Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Anyone figured out good lightweight dials yet?

Swarovski Z5 can be built in your configuration (dial and plex). I wouldn't have thought the dial would have been repeatable at the price point and weight, but Jim Borden highly recommended it for the .300 WSM he built me and so far I couldn't be happier.

You are right. That’s almost there, but can you order it with custom elevation dials? Or aftermarket?

Yes, I have a 3.5-18x44 Z5 on another Gun and it works for me. This would go on a compact rifle though and that scope is just too big. If they made a BT version Z5 in a 3-10 X 42, I’d buy it right now.

The following is close on the weight but a little heavier at 18.6 oz's. It has a 1" tube and a simple T-plex reticle. I put around 900 rounds through a rifle it was mounted on, often dialing up/down between shots when shooting groups, and it always adjusted well and returned to 0. It comes with a simple, well designed zero stopped elevation turret that can be capped or left uncapped (also has a non-zero stopped lower turret). Glass is excellent. I've been playing with a lot of different scopes over the past couple of years and I sold the rifle that one was mounted on so I haven't been using it recently. I need to put it back on something and continue dialing it.

https://tractoptics.com/toric-uhd-2-10x42-t-plex

A 17.11 oz. w/knobs, 1" tube Meopta Meopro 4.5-14 ????????????????

You might take a look at a Leupold 6x42 with LR duplex reticle. Under 12oz, bright, tough, and simple. The dots will get you to 500-600yds, depending on your load and zero distance.

FYI, On Meopta Meopro scopes in the next week we will be announcing arrival and special pricing on:

3.5-10x44 RD BDC2's

4.5-14x44 BDC's

4.5-14x44 Z Plex

4.5-14x44 Z Plex Target

4.5-14x50 Z Plex Target

6.5-20x50 Z Plex Target

Thanks Doug. A Meopro with a Kenton turret seems like a good option. Any issues with Meopta’s tracking and RTZ?

NO....
I've got over 1/2 dozen Meopro HTR Target BDC 4.5-14x44.
My favorite 1" tubes scope for many reasons, including perfect tracking and return to zero.
Buy with confidence(from Doug @cameraland)and expect the glass quality to pleasantly surprise you.

I have one of those Weavers. Mine tracks great. When I got it I mounted the scope using that Brownells scope leveling tool and a plumb line. At the range I put out some butcher paper and used the plumb line to hang it strait Everything was good and the glass seems fine. The reason I don't use it for a hunting scope is that the dials turn too easily and will moved on my pack, etc. IIRC it is 15 ounces.

It is on an 22 I use for gophers now.

That SWFA 3-9 people keep mentioning is my favorite hunting scope. If you want to use it like a regular duplex, it works just fine. The dials don't turn too easily, it track and holds zero great, and it will be on a good sale for black Friday. 19 ounces and 30mm is totally worth it to me

I know Schmidt will install a BDC dial for some scopes, not sure about the Summit as I’ve never inquired.

I recommend talking with Cameraland if you are serious about an answer. I recently worked with Neil to order a Klassik (30mm tube) with a mil dot reticle.

I don’t dial in the field. When there’s an animal I intend to kill I forget about things, and as a result I minimize anything I have to do. No adjusting magnification, no dialing. Get a 4x-6x view at the beginning of the day, use a reticle for holdover. Simple, effective.

Something like a cross between the old 2.5-10x32 NF and the 2.5-10 ultralight SWFA SS wouldn’t be sweet.

Offer a mil quad and a duplex.

This with an illuminated Forceplex (center only) with a couple of small windage holds, zero stopped elevation, and capped windage.

I like the milquad but for most of my hunting I'd rather dial elevation with a duplex and have a few known windage marks. I'm simple.

I have had nothing but positive things to say about my Sightron Big Sky 4-16x42 with plex reticle.

While I agree, no one wanted a 32mm scope until NF stopped selling them.


In any case the NF SHV 3-10x42mm is a 42mm duplex version of that. The MQ reticle is probably the best hunting mil reticle on the market, however there is room for improvement there as well.

I prefer the larger exit pupil on the 42 and like being able to adjust the illumination really low on it....but it's picky on the parallax setting and focus. The x32 is much more forgiving there. Trade offs on everything.

I'm sure they're doing fine as is, but NF could do a lot to corner the market with a zero stopped elevation dial on the 3-10 SHV. I've been playing with a sand-to-fit slip on zero stop and it's pretty good but not as good as the real deal.

They’d do even better if they figured out a way to cut a few ounces off that sucker!

I think you should focus on 30mm options. I personally think 30mm needs to be the standard scope tube size.

I disagree. A 1” tube does all I’ll ever need for hunting. Without the unnecessary weight.

Swarovski makes 2.4-12x50 BT that is .2 ounces over your weight requirement.