Take your pick
Take your pick
Have you considered a fixed power scope, like those from SWFA or Leupold? You can get a much more rugged scope without the need to worry about focal planes or any of that. Since your intended distances are 1000+ yards to start you may not ever use anything except the maximum power setting on a variable anyway.
https://swfa.com/optics/riflescopes...group=Fixed&minimum_magnification=16x,20x,24x
https://swfa.com/optics/riflescopes...group=Fixed&minimum_magnification=16x,20x,24x
I have a Vortex Viper PST 6-24x50 FFP on a 7mm Rem Mag and Vortex
Viper PST 4-16x50 FFP
on a .308 with the MRad EBR-1 recital.
I like the FFP scope just because my brain seems to react to a sight picture better.The OP needs to make sure the turrets and recital are matching MRad or MOA.
I use the Strelok Pro for a ballistic calculator, with a wind meter on my cell phone. When choosing a scope and reticle the OP needs to make sure the ballistic calculator he is going to use has it in it database. Provided he is going to use a ballistic calculator.
This got me searching for long range 1500 yard scopes and how much MOA you need to get to 1500 with 338 LM
About 45 or so MOA of adjustment seems to be the consensus. with a 200 yard zero.
Now with that in mind I started looking at what would be in your price range and you said you looked at nightforce but
out of that $ 1500range.
I looked at a couple Nightforce bench rest scopes. Seems these may be the ticket.
Research them and see.
https://ads.midwayusa.com/product/6...I5J-11eSM2QIVSJ7ACh0MNABPEAQYASABEgKea_D_BwE#
Scroll down in that add and there is a 12-42 nightforce just teetering on your budget @ 1,428 dollars
About 45 or so MOA of adjustment seems to be the consensus. with a 200 yard zero.
Now with that in mind I started looking at what would be in your price range and you said you looked at nightforce but
out of that $ 1500range.
I looked at a couple Nightforce bench rest scopes. Seems these may be the ticket.
Research them and see.
https://ads.midwayusa.com/product/6...I5J-11eSM2QIVSJ7ACh0MNABPEAQYASABEgKea_D_BwE#
Scroll down in that add and there is a 12-42 nightforce just teetering on your budget @ 1,428 dollars
A 20 moa rail gives him more options.
Nightforce will probably give him the most adjustment. With a 20 MOA rail he would be fine.
You've got a 338LM and a $1,500 scope, now you're ready for 1 mile after you spend some time at a rifle class and 1,000 yards. What range finder, weather station, and ballistic app do you have? Tell me your knowledge of coriolis, spin drift, absolute vs station pressure and how many hours have you spent behind the scope reading all the wind variances in 1,760 yards?
How many hundreds of dollars in 338 reloading supplies do you anticipate spending to achieve your 1 mile shot?
I'm sure you can take a 100 rounds to a 1 mile range for the first time and achieve a few hits but will you understand fully why you missed to be able to apply those lessons to become a more effective ELR shooter?
In my opinion you should have started with a different caliber and learned to crawl/walk before you try to sprint.
Now before anyone gets their panties in a bunch I'm speaking from a perspective very similar to the op. I started with too much caliber, bought glass based on price, and didn't factor in all the peripheral equipment. My learning curve has been extensive at times and now I keep my LR shooting to what I believe is my ability to harvest game ethically at longer ranges given the conditions I'm shooting in.
Any of the 6.5 chamberings could get the op well beyond 1,000 yards and he could load close to three rounds for the cost of one 338. Becoming a more proficient shooter would probably be easier and quicker with a 6.5 as well.
Just my 2 cents.
You've got a 338LM and a $1,500 scope, now you're ready for 1 mile after you spend some time at a rifle class and 1,000 yards. What range finder, weather station, and ballistic app do you have? Tell me your knowledge of coriolis, spin drift, absolute vs station pressure and how many hours have you spent behind the scope reading all the wind variances in 1,760 yards?
How many hundreds of dollars in 338 reloading supplies do you anticipate spending to achieve your 1 mile shot?
I'm sure you can take a 100 rounds to a 1 mile range for the first time and achieve a few hits but will you understand fully why you missed to be able to apply those lessons to become a more effective ELR shooter?
In my opinion you should have started with a different caliber and learned to crawl/walk before you try to sprint.
Now before anyone gets their panties in a bunch I'm speaking from a perspective very similar to the op. I started with too much caliber, bought glass based on price, and didn't factor in all the peripheral equipment. My learning curve has been extensive at times and now I keep my LR shooting to what I believe is my ability to harvest game ethically at longer ranges given the conditions I'm shooting in.
Any of the 6.5 chamberings could get the op well beyond 1,000 yards and he could load close to three rounds for the cost of one 338. Becoming a more proficient shooter would probably be easier and quicker with a 6.5 as well.
Just my 2 cents.
There are pipelines I hunt and No grass on some of them just rock and trees on the sides.
I set targets ( Brown hacket Flagstone stood on end) at 200 and 300 yards those were easy hits.
Moved to 400 yards shooting a bit down the first hill at 200 and 300 at 400 you were coming back up the hill on the other side.
Easy hits still .308 and 30-06.
Stood some up at the top of the hill now shooting even or flat and not down hill.
This was 750 yards NO HITS!
No consistency either those 150 and 165 gr pills were getting blown around all over the place. from 2" away from the target to 2 feet away.
On a calm 10 MPH or less wind day shooting flat at 500 yards those 2 guns would stay sub moa with wind from one direction.
Walking to the hill top I encountered winds in my face and at my back and from both sides of me .
Nothing to judge how the wind was acting.
Now a heavier bullet would not get blown around near as much and hits at that distance would be a cake walk for 300gr traveling at the same speeds as the .308 165 gr.
I was shooting with a friend that day and laying in the prone position with front bag.
No issues seeing the targets either very clear.
Nikon 3-9x40 Buckmaster on the .308 savage 10FP shooting 165 Gameking HP propelled by Varget. and 4-16x40 Centerpoint on the 30-06 Mossberg 100 atr 150gr Hornady 3031 bullet pushed by IMR 4064 powder.
Many critters died from those rounds but none past 400 yards yet.
I set targets ( Brown hacket Flagstone stood on end) at 200 and 300 yards those were easy hits.
Moved to 400 yards shooting a bit down the first hill at 200 and 300 at 400 you were coming back up the hill on the other side.
Easy hits still .308 and 30-06.
Stood some up at the top of the hill now shooting even or flat and not down hill.
This was 750 yards NO HITS!
No consistency either those 150 and 165 gr pills were getting blown around all over the place. from 2" away from the target to 2 feet away.
On a calm 10 MPH or less wind day shooting flat at 500 yards those 2 guns would stay sub moa with wind from one direction.
Walking to the hill top I encountered winds in my face and at my back and from both sides of me .
Nothing to judge how the wind was acting.
Now a heavier bullet would not get blown around near as much and hits at that distance would be a cake walk for 300gr traveling at the same speeds as the .308 165 gr.
I was shooting with a friend that day and laying in the prone position with front bag.
No issues seeing the targets either very clear.
Nikon 3-9x40 Buckmaster on the .308 savage 10FP shooting 165 Gameking HP propelled by Varget. and 4-16x40 Centerpoint on the 30-06 Mossberg 100 atr 150gr Hornady 3031 bullet pushed by IMR 4064 powder.
Many critters died from those rounds but none past 400 yards yet.
This is what I'm talking about. Hits may or may not occur more often. The only difference in the bullets really is the BC. You couldn't read the wind or spot the splash therefore you didn't know how much adjustment/hold off to use. Maybe adjusting your scopes focus and trying to read the mirage could of helped. What you learned from the shooting session is what really matters. So hopefully next time you're out you can apply those lessons.
Now just add another 1,010 yards to the shot and work the ballistics.
Well first off I know about the variables but I don't know how to calculate them yet. I have the Kestrol wind mater and ballistic computer. For reloading I have a friend that is going to teach me that he has been reloading for years. I have purchased the Rockcrusher single stage reloader, Lehigh 245 grain solid bronze boat tail rounds qty 100, brand new lapua brass QTY 100, Magnum Primers. As far as the school I am going to take the Badlands Precision rifle course. Going to start with their beginner rifle and go up. Been hunting most of my life with the longest doe kill at 725 yards. When I was in Afghanistan I was lucky enough to have a Army Sniper show me a couple things and that's what got me interested in this. As far as the Lapua they made me an offer I couldn't refuse.. What I want to do is get involved in some long rang completion shooting at some point but right now I just want to learn.
Yea no kidding add a lot to that 750 yards. There was NO mirrage that day and we could see the hits as the pipeline was all dirt and flagstone .. it would kick up dust and you could see that. The 3-9 Nikon you could see the hits but not quite as well.
Some hits went off into the treeline and those we could not see.
After all the shooting we walked up there hoping maybe one of us hit the stacked flagstone. NOPE.
We see a lot of coyote on that hill and that is one reason we were taking those shots. trying to practice for the kill shot.
During a hunt I underestimated a distance on flat ground.
I thought it was 500 yards or so and I got up 100 yards closer I knew I could make the hit from 400.
Little did I know it was 700 yards and I moved up to 600. 3 shots and the critter never flinched.
I think I was a tad low.. a tad is the height of 2 55 gallon barrels if i am not mistaken HA
Some hits went off into the treeline and those we could not see.
After all the shooting we walked up there hoping maybe one of us hit the stacked flagstone. NOPE.
We see a lot of coyote on that hill and that is one reason we were taking those shots. trying to practice for the kill shot.
During a hunt I underestimated a distance on flat ground.
I thought it was 500 yards or so and I got up 100 yards closer I knew I could make the hit from 400.
Little did I know it was 700 yards and I moved up to 600. 3 shots and the critter never flinched.
I think I was a tad low.. a tad is the height of 2 55 gallon barrels if i am not mistaken HA
