Does anyone have a March scope I could come look through?

[lancetkenyon]

Almost ready to pull the trigger on my new scope for the 7RM build I completed, but I am having a crazy hard time deciding which of the last 2 choices to go with.

March FFP 3-24x52 w. FML-1 reticle
Pros: Lightweight(24.5oz), higher top end mag range (24x), better reticle, shorter, low profile turrets, 34mil elevation, 13.2" long, about 23 mils of vertical adjustment w. 20moa rail, $2971
Cons: Narrower FOV (35') @ 3x, no locking turret, no 2nd rotation indicator, 5 year warranty (but most claims corrected free, or small fee if damaged by user)

S&B PM II 3-20x50 (still haven't decided which reticle I would go with, I am not ecstatic with any of them for various reasons) Maybe H2CMR or H59, but that is a busy reticle.
Pros: It is a S&B, wider FOV (42.6' @ 3x), best glass out there, locking turrets available, perfect tracking, 2nd rotation indicator,
Cons: 2 year written warranty (but almost all claims corrected free of charge anyway), heavier (32.4oz), not thrilled with reticle choices, no low profile turrets, 15.1" long, about 19 mils of vertical adjustment w. 20moa rail, $3400.

 

Does anyone have either of these scopes I could come and look through to compare with my Kahles? I will drive to you in the valley somewhere. I am sure the S&B is crazy clear, but I really would like to look through a March before pulling the trigger on one.

 

The scope will pull double duty on my AR when not in use on the 7RM. So it will see a couple thousand rounds a year I would assume.

[C. Cordova]

I'm sure you already know this considering the amount of research you do, but I'll say it anyway. Shorter scopes, such as the March are considered "fast" scopes, meaning, because of their short length they have to bend the light faster as it enters the objective lens and travels through the erector tube. This "bending" is usually done with more lenses to transition the light incrementally as it enters the erector assembly. The downside to fast scopes is they suffer from a shallow depth of field, meaning more sensitive parallax adjustments are needed at different distances. This is not something I would want to worry about in a hunting scope. I have not personally looked through either of these scopes, so I cannot tell you first hand, this is just what I have learned while doing research of my own. I feel your pain man...been there before. Either of these scopes are top notch. I guess it all boils down to which features are right for your application. Good luck with your purchase, can't wait to see the finished product.

[lancetkenyon]

I have researched these to death in every way but actually laying hands and eyes on them. It is not like a Vortex Viper HS, that everyone and their brother has one. Step to this level and it cuts out 99.5% of hunters and shooters.

I have heard the March has a slightly finicky parallax knob, with 100 to Infinity being a fairly short throw on the dial, but it is manageable. But I usually leave my parallax on 200 when still hunting, so it has not been an issue before. Further than that, and I usually have a chance to dial it in.

Thanks for the info though, never hurts to get other input from people who have done research.

[briant_az]

Brad at Phoenix Custom Rifles had a S&B on a 7mag a couple years ago. You might ask him if he still has it. Maybe you could go over there and look through it.

[lancetkenyon]

He actually has 2 of them now that you mention it. One on his 7RM, and one on his .243. Thanks, I will see if I can swing by. But I was more hoping to look through the March to compare. I know the S&B quality.

[SO I HUNT]

Had the March and the above is why I longer have one ( if you're not needing to hurry it's ok, but too finicky for me ) not trying to stir the pot:) just what I didn't like about it and another thing was edge to edge should of been better....

I sat on this scope for awhile hoping I could like it, but it never happened...

[lancetkenyon]

Had the March and the above is why I longer have one ( if you're not needing to hurry it's ok, but too finicky for me ) not trying to stir the pot:) just what I didn't like about it and another thing was edge to edge should of been better....

I sat on this scope for awhile hoping I could like it, but it never happened...

On the 3-24x52, right?

[SO I HUNT]

 

Had the March and the above is why I longer have one ( if you're not needing to hurry it's ok, but too finicky for me ) not trying to stir the pot:) just what I didn't like about it and another thing was edge to edge should of been better....

I sat on this scope for awhile hoping I could like it, but it never happened...

On the 3-24x52, right?

Yes,

I was liking the ideal of the weight and being compact ( sort of speak ) for what you pay, I think the scope should have been better. That is my thoughts on it and I'm sure you can people that thinks just the opposite... The quality is next to none just not a good fit for myself... Hope this helps

[lancetkenyon]

Thanks for the info. I am leaning further and further towards the S&B. 8 oz. isn't a huge weight gain for top tier glass.

[lancetkenyon]

After reading even more reviews, the March is out.

[HuntHarder]

Have you looked at the higher end zeiss scopes. The victory series is pretty BA, and I saw they have, or are going to have a 4.8-35 coming out. Good luck in your search. Those S&B's are real nice too.

[lancetkenyon]

I have looked at the Victory 2.8-20. Fairly lightweight ay 29oz,, glass is good, but the only mil reticle they offer is a mil-dot. They work, but so many better options out there for my taste. Also, I am not sure if they are a FFP scope or not, one of my main criteria.

[HuntHarder]

How often do you use your reticle for corrections? I have always been a mildot or duplex reticle guy because of the simplicity of it. I usually dial for both wind and elevation. When I look thru some of those "busy" reticles, it takes away from my target. If you could, please explain why you use those more complex reticles. I soon ( in the next few months) will probably be buying a higher end scope for my next build. Not as high as what you are looking at, but probably somewhere near 1k$. I have never really considered one of the busier reticles, but maybe with a little education, I could be swayed.

[lancetkenyon]

I dial for elevation, hold for wind, since it can change rapidly. I like a reticle that has hash marks at a minimum of every .5mil, and have two scopes that are marked at .2mil. The Steiner SCR and Kahles SKMR. Not too busy at all, but enough marks to make an accurate wind hold. My new S&B will probably have the H2CMR reticle.

 

S&B H2CMR w. .2mil wind holds

 

Here is the Kahles SKMR reticle that is in my K624i, probably my favorite reticle out there. The small .05mil center dot is great for precision work on paper or steel, and when on low power, it becomes part of the crosshair.

 

You can see the .2mil subtensions which are really nice for accurate wind holds and corrections.

 

And the SKMR vs. the SKMR2 with slight "Christmas Tree". Still not too cluttered, similar to the Vortex EBR-2A.

 

And the Steiner T5Xi that I have has the SCR reticle. A great one for hunting. Still has the .2mil wind holds, but a small crosshair rather than a .036mil dot of the SKMR.

 

Down on the lower powers (5 or 6x), both of these are almost a fine crosshair. Get them up to 8 and above, and you can start to make use of the subtensions for holds. I also prefer he EBR-1A over the EBR-2A in the Vortex scopes. The new EBR-7A of the new Vortex Razor AMG is similar to the SCR and but with a Christmas Tree too.

 

For a military or LEO usage, where you might have to engage multiple targets, or something like a precision rifle course, where you have various distance targets, a Horus type (H59 would be my choice) reticle would be phenomenal. But a little too busy for my tastes on a hunting rifle.

 

The H59 reticle. A little busy for me, but I can see where they would be awesome if you don't want to dial for elevation or wind, and for engaging multiple targets at varying distances.

[FB67]

I have a great idea buy both of them and what ever one you don't want sell to me for half price