bieng used, to get the best from this scope though

December and January tend not to be that warm Perry

Wait till Summer mate you'll be cursing with me and all the other Leupold newbies.

I have found every Leupold senstive to head/eye pos. The Comp series are very good optically - as good as the bigger mag scopes imho. The rangefinding does appear to be tricky but I think most Leupolds need "owner imput"

[sniper-wolf]

My Comp series has never suffered in temperature. I have had it over 12 months now, so have used it most conditions. It's rangefinding capabilities are second to none, and I have owned or tried most FT scopes out there.
If you wanted to, you could rangefind upto 45 or even 50 yards in 1 yard increments.

I did struggle a little bit with the mag at first, but now I am used to it, I wouldn't swap it for the world.

I had a Leupold 20-50x50 and that was ok until the temperature dropped to around 5 degrees or less, then it would under range by about 3-5yds. But as Ken (Luddite) said, user input is needed with these scopes, and if you know it's going to happen, you can compensate for it.

I would recommend a Competition series Leupold to anyone, and now that the interest rate is so good, now is the time to buy. Neil.

[ETH]

and now that the interest rate is so good, now is the time to buy. Neil.

Can't argue with that -
hope mine doesn't change with temp.

[andy_scouser]

Why do people shout about Leups? Ive looked down quite a few and im not overly fussed. Temperature fluctuations means lack of faith, surely.

Buy a titanium tubed bushnell and spend the rest on lap dancers.

[RobF]

my custom shop shifts with temp, lucklily though its very predicable, so 3 temp strips across the end has seen my scores improve since fitting them. The problem was the scope would cool down from the car to the early morning zero session, and then rise as the day's temp rose...at ottmoor it saw a shift from 20 deg to 3 deg back up to 9 deg, which equated to 0 click offset, to 10 clicks, back to 7 clicks...but i could see that with the strips, so it wasnt a problem, where as it plagued me at the sywell GP and a number of other days where there was a shift during the shoot.

[ETH]

Why do people shout about Leups? Ive looked down quite a few and im not overly fussed. Temperature fluctuations means lack of faith, surely.

Buy a titanium tubed bushnell and spend the rest on lap dancers.

I can't believe I am going against spending money on lapdancers but I really love the sight picture leupolds give. I think it is a personal thing Andy - Just like I hate Mk3s and others swear by them.

rfarn - what are these temp strips you speak of?

[RobF]

http://www.thermometersdirect.co.uk/...__LCD__17.html

in the end i got all 3, cos i've shot at -4 (bisley nearly new 2005) and 35 degrees (newbury GP 2006)...

at £6, worth a play...

[Pod]

http://www.thermometersdirect.co.uk/...__LCD__17.html

in the end i got all 3, cos i've shot at -4 (bisley nearly new 2005) and 35 degrees (newbury GP 2006)...

at £6, worth a play...

What larf that was!!! First target I hit bang in the middle and it just sat there looking at me. Got a O. The bloke I was shooting round with hit it almost in the same spot. And the target didn't budge a mm. Called a marshall to have a look and the mechanism had frozen solid . We both got Xs

[Pod]

And for those on a budget don't be too quick to discount the Weaver T36. I took a gamble on one (ordered without even looking through one ) and have been impressed. Range finding is very consistent but hard work - you have to concentrate. The turrets are ace - very positive and loooaaads of clicks per turn. Good scope. Great scope for the money.

[TARGETZERO]

I can't believe I am going against spending money on lapdancers but I really love the sight picture leupolds give. I think it is a personal thing Andy - Just like I hate Mk3s and others swear by them.

rfarn - what are these temp strips you speak of?

get them from any chemist

[nice one]

the 20-5o is world ft class how many wins ????? proven scope ...