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Galen
Average Member
137 Posts |
 Posted - Jun 17 2012 : 12:27:49
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| I know that this has been hashed before many times but times change and new products come out. And I have three questions: #1 what scope under $300 would you recommend for all around hunting. #2 the 4 to 14 vs. the 3 to 9 and #3is the 50 mm objective worth the higher mounting that is needed. |
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nachogrande
Senior Member
461 Posts |
Posted - Jun 17 2012 : 13:42:51
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| the bushnell elite 3200 great bang for the buck. I've got almost entirely leupolds (want German/Swiss), wouldn't turn my nose up at burris. need some estimated hunting ranges to answer the mag question. imo most people over magnify. big mag #'s are nice from a bench but in the woods are unstable, smaller field of view,take longer to get on target,let in less light, bigger/heavier and are totaly un needed. a 1x6 app with the largest obj lens you can find should be plenty for 200 yds easy. another thing to consider is what kind of gun are you putting it on? a big 4 1/2 x 14 x 50 on a carbine or lever would look silly. small gun = small scope imo. |
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hawkinsp
Average Member
USA
141 Posts |
Posted - Jun 17 2012 : 14:07:32
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| I am quite happy with The Simmons Whitetail in 3x9x40. |
MIA/POW bring em home or send us back |
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lightman
Advanced Member
1050 Posts |
Posted - Jun 17 2012 : 14:30:51
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The new Redfields and Weavers are nice.For most hunting,I like a 3x9 or even less.I also like a 36-40 mm for hunting.
A case in point:I was sitting on a stand where I could see for 700 yards and expected to shoot something at about half of that distance.I had a heavy barrel 300 WSM with a 22x Nightforce.Something ran a little buck out on top of me and he was about 100 yards away before I could find him in the scope.He was not big enough to suit me and I never shot,but it was a learning experience. Lightman |
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Onondaga
Advanced Member
USA
1386 Posts |
Posted - Jun 17 2012 : 14:47:54
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I base the scope power solely on the ranges I expect to hunt with the scope. There is no better reason.
You can use a ballistic program to directly look at what scope height has to do with your ballistic path relating to the bore center/scope center. Just plug any sight height in with your load at:
http://www.handloads.com/calc/index.html
Don't let someone else guess at this for you, figure it out with the free software.
A 40 mm Bushnell is brighter than any 50 mm Barska and any other brand under $300.
Gary
Gary |
Fine rifles are never really owned. |
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jdmorris
Advanced Member
USA
796 Posts |
Posted - Jun 18 2012 : 15:16:01
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I guess for deer hunting or other big game where there might be a bit of recoil I like using Nikons as my budget minimum but for varminting I would have no problem going a little cheaper like say a Swift. I have a Leupold VariX 2 on my .458 magnum 3x9x40 and it is as clear as any scope I have ever owned. There are other brands in the same price class as Nikon but I figure since they are into making a little bit of everything their customer service has to be pretty good. I honestly have never had a problem with one. I am also partial to Warne steel rings and mounts on all my big game rifles. JMHO.
Jim |
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southdakbearfan
Senior Member
USA
262 Posts |
Posted - Jun 18 2012 : 21:55:00
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| S1 3-9 by 40 by sightron. About $130 and very nice optics if you are looking for a 3-9. |
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260james
Average Member
153 Posts |
Posted - Jun 18 2012 : 23:18:51
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| My carrying rifles all have Straight 6x weavers on them. Cheap and enuff magnification for out to mid range distances on big game , say 350 yds, but good scopes. On my dedicated long range antelope gun i have a 20x SWFA antelope |
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ethmoid1999
Advanced Member
USA
3302 Posts |
Posted - Jun 19 2012 : 09:42:54
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| I use a lot of the VX II Leupolds. Not a good as a Zeiss and some other scopes but they are clear, scope adjustments precise, and warranted for life. I never worry about a Leupold breaking down or fogging up. |
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budlight
Advanced Member
USA
810 Posts |
Posted - Jun 19 2012 : 11:55:21
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I think what it really comes down to is the crowd that likes cheap low power and small objective scopes are just looking at hitting the target. So if the deer doesn't fall down you keep shooting till it does. He might buy a box of shells and shoot 3 the day before hunting season at some basket ball sized rock 100 yards away and says to himself that it has held it's sight for the past ten years and it's ready to go again. They are the ones that wound animals and they run off and lose them. I don't even hunt with that crowd.
The second crowd finds pleasure on the bench rest and out hunting. He buys enough scope to see the holes appear on the paper at 100 or even 200 yards and likes to refine his loads to really shoot good groups. I shoot hundreds upon hundred of rounds bench rest before the season.
The majority of my scopes are 6X24 50mm, 56mm, &60mm I just bought my newest addition a 10X40 60mm mil dot. At 200 yards I can walk the bullet on the paper in the 1/8th inch clicks. I shot Mr. Pig in a classic heart lung and I could tell you even though it was dark to the human eye exactly where the shot hit. |
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Shastaboat
Advanced Member
USA
2662 Posts |
Posted - Jun 20 2012 : 00:47:44
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| I just bought a new scope for my AR15. Checked Sportmans Warehouse, Scheels and ended up buying a Cabella's house brand Pine Ridge 3x9x40 with EXT reticle for $120.00. I wanted a real fine line reticle. So many scopes now have the duplex type with real wide crosshairs. This one is as fine as it gets. |
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Hockeynick39
Advanced Member
USA
2727 Posts |
Posted - Jun 20 2012 : 08:29:00
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quote:
Originally posted by Shastaboat
I just bought a new scope for my AR15. Checked Sportmans Warehouse, Scheels and ended up buying a Cabella's house brand Pine Ridge 3x9x40 with EXT reticle for $120.00. I wanted a real fine line reticle. So many scopes now have the duplex type with real wide crosshairs. This one is as fine as it gets.
How long is the entire tube and will it interfere with the charging handle or night optics on the forend? |
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Shastaboat
Advanced Member
USA
2662 Posts |
Posted - Jun 25 2012 : 20:10:31
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Nick,
The scope is 12" long. It has a good 4" of eye relief and I mounted it as far forward as possible. My night light mounts under the barrel and does not interfere. Budlight and I just got back from a jackrabbit and squirrel shoot and my AR was busting them regularly. I also ordered a Jard 2# trigger. My current trigger is breaking at 4 lbs. The weapon really was reliable this weekend and very accurate now. I would definately recommend this scope for AR mounting. I do have an extended charging handle but the standard would work fine. I'm sure I can shoot .75 or better with my AR when I get the new trigger in. Some of those rabbits were way out there...squirrels too! Budlight needs to get an AR. |
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Hockeynick39
Advanced Member
USA
2727 Posts |
Posted - Jun 25 2012 : 21:58:39
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| Thanks for the heads up Shasta! I'll take a peek at them soon enough. |
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TxTickPkr
Advanced Member
USA
531 Posts |
Posted - Aug 02 2012 : 14:01:25
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| Buy the best you care to afford. I like to see what I'm shooting at. Aim small, hit small. I like Burris Signature Z rings. They have concave steel rings with interchangeable convex plastic inserts aginst the scope. This allows proper alignment of scopes without altering the rings. You can elevate the rear for long range and even correct deviation of screw alignment with these variable inserts. On long range set ups you can center the scope adjustments and actualy adjust the inpact very close to center without useing the scopes adjustments thus saveing all your adjustment potential for field use. They never mark a scope finish so if you migrate scopes as you build your stock of toys your scopes still look new. For me, quality scopes add to the shooting experience and ease the strain of staying in the scope all day on long range varmint shoots. That said, there are some fine scopes in the econo classes. Keep in mind that the human eye is the limiting factor as so many scopes today exceed our eyes ability. If weight is a factor, even a 4X is potentialy placeing the target 4 times closer than your eyes but keep the objective large enough to prevent narrowing your field of view for fast aquisition. Get out and look through a bunch of them to see what YOU see but be shure it is fog "PROOF" and the ajustments are repeatable. Shoot the square and check the brand for reliability. |
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IMR4350
Advanced Member
USA
1458 Posts |
Posted - Aug 03 2012 : 08:22:10
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Burris Fullfield II
Weaver V series
Redfield
Bushnell
Leupold VXII
These are some trusted manufactures that produce good scopes for 300 and under with good to great warranties. |
The 30-06 is never a mistake |
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Topic |
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Rifle Scopes
