Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Load development scope for $200

Looking at getting a scope just to have to float around and do load development with from the bench before putting the actual scope on.....because load development with a 1-6 LPVO or something is...yeah...anyhow Bolt guns AR's nothing crazy hard recoiling like 30-06 would probably be max usually. I can spend more but just wanted to see if anyone knows of anything decent in the $200 and down range.
Thanks

I know where there’s a sightron 36x target scope sitting that was cheap. I think it was a little over $200 but they’re very negotiable on used stuff and it’s messed up and needs to be sent in for warranty replacement. You could probably be $150 or so into a new replacement scope for a little hassle.

Burris

Amazon lists SWFA SS 1st Gen 12x42s for $239. Those are also available from the same source on the
SWFA site under “Discontinued”, maybe a bit cheaper.

How much magnification are you wanting? You'd be hard pressed to beat the SWFA for the money, if that's your style. Bushnell had the 4-16x44 Engage on sale on amazon last week for $250, since it's been discontinued. Also saw the Bushnell Prime 6-18x50 for under $200 on ebay, it's been discontinued as well.

Use a target that fits the reticle, make your own if necessary. It's perfectly feasible to shoot 1/2 moa with 6x with a rifle capable of it.

I have been very happy with Burris for inexpensive scopes. Cameraland can fix you up.

SWFA 10X SS 1st gen. Watch the classifieds here, SH, ROKSLIDE, EBay. Will do everything you need.

Nikon m tactical 3–12 x42.
Had 2. Sold the extra one in the box that wasnt getting used…. Regretting it now

Here's a helluva deal on a used Sightron STac 3-16 with the MOA reticle. At 16X, the center dot is 1/4"...very nice for casual load work. Plus, it's a damn good all around scope....I have several. Lifetime warranty, too.

https://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/sightron-3-16x42-moa-3-275-00.4148495/

Good shootin' -Al

P.S. Don't linger.....

That's what I use. I wouldn't mind a hair more magnification on occasion but it's been solid.

I’ve got a 16x SWFA that works well for that purpose.

This is what I'm using on an AR in .243 right now.

I use a 10x swfa ss for that purpose

The Sightron S1 Series is an excellent option in an under $200.00 riflescope

I went through that phase, Leupold 12x and Weaver T-15. I found that when it put the hunting scope back on it didn't shoot any better than loads I worked up with the hunting scope. Learning to use a low power scope to shoot a small groups isn't that hard.

The SWFA 10x is something I can put my trust in for that purpose...but I sure wish they made a 1 inch tube model just as trustworthy...I am superstitious about changing rings when the load development is done. Murphy's Law is lurking constantly.

Explain your process then

Mind elaboratingon that ?

I don't know his process, but mine is finding or making a target to fit the magnification-distance-reticle combination.

For example, I had a Leupold VX-III 1.75-6x32 with a heavy duplex reticle. The thin part of the duplex was 1" thick at 100 yards. So I made targets like large + signs with the line thickness to match the reticle. When aiming at such a target it was easy to spot aiming errors, especially canting errors that a round target doesn't reveal. I tested this against diamond shaped targets and found my "plus signs" enabled me to consistently hold better. I also found them better for me than nestling the reticle against the corner of a square.