Best scope for 30-06

[PawPaw]

My .30-06 currently wears a Nikon ProStaff. I picked it up when another scope went South and I'm pleased with it. My son has a Redfield Revolution that he really likes, and we use Weavers and Leupold's as well. Under $200 there is a lot of scopes to choose from.

 

[Tommix]

Holligan wrote:

Cody stay away from that Redfield, my son has one, and it's not half the scope that the Vortex Diamondback is, I think you can get one delivered for 200.00.

+1 for the Diamondback.
In 3x9, I have a Diamondback, a Vortex Viper and a Zeiss Conquest w/RapidZ reticle. The Diamondback has the widest field of view, which is a very good thing. The Zeiss is a better better scope but not strikingly so. The Diamondback will keep you going for several years before you outgrow it, if ever.

 

[LockedBreech]

It isn't less than $200 but for $230 the Leupold VX-1 3-9X40 is what I'd choose. It is basically the same as the old VX-II scope which was a $300+ and a much better scope than anything else you listed. Plus with the VX-1 you can send it in for a reticle or turrent upgrade to the custom shop later on if you want. I bought the VX-1 for my daughter's rifle and must say I'm quite impressed with it.

+1

You can't go wrong with Leupold

 

[Huffmanite]

Good suggestions made. But you can get a Nitrex tr1 in power range you want at WWW.Natchezss.com for around $120 plus shipping. It is basically a Weaver Grand Slam scope, same internals and optics, made in same Japanese plant and warranty handled by Weaver. It would sell for $240-280 if Grand Slam was on it.

 

[reynolds357]

I have the Revolution and the Diamondback. I think they are pretty close. Edge clarity on the diamondback at low power is my only gripe about it. Dont really have a gripe about the Redfield, its just an average scope. The Redfield Revenge is about as optically crisp as my truck winshield after I have been mud riding. The Revenge is extremely sub-par to the Revolution. Burris customer service ticked me off a few years ago and I am finished with them. I had a signature that would not group and they insisted nothing was wrong with it. They eventually fixed it after I sent it back enough times. I wont buy a Weaver because you have to keep up with the receipt. I have a Weaver now that I cant get fixed because I cant find the receipt. Prostaff in my opinion is optically equal to the revolution and Diamondback, but mechanically sub-par to both them.

 

[sholling]

The Prostaff is a step down from the others in that group and I wasn't overly impressed by the Redfield and I'm not fond of Burris customer service. The Nikon equivalent to the Burris and Weaver on your list is their sweet little Buckmaster. In your price range I would look at a Weaver V10 2-10x38 but if you can afford $240 I'd invest in a Weaver Grand Slam 3-10x40 which is a nice step up from everything on your list.

This ratings list may be of some help.
http://www.chuckhawks.com/recommended_riflescopes.htm

 

[smokiniron]

+1 for Redfield Revolution. I mounted a 3-9x with 50 mm primary (old eyes, but better light gathering) on my 30-06 Savage Weather Warrior. It took some doing to get a scope fitted to the looong action, but a short receiver Picatinny rail and rings got the eye relief where it was needed. I got the Accurange reticle.

 

[Tommix]

Sholling wrote:

The Prostaff is a step down from the others in that group and I wasn't overly impressed by the Redfield

+1. I agree, the Nikon Buckmaster is probably the right scope for this group. The Prostaff is outclassed by the Burris and Vortex. So's the Leupold VX-1; the VX-II and VX-2 belong here.

I still think the Diamondback is the class of the field here. The extra 20% field of view over the others sealed it for me. At 3X, the Vortex has the same FOV as most 2X scopes. More FOV makes getting on target so much faster and easier.

And here's another ranking list for what it's worth: pe-scale-discussion-thread-2009_topic16515_page1.html

 

[taylorce1]

+1. I agree, the Nikon Buckmaster is probably the right scope for this group. The Prostaff is outclassed by the Burris and Vortex. So's the Leupold VX-1; the VX-II and VX-2 belong here.

You do realize the new VX1 and the old VX-II are the same scope right? Leupold when they upgrade their top end models the technology gets pushed down the lineup of scopes. Since the VX6 line got upgraded they upgraded all of the other lines so think of it this way: VX1= old VXII scopes except for the 4-12X40 which still uses friction adjustments. However the lenses coating got upgraded and you now have 1/4 MOA click adjustments on the turrents. The only real difference I can see between the VX1 and VXII is the parallax is set at 75 yards with the VX1 not 100 yards like the VXII. However, it really isn't going to matter to most hunters and shooters that the parallax is set 25 yards shorter.

 

[sholling]

I still think the Diamondback is the class of the field here. The extra 20% field of view over the others sealed it for me. At 3X, the Vortex has the same FOV as most 2X scopes. More FOV makes getting on target so much faster and easier.

I don't own any Vortex scopes - yet, but I love their binoculars (I have a Diamondback and a Viper) and agree about FOV. Not having tried the Diamondback scope I'll take your word its quality is a good and their binoculars. A wide FOV is one of the things I like about the Weaver V10 2-10x38. At 2x you have a nice wide field of view and the fully multicoated optics are likely to transmit more light than the cheaper multicoated optics found in some of the others. Honestly if it were me I'd scrape up the extra $40 over the budget for the Grand Slam.

 

[hootey]

Take a look at the Weaver K4 & the K6. Great fixed power scopes. Very tough and dependable scopes. Non-adjustable = fewer parts = more dependable