What's a good hunting scope?

H

hunter33

New member
whats a good hunting scope for a 280 .The farthest shot would probably be 200 yards most mostly around 80 yards.I wouldn't really wanna go over 250$ and dont want a really cheap one.I was thinking something in the power of a 3x9 or 3x12.Maybe list a couple of scopes that you might fit my needs?
 
My 3x9s haven't helped me kill deer any easier than when I had an old K4 on top of my '06. Deader, either, for that matter.

On one of my longest shots, my 3x9 was set on 3X. One shot, DRT, at 350 yards...

Most folks buy way more scope than they need, just like I have. :D
 
Ditto what Art said. If your shots are <200yds, you can probably get a very good quality 4x fixed power scope for less money than a lesser quality variable.
 
Yep. K2.5 on an 06 Husky carbine, K3 on a 243, K4 on a custom Mauser 280, K10 on a 222. A Winchester 4X shotgun scope on a Rem M742 carbine. I do have a couple of variables ... in my safe.

Personally, I think variables are over blown and misused. I know and hunt with guys who crank up to max and use the scope instead of carrying light weight binoculars. When one tells me I watched you cross the ridge, or more through the brush near the river, I get that nervous feeling. And, when they see a deer in our brushy country the high setting is more harm than good.
 
Depends on the budget. If you've got $400, look at the Bushnell/B&L Elite 4200, 2.5-10x40mm. If you've got $225, look at the Sightron S2 3-9x42mm. What's the realistic budget here?
 
good scopes are the Bushnell 3200 and 4200, Nikon Buckmaster and Monarch, Weaver Grand Slams, any of these will do the job just fine for you..
 
Seriously, if you are just talking short range work, a 1.5-5X variable would be nice, as would a 4X.

This question made me think (and that hurts!). You just don't hear very many people ask for low powered scopes these days.

And people using rifle scopes as binos makes me feel a little nervous, too.
 
With SCORCH on this.

A 2-7 or 1-5 will, in most instances, do a very good job. Here in NE FL. the woods are thick and I've found that it's almost never that I budge my Leupold 2-7 off the 2 setting.

And I am 100% with him on the whole using "scopes as binos" thing.
 
I have had no problems harvesting deer here in Minnesota with a fixed 4x Nikon Monrach scope on a Marlin 30-30 or a fixed 4.75x Weaver Grand Slam on a .270 bolt gun.

I rather like the simplicity of the fixed 4x scopes (my .375 H&H has a 4x Monarch as well) on my hunting rifles. If I had shots at deer that were longer than 200 yards, I might think about hunting with the 6.5-20x Nikon Monarch that is sitting on my .308 bolt gun, but there's no bean-field hunting anywhere in my near future......
 
Seems to me like the demand for fixed power scopes is too low for the manufacturers to have a broad offering.I don't want to pay $350 for a 6X42 Leupold.I have a Nikon 4X on a muzzle loader, but can't seem to find one now.And,I would rather have a 6X.

I use a rifle scope for binoculars all the time.I see no point in carrying an extra item when I have one already attached that will work just fine.
 
I use a rifle scope for binoculars all the time.I see no point in carrying an extra item when I have one already attached that will work just fine.
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So, when you are out deer hunting, you have no problem identifying objects with your rifle scope as they come into view? I only ask, because those "objects" can often turn out to be fellow hunters.

Me, I wouldn't hunt with someone that thought it was acceptable to point his rifle at me and glass me through his rifles sighting device. That's just me though.....
 
I like fixed powered scope for hunting. For the money you can not beat a Nikon 4 x 32 prostaff. A little over a $100 dollars at Wal mart. I have used this scope for the past 4 years with great results in all kind of weather at distance from 10 yards to 200 yards. I can not complain. Here is a picture of as 10 poimter that i harvested this year with this scope.
http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc127/JKump/100_0229.jpg
You can see the scope mounteed on the rifle. Good luck with which ever scope you pick up.:)
 
So, when you are out deer hunting, you have no problem identifying objects with your rifle scope as they come into view? I only ask, because those "objects" can often turn out to be fellow hunters.

Me, I wouldn't hunt with someone that thought it was acceptable to point his rifle at me and glass me through his rifles sighting device. That's just me though
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I wouldn't hunt with anybody I thought was stupid enough to pull the trigger.But,I know what you are saying.I use them to determine if it's a trophy I want,not to figure out what it is.
Fortunately, a man and a deer or elk don't look very much the same.If I get to where I can't tell the difference within rifle range I will get some binoculars.
 
Fortunately, a man and a deer or elk don't look very much the same.If I get to where I can't tell the difference within rifle range I will get some binoculars.
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You don't hunt much in the early am or at the end of legal light then, eh? I'm surprised, that's usually a good time to hunt white-tails. I got mine with 4 minutes of legal light left to shoot on opening evening, and without my binoculars, I couldn't even tell if it was a doe or buck at less than 25 yards. I sure as hell could see it fine through my glass though, I just used glass that wasn't attached to a firearm until I was sure of my target, then I used the glass attached to the rifle to take the shot.

YMMV
 
Goalie,you very well may not have the experience or may still be too eager and excited by the hunt.I probably was also 30 years ago.So,I am going to change my mind and agree with you.Binoculars should be used,and a rifle scope only when the hunter is sure that the movement is not another hunter.
 
Goalie,you very well may not have the experience or may still be too eager and excited by the hunt.
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The last time I was excited while shooting at something, that "something" was shooting back. That was over 15 years ago for me, so I defer to your much more extensive 30 years of experience.

Anyhow, while I enjoy deer hunting, I don't exactly get "buck fever" up in a deer stand.

I truly wish I was super-eager and excited though. I miss it.
 
I truly wish I was super-eager and excited though. I miss it
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I agree with you on that.But,I still enjoy the outdoors.Just pass on most shots anymore.

Back to the original question.I like the Nikon Monarch scopes for the money.The Bushnells are good, but are longer.
 
I've got a Simmons 44 mag I've used on my main hunting rifle for years. It's never let me down but if it breaks into little pieces the next time I pull the trigger it's been money very well spent.
 
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