Thoughts on putting $390 optic on a .50 BMG

[MasterChief]

View attachment 402439

There She is, my new $400 rifle

Looking good Iron....did you decide to try your owned Athlon before buying the one you talked about? BTW if your selling for $400.... I'll give you $500 w/ or w/o scope

 

[IronMonster]

Looking good Iron....did you decide to try your owned Athlon before buying the one you talked about? BTW if your selling for $400.... I'll give you $500 w/ or w/o scope

This is the 6-24 off my Ruger Precision rifle and I just snapped it on for the picture. I may take it out today just to make sure it goes bang.

Mostly I was irritated at the "you now have a $400 rifle" comment above and wanted to show what my "$400 rifle" looked like.

I am just over $10K into this thing at the moment including the ammo I bought to feed it. Someday I will buy some nice glass to put on it but it won't be today. Today I am just going to shoot it.

 

[bgdawgrr]

My 50 introduced me to the value of glass. Cost plays a factor, but it's not the end all be all.
If your eye relief is enough, then what the hell? Not sure what relief your scope gives you, but scope eye from a 50 is no fun.

As I've aged, I also adopted the "buy once, cry once" after I found it costs me more in the long run trying to save a few $ initially.
I love NightForce glass. Honestly to my eye, I cannot tell the difference between NF and a US Optics or S&B glass costing twice as much or more. I can see it's a significant step up from Leupold glass. I kind flipped out laying down that kind of coin on a scope, but glad I did. I could probably sell my scopes now for what I paid for them several years ago.

Vortex imho is a price value sweet spot. Especially for a 50. Good enough that you may never need to upgrade, as good or better than Leupold to my eyes, proven to take a beating long term on the platform, excellent price for what you get especially if you can buy on secondary market.
Never looked through the scope you meantioned, but if $400 was my budget, I'd strongly recommend SWFA SS. Mounted on a ton of 50BMG out there and I've never heard any say with that scope you have a cheap rifle
Best of luck which ever way you go.

 

[American123]

I have a Athlon 6x24 FFP BTR ? I believe, I find that scope to be awesome for the price. The only thing I have found that other manufactures have over Athlon is weight. Those scopes are heavier than their peers. If you don't care about weight, go for it. I think it seems obvious that anyone who is selling you something would rather you buy the much more expensive scope.

With the warranty you can't go wrong. Plus - if it lasts for a long time you can always provide a field report to Athlon that their scope has taken 50 BMG recoil x many times without a problem.

 

[cookie]

I have had the pleasure of shooting several rifles with top of the line big $$$$$ scopes and there is a huge difference in how clear the glass [ bright] is as compared to lesser scopes when looking at things at a 1000 yards. You are going bang with 50 BMG ammo and are skimping on a scope !!!!!

 

[41mag]

As I've aged, I also adopted the "buy once, cry once" after I found it costs me more in the long run trying to save a few $ initially.

I've had similar discovery. Usually my cheap stuff has cost at least one additional if not multiple other purchases. Few of them have come with a sterling factory warranty though.

 

[The Heretic]

Thing is, if you have a lifetime warranty and your scope is halfway decent, probably won't hurt to try out the scope for a while. If it works then use it. If it breaks, send it in and buy something else. If it works but isn't adequate, then use the scope for something else and get a better scope.

With a 2 MOA rifle putting a high precision scope on it won't make it a 1 MOA rifle.

 

[IronMonster]

My father in law always says your glass should cost as much or more than whatever firearm it is for.

Not saying I agree.

Sounds like great fun!

Well... I can tell you I am not about to spend $7000 on a scope.

 

[Heyjoe]

I can't say I blame you!

Maybe I should add that he (My fil) is an outdoor writer on prostaff with Leupold so he doesn't pay a dime for glass.

Anti-material has a nice ring to it. sounds like fun!!

 

[I594 Sucks]

Notice the $400 optic on my $300 Ruger Charger.

If you want to hit what you're aiming at, every time, spend the money on the optics. Oh, and I don't put Yamaguchihama Chinese tires on my Toyota Tundra, either. A blown or flat tire, at a critical moment, I can live without.

 

[Kruel J]

View attachment 402439

There She is, my new $400 rifle

Tell you what, if you value that as a $400 rifle, I'll give you $1000 for it. You are more than doubling your money!

 

[IronMonster]

Tell you what, if you value that as a $400 rifle, I'll give you $1000 for it. You are more than doubling your money!

It wasn't me who said putting a $400 optic on it made it a $400 rifle

 

[Kruel J]

It wasn't me who said putting a $400 optic on it made it a $400 rifle

I know. It was a joke brother.

 

[IronMonster]

Notice the $400 optic on my $300 Ruger Charger.

If you want to hit what you're aiming at, every time, spend the money on the optics. Oh, and I don't put Yamaguchihama Chinese tires on my Toyota Tundra, either. A blown or flat tire, at a critical moment, I can live without.

Wait, that makes no sense at all. You are saying you are buying a really good $400 optic for your charger but I am cheaping out by spending the same $400 on a optic for my rifle?

 

[IronMonster]

I know. It was a joke brother.

Yeah, I am irritated with the "$400 rifle" comment in general. I think it's ridiculous which is why I posted a pic of my "$400 rifle"

 

[B5Ben]

I dig it man. I am interested in hearing the range report on the Athlon vs. 50 BMG recoil and repeatability after said recoil. I dont think you will have a problem, but my Athlons are only on 6.5 CM rifles so its really no comparison recoil wise.

 

[The Heretic]

I would be interested in hearing about the scope base/mount on the Barrett.

When I was researching scopes for my .50 I learned something I did not know when I bought the AR-50; their bases have a recoil lug that fits into recesses on the rifle receiver.



The better to handle the recoil with my dear.

 

[FA9]

If you can afford the the gun you can afford the glass

 

[IronMonster]

If you can afford the the gun you can afford the glass

The problem is I really can't afford the gun, but I bought it anyway.

 

[The Heretic]

If you can afford the the gun you can afford the glass

Not if buying the gun empties your checking account.

Reminds me of my ex-wife who thought my brother and his wife could afford to loan us money because they had just bought a nice house.