Hoping for a friendly education on rifle scopes.

[priv8ter]

I don't really know anything about scopes.

There...I said it. There have only been two times in my life when I had to make choice on scopes for a rifle. Back in high school I took a 4X Weaver off a used Winchester Model 70 and put a Bushnell 3-9 on it because 3-9 must be better than a fixed power scope.

More recently, last year, I bought the wife a New England Firearms .270, and totally threw myself on the mercy of the guy at Sportsmans Warehouse. He sold me a Nikon Prostaff 2-7X variable...and it seems like a decent scope for the money(somewhere close to $200 I think)

Now to the present...I bought a Remington Model 700 CDL in .35 Whelen, and I need to buy a scope for it. Somone one on another thread said you should spend the same amount on a scope as you did on the rifle. Well...I can't. A Swarovski or Khales just isn't in the budget right now.

Nope, the budget is closer to $250-300, and looking at Sportsmans Warehouse and Cabela's, it looks like a decent number of scopes fall in that price range. And when I looked at Cabela's, I see that the Prostaff on the wife gun is Nikon's bottom line of scopes.

So, what I really need advise on, more than someone naming a brand for me(although that might not hurt) is a more general question:

Which is the more cost effective/value for the money solution: Buying a top of the line scope from a cheaper maker(Bushnell Elite, for example) or buying a scope with less bells and whistles from a different, more expensive maker(like a Leupold VX-1, as another example).

Thanks for any advise.

Greg

 

[NMshooter]

You can not go wrong with Leupold.

A VX-1 or 2, typical 3-9 variable scope with duplex reticle, the kind you are most likely to find would do just fine.

It would not hurt to get Leupold rings and one piece scope base for it either.

 

[zahc]

I'm at a point where I only buy leupolds. They should have scopes in your price range.

 

[TheOpticZone]

Leupold's are very good scopes, but now days there are many brands that are very comparable to the Leupold line at a cheaper price, such as Nikon, Bushnell, Weaver and Zeiss. Most of these brands have a lifetime warranty just like Leupold. For the best bang for the buck, I personally think the Nikon Monarch is on top of the list.

 

[black bear]

If you are hunting in wooden terrain where the 35 Whelen makes sense; you would like to mount in your rifle a scope with a wider field of view and low power and a lot of eye relief. I will consider Leupold shotgun scope 1x to 4x with the heavy reticle an ideal woods scope.

Other scopes in the 1 1/2 to 4 or 5 power in the high end and with a small objective of 20mm will be ideal for such a rifle.

In the other hand if you are hunting very open terrain a 3x to 9x scope from Leupold would be ideal, but them you bought the wrong caliber.

Mount it on the most sturdy mount to be had, put a Weaver long base in your gun and a set of Leupold Quick Detachable Weaver style rings.

Good hunting
black bear

 

[Father Knows Best]

I used to buy nothing but Leupold. Now, I buy nothing but Burris scopes. They are top quality and made right here in the U.S.A., at prices comparable to or a little less than Leupold. http://www.burrisoptics.com

 

[45crittergitter]

Suggested reading:

Optics For The Hunter , by John Barsness

 

[Dave P]

Greg, one option is to spend $100-$200 on a walmart scope. If you like it, great!. If not, take it back for a different one or a refund. Nothing to lose!

I see they have leupold online: Leupold Rifleman 3-9 x 40 Rifle Scope

Dave

 

[priv8ter]

Sigh.

Well, the rifle came in this weekend, and based on responces here, I had kind of narrowed it down to a Leupold VX-1, but after comparing the scopes side by side, I decided to go with the Bushnell Elite 3200 3-9, with the Firefly recticle. I just liked it better. The Bushnell seemed much clearer at all magnifications.

In the other hand if you are hunting very open terrain a 3x to 9x scope from Leupold would be ideal, but them you bought the wrong caliber.

This isn't the point of this thread, but I am going to take some disagreement with this one. When zeroed at 200 yards, Federals 225gr .35 load drops 9 inchs at 300 yards, as opposed to an 8 inch drop for the 'flat-shooting' 175gr 7mm Rem Mag load, so...I don't feel like I made a bad decision going with a 3X9 on this rifle.

greg

 

[Swamp Yankee]

Good glass. Should have left the B&L label on 'em and charged more.

The Bushnell Elite series scopes IMO represent some of the best optics and just as important, mechanicals for the money. You'll get many good years of service from that scope. I don't know if they still do or not, but Bushnell used to offer a one year, if you don't like it send it back for a refund program on the Elite series scope. That's confidence in your product.
Take Care

 

[TheOpticZone]

Bushnell does still offer that warranty, Swamp Yankee.

 

[black bear]

priv8ter,

I am sorry I have to disagree with your figures, I based mine in the Remington ballistic tables comparison.

Look at this table: Remington 7 mm Magnum and 35 Whelen, drop figures
It says the 175 grains will drop 7.6 at 300 yards
and it says the 250 grain 35 Whelen will drop 16.6 inches at 300 yards

link:
http://www.remington.com/ammo/ballistics/centerfire/comp_ballistics_specific.asp



7mm Remington Magnum
35 Whelen
PRINTER FRIENDLY

Index No. Cartridge Type Wt. (grs) Bullet Style Primer No. Ballistic Coefficient
R7MM3 Remington Express 175 Pointed Soft Point Core-Lokt® 9 1/2 M 0.427
R35WH3 Remington Express 250 Pointed Soft Point 9 1/2 M 0.409

VELOCITY (ft/sec)
Cartridge Type Bullet Muzzle 100 200 300 400 500
Remington Express 175 PSP CL 2860 2645 2440 2244 2057 1879
Remington Express 250 PSP 2400 2197 2005 1823 1652 1496

ENERGY (ft-lbs)
Cartridge Type Bullet Muzzle 100 200 300 400 500
Remington Express 175 PSP CL 3178 2718 2313 1956 1644 1372
Remington Express 250 PSP 3197 2680 2230 1844 1515 1242

SHORT-RANGE¹ TRAJECTORY*
Cartridge Type Bullet 50 100 150 200 250 300
Remington Express 175 PSP CL 0.2 0.7 zero -2.1 -5.6 -10.7
Remington Express 250 PSP 0.1 zero -1.9 -5.7 -11.8 -20.4

LONG-RANGE² TRAJECTORY*
Cartridge Type Bullet 100 150 200 250 300 400 500
Remington Express 175 PSP CL 1.7 1.5 zero -3.0 -7.6 -22.1 -44.8
Remington Express 250 PSP 1.3 zero -3.2 -8.6 -16.6 -40.0 -76.3

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note: These ballistics reflected a test barrel length of 24" except those for 30 Carbine and 44 Remington Magnum which are 20" barrels.
Specifications are nominal. Ballistics figures established in test barrels. Individual rifles may vary from test barrel results.
“zero” indicates yardage at which rifle was sighted in.
* Inches above or below line of sight. Hold low for positive numbers, high for negative numbers.
1 Bullet does not rise more than 1" above line of sight from muzzle to sighting-in range.
2 Bullet does not rise more than 3" above line of sight from muzzle to sighting-in range.
† 280 Remington and 7mm Express Remington are interchangeable.
‡ 6mm Remington and 244 Remington are interchangeable.



Privacy Policy | Terms of Use ©2005 Remington Arms Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved.


black bear

 

[priv8ter]

Hmph...

That's because you were using Remington's tables for a 250gr Express load zeroed at 150 yds vice a 225gr Federal Premium Load zeroed at 225, which leaves the muzzle 200 FPS faster than the Remington load you quoted.

There are even some loads for 200gr bullets that let you get over 2800FPS from the Whelen...

I bought the new rifle specifically for Eastern Washington elk, and I have no doubt in the Whelen's ability to get it done out to 300 yards, and then some.

Looks like we may just have to agree to disagree on this one(which is what this place is all about, isn't it?)

greg

 

[black bear]

priv8ter

I agree with you now, yes is it 200 feet per seconds faster, I didn't even know that Federal was making it.
It will make the 35 Whelen into a different animal, congratulations on a well research choice.

http://www.federalcartridge.com/amm...firearm=1&bc=0.426&muzzvel=2600&bulletwgt=225

Best regards
black bear

 

[GunGoBoom]

Ya, I have to agree - I own a Bushnell Legend, an an elite 3200, and an elite 4200, and when you step up one notch from the legend to the elite 3200, it's a big step in quality (for not much more price).