The great scope debate

WNCTracker

Eight Pointer
I'm equipping a new rifle. What "under $800 scope" would you put on it? Objective size, make, model? Low light?

I have a VX3-i that I don't love...let the games begin


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bigten

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Depends on what YOU like and the caliber of the rifle as well as stock material, ie: wood or synthetic...
 

TravisLH

Old Mossy Horns
Depends a lot on what you want to do, if just normal hunting I'd suggest a Swarovski or ziess (since the Leupold is a nogo). If your looking into long range I've had really god luck with sightron and the vortex Viper line up, also if you'd prefer a fixed power the SWFA super sniper is top of the line for $300 and compares to $1k scopes. I personally haven't used one but hear good things about the Meopta optics.

Edit to say: I've got a lot of glass that's pricey and my next purchase for a new rifle in the works is gonna be a swfa super Sniper fixed 10x

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btsharky

Twelve Pointer
I have Nikon Monarch 50mm scopes on 3 of my deer rifles. I absolutely love them. They are clear and bright and can get you into trouble if you don't keep a check on legal shooting time:)
 

Eric Revo

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Burris Veracity is supposed to be a great hunting scope.
The optics are incredible and the front focal plane puts it up there with some of the high end German stuff.
 

NCST8GUY

Frozen H20 Guy
Can we put this thread in the "best of" please? I'll be searching for it OFTEN!!

To the OP, I have no idea.
 

Billy

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
You've already ruled out my suggestion. What don't you love about the VX3-i?
 

WNCTracker

Eight Pointer
You've already ruled out my suggestion. What don't you love about the VX3-i?

Maybe it was over anticipation but I didn't think it was really that "awesome" at low light. I was in a place where I could afford better quality glass and it didn't satisfy my expectation. Probably subjective.


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woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
so many options,,,,so little time to test them all,,,

grab one,,,try it,,,if you don't like it sell it and go for another
 

JimmyC

Button Buck
I really like my Nikon Monarch 4x16x42. Works well on my 270. Plus it’s more scope than I need or understand how to use to its full extent. I’m a simple kind of man
 

bryguy

Old Mossy Horns
Most any 3-9x40 scope from the big name manufacturers will work. Given that budget, I might would look at one of the Meopta fixed 6 powers. Good glass and coatings trump everything else when it comes to optics.


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ncnat

Ten Pointer
Vortex Diamondback 3.5-10X50.

There'a a new company called Tract Optics that is well worth looking into, great warranty and price.
 

blackheel

Twelve Pointer
I have a Vortex Viper 3.5 x 10 x 50 and love it. I have been able to shoot deer in the woods in the last 5 min of legal time, when optics prove their worth.

Had a Bushnell 3200 3x9x40 and for some reason it picked up terrible glare anywhere towards the sun. Would never buy another.
 

bryguy

Old Mossy Horns
So the key to good optics is glass quality and coatings. A high end 2-7 or 3-9 will be brighter then a mid range 50mm objective anything. I have and have used lots of scopes from high end alpha German glass to bushnells and even Simmons. Personally I believe in better coating and quality glass over anything.
As to power, you do not need a high power magnification to shoot deer. I have a 308 that I routinely shoot out to 500 yards and it wears a fixed 6 power super sniper. I have taken it out to 1000 yards and did just as well it as I did with my other 308 with a 3-15 on it(also an Swfa).
A scope is an aiming device and as such, it should be able to reliably place the bullet where it needs to go each and every time. If it doesn’t do that, then it is useless.
For $800, I would be looking at used alpha glass from the likes of Zeiss, Swarovski, maybe even Schmidt and Bender. Those will be much better then the comparable new scopes out there. And I would go with a fixed power scope and rock on and be happy. Honestly one of the best low light scopes I have is an older leupold M8 6x42 with a heavy duplex reticle. That thing will get you in trouble even in deep woods. That scope is probably close to 15 years old. That is one scope leupold got right when they were building them.



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Winnie 70

Ten Pointer
So the key to good optics is glass quality and coatings. A high end 2-7 or 3-9 will be brighter then a mid range 50mm objective anything. I have and have used lots of scopes from high end alpha German glass to bushnells and even Simmons. Personally I believe in better coating and quality glass over anything.
As to power, you do not need a high power magnification to shoot deer. I have a 308 that I routinely shoot out to 500 yards and it wears a fixed 6 power super sniper. I have taken it out to 1000 yards and did just as well it as I did with my other 308 with a 3-15 on it(also an Swfa).
A scope is an aiming device and as such, it should be able to reliably place the bullet where it needs to go each and every time. If it doesn’t do that, then it is useless.
For $800, I would be looking at used alpha glass from the likes of Zeiss, Swarovski, maybe even Schmidt and Bender. Those will be much better then the comparable new scopes out there. And I would go with a fixed power scope and rock on and be happy. Honestly one of the best low light scopes I have is an older leupold M8 6x42 with a heavy duplex reticle. That thing will get you in trouble even in deep woods. That scope is probably close to 15 years old. That is one scope leupold got right when they were building them.



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Bryguy, I got a old Redfield 3 x 9 that is on my 308 and a Redfield Illuminator on a 243...the 3 x 9 is like 37 yrs old I believe...bought it out of trunk of a car from a guy in a Short Stop parking lot like 1979...think $125. Killed a deer few yrs back at very last light with it at 320 yds across a pasture...never took a step. Took the binos and just could see his white belly laying there....amazing these older scopes like Redfield and Leupold...they knew how to make a scope and the clarity of glass is amazing to this day.
 

FishHunt

Old Mossy Horns
30-06 synthetic


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Serious hunting rifle or mix of range toy and hunting rifle?

A serious hunting rifle would get a Leupold FX3 6x42, a better trigger and spend the rest of the $$$ on ammo/practice.

<>< Fish
 

WNCTracker

Eight Pointer
Serious hunting rifle or mix of range toy and hunting rifle?

A serious hunting rifle would get a Leupold FX3 6x42, a better trigger and spend the rest of the $$$ on ammo/practice.

<>< Fish

I only shoot at the range to sight in before season starts


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pattersonj11

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Im glad someone mentinoned the older redfields. I think the newer redfields hold their own as well. They are certainly cheaper. A nikon monarch is a heck of a scope. I only have access to one but its one of the best scopes ive ever looked through. Im not huge on some of the ones that have been mentioned. In manufacturing, the last few percentages in quality are the most expensive to get. I dont see enough difference in the medium to high end scopes to warrant the price difference. There is a huge difference from $100 optics to $500 optics. From $500 to $2000 you really have to look for the differences. Im not saying the dofferences arent there, but i dont find them necessary in hunting. I.e. scopes that track perfect when adjusting. I dont need that in my hunting scenarios. I wont be adjusting the rectical outside of shooting a target. I would be holding over.
 

bryguy

Old Mossy Horns
Im glad someone mentinoned the older redfields. I think the newer redfields hold their own as well. They are certainly cheaper. A nikon monarch is a heck of a scope. I only have access to one but its one of the best scopes ive ever looked through. Im not huge on some of the ones that have been mentioned. In manufacturing, the last few percentages in quality are the most expensive to get. I dont see enough difference in the medium to high end scopes to warrant the price difference. There is a huge difference from $100 optics to $500 optics. From $500 to $2000 you really have to look for the differences. Im not saying the dofferences arent there, but i dont find them necessary in hunting. I.e. scopes that track perfect when adjusting. I dont need that in my hunting scenarios. I wont be adjusting the rectical outside of shooting a target. I would be holding over.

If you ever look through true alpha glass, the differences are quickly evident. It has nothing to with tracking at all, but the optical clarity and definition are there and are well worth the money. Granted most guys will never run into a situation where even a lower end 3-9x40 scope won’t work till the end of LST in a field. Where the difference exists is if one hunts in the woods or on those dark dreary days when game seems to move. Then the quality of the glass and the coatings are worth the money one spends on optics. I will say I do find myself using more and more fixed power scopes for the majority of my hunting due to the simplicity and ruggedness and their superior low light performance.


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FishHunt

Old Mossy Horns
I only shoot at the range to sight in before season starts


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The 6x is worthy of consideration then. No worries on what power it is setting on and it will work from 20 to 500+ yards without any issues. The FX3 scopes are lighter and generally brighter than their variable power counterparts.

Edit: The heavy duplex reticle is the way to go also. It can make the difference on the shot you've waited decades to make at low light when thin reticle might cost you the shot.

<>< Fish
 
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