Scope recommendations for 308win in 16in barrel

[Andy]

I currently have a Vortex 6-24x50FFP scope on a my 308 with a 16" barrel and suppressor. It's way too much of a scope for this setup.
Does anyone have a recommendation for a scope with a 308 barrel on the short side?

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[kmk1012]

I have a very similar setup, 16" for suppressor use. Coincidentally, I took a 5-25 vortex viper off and replaced it with a smaller 3-15 vortex diamondback that Midway was blowing out for cheap. It matches the rifles capabilities nicely.

 

[solv3nt]

What's your planned usage? Is there a reason you think tl it's over scoped?
Anschutz 22lr with a Trijicon Tenmile 3-18x FFP


The Trijicon Tenmile and Credo are on closeout at Euro Optic.

 

[Andy]

What's your planned usage? Is there a reason you think tl it's over scoped?
Anschutz 22lr with a Trijicon Tenmile 3-18x FFP
View attachment 1402466

The Trijicon Tenmile and Credo are on closeout at Euro Optic.

Mostly the magnification. I really wanted the 4-16, but at the time of purchase all they had was 6-24. It's just really too much for the range I'm working with. I would even consider less than 4-16.

 

[Andy]

I have a very similar setup, 16" for suppressor use. Coincidentally, I took a 5-25 vortex viper off and replaced it with a smaller 3-15 vortex diamondback that Midway was blowing out for cheap. It matches the rifles capabilities nicely.

I'll check into the Diamondback. I am hoping to stay in the Viper category or better, but we'll see.

 

[Member 34319]

Hunting, probably say leupold for clarity and weight. A 3-9x50 would be a great hunting option with excellent glass and not too heavy.

I've been really enjoying Arken optics for all things long distance or paper punching. They are feature rich at great prices. They make some lightweight ones now in 30mm tubes that have Japanese glass and are really overly built for the cost.

I think there is a term similar of LPVO for mid range scopes like MPVO or something like that that is gaining popularity for shorter barrel carbines. Might be worth googling that term and seeing what pops up.

 

[Andy]

Hunting, probably say leupold for clarity and weight. A 3-9x50 would be a great hunting option with excellent glass and not too heavy.

I've been really enjoying Arken optics for all things long distance or paper punching. They are feature rich at great prices. They make some lightweight ones now in 30mm tubes that have Japanese glass and are really overly built for the cost.

I think there is a term similar of LPVO for mid range scopes like MPVO or something like that that is gaining popularity for shorter barrel carbines. Might be worth googling that term and seeing what pops up.

Thanks for the suggestions. I've never looked into Arken optics. And I never really thought about searching for MPVO, but it's a good idea.

 

[2ndtimer]

My PA-10 sports a Leupold American Marksman 3-9x40 that was offered exclusively by Cabela's a few years ago. It is lightweight, clear and durable, and I got it on sale for around $160. Sadly, they are no longer available. Another basic but decent 3-9x40 scope that is still available is the Burris Fullfield II, which can be found for around $150.
Obviously, there are better scopes available depending on your budget, but the Fullfield II is surprisingly good for the price.

 

[Member 53328]

Leupold Mark 5 3-18

My Sig cross is .308 with a 16" barrel and I have a Mark 5 5-25 on it.

 

[Andy]

Leupold Mark 5 3-18

My Sig cross is .308 with a 16" barrel and I have a Mark 5 5-25 on it.

I REALLY like the Leupold Mark 5 3-18, but I'm not sure I can afford that.

 

[powermad]

I tried a 6-24 Diamondback, ditched it and went with an Arken 4-16 SH4.
Pretty hefty with a mount at 3 LBS.
The newer EP4 is a lot lighter.

On my 18" 5.56 I'm using a 2.5-10x42 Nightforce.
It would work well on the .308 also.

 

[ORhutner]

I REALLY like the Leupold Mark 5 3-18, but I'm not sure I can afford that.

You might check out the Leupold VX5 3-15 as a concession on price but still has a nice feature set. If I remember correctly it has the same level of glass as the Mark 5 line. Should be able to find on sale in the $800 - $900 range with a little searching. You can also take a look at the Nightforce NX8 line. A Nightforce NX8 2 - 20 would be just the ticket. Again, with a little searching you can find in the $1,700 range. Also, call dealers when shopping for high end optics and ask them for their best price. Due to MAP pricing, most dealers can't post pricing for what they are willing to sell a given optic for but if you call, are polite and ask for their best pricing on an optic, you will likely get a more palatable price in return.

 

[solv3nt]

Not local anymore, but check with @Buster Beaver for optics.

 

[Member 53328]

I REALLY like the Leupold Mark 5 3-18, but I'm not sure I can afford that.

Are you looking for a SFP scope?

I've heard good things about Arken but I haven't ran any of their products personally.

By chance were you in the military? Cause if so (or you know someone who is) you can sign up with the VIP program on Leupold website and it gets you some dang good savings. I think you can buy 2 scopes yearly with the discount.

 

[Cerberus Group]

I currently have a Vortex 6-24x50FFP scope on a my 308 with a 16" barrel and suppressor. It's way too much of a scope for this setup.
Does anyone have a recommendation for a scope with a 308 barrel on the short side?

There are going to be many opinions...but I don't think the scope you have is too much. Never heard anyone ever say...I can see too much with this scope.

I've got the Mark 5 HD 3-18 on my Sig Cross...having the extra magnification is always a help, never a hindrance.

On the other hand it depends on the application...long range...leave as is....hunting, might be a bit much.

 

[Andy]

There are going to be many opinions...but I don't think the scope you have is too much. Never heard anyone ever say...I can see too much with this scope.

I've got the Mark 5 HD 3-18 on my Sig Cross...having the extra magnification is always a help, never a hindrance.

On the other hand it depends on the application...long range...leave as is....hunting, might be a bit much.

I'll never be shooting past 400yards. I can say that with confidence. The biggest problem is that my current scope starts at 6 power.
I'm actually considering another Vortex is the 3-15x range now.

 

[Andy]

Are you looking for a SFP scope?

I've heard good things about Arken but I haven't ran any of their products personally.

By chance were you in the military? Cause if so (or you know someone who is) you can sign up with the VIP program on Leupold website and it gets you some dang good savings. I think you can buy 2 scopes yearly with the discount.

I was leaning towards FFP like my current Vortex, but all other scopes I have are SFP. I'm not committed to either.

 

[ORhutner]

I always like more power but if you won't be shooting past 400 yards that greatly expands the field of suitable optics. You have to make the choice on whether FFP or SFP suits your intended purpose better. If you are going to be using a christmas tree or holdover style reticle, I strongly encourage you to go FFP. If you will always be twisting knobs then SFP works just fine.

Me personally, with that set of criteria, I would go with a LPVO or MPVO in the 1-8, 1-10 or 2.5 - 10 power range, FFP, christmas tree reticle like a Mil-XT, PR2, etc.... and just use hold overs. No great benefit on a 308 to twisting nobs at that close of a distance. My recommended optics will be on the higher end of the spectrum just because I am not familiar with the latest from companies like Vortex or Arken or others. I would be looking at an NX8 1-8, Eotech Vudu 1-10, Leupold MK5 2.5-10 with a lean towards the Leupold since it has parallax adjustment and the others don't. There are other, more expensive optics I could recommend but I get the sense they would be well outside your budget and maybe these are also.

Another great option and one I highly recommend, is to take a mid-range class. This will allow you experience a wide variety of options, gain valuable skills and teach you how to engage targets from 100y - 800y efficiently and effectively with the equipment you already have. It very well may save you more money than you spend on the class in the long run.

 

[kmk1012]

I'll never be shooting past 400yards. I can say that with confidence. The biggest problem is that my current scope starts at 6 power.
I'm actually considering another Vortex is the 3-15x range now.

I don't work too far from Aurora and can bring my Savage with the new Vortex Daiamondback 3x15 on it if you'd like to look at one before committing to buying one.

 

[Member 53328]

I'll never be shooting past 400yards. I can say that with confidence. The biggest problem is that my current scope starts at 6 power.
I'm actually considering another Vortex is the 3-15x range now.

At 400 yards you don't need much. If that was the case I'd be looking for a 4-12. If that's as far as you're pushing out I wouldn't be super concerned with buying something super high end. The mark 5 3-18 would be my suggestion but that's if you're pushing out to greater distances.

Something like a Nikon monarch 4-16 or similar would fit the bill if you don't care about ffp or sfp.