Best Hunter Class Scope

My wife likes her Hawke Airmax 4 - 16X.

I also use Hawke Airmax 6-24 and 8-32 dialed at 16x with good results.

In my opinion, the mil dot 10x reticle gives you more reference points than the 20x in most Sidewinders.

Posted by: MiguelSanchez

I also use Hawke Airmax 6-24 and 8-32 dialed at 16x with good results.

In my opinion, the mil dot 10x reticle gives you more reference points than the 20x in most Sidewinders.

Not just an opinion, but a fact. Twice as many reference points in fact.

I know.

The sidewinder 30 has 56mm objective which allow more light and suppose to be clearer though.

About the side parallax, I'm pretty sure both models are very close if not equal.

I've had the airmax 8-32, and used a 6-24. They were both fine at 16x, once increased to 20+ they both lose a decent amount of clarity and at 32x the scope was almost unusable.

All of the sidewinders I've opene have been better at high mag, but you're asking about hunter class so either the airmax or sidewinder would work. 

I bought a Sidewinder ED 10-50 and used it in my last season of hunter and it ranged extremely well at 16x, it ranges well at high mag too if you ever wanted to use it for WFTF or open in the future.

I have been using the tac vector 10-40 sentinel gen 2 scopes a lot for wftf, they only have a 15x marking but it ranges well at that magnification. That's a budget scope.

Cam

Athlon Midas Tac 6-24x has the best reticle for HFT that i ever used,,,range finds good and nice glass.

The Hawke 6.5-20x42 at 16x seems to range well and glass is better than most other Hawks regardless of price.

HA

I  would also venture to say that possibly the SWFA fixed 16x because my SWFA 3-15x42 FFP alone is excellent IMHO and in theory a fixed scope trumps any of the variable power  models.

OOPS scratch that, see what happens when I menitioned (trumps) I think only the 10x has the side focus option so I have to say the SWFA 3-15x42 since it has the side focus.

HA

Posted by: Kdog

Athlon Midas Tac 6-24x has the best reticle for HFT that i ever used,,,range finds good and nice glass.

Agree. The Midas TAC in MIL and MOA, both look excellent.

I've got the Helos MOA, and it is almost as as good as the Midas MOA.

Athlon has some very nice reticles. If reticle is important to you, this is how I would rate the Athlons:

6-24x50 Argos MOA (ATMR) - 5/10

6-24x50 Argos MIL (APMR) - 6/10

6-24x50 Helos MIL (APMR) - 6/10

6-24x50 Helos MOA (APLR2) - 8/10

6-24x50 Midas MIL (APRS2) - 8/10

6-24x50 Midas MIL (APRS3) - 8/10 

6-24x50 Midas MOA (APLR4) - 8/10

The Helos has 180 degrees of wheel rotation between 10-55yds. It ranges OK.

A also have a Monstrum 6-24x50 G1 that ranges a little better than the Helos. It has a 6/10 MOA reticle and cost 1/2 as much as the Helos, though the glass on the Helos might be a little clearer.