Choosing a Scope

[jjw]

I have, as some of you have been helpful with, asked for some advice on different rifle calibers (7mm, .300win mag, .325wsm). I have decided to go with a .300win mag. I have also decided that I would like to top it with a 4x12x something scope as well.

I am far from an expert on scopes, as most of my shooting and hunting has been with iron sights. My question is what do you suggest for brand and features of a scope that will make sense? I am not the biggest spender, so was thinking a scope in the $250-$400 dollar range.
Any suggestions, including where I can look for a good deal on-line or otherwise would be appreciated as well.

[ourway77]

Ask Bubba He knows all sees all, if anyone would know it would be him. My preference leupold, there may be pricier scopes but for the money they can't be beat. Lou

[jjw]

Thanks Lou, I appreciate your suggestion. By the way, Merry Christmas!

[Blue-Dot-37.5]

If you have time before you really NEED to use the gun, I'd keep an eye on the scopes on ebay. That's where I bought my last 4 leupolds and they were either new in the box or pristine condition, and they were close to 1/2 of retail price. Now that hunting season is mostly over, and Christmas is behind us, the prices will drop a bit.
VX-III, VariX-III, VariX-II 40 or 50 mm If you are going to shoot long range, get one with target turrets, they will allow you to dial "up" for distance, or go with the Mil-Dot reticle and practice with it.

Zeiss is nice too, although they seem to be going for a bit more than Leupy's on ebay.

Blue-Dot-37,5

[jjw]

Thanks Blue-D (thats what I am gonna start calling you) for the very good advice.

[whyohe]

jjw if you have time id recomend you go to a store that has several different brands and look threw them and find the one you like best for the price.

me i LOVE my nikon. if you are going to shoot long distance id recomend the 44mm obj. and they are in that price range.
i hear that the bushnell elite series is very nice too. been considering one of thoes myself.

[Kudzu]

IMO, if you are a greenhorn with scopes, I would avoid an AO scope. Looked thru a Bush. elite scope the other day, Nice. However in your price range I would suggest the Sightron 4.5x14x50. I have one on my 270WSM. Has been flawless. Good luck, DM

[bubba]

you'd be hard pressed to beat the bushnell elite 4200
2.5-10x40 for much of anything except eye relief.

PM me if you would like a know all - see all price location as Lou would say it !

-bubba

[Kudzu]

bubba, I'm lookin at the Bush 4200 4x16x50 for my new 300RUM. I really like the 4200 line.

[jjw]

Greenhorn! Ok ole number 7! Seriously, I appreciate your suggestion.

[Kudzu]

No pun intended. Just going by the iron sights comment.

[joe21a]

I have Nikon, Burris ,Weaver(30 years old) and even a couple Tasco.The first three all make great scopes with a real good quality glass. I am not sure on the new Weaver scopes. The tasco are a lot less expensive but still good scopes for the money. The Weaver is on a 300 win. mag. and has been there for 33 years and still going strong. The burris and Nikon are only a couple years old and I have had no problem with either scope. I just got a Bushnell Elite and has very good glass and I think it will be a good scope.

[joe21a]

If you decide on the target turret, they have a habit of moving while walking and carring the rifle. If some one made one with a lock then I feel that would be very usefull. I speak from experance, I had one and had a high hit while still hunting a couple times, got the deer but do not use the scope any more. Got old checkig the knob all the time.

[pahunter05]

Scopes....

Leupold VXII or VXIII.... 4X12... next choice Nikon Monarch..... next choice... Zeiss Conquest...

Don;'t skimp on the glass...

Just my three cents..

Regards.. Jim P.

[wilmsmeyer]

I fully recommend Leupold scopes. However be aware of one thing on the 4 X 12 scope:

I originally purchased this scope for my .243 to use on woodchucks. The power ring hardly ever moved down from 12 power. During this fall, while testing my Savage 10ML-II, I put this scope on it. Shot lots and lots of targets at 100yds....worked great.

When deer season rolled around, I went afield with this combo and was suddenly shocked! The eye relief on 4 to 6 power was such that I had to back away from the gun enough to make instinctive shooting difficult.

During the first week, I believe this cost me the first buck (a 125 or so class heavy, high 8 point) I've missed with a gun in a long time as he sped broadside across an open field at 50 yds. My gun was set at 10 power, because of the eye relief issue on low power, and tracking him was very hard. When I finally got on him, I did not see a canopy of grape vines coming into view in the hedgerow I stood in. When I touched off the shot my scope had just filled with the vines and I could not stop the shot. Good news was I missed him cleanly.

Had I had a low power scope, I feel as though I would have shot sooner, or, if not, seen the obstruction coming and held off!

For all round hunting of deer, I will go back to my 3 X 9 Leupold which seems to have the same eye relief throughout the magnification ranges! Just my opinion.

Wilmsmeyer

[RAF]

I'll go along with Bubba. The nice thing about the Bushnell elite 4200 is the rain guard.

[jjw]

I ended up getting a bushnell 3200 4x12. It was at a very good price, $250. I will be using it this fall in open areas on paper company land. I agree that a 3x9 is probably the best all around deer hunting scope, but I wanted a little more magnification for longer shots, so went with the 4x12. Thanks for all of the suggestions all!

[whyohe]

how do you like the 3200 cause i need to replace my scope on my 30-06 adn have a gift card for bass pro and they dont carry the 4200 yet. i do some long shooting i was looking at the 5x15x50mm to replace the 4x16x50 that was on it. is it clear? any other opinions appriciated!!

[ourway77]

Whyohe, what is the make of the one you want to replace? and why? I think it would be in the best interest that we know so as not to make a mistake and buy one. I also have a gift certificate for Gander mountain, and am going tommorow and look at some scopes. I wouldn't buy one at Gander Mountain if I didn't have this gift certificate. As I am sure I could do better money wise somewhere else. Thanks Lou

[whyohe]

it was a tasco world class that i bent some how? i think a year ago i slipped and fell backwards and must have hit it and didnt notice it till early befor last hunting season when i noticed shots where 3 inch groups. very unusual for that gun. than my brother inlaw saw that the eye piece was bent down some. so can i blame scope??? but i have noticed my tascos only lasting apx 15 years. had to replace 3x9 on another gun. but have one on my 44 mag lever action thats 15 years old and doing fine. i just got my bushnell 3200 but going to do trigger work befor sighting in. looks good though. just doesnt seem as clear as my nikon just by slight bit.

just so youknow any old tascos have no warrenty now since bushnell took over. was going to send in but not worh fixing. was going to cost apx80 or more so decided to get new one. i payed 150 for it and figured if i was going to spend half as much might as well get new one with warrenty!!

[youp50]

I was at NRA annual meeting in Milwaukee this past weekend. I spent a good bit of time at a few of the different scope manufacturer's' booth's.

I asked Leupold Rep about outsourcing the glass. He said it was made in Japan in the same plant as Zeiss, Swaroski etc. He stated flat out that Leupold could not build as good a product as this plant does.

I compared Bushnell 3200 to 4200. The 4200 was hands down a brighter scope.

Unfortunately all the scope manufacturers were spread about and you could not get side by side comparisons.

[wilmsmeyer]

Go figure....

[ourway77]

Whyohe, Been there, had a tasco and when I tried to make an adjustment the whole turret and cap came off as one piece. Call Bushnell and they said it would cost more than its worth to fix it. Now I use it as a monocular to view the wildlife around my house. Then and there I decieded no more cheap scopes, upgraded all my scopes to Leupold and bushnell 4200's also have a Nikon that I like.

[bubba]

hey. dont discount the zeiss conquest line, I bought a 3-9x40 and like it better than my lewy's vari-x III's..........

[antleraddiction]

Elites are great but if ER is a concern I'd look elsewhere. They are one of the most critical on the market for decent glass. Personally I have never had a problem with them but know many who have scars to prove otherwise...just to say their is more to consider than the image.

Nikon are bright but I had a bad experience with ucc monarchs years back. Original scope wouldn't hold POI, replacement scope hairs broke on shot number 41 out of 270 win and 2nd replacement took couple months to arrive! I sold the 2nd replacement upon receiving it. In fairness I have heard nothing but postive reviews about the monarchs, so I could have just got a couple of lemons but it was enough to turn me off nikon optics.

Leupold IMHO are not what they use to be but they still are one of the best in the biz with eye positioning - eye box and ER is more than any person ever really needs. I just wish they updated to a constant ER like many others have, stuck to 1 piece tube construction and adjusted their pricing accordingly - I think they are over priced for what you get. They still have the best selection of models/weight,size, etc and can be mounted lower than comparable euro designs. You can't really go wrong with a VXII leupold , might just be their best model at present considering all things(return for investment). The VXIII I feel falls short of the mark, still nice piece of glass though.

All said my current favorite is the Zeiss conquest, it has everything I need/want all for a price i think is acceptable for what I'm getting in return. Z-plex reticle, itched no bronzing effect, fast focus, constant ER and performance has been top notch for me (clear, bright, transmission, resolution are superb and holds POI plus tracks true when adjusting...night and day difference than my elites, burris or leuys).

It boils down to personal preferences, what appeals to me might not to others. The best way is handle every one, pay attention to the details and compare. Always test under light conditions other than - IN STORE. I test them prior to mounting in various conditions, without a sales guy jarring in my ear. If they don't perform I return them. If the shop doesn't like returned optics, tell them it is a gift!!!!

Good Luck.