So my best buddy has built a long long range target board for us to shoot out at the farm. It is BIG. Built out of timbers. Moveable by a John Deere only. But it could be fun. Mainly he wants to shoot it at 500, 600, or even 800 - 1000 yards.

So I went to the gun store here and checked out some long ranger scopes. Currently almost all my scopes are Swaro's, mostly 1 inch American in normal powers like 3.5 x 10 and 4 x 12 etc.

I mounted the Leupold 6.5 x 18 30mm on the try stock and took it outside. Even after adjusting the eyepiece and the side focus I had a pretty hard time "seeing" with the scope cranked up. No mirage or that really. Just that keeping my eye and the scope in perfect alignment, or any minor shift caused a considerable amount of refocus time in the eyepiece. It seemed that I had some eye strain that I had never experienced too.

I also mounted up a similar 1 inch Zeiss 6.5 x 18 or 20 or so. And while it was clearer, and a better reticle in general, it seemed that the smaller part of the duplex would fade out against some backgrounds. Again I took the time to adjust it to my eye as well. No parallax was apparent with either and I was looking at objects 300 - 500 yards away. It just seemed tough to maintain a good, full, clear view of the object and the crosshairs.

One thing going for the Leupold is the target knobs which I am not yet sure about adding on the Zeiss. I am going to do some advanced searching here on AR or over a 6mmBR. And the Leupy likely has more adjustment range. The knobs would be nice for the varying ranges while we are playing - or banging at some coyotes or something.

But I wonder if its just me or did any of you have to make changes to "see" these higher power scopes better? I have read that many of the target guys use that 30mm Leupold so it must be something there that I might need to unlock to work better for me. I can comfortably keep my head in my Swaros for about any reasonable amount of time and maintain the target and the crosshairs. I hate to think of the Swaro target scopes - more so the cost !

Any recommendations or ideas on this? Thanks.

The higher the magnification the more critical the eye placement. The Leupold will have about the most generous eye placement of any scope in the 18 to 20 power range, but it is still going to be more critical than your 3-9 hunting scope.

However, I don't think this is nearly the problem you anticipate. You'll be shooting at the extended range targets strictly from the bench (otherwise 18X is way too much for offhand, anyway.) When shooting from the bench with the gun in a fixed position I suspect you will find the 18X Leupold (or whatever you decide on) to be just fine insofar as eye placement and sight picture acquisition.

BTW: I shoot informal targets at up to 800 yards at my place along with several friends. 1000 yards is available at this site, but my balls are in no need of further enlargement.

We all use 6-18 or 6.5-20 Leupolds and wouldn't think of using anything else. Some of these same guns double as our long range prairie dog guns and the Leupolds do a splended job in that application also.

I have the Leupold 6.5x20x50 with the 30mm tube. I don't have any problem with it on 20x.

My Simmons 6.5x20 is another story, it's worthless above 12x.

I had to run over and look at the scope page .

The Leupold that I tried was a 6.5 x 20 x 50 30mm with the high target knobs. You know in the years gone by when I just had the older VariX II's they had the same regular fine recticle. I think my eyes have become standardized to the duplex - especially the Swaro style one.

Your answer is much appreicated and especially to the eye placement forgiveness of the Leupold. I had considered the full bench mode set up might moderate the eye placement problem somewhat. And it sure seems the Leupold is the way to go on this from your suggestions.

Going on a Winchester though - not Sako - so I will use the Talleys. Which I will have to order as Carters has almost none for the Winchester Classic and what they did have is extra high or something. Equates to a Sako medium Opti or maybe a low!

Dont know how far we will set for. Lets see what happens in these sometimes swirly winds at 500-600 first. Gary was talking of putting wind flags up every 50 yards. Maybe not. Hold on coyote, let me read the wind. Wind right wind left, now dial for 800, ........we will see how it goes but it should be fun. For the first time I have actually been truly interested in BC numbers though. Thanks again.

Thank as well Antelope Sniper.

Generally, with less expensive scopes and higher magnification scopes and especially cheap higher magnification scopes, eye placement is very important. Put another way, the eye box is very small. I had a Nikon Buckmasters 6-18x. It was a wonderful scope until 16x, but higher than that and I couldn't keep my head positioned to use it. The eyebox was so small.

LWD

The Leupold, and the Zeiss, that I looked at are in the $900 to $1,000 range.

Although I havent seen one, I looked at the Swaro's online but it is looking like $1500 - $1,700 for the Z5.

For this scope set-up, and based on what I "saw" with the Leupy and Zeiss, I probably need to look through one before going to the check book.

I am tempted to believe that the Swaro is better optically based on my experience with them. But the Leupy with more adjustments, and more being used for this type of application such as cranking the knobs and such, might be better suited as a built-for- application product.

But it wont make too much difference if I cant see the target.

My buddies scope is some kind of special thingy from Sheperd Scopes. 6 x 18 or so with electro ranging, elctro adjusting sighting, and super-duper bullet delivery system.

So I guess we will will see how the dial and crank system works against the latest in technology !

StoneCreek:

I sprung for the Leupold VX 3 6.5 - 20 x 50 30MM with the target knobs based on trying it, the opinions here, and the Swaro not being readily available. One thing the Leupy has is more MOA adjustment range of course.

So thanks for the input to all. I will be loading and shooting for a couple of weeks before getting ready to try to send a few off at 500-600 yards.

quote:

I sprung for the Leupold VX 3 6.5 - 20 x 50 30MM with the target knobs

You made a very good investment. I sure like mine.

I have the 6.5 - 20x 50mm Leupold TLR Leupold Mark 4. Mil. Dot on a Rem. 700 PSS. Off the bench there's no problem w/ alignment on the eyepiece. And if needed, you can always pad the comb for height.