Ruger American Gen 2 ranch 16” 308

jmoreland

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Ordered one of these and it should be in mid week. Trying to decide what scope to put on it. I have a vortex viper 2.5-10 and a zeiss conquest 4.5-14x44 on the shelf but really don't know if either of those are what I want to mount. Minimum would be a 3-9, but just getting some opinions. I love the zeiss and have that scope mounted on several others but not sure about it on a 16" barrel.
 

BigCityBubba

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With a 6.5 pound rifle with a 16 inch barrel, it seems like you would want to put the lightest scope possible with a low end magnification range. Seems like the perfect dense woods hunting rifle. As mentioned above, it really has to do with the intended purpose of the rifle. The swfa ultralight 2.5-10x32 seems perfect on paper but I have no experience with it. In the same basic price range you also have the luepold vx freedom 3-9x40. If you could find a used vortex razor hd lh 1.5-8x32, that seems like another great choice.

Of the 2 you listed, I would go with the viper because the power range seems more appropriate for the rifle. The zeiss has better glass but I would prefer a 2.5x magnification over a 4.5x magnification on the low end. You will get a much better field of view with the vortex. If you are just going to be shooting at the range and maybe some open field type hunting, the zeiss would be the better choice.
 
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redblood

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Ordered one of these and it should be in mid week. Trying to decide what scope to put on it. I have a vortex viper 2.5-10 and a zeiss conquest 4.5-14x44 on the shelf but really don't know if either of those are what I want to mount. Minimum would be a 3-9, but just getting some opinions. I love the zeiss and have that scope mounted on several others but not sure about it on a 16" barrel.
too much scope and too much weight on a short barrel leads to balance and point ability issue. id look for a lightweight scope- 10 to 12 oz max
 

jmoreland

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Ended up mounting the vortex for now. Ruger really stepped it up on the Gen 2's. This little rifle feels great.
 

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PillsburyDoughboy

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Vortex is crap and 2_5x10 is over kill for a 16 barrel. Unless ur just working up load development and then have at it.

A scope more fitting for the weight and balance of that rifle would be a 2.5 8 × 32 or a 1×5 .

Of course if you don't care anything about Weight and balance put that Zeiss on there. You will be a lot better off in terms of glass. VORTEX IS JUNK.
 

rickyk280

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Vortex is crap and 2_5x10 is over kill for a 16 barrel. Unless ur just working up load development and then have at it.

A scope more fitting for the weight and balance of that rifle would be a 2.5 8 × 32 or a 1×5 .

Of course if you don't care anything about Weight and balance put that Zeiss on there. You will be a lot better off in terms of glass. VORTEX IS JUNK.
Damn, are all Vortex junk? Or just certain models. I personally don't own a Vortex but seen a lot of them shot here at my range that seemed to track well and look pretty clear to me. So I am assuming you have had some bad experience with Vortex.
 

Remi

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Damn, are all Vortex junk? Or just certain models. I personally don't own a Vortex but seen a lot of them shot here at my range that seemed to track well and look pretty clear to me. So I am assuming you have had some bad experience with Vortex.

Lots of Vortex in the group I shoot with. Venom, Viper, Diamondback Tactical are the main ones. So far pretty much everyone that uses them in our group has had to send theirs back at least once. One just got a new Venom and it's bad out of the box, won't hold zero. A new guy came down today with a new Venom and it won't focus under 150yds. Vortex keeps sending them new scopes so they're happy with them.
 

rickyk280

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Lots of Vortex in the group I shoot with. Venom, Viper, Diamondback Tactical are the main ones. So far pretty much everyone that uses them in our group has had to send theirs back at least once. One just got a new Venom and it's bad out of the box, won't hold zero. A new guy came down today with a new Venom and it won't focus under 150yds. Vortex keeps sending them new scopes so they're happy with them.
 

TIGGREM2

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I own a few vortex scopes . Never had a bit of trouble with any of them ! Now they make a line called sonora and i havent heard great reviews on them ! Of course everyone would love a high end leupold , zeiss , kahles or nightforce but for alot thats just not in the budget or doesn't make sense to put that one a low budget rifle !!
 

Knight250

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Lots of Vortex in the group I shoot with. Venom, Viper, Diamondback Tactical are the main ones. So far pretty much everyone that uses them in our group has had to send theirs back at least once. One just got a new Venom and it's bad out of the box, won't hold zero. A new guy came down today with a new Venom and it won't focus under 150yds. Vortex keeps sending them new scopes so they're happy with t
Sadly same experience with my shooting buddies as well, no longer any. Sold and switched to other brands.
 

Yota

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Anything vortex below Viper/PST is dookie. VIPER is suspect. Razor is good, but I have seen multiple razors fail for silly things like reticles delaminating or turrets slipping. I would buy a cheap vortex for a 22 and not be sorry about it. For a serious tool, try Leupold, Steiner, nightforce. Some of the EOTECH vudu lines are doing well also.
 

Remi

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Anything vortex below Viper/PST is dookie. VIPER is suspect. Razor is good, but I have seen multiple razors fail for silly things like reticles delaminating or turrets slipping. I would buy a cheap vortex for a 22 and not be sorry about it. For a serious tool, try Leupold, Steiner, nightforce. Some of the EOTECH vudu lines are doing well also.


All these scopes are on 22lr for our local matches.
 
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