best scope with Archer,

[achosenman]

Zeiss

Night Force

Smitts

Old Sworos

are just OK ish

Best mid price Scope Bushnell 6500 Elite 2.5-15-50 Mil Dot followed by Leupold VX111 4.5-14...

Top scope for Archer by far is the new GEN 2 Sworo 2.5-15/56 close second 3-18/50...............................

I run a A grade Archer on the Sworo 2.5-15/56,, and its better than my Longbow. !!!!

Not to be contradictory but I've just finished a bit of testing using my unscientific mark one eyeball. I'd be interested to know what illumination you are using with the Swarovski.

 

I just got the model you mentioned and TBH I found it to be only marginally better than the Zeiss Victory. Maybe a little bit sharper and brighter without illumination.

 

I spent hours fine tuning and tested a NM 800, a NM X Searcher and a Firefly and at 300m, I could barely make out a deer against a hedge. I tried my 22lr scope (Bushnell Elite 6500 2.5-16x50) and it stands head and shoulders above both the Zeiss and the Swarovski by a good margin using the NM X Searcher. (My preferred IR)

 

Right now this will be the go to scope for the Archer until I can test a March model or find a better IR source. I tested all three scopes side by side and with such a disparate result the only possible difference I can think of, would be the IR source.

 

 

ATB

[andybrock]

Not to be contradictory but I've just finished a bit of testing using my unscientific mark one eyeball. I'd be interested to know what illumination you are using with the Swarovski.

 

I just got the model you mentioned and TBH I found it to be only marginally better than the Zeiss Victory. Maybe a little bit sharper and brighter without illumination.

 

I spent hours fine tuning and tested a NM 800, a NM X Searcher and a Firefly and at 300m, I could barely make out a deer against a hedge. I tried my 22lr scope (Bushnell Elite 6500 2.5-16x50) and it stands head and shoulders above both the Zeiss and the Swarovski by a good margin using the NM X Searcher. (My preferred IR)

 

Right now this will be the go to scope for the Archer until I can test a March model or find a better IR source. I tested all three scopes side by side and with such a disparate result the only possible difference I can think of, would be the IR source.

 

 

ATB

I use a N1000ap laser with my Swaro / Archer set up and it's clear as day.

I had the same results as you finding with the NM800 / Swaro / Archer combination I really struggled to get a clear picture but using a Bushnell elite / Archer / NM800 the picture was good.

Get a N1000 or N1000ap and you won't be dissapointed!

[achosenman]

I use a N1000ap laser with my Swaro / Archer set up and it's clear as day.

I had the same results as you finding with the NM800 / Swaro / Archer combination I really struggled to get a clear picture but using a Bushnell elite / Archer / NM800 the picture was good.

Get a N1000 or N1000ap and you won't be dissapointed!

 

That's good to know, thanks. I've ordered the N1000ap and it should be here tomorrow so I'll run the tests again.

 

Cheers

 

ATB

[achosenman]

A quick update. The best scope bar none IMHO is the PMII

 

I picked up a shiny new one from Sporting Services yesterday. I took it out and it is stunning. Nothing I have seen to date comes close...even all the way up at 25 power.

 

The search is over.

 

ATB

[ergid]

A quick update. The best scope bar none IMHO is the PMII

 

I picked up a shiny new one from Sporting Services yesterday. I took it out and it is stunning. Nothing I have seen to date comes close...even all the way up at 25 power.

 

The search is over.

 

ATB

hi which model of the PM11 did you get,does it have a 35 mm tube?

[achosenman]

The model is 5-25 x 56 PMII, MSR reticle, 1st focal plane, MTC, LT, Cm adjustments, clockwise rotation. It's a bit sandy coloured but I don't mind...it's not a fashion show.

 

I thought that I might struggle with the reticle on low power with NV, but it's no problem at all.

 

ATB

[Offroad Gary]

Ive used mine on a ffp p4lf 5-25x56, its excellent. Good for static work off the bonnet with the .308 AIAE, not so much fun creeping around in the dark without a separate nv spotter though. Seem to remember 350 being a distance that big bunnies were perfectly do-able

[achosenman]

I think the MSR reticle has overtones of the P4L fine about it.

 

I agree, 350 no problems at all. A cocky dog fox thought he was safe at 319m, strutting about broadside on. He knew I was there and didn't care until 52gn's of bad news exploded in his chest.

 

ATB

[Gloop]

AAAAAGHHHHH. Stop it. I have bought the Swaro so it is the best. That's the end to it.

Of course I bought the one with the illuminated ret, but I do have an alternative means of mounting it.

But I am going to sit with a clever man and see if we can come up with a smart mod to mount it to the stock.

 

Question for people who do use the archer with the swaro, how far does it parallax down to?

[achosenman]

AAAAAGHHHHH. Stop it. I have bought the Swaro so it is the best. That's the end to it.

Of course I bought the one with the illuminated ret, but I do have an alternative means of mounting it.

But I am going to sit with a clever man and see if we can come up with a smart mod to mount it to the stock.

 

Question for people who do use the archer with the swaro, how far does it parallax down to?

 

Can you be a bit clearer? what does what parallax down to? The scope is marked down to 50m (and that's the problem, you need 10m/yds) the Archer, you just focus to the shortest distance the lens gives you (and there are three different lenses available)

 

When I tested the Swaro Z6 2.5-15X56, it was still slightly out of focus. Although the parallax does go a bit shorter distance than the marked 50m, it's still not enough to get a crisp picture and sharp reticle to my eyes.

 

You need a parallax adjustment range from minimum of 10m/yds to infinity.

 

ATB

[Gloop]

Yes sorry I meant the scope. Air rifle scopes parallax down to very short distances, hence the air rifle has a cheap scope for the rats. some of the more expensive scopes parallax down to 70 ish and then you get that glazed look from the eyes that makes the image difficult. So a rabbit at 25 yards would be no good as you probably wouldn't be able to get a clear image.

 

The reason for the question is to sort out which rifle to put the swaro on. By the sounds of it the foxing rifle is the way to go.

I am also looking for a good scope for the HMR, so do I spend some money and get a bushnell elite for it or should I look at something else. 95% of my shooting is with the HMR so I want to get the best scope on it but it will need to give me a clear image down to 25//30 meters.

[achosenman]

Yes sorry I meant the scope. Air rifle scopes parallax down to very short distances, hence the air rifle has a cheap scope for the rats. some of the more expensive scopes parallax down to 70 ish and then you get that glazed look from the eyes that makes the image difficult. So a rabbit at 25 yards would be no good as you probably wouldn't be able to get a clear image.

 

The reason for the question is to sort out which rifle to put the swaro on. By the sounds of it the foxing rifle is the way to go.

I am also looking for a good scope for the HMR, so do I spend some money and get a bushnell elite for it or should I look at something else. 95% of my shooting is with the HMR so I want to get the best scope on it but it will need to give me a clear image down to 25//30 meters.

 

Ok that's clear now. Remember all this is subjective.

 

I very recently purchased the Swaro on the basis that it was the best NV scope. IMO it turned out not to be the case. £1650 to find out you are no better off could get tiresome after a while. My saving grace was that "plan B" was to put it on my stalking rifle and sell the big Zeiss that was not particularly suited for stalking although excellent for clear fell work.

 

I had heard horror stories about the Bushnell 6500 Elite and the Rainguard coating. The coating was supposed to be an issue. I found no problems. In fact it was the best of the cheap scopes and better by a considerable margin than the £2000+ Zeiss. The turrets are a bit naff, but at around £600 what do you expect.

Anyway we all use laser or NM800's etc and if you put out enough light at 850nm, you're going to see something through the NV.

 

It seems to me the most important factor by a large margin is parallax. You need 10m/yds. This is not so you can shoot rabbits or foxes at close range, but to focus the NV picture. I don't understand why but forget using the whole parallax range of adjustment in the usual sense with NV. You focus the reticle for NV with the scope diopter then use parallax to focus the NV, all standard stuff, except I have found that the range of parallax you use is less than 50m for all ranges when using NV.

 

Light source also plays an important role. The NM800 is excellent but it has a bit of a wide beam so you can get back scatter off the rifle moderator etc. It is excellent for ranges out to 200-250m max. To push things beyond you need laser. Power is not as important as you would think. A clean light is (no artefacts) and being focusable wins every time. I was advised to get the N1000AP by a member here on UKV and it was excellent advice. It is by far better than the more expensive Firefly and you can adjust the power, another boon for close work or around buildings, tree cover etc.

 

In your situation with an HMR I would get a Bushnell Elite 6500 2.5-16X50 and go shooting...unless you fancy a PMII in which case that would be my top choice.

 

But I'd do one or the other then I'd stop worrying about it.

 

Cheers

[Gloop]

Yes, I would agree with you on the focusing issues. That was why I got rid of my leupolds because they wouldn't focus at close range.

I have the np1000ap, the firefly and the nm800. Currently using the nm800 on my 3/12 I am getting some white out at full mag ie 12x so I have to close the aperture down, possibly putting too much power down it but is doesn't appear to be washed out. I just haven't had much time to adjust it to experiment with the settings and other things have got in the way.

I had a look at the S&B and that is so far out of my price range as to be unbelievable. Have to wait till I can get me hands on one secondhand, very secondhand.

I will have a look at the elite again. I bought the leupold instead at the time.

 

Now to find a secondhand elite :-)

[Montey]

How do I fix my nm800 to my SB PM11? As it has a 34mm tube the standard bracket needs a bodge with plumbing tape on the nm800 Looking for a better more adjustable answer

[achosenman]

How do I fix my nm800 to my SB PM11? As it has a 34mm tube the standard bracket needs a bodge with plumbing tape on the nm800 Looking for a better more adjustable answer

 

It all depends on what you mounted the scope in I'm afraid. If you used a mount like Spuhr, then you just screw the Picatinny accessory rail to the flat of the Spuhr. Your choice where you put it.

 

You could use Badger Ordnance rings and they do an after market replacement top with the rail attached at 45 degrees.

 

You could ditch the NM800 (as I did) and get a laser NP1000AP illuminator and stick it onto the Archer. It's way better than the NM800. I.E it's smaller, cheaper, fits onto the Archer without modification and lets you shoot so far beyond 200m it brings a smile to your face when folks think 200m is a long way.

 

Or you could get a 34mm scope accessory ring if you have room on the scope.

 

They are loads of solutions out there mate, you just have to look.

 

ATB

[Gloop]

How do I get a cheap pm11. Lol. I had a look at new and they are about £2700. Ouch.

[Gloop]

Not to be contradictory but I've just finished a bit of testing using my unscientific mark one eyeball. I'd be interested to know what illumination you are using with the Swarovski.

 

I just got the model you mentioned and TBH I found it to be only marginally better than the Zeiss Victory. Maybe a little bit sharper and brighter without illumination.

 

I spent hours fine tuning and tested a NM 800, a NM X Searcher and a Firefly and at 300m, I could barely make out a deer against a hedge. I tried my 22lr scope (Bushnell Elite 6500 2.5-16x50) and it stands head and shoulders above both the Zeiss and the Swarovski by a good margin using the NM X Searcher. (My preferred IR)

 

Right now this will be the go to scope for the Archer until I can test a March model or find a better IR source. I tested all three scopes side by side and with such a disparate result the only possible difference I can think of, would be the IR source.

 

 

ATB

Quick question. Did your bushnell have the rain guard coating on it?

[achosenman]

How do I get a cheap pm11. Lol. I had a look at new and they are about £2700. Ouch.

 

I don't think you can with S&M unless you like knocked off military units. Buy once cry once. If you keep it long enough and don't trash it, you might sell for more than you paid for it after about ten years or so. I know this because I have.

 

 

Quick question. Did your bushnell have the rain guard coating on it?

 

Yes it did. And I was using the NM800 and the NP1000AP laser.

 

ATB

[GP1]

How do I fix my nm800 to my SB PM11? As it has a 34mm tube the standard bracket needs a bodge with plumbing tape on the nm800 Looking for a better more adjustable answer

I mount my laser or my xsearcher to the sunshade, I have mounted a piece of picatinny rail to the sunshade.

 

 

[andybrock]

I mount my laser or my xsearcher to the sunshade, I have mounted a piece of picatinny rail to the sunshade.

 

 

Like the idea especially for the laser but the NM is a hell of a weight to have unsupported on the end of your scope, does it work ok?

[GP1]

It works a treat , never had an issue with the weight but all my NV shooting is done off the top of my landy, it might be different if you were on foot.

[Montey]

Thanks for all the help I've got mine mounted on one piece third eye mounts but a spear 34mm mount sitting on the shelf will try that first