scope for ruger american predator???

[back40]

i have a ruger american predator in .223 on the way. it'll see range use and predator/varmint control out to say 300 yds.

what optic would you mount? i'm leaning hard towards a 3-9x and am considering the leupold mark ar. i would like to keep it under $300. i have much more expensive rifles and glass, but view this as an exercise in accuracy and utility on an entry level budget.

 

[back40]

anyone have experience with this one? seems to have good reviews and fits the price point.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/59...ts-mil-dot-reticle-matte?cm_vc=ProductFinding

open to other suggestions as well.

 

[viking499]

That Weaver would be a good choice.

Nikon has some good options too.

 

[Uncle Mike]

Check out a Redfield BattleZone scope. 3-9X42 and you should be able to get one for around $150 retail.
They are a solid scope, we have sold several and all have been pleased.. Nice reticle also.

 

[greyling22]

I'm sure it's a fine piece of glass. I'm not really into target turrets though.

My suggestion would be that if your goal really is to see what entry level gets you, I would step down a tier in optics quality. I just don't think most people think of $300 as entry level. I know I think of it as more of 150-200 range.

 

[jmr40]

Acceptable scopes start at about $200. But the truth is that few really need to spend more than $400.

Good scopes in the $200 range include the Leupold VX-1, Burris FF-II, Redfield Revlution, (not the Revenge) and the Nikon Prostaff. Probably some others too but most anything near the $200 level is going to be acceptable. You can sometimes find good scopes on sale for under $200, but most of the stuff with a MSRP of $150 or less isn't worth fooling with.



All of the scopes listed have some sort of balliatic dots that work pretty well for longer shots. All are good scopes, but I simply prefer the reticle on the Burris better. Dots are faster to use on a hunting rifle, but less precise than dials

http://swfa.com/Burris-3-9x40-Fullfield-II-Rifle-Scope-P7932.aspx

The Leupold scope you're looking at is about $350, and is a darn good scope for the money if you want dials. It is essentially a 3-9X40 VX-2 with dials and mil-dot reticle. More expensive, but you'll never really need a better scope.

For about $50 less Burris offers something similar. Either the Burris or Leupold would be my choice if I wanted dials. Really , for only $50, I'd buy the Leupold.

http://swfa.com/Burris-3-9x40-C4-Plus-Rifle-Scope-P68077.aspx
http://swfa.com/Leupold-3-9x40-Mark-AR-MOD-1-Riflescope-P60892.aspx

I simply don't know enough about the Weaver to comment. It looks good on the website and the price is appealing. Just no first hand experience.

 

[back40]

thanks for all the info.

i checked out the burris scopes and they look nice too. i can get the leupold via amazon for $326 with free shipping. i also like that it's made here in the US.

just about everyone that has had hands on with both the leupold and the midway weaver seem to think the weaver is just a touch better overall. i've never used a bdc turret on a scope, so am curious to try one. i like that that they are both mil/mil as that is what i've always used. on strictly hunting guns i prefer capped turrets and a duplex or german #4. but this rifle will see range use and some mid range shooting, hence the target turret preference.

also anyone want to take a stab at what height rings for the 40mm objective? i don't have the rifle yet but would like to order the rings. it doesn't look like the one piece base is any taller than the two piece that comes on the standard american.

 

[ATCDoktor]

I bought my Ruger American Predator last week and scoped it with a Nikon Buckmaster 4X14X40 Mil Dot scope I had lying around:




Mine is 308 and shown in the above picture with an AAC fast attach flash hider used for attaching a Sound Suppressor:



Accuracy was more than acceptable both suppressed and unsuppressed.

Utilizing my handloads consisting of a moderate charge of surplus powder (WC844T) surplus primed (pulldown) 7.62X51 brass from Wideners and Nosler Custom Competition 168 grain bullets groups were very good:

Here's the first 10 rounds fired at 100 yards (unsupressed) after bore sighting. These were fired fairly quickly as it was about 110 degrees out at my desert shooting spot:



For those that are interested, the poi shift with the suppressor attached was 4 inches down and 3 inches right at 100 yards and an extremely rapid dope change got the group just about centered.



Here's the last 10 rounds fired suppressed at 200 yards at a 12 inch plate:



All and all I fired about 50 rounds through the Predator. Like I mentioned earlier it was about 110 degrees out at my shooting spot and all firing was done fairly quickly. There was no thought given to allowing the barrel to cool between groups as I would have died of heat stroke prior to any significant cooling of the barrel in that heat.

I'm impressed with the gun so far and at the price point offered from my LGS (especially for a suppressor ready rifle) it fit my needs to a tee.

 

[back40]

ATCDoktor, thanks for the info and write-up. what height rings did you use with your nikon?

 

[ATCDoktor]

what height rings did you use with your nikon?

I want to say they are mediums as I can't really remember (the whole scope and ring set up was removed form my Mossberg MVP about 3 months ago).

When I bought the Predator I just mounted it (Scope, rings and all) to the rifle as it was set up on the MVP.

I didn't center the rings or bother re leveling the scope, just bolted it right on and went shooting.

The front ring isn't even in a rail slot, it's forward of the slotted area of the rail with the "crossbar" in the ring butted up to the front edge of the rail and clamped down.

It worked fine as you can see.