spend as much on a scope as the rifle?

For the first time in my life, I spent more on glass than on a gun. And the funny part, the scope was on a clearance sale, nearly 60% off... and it still cost more than the gun.

Burris Tactical was $1,550... on sale for $669.

Savage Model 110 Tactical for $579.

Hope she shoots straight, but waiting to buy 6.5 PRC Ammo.


.......
 
my philosophy has been to buy what you can afford. If your budget only allows for a $100-200 scope then so be it. Not everyone can afford Zeiss or Swarovski or whatever high-end brand. But, I realize that some are also mindful of country of origin as well. I bought a Vortex Strike Eagle not too long ago and even though it's likely made in China it was within my budget and on sale from Midwayusa.

Price point in mind, I do try to buy MiUSA products when possible though (or from other companies that produce in 1st world countries). I used to own a Leupold 12 yrs ago and will likely buy another sometime down the road.

There is a weird aesthetics issue too that I think some of us consider as well, and that's putting an expensive scope on a cheap rifle, or a cheap scope on an expensive rifle. I guess at the end of the day it doesn't really matter so long as you're getting good groupings.
 
I normally agree with the adage spend more on the glass than the rifle. However lately I've purchased several older rifles and wanted to put gloss scope on them to match the period of the rifle.

I recently purchased a mint Winchester 100 Carbine in .243 Win. I'm installing an older but in very good condition Redfield 5 Star 2X7, traditional view scope on it.
 
Just put a Burris Signature HD 2-10 on a Bergara 6.5CM. Paid under $300. The Ridge SP in a MagPul stock was about $900. So paid 1/3 of the rifle price towards the scope. Shoots about 1/2 MOA out to 1000 yards. Tracking test proved it tracks well. Only decent scope under $500 with quality glass and locking target turrets.
 
Put a Leupold Mk 4 Lr/T 10X40 on a Remington 700 Varmint gun in .243, at the time close to 3X what I paid for the rifle. Also put it in an H&S precision stock which cost about the same as the rifle. Did that about ten years ago, whenever I get around to burning this barrel out (life has gotten in the way of serious rifle shooting a few times) I'll probably ditch the stock, put it in some type of chassis, put a new barrel on it and get the action trued. As it stands it'll outshoot me by quite a bit, none of those improvements will make a difference.

My choice of optics though: carried the same scope on a deployment mounted to an accurized M14. Heck now that I think about it, I had the same Badger Ordnance USMC rings too (about 1/3 the cost of the rifle if we are still using that math). The scope can take a serious beating, is crystal clear and has repeatable adjustments. When I say it can take a beating.... I put my work one through some serious work. It was more beat up than the rifle when we came off of that tour. Glass was still clear, never lost zero and still repeatable adjustments. Worth every penny, this was 2009 money but I recall it being around $1600.
 
Buy the absolute best(quality) you can afford. You can't shoot what you can't see. To me the glass is more important than the rifle. To make it perform in all light conditions.

BTW I'm still in the stand and GTG when others are leaving or have left the woods in the evening.
 
I have quite a few Burris optics and they are definitely very good in their price range--though IMO the glass isn't quite as good as that of Leupold's in terms of clarity, sharpness to the edge of the field of view and and rendition of the color(s). One thing that always interests me when adjusting for parallax at distance is to see what the range on the dial indicates relative to what it actually is when I'm done getting the best sight view I can. Typically my Nightforce and Leupold scope dials end up right on the markings that correspond to the actual distance; whereas my Burris and Vortex dials tend to be a little off from the marking on the dial relative to the actual distance. Could be my bad eyes that account for that, too.
BTW I'm still in the stand and GTG when others are leaving or have left the woods in the evening.
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They might have better booze and hotter women.:)
 
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Focus errors on the side knob are caused by the objective lens system focus length tolerances. And the factory doing a adjustment error calibrating it. Power or magnification equals objective lens focal length divided by eyepiece lens focal length.

Most scope eyepieces have an optical focal length of about 2 inches. A 20X scope's objective lens system has an optical focal length of about 40 inches.
 
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To build on that, you need to be able to focus both the target and the crosshairs. Otherwise you're looking at reddish white crosshairs and/or a fuzzy target.
 
I just bought a Burris FF II , 6.5x20x50mm. I’m trying to skin out but needed a scope for a #3 Ruger/ 375Win. I scuffed the Leupold 6x off my m70/308 for the #3. Needed a scope for the 308. Burris was on sale $180. Scope is clear and takes adj well. All around decent scope.
Big But, the reticle is sniper type. I didn’t care about the dots but I didn’t realize how coarse the reticle is. I was thinking sniper would be fine hairs, I was wrong. I’m not sure what I’m going to do with it, it ain’t staying on my m70 / 308.
 
I’ve stuck mostly with Vortex. Latest an HST. I also like the Burris Fullfield line on my hunting rifles. All in 3-400 dollar range except the HST which was closer to 700. Bench rifle wears a Nightforce and if I had the money they all would.
 
My binoculars forced me to get a better scope. I could see a big buck in the fading light with my Leica binocs. Could not find him in the scope. I had been after that old buck for a week. Can’t remember exactly what scope it was, but probably it was an old Leupold 6x. Got me a new scope after that. My point is that if it takes serious money to have a scope equal to your Zeiss, Leica, or Swaros, you need to spend it.

I never got that buck.
 
I had a new $600.00 Target Gray Ruger 77 Mark II Varmint/220 Swift that would do a sub 1/2" 5 shot group at 100 yds with a $60.00 Simmons scope and Hornady ammo.

A new $200.00 thin barreled Savage 110E (E stood for cheap) 22-250 with a used Weaver $25.00 T10 target scope that would do the same as my 220 Swift, with Federal 40 Blitz! !t was amazing.

Now I have a new $20.00 Savage 10BA LE in 308 24 heavy fluted barrel with a $375.00 Leupold!

I need to be more consistent, the 10BA was won with one $20 dollar raffle ticket!

Most of my rifles now have Vari-X II, VX I or M8 fixed power scopes.
 
Lots of good advice above. You do get what you pay for, more, or less.

- Clarity
- Generous eye box
- Turret repeatability
- Brightness at dusk and dawn
- Quality illumination
- 6x erector magnification

What's needed/important for you? If the list above are essentials, you'll have to spend a lot on a scope. Some scopes punch above their weight class as the company tries to make a mark and take market share: Meopta, Athlon.
Some of the, very best, most expensive glass lacks some of the newer versatile features. It all depends what's important.
Story: I was at a range with a friend who was using a lower cost spotter scope to try and see holes in his target at 100 yards. It was a 60x spotter scope on a tri-pod. He was having trouble trying to see his holes and wanted to "go cold" and walk down and look. I was shooting a rifle with a Kahles 1-8x24 scope. I could see his holes on 8x!
 
Once you use a real quality scope, you realize what you’ve been missing if you shoot under any adverse conditions or low light.
 
To me the glass is more important than the rifle.
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I realize you can't hit what you can't see, but what good is seeing it if you can't hit it??

the "old saying" about spending comes from the days when high quality optics WERE as expensive as good quality rifles or more so. I don't see that being the case today. Yes, today's top quality optics are still very expensive, and deliver a lot. but today's "mid grade" stuff is as good or better than the high end stuff from 60-70years ago. And, it should be!

But I don't think the glass is more important than the rifle. AS important, maybe, but not more. After all, I can shoot without glass, I can't shoot without a rifle...:rolleyes:
 
Some years ago, I wanted to add a scope to my iron sighted Colt AR15 Match Target Hbar. I bought a Trijicon TA01. At the time, that scope cost me a bit more than the AR had.
Pete
 
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