[PALADIN]

Hey all,
Thank you for all the good info on this site, and I'm glad to now be a part of the club. I just purchased an SPS Tactical in .308 and am trying to figure out which scope/rings/mount to get. Don't have the money yet to go high end like a Mark 4, so I will probably start off with a Falcon Menace 4X14, which are about $400 but getting fantastic reviews for the price. I may splurge a little and get the Mark 4 rings though, or perhaps the Burris XTR rings.

 

[BadKarma]

Welcome to the forum. I would suggest the Burris XTR rings for the money and reliability. I'm confident
you will like your rifle and the Falcon scope. I have two Falcon scopes on two SPS Tacticals and have been very pleased with them and the rifles.
For the money I think they are both the best deal going.
Again, welcome to the forum and if I can be of any help feel free to contact me.

 

[Quick]

G'day mate and welcome. First, good choice with the SPS Tactical, shes a beaut rifle. Second, go with the Burris rings, best value for money rings IMO. Also, get an EGW 20MOA base. Costs around 40bux and also is darn good value for money, thats the rings/base combo I use and its great. With your scope, what sort of shooting are you going to be doing, with the Falcon its good scope, so you have made a good choice.

Pics Pics Pics.

 

[BadKarma]

Second on the 20 MOA Base.

 

[PALADIN]

I've looked at the Burris XTR rings and they're very nice for the money and will surely consider those. Ditto on the 20 MOA base. Belief it or not, the first duty for this gun is a hunting rifle, starting with a 3 day deer hunting trip in Kansas (where I'm from) next weekend. I'm doing all the necessary stuff to break the gun in the right way and get it sighted in this week. Here's where it get's ghetto. No scope yet, so I borrowed a buddy's Simmons 3X9X50 Blazer. YES, A SIMMONS. I'm ashamed, but I didn't have anything else come hunting time. I'm looking at the Falcon Optics scope, but also looking to spend a little more on the Burris XTR tac scope. The mid range one, can't rember the specs. Since I only hunt using some sort of rest, whether it's shooting sticks, bipod or even a tree branch, I figured this would be a great deer rifle and I'm really into the tactical aspects of it. I will be predator hunting (coyote, bobcat and lion - I wish on the last) during this winter, and I wanted a gun that was capable of long range and great accuracy (plus I've wanted a Remington 700 tactical heavy barrel for 12 years) so I'm feeling good about the purchase. I will also be getting into precision target shooting in the near future, and figured I would start here. In the long run, I hope to eventually have a better stock, like an HS precision or something along those lines (but the Hogue is good for hunting because it doesn't get cold), and maybe the Mark 4 rings, Mark 4 scope, something illuminated to help with low-light hunting, but I'm a little ways off for that. Thanks for the input, and I really think I'll start with the Burris tactical rings and a 20 MOA mount. I'll start putting out some pictures once this Simmons POS is off of here. Thanks.

 

[El Chorizo]

Welcome to the site! Glad you found us!

I like the Burris rings as well. I have a set of Mark 4's on my SPS Tactical, but to be honest, I probably wouldn't spend that much on a set of rings again. The Burris XTR's have been working out great on my AR-15!

The Falcon's are good scopes too. If you haven't decided a 100% for sure on the Falcon, you may also want to look at the Bushnell Elite series of scopes. They are also really great for the money. I have both a Mark 4 and Bushnell Elite 4200 and the glass/picture quality on the Bushnell is almost - almost as good as the mark 4. The Bushnell is the clear winner of the two considering the price difference!

 

[PALADIN]

Per Optics Planet, the Elite Tactical is $629. It's a great looking scope. I have a good buddy with an SPS tactical with the Elite 6500 Tactical and it's a fantastic scope. Not really sure of the difference between the 4200 and 6500 though, to be honest. However, the Falcon Menace is nearly $250 cheaper. It may be worth the extra money if the scope is that much better. My problem is I keep thinking... if I spend nearly $400, why not save another $250 and get a Bushnell Elite series. Then I think... why not save another $100 or $150 and get the Burris XTR. Why not save another few hundred and shoot for a used Mark 4. It just goes on and on with me.

 

[jerrschmitt]

It goes on and on with all of us. That's why we're here. The one thing I learned long ago was that no matter what choice I make, I'll spend the rest of my life wishing I had made the other one. I guess the secret is to realize that there is no perfect answer. Do what you think best under today's circumstances and make adjustments along the way.

 

[PALADIN]

So, you're saying stick with my Simmons?

 

[PALADIN]

I'm going to the range tonight and tomorrow night. If I shoot anything decent with my current setup for my hunting trip, I'll try and post some pics. Just trying to get close to MOA at 100 and I won't attempt a shot on anything out past about 250 with that sort of setup. That will greatly change here when I start getting some new pieces in.

 

[Doug308]

Welcome aboard Paladin (Have Gun. Will Travel)!

 

[BadKarma]

I'll second Jerr's comment on going on and on. It's just the way it is and you are certainly in good company on this website.
I have been very happy with my two Falcon Menace Scopes and both were under $400. I also have a scope that I keep around and use when I buy a new rifle and can't spring for the optic. I would venture a guess that this scope makes your Simmons look like a NightForce. I bought it for like $20 at a sporting goods store closeout and have no idea what make it is. However it works, holds zero, and I get to shoot my rifle instead of sitting and looking at it. While doing so I can put rounds down the barrel and get what break in that I do done.
Sightwonders.com is a guy named Matthew Wonders who is located in Glenpool Oklahoma. He carries Falcon scopes and a line that he markets under his own name called the Wotac. He also carries Leupold and Nikon along with rings and bases. The Wotac line has received some really good reviews on the sniper oriented forums. They are cheaper than the Falcon and Matt's customer service is second to none. You might consider giving him a call and picking his brain, he will be glad to help you. If I had the cash I would tell you get the rifle together to the degree that you want and can afford. In the past I have had a really bad habit of going cheap and later getting what I wanted in the first place,which obviously costs more money. I think there is some truth to the buy once cry once theory up to a point. Once the rifle is together the way you want it you can then begin the learning curve that's specific to that rifle, and they are all different. Hope my ramblings have maybe helped.

 

[Hotshot]

When I was scope shopping it finally came down to the bushnell elite 3200 10x40, the falcon menace and the super sniper.
I ended up going with the EWG 20moa base, ss rings and the ss10x42 scope and can say I don't think I could be any happier.
The falcon menace was definatly a final contender, but I really like the reviews I read on the super sniper.

Good luck with the glass shopping. I'm sure you will enjoy the rifle. I love mine

 

[PALADIN]

It actually shot really well last night. I started with 180 Core Loct, got that in good with groups hovering around 1in. Moved to the 168 Ballistic Silvertip, which moved me up exactly one inch, and the groups were a little tighter, one group was exactly an inch, the other was just under. I was actually impressed with those groups with that scope. I would love to see what that rifle can do with a better scope. The trigger felt great (I did take about 1/2 pound off of it once I got it out of the box). I kept my targets (6 of them) and I'll try and post some pictures of them before my trip. I'm also going back out tonight to shoot a little more with the SPS and I'm sighting in a buddy's Savage .308. He won't have time before our trip and I guess I'm a nice guy.

 

[PALADIN]

Also... this is an indoor 100 yard range. They have rubberized boxes for rests (they used to have good sand bags but they're gone) so I sort of improvised with my backpack and a shirt to make a makeshift rest. Bullseye Shooting Sports/Range - Wichita, KS.

 

[PALADIN]

Okay... talked to Matt at Wonder Optics (super nice guy like everyone said) and it looks like he may have a Falcon 4X14FFP with the enhanced mil-dot reticle in stock. Ordering it on my lunch break today when he confirms he has one. Will post pictures of the whole setup, hopefully this week. When the scope comes in, I will have...
Remington SPS Tactical .308
Falcon Menace 4X14X44 FFP
Burris XTR high rings (but may switch to medium)
Harris bipod, 9"-13"
Tac-Ops cheekpad/ammo holder

Only other thing I'll need, other than a different stock maybe, is a good mount. Still have the weaver two piece, which works fine for now. Will get 20MOA base at some point.

 

[El Chorizo]

Awesome! Hopefully you were able to get it ordered on your lunch break. Be sure to post a review and some pics!

 

[Quick]

Get a EGW 20MOA base and then you can run Burris XTR Lows. The Lows are good for an objective upto 50mm.

 

[PALADIN]

Got the scope ordered today after some agonizing issues with Paypal. Paypal apparently doesn't like to mess with helping one pay for anything "weapon" related. That was what I, the guy from Kansas, heard from the terrorist sounding guy at Paypal's customer service.
On the other end of things, Matt with Wonder Optics was awesome and all the praise I've read about him on forums is well deserved. Big time kudos to him and I will surely be making more buys from him, but probably not using Paypal. Should hopefully have scope in a day or two. It's just traveling about 3 hours from OK to KS. I'm pumped.

 

[remington70023]

Congratulations Paladin! Is this the same cheek pad you ordered?

http://www.tacticalgear.net/pd-blackhawk-ammo-cheek-pad-rifle-ivs-back-panel.cfm

I myself need to get one and I've heard good things on this forum about the cheek pad, anyone else wants to chime in and let me know what they think of this I'd appreciate it.