looking for good hunting optics

S

six-gun

New member
ok, first off let me say that i simply can't afford even the cheapest leupold that i've seen. so let's just skip the top end stuff. i know you get what you pay for but you can only pay for what you can afford. i paid $140 for an enfield .303 british that shoots extremely well. 600 yards, iron sites, i'm hitting a metal silhouette over half the time on the first time i shot it, without adjusting the sights. so the rifle shoots fine and consistant. I now want to scope it and use it for hunting. finding reviews for all the scopes is tough though. so far the bushnell banner and nikon prostaff series look the best for my price range. It doesn't look like NCStar is any good. I'm also looking at AIM and the Barska huntmaster, countour, ridgeline, hornet and varmint scopes i've seen on amazon. the bushnell sportsman is also on my list. I intend to hunt deer with this. I'm new to hunting as well. i'm in AZ, so longer shots are more common than back east. I will also be hunting in arkansas though. My understanding is that i'll be hunting mule and white tail between out here in the west and the times i go to arkansas. but, i also like taking those long range shots at the range. not while hunting, let me make that abundantly clear. I know it's inhumane to try and take a deer at too long of a range. i don't intend to do that. but, at the range, i like as much distance as i can manage. i've been looking at 3-9x scopes and some 3-12x (leaning towards those). the 4-12x and 4-16x are more than i need for this rifle i think. so, let's hear what everybody else thinks. any info or reviews of those brands and any suggestions you can provide will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
 
I suggest browsing gunshows, looking for a good-used brand name scope in 4X. The old Weaver K4 is as good a scope for deer hunting as anybody ever really needs. I know from experience that 3X is adequate for ruining Bambi's day at 350 yards, so I'm sorta horsey about my opinion on that.

Generally, your cartridge is pretty much a good 300 yard critter, roughly. Beyond that it's strictly your own skill at judging drop and wind at a "sorta-known" distance. Doesn't really matter; odds are that like most hunters, the shot will be under 200 anyhow...

When checking a used scope, look through it the wrong way. You'll see any lens flaw, that way.
 
Check Ebay you can find some good deals there from time to time.

I bought a Vortex last spring and have been hunting with it this year and so far I really like it. I was less than $200.00 dollars for it, I wanna say I paid around the $150.00 mark for it.

Not sure why you would exclude a 4-12 if you would consider a 3-12 but my vortex is a 4-12 and if I turn it down to 4 then you will be about right for viewing any thing deer sized or larger.
 
All of the scope brands you mentioned the Nikon Prostaff is the best IMHO. I have had Bushnell and do not care for them, the other brands you mentioned I have no experience with other than the nikon. I have a Prostaff and an Omega they are very clear, bright and hold zero quite well. Another scope to try in that price range is the Redfields Revolution made by Leupold or owned by Leupold I am not sure which maybe both. The revolution has a lifetime warranty like the Leupold and is clear, bright and holds zero. Just a thought.
 
If you want cheap and reliable get a BSA it will last until you can get a high end scope. I have nothing but BSA on my rifles and I havent been let down yet. Get the ones in the $100+ range though I've heard the cheap $50 scopes suck.
 
Just a note, but...

Low-end Leupolds really aren't high-end scopes. The VX-II is pretty much the standard scope that I put on all of my hunting rifles. Even my little .22 mag wears one.

For "less expensive", I'd look at Nikon, Redfield (now made by Leupold as a lower cost line of 'scopes), or an older Weaver.

I like a good value as much as anyone, but riflescopes are not something I'll go too cheap on.

My "cheap" bino's are Leupold/Wind River, and while they get a lot of use, I prefer Zeiss for long periods of glassing. I spent quite a bit of money on various bino's before I finally invested in the Leupolds, and then Zeiss. My only regret is having not spent the extra money earlier, thereby saving myself a lot of money I spent on products that didn't perform to my satisfaction.

Some things are worth saving up for. :)

Daryl
 
I agree with Art, and Daryl.
If I were young with good eyesight I would rather have a good receiver sight than a cheap scope. Cheap scopes are too likely to fog in the winter.

Most of my hunting was done with 4X scopes by Weaver, Redfield, and Leupold. That included from the desert SW to Alaska.

If I had to choose I would rather have receiver sights and decent binoculars than a cheap scope.

Regards,
Jerry
 
I bought a Bushnell Banner series scope that is excellent for the money I paid. It's clear, holds zero and pulls in a bunch of light. I have no complaints with it and highly recommend them.
 
You also might want to look at Sightron scopes. They are top quality scopes with an excellent warranty, plus being very clear, sharp, and bright. I recommend the S11 6x42 scope highly and you also get a $50 rebate from Sightron if bought before the end of the year. I have this scope on many of my rifles.
 
Just an Ol'Coot's opinion, but -----------

Stay away from Trashco and the low end Bushnell.

As already stated, buy a used quality scope rather then a new piece of junk.

You'll not be sorry.

If for example, a used Leupold needs service for some reason, the company will provide that service, returning to you a quality product.

While on the other hand if a used or new low end scope needs service the best you can hope for is the return of that scope or a replacement, still of questionable quality.

Junk is junk, no matter how low priced, while the cost of quality is soon forgotten in the satifaction of long service.

While it is possible to get a cheap scope that happens to provide sharpness, clearity, reasonable paralax, my experience has shown it to be iffy at best to get all three, while getting a bad scope in a quality line or level is a sometimes thing at worse.

I have been there and done that with buying cheap or cheaper scopes and they always ended up getting replaced with quality.

Keep em coming!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot
 
Rifle Scopes

These are all moderately priced good quality scopes. There hare much less expensive like Tasco, Nc Star for $30-60 and much more expensive with more features and best optics.

Weaver Grand Slam 3-10x40 -$300
Sightron SII Big Sky 3-9x42 -$400
Leupold Rifleman 3-9x40 $225
Leupold Ultimate Slam 3-9x40 $240
Leupold VX II 3-9x40 duplex $300
Bushnell 4200 w/ Rainguard 3-9x40 $270
Bushnell 3200 w/Rainguard 3-9x40 $200
Burris Fullfield II 3-9x40 $225
Pentax Gameseeker 3-9x50 $130
Nicon Prostaff 3-9x40 $160

All prices are approx. street price (high end)

Rings and mounts additional

PM me if you want a quote.
 
Swift also makes a fairly decent scope for the money. I have two .303's and had problem getting a good mount. First one was loose and second one was way too high....three inches above the barrel.
 
I just went through the same thing last spring before work season started. Broke, and needed a new scope.

Redfield. Basically getting a Leupold for about $200 if you think you can live with nitrogen gas. OMG!

4" eye relief was why I needed the new scope. I'm really happy with it, and when I told my buddy he said "I'll write that down with the OTHER two times you've ever been happy." :D

PS. MADE IN AMERICA!
 
+1 Art, and if you can get on Craig'slist, youll usually find one or more good buy's there. It's been a few months but there was a girl and her boyfriend trying to sell her father's Weaver 4X, for like 80.00 or so, which would of been a good buy, but I was dirt poor when I found the deal.:o. Just keep your nose to the grindstone and let us know how it turns out. And BTW did you say 600yds, opensights? and you need a scope?:rolleyes:
 
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