Scope recommendations for Christiansen Ridgeline 300 PRC

[Red-Team 98]

The ZEISS V4 sure looks like a nice optic.

I have a ZEISS V4 in 4x14 on a Bergara Ridge in 308 Win with Warne Mountain Tech Rings and Warne maxima Steel bases. Very nice setup !

 

[belshawelk]

. I would get the VX5HD CDS ZL. i hunted with one this year. Nothing even close for the money

 

[MThuntr]

Zeiss V4 4-16

 

[ludville1]

Anyone have experience with the Leica. I’m not sure why but I am liking the looks of them. Wish I had somewhere close to look at them all.

I have a Leica Amplus 6 2.5x-15 50i, and it is superb! I have/had Leupold VX-5HD's, Zeiss Conquest, Swarovski Z3, and the Leica is the best scope that I have ever looked through.

 

[ludville1]

Thanks for the feedback everyone I think I'm going with the Swaro. Buy one...cry once...or so they say.

Yes, "buy once, cry once" is a good way to go. I have never regretted buying quality...might as well do it right the first time.

 

[EKYHunter]

I sometimes wonder if some folks benefit more from higher end optics than others. What I mean is do some people look thru the $1500-2000 Leica and really see the difference? Do they really benefit from the difference? I’ve got some G Loomis NRX fishing rods that are extremely sensitive and they should be for $500 and up per rod. Some folks use them and can’t tell the difference in them and a $50 rod. I just wonder if it’s the same for higher price optics.

 

[ludville1]

I sometimes wonder if some folks benefit more from higher end optics than others. What I mean is do some people look thru the $1500-2000 Leica and really see the difference? Do they really benefit from the difference? I’ve got some G Loomis NRX fishing rods that are extremely sensitive and they should be for $500 and up per rod. Some folks use them and can’t tell the difference in them and a $50 rod. I just wonder if it’s the same for higher price optics.

I think that this comparison is spot on! I have a neighbor that buys $100 scopes and kills nice bucks every year. To him, if the scope holds zero, it is "good enough" for him. When we sight in, he will look through one of my high end scopes and say "nice", and I'm sure that he thinks that I am nuts for spending that much for scopes. Mind you, we are sighting in during broad daylight also. Shrapnel said it best when he said "if you can't see the difference, don't pay it". I have always bought high end optics and I can appreciate the difference. As in most things, you get what you pay for. Fishing rods, about the best ones that I have bought are St. Croix and Fenwick, but I am also quite happy with several Ugly Sticks that I have. Myself, I doubt that I could appreciate the difference that a high end G. Loomis rod would bring, although I can understand someone paying the long dollar to have the best. It's more about want than need in many cases.

 

[jpcoll01]

I sometimes wonder if some folks benefit more from higher end optics than others. What I mean is do some people look thru the $1500-2000 Leica and really see the difference? Do they really benefit from the difference? I’ve got some G Loomis NRX fishing rods that are extremely sensitive and they should be for $500 and up per rod. Some folks use them and can’t tell the difference in them and a $50 rod. I just wonder if it’s the same for higher price optics.

Fair point. I’ve had good luck with a Vortex Viper and it has held zero consistently but it isn’t what I would call bright, it is dim even when focused and in good light. In low light forget it. I would consider a Leupold but I have heard too many stories about randomly losing zero and I’m too bad a hunter to miss the few opportunities that I get. Those two things are how I’m justifying the purchase to myself.

 

[ludville1]

Fair point. I’ve had good luck with a Vortex Viper and it has held zero consistently but it isn’t what I would call bright, it is dim even when focused and in good light. In low light forget it. I would consider a Leupold but I have heard too many stories about randomly losing zero and I’m too bad a hunter to miss the few opportunities that I get. Those two things are how I’m justifying the purchase to myself.

I currently have 8 Leupolds in various models, on rifles up to a .300 Wby mag, and have never had one that wouldn't hold zero. I wouldn't worry much about that.

 

[2rocky]

The Ridgeline I shot this fall was wearing an ATHLON Ares ETR 3-18 x 50 . It is the first FFP scope I've ever looked through and I hit what I was shooting at. If you are going to shoot a Precision Rifle Cartridge you might as well have a recticle that will let you hold for wind..

 

[Red-Team 98]

I was killing game with old Redfield Widefield 2x7 and 1 3/4x 5 that I still use on the same guns since the 70’s. My VX111 in 3.5x10 and 2.5 x8 Leupold i graduated to in the late 80’s dominate my safe. A few Mark 4 Leupolds in the bunch also and 1 ZEISS V4 4.5x14. Even have a Nice Redfield Widefield Immuninator 3x9 with the Accu Trac dial and built in rangefinder in excellent condition.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

I sometimes wonder if some folks benefit more from higher end optics than others. What I mean is do some people look thru the $1500-2000 Leica and really see the difference? Do they really benefit from the difference? I’ve got some G Loomis NRX fishing rods that are extremely sensitive and they should be for $500 and up per rod. Some folks use them and can’t tell the difference in them and a $50 rod. I just wonder if it’s the same for higher price optics.

On a hunting rifle, I'm pretty much done paying over $500-1k for "glass quality". In regards to the glass function, i just need a few things:
1. Offer a clear enough picture during legal hunting hours to make an ethical shot.
2. Have a reticle that is in focus when it should be
3. Have an acceptable depth of focus - I.E. not extremely finicky parallax and shallow depth of focus. Oddly enough the only scope I've ever owned where this aspect was unacceptable costed me $3k (March 3-24x52).

I will happily pay extra (in $ and weight) for reliability in the form of zero retention and accurate tracking but it seems that is less expensive than the image quality, high zoom ratio, and features that most consumers flock to.

 

[SFC B]

I sometimes wonder if some folks benefit more from higher end optics than others. What I mean is do some people look thru the $1500-2000 Leica and really see the difference? Do they really benefit from the difference? I’ve got some G Loomis NRX fishing rods that are extremely sensitive and they should be for $500 and up per rod. Some folks use them and can’t tell the difference in them and a $50 rod. I just wonder if it’s the same for higher price optics.

When I am showing people scopes I try to explain the different features, quality of construction, service, and price levels in order to distil out a "range" of what they might be looking for. From there I have them look at the same object (we have a couple of spots in the store 50-100m meters from the optics case that have detailed murals) while checking for brightness, detail discrimination and edge to edge clarity. I always let folks know that optics interact with different folks eyes/eye conditions differently and that they should pick what suits THEM.

 

[EKYHunter]

When I am showing people scopes I try to explain the different features, quality of construction, service, and price levels in order to distil out a "range" of what they might be looking for. From there I have them look at the same object (we have a couple of spots in the store 50-100m meters from the optics case that have detailed murals) while checking for brightness, detail discrimination and edge to edge clarity. I always let folks know that optics interact with different folks eyes/eye conditions differently and that they should pick what suits THEM.

I have a feeling that if I lived near you, I’d be out a lot of money . You guys allow folks to take optics outside the store and look through them during low light conditions? May be a moot point if you’re in a well lit parking lot, but there’s a store here that allows that.

 

[SFC B]

I have a feeling that if I lived near you, I’d be out a lot of money . You guys allow folks to take optics outside the store and look through them during low light conditions? May be a moot point if you’re in a well lit parking lot, but there’s a store here that allows that.

Yep. One corner of the parking lot is fairly dark.

 

[jpcoll01]

Worked out a deal with my local gun shop to trade in that brand new Ridgeline with some boot on a new Ridgeline FFT 22" in 300 PRC. Ordered the Swaro z5 3.5-18 BT4W from Scheels and they price matched the lowest price I could find (happened to be Cabelas) and bought it directly from store in Missoula so no sales tax! Gun should be in today or tomorrow, hoping for early next week for the scope and rings (had to order directly from Talley). Will post back results but I'm super excited to look through that scope.

 

[ludville1]

Worked out a deal with my local gun shop to trade in that brand new Ridgeline with some boot on a new Ridgeline FFT 22" in 300 PRC. Ordered the Swaro z5 3.5-18 BT4W from Scheels and they price matched the lowest price I could find (happened to be Cabelas) and bought it directly from store in Missoula so no sales tax! Gun should be in today or tomorrow, hoping for early next week for the scope and rings (had to order directly from Talley). Will post back results but I'm super excited to look through that scope.

I have never regretted paying for quality glass.

 

[Laelkhunter]

Looks like a nice scope, I will dig into which model exactly for dial elevation in MOA.

I have it with the 44 mm objective and the BRH reticle. Awesome scope, especially in typical low light elk hunting hours.

 

[jpcoll01]

Ready to zero! The scope looks really far back but is the correct eye relief for me. Will report back after I shoot it. Plan to zero with suppressor and then determine elevation change w/o.

 

[MinnesotaHunter]

My go to is the Leupold vx3 4.5-14 windplex. If you want to spend more money go ahead but that scope is all you need on that rifle for quite a distance.

How do you feel about the eyebox on that thing? My observations have not been positive.