Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Barrett Fieldcraft 6.5 CREED Scope

I'm planning to order a Fieldcraft in a couple days to be my main hunting rifle (mostly whitetail and coyotes now, but elk and others in the future). Shots where I hunt can get up to the 500 yard range but i've never owned a scope over 10X. Most of my scopes are currently leupold 3.5-10x or 2.5-8x, and a couple fixed 6x. My preference is spinning turrets.

Any suggestions on scoping a Fieldcraft? I'm considering everything from VX-3i all the way up to VX-6HD (or other brands too, don't really have a budget - I'll pay for quality). My goal is to make this my main rig for many years to come and have good versatility but I also don't want to offset the balance of a lightweight rifle with too big/heavy of a scope.

Pictures of Fieldcrafts with scopes would be great if you have them.

-MJS

I have 3 or 4 VX3i scopes in the 4.5-14x40, 1” tube, it’s my favorite scope. It’s powerful enough to shoot 500 yards (and beyond) with, but not huge or too heavy. I haven’t personally handled a VX6, but one of those in 3-18x might be just as good, if the weight and size is agreeable with you. Both are available with the CDS, so you’re good on twisting turrets, too. Good luck and enjoy!

With a 2.5-8 the steel is easy to see at 500 yds, a bit easier with my 3.5-10. On a my sub 7lb hunting rifles for the kind of hunting I do--which under good conditions/right circumstances may go out to 500 yds--my 2.5-8's work fine.

My 18 year old son shot one of his pronghorns this year just shy of 400 yds with a 2-7.

Mine originally wore a VX3i 2.5-8 before it took a chit mid season. Now it wears a Nightforce NXS 2.5-10x42, NF ultralights, and Talley 0 moa rail.

Preference for spinning turrets means I'm looking beyond Leupold. SWFA SS 3-9x42, 6x, LRHS 3-12x, S&B 10x are all good options.

Scope mount options with the SS 3-9x:

I've come to believe that if you want long term reliability twisting turrets you are going to have to pay a weight penalty. A light weight scope may work for a while but I don't think they have the quality of materials required to hold up to a lot of turret twisting and stay accurate and reliable.

I would be looking at the Nightforce scopes, SWFA, or Bushnell LRHS. You could choose a NF as light as 17 ounces,like the NX8 or the SWFA 3-9X42 is only 19 ounces.

This scope and rifle are made for each other. It should just be sold as a system like that, pre-zeroed with a dope card in the box, so boring. I am using the same expect LW Talley direct mounts.

If you can put up with SFP and the reticle selection, then it's a great scope. I can't like either, so it's a pass for me.

Check out the Zeiss HD series with target turrets 👍🏻

I went with the SS 3-9 - though the scope is on the heavy side, it balances well and doesn't seem to overpower the rifle. All up is 6 lbs 11 oz...

[/quote]

18” 6.5 Creedmoor fieldcraft....still right at 7 pounds flat even with the 24 oz scope on it.

I had a NF 3-10x42 on there and it was 3 oz lighter but I like the options on this scope a bit more.

Id like to have a half dozen or so of these.

http://www.nightforceoptics.com/news/nxs-2-5-10x24-limitedrelease

What scope is that?

March?

Yes sir a March 3-24x52.

I agree that the NXS 2.5-10x42 looks like it was made for that rifle but agree with Jordan that the reticles leave something to be desired. I am somewhat interested in the SWFA MOA Quad reticle but they are relatively heavy and my preference probably leans towards a standard duplex. The Leupold 3-18 also interests me but I'm concerned it may be too big in size and magnification, I generally try to stay away from scopes that need AO.

The Leupold 2.5-8 and 3.5-10 with CDS would be perfect but I've heard lots of "internet talk" that they don't track well over time. I do have CDS scopes that have no issues but they are on hunting rifles so they don't get twisted as often as a range gun would.

Another scope that may interest me is a fixed 6 with M1 or CDS, i've never had that combo. I'm tempted to give Nightforce a try but their reticles are a lot busier than I'm used to. Any specific Zeiss, Leica or Swarovski's that track well?

The March scopes are intriguing, I've never even heard of them. Just went to the website and saw a 1-8x24 that is interesting, they do cost a pretty penny though. The 3-24x42 is interesting too....I'm not sure how they fit so much scope in that tiny package. How are the optics and tracking?

Any of the Zeiss Leica or Swaro scopes will only dial in a limited capacity. I wouldn't buy a Leupold and expect it to accurately dial for very long at all. Basically only the Nightforce,SWFA,and Bushnell LRHS will dial accurately over the long term. There are a few others but so heavy or expensive as to be beyond consideration for most hunting applications.

Nightforce has an SHV with a plex reticle. It has covered turrets however and is more of a set it and forget it scope but it would dial and I would trust it over any Leupold.

Several years ago,I wanted to pair my light weight Kimber Montana with a very light weight scope for a very light weight hunting rig. I have come to believe that a better way to look at things is to pair a light weight rifle with a dependable scope, so that you can have the extra weight that a dependable scope requires and still have a fairly light weight rifle. A 7 lb scoped rifle is still a light weight rig to carry anywhere, and truth be told it is easier to shoot well than a 6 lb scoped rifle.

Have the 2.5-10x42 mounted on a Fieldcraft and have been hunting it pretty hard. For the way I hunt, SFP doesn't bother me but NF's reticles do. The parallax sensitivity of the scope is irritating for the way I use it. For someone mainly hunting open areas at dialing distances it would be a better fit.

Hunting season will be over in a couple of weeks and I'm going to go back to playing with a Tract Toric 2-10x42. If it continues to dial exactly and return to zero as well as it has so far it will be hard for me to choose anything else for a lightweight. It's on a 6.5 FC and it's a really nice package that I hunted a couple of months this year.

2-10x42 Tract Toric on a 6.5 CM: