Looking for a quality hunting scope for ruger m77

Gloss finish will have you looking on the used market as they aren't made by Leupold anymore and I don't know of any other brands currently manufacturing them.

There's folks selling Cerakoted vx-3is on eBay, but they arnt cheap and the work looks ok but not great. Burris and Leupold both made scopes in the last generation that were gloss, and there's an pentax lighter side on eBay for cheapish right now. Ebay seems to be where to go for gloss scopes at this point.

Personally if you LIKE Leupold glass the vx3-is are about 300-400ish and are good deals imo.

LoonWulf said:

Personally if you LIKE Leupold glass the vx3-is are about 300-400ish and are good deals Imo

Click to expand...

This^^^^^^

my search would be short. It would be (actually is) a VX-3 in 4-14x40 with a Firedot. I used a VX-R with Firedot for years on my deer rifle. IMO it is awesome. Clear, bright. The Firedot is adequately bright without being obnoxious. Adjustable from very tiny but bright to large enough for daytime. Auto off/on. Excellent eye relief

Personally, I prefer the Sig Tango4 4-16x44mm for the money over the Leupold VX3i 4.5-14x50mm. Brighter and more clear. I have replaced the Leupold with the Sig as my “go-to” choice for hunting optic. Including on my Ruger M77’s, but in fairness, my Rugers are mostly stainless, or purple.

Within the past couple years I've had several scopes of recent manufacture from Leupold (3 different models), Burris (8 scopes of 3 different models), Weaver (14 scopes of 5 different models), Sightron (7 scopes of 4 different models), and Vortex (1 model). These are scopes that sell (street price) mostly in the $400 range, but a few a bit higher than that, and a couple (the Burris Fullfield and one of the Sightrons) a bit lower. I've tested all of these side-by-side (using an optical resolution chart) to compare them and see which ones I like best, which ones seem to have the best optics for my eye.

Among these, there aren't any that are significantly better (when comparing at equal magnification) to my eye than the Burris Fullfield II 4.5-14x42, or its Side Focus brother (which I like a lot), the Fullfield E1 4.5-14x42. These Burris scopes used to sell up into the $300+ range for years, but lately you can buy them NIB in the $160-$170 range. I thought they were a bargain when they sold for $300+. Now they are outstanding bargains. You can buy better glass, but IME, it's a case of hugely diminishing returns to do so as it takes more than $500 to get glass that I can detect being any better, and that's switching back and forth with the scopes side-by-side to try to pick out nuances of performance.

I have gone to the Leupold VX3 with side focus and CDS 4.5x14x40 30mm. They can be had for 5 to 6 if you shop around and catch a sale. I bought one and liked it so much I bought another. Nice and light as well as clear and bright. A 1 inch tube and 3x9 can be had for less. Leave off the side focus and CDS even less. I wish Sightron still made hunting scopes but they have gone to the long range crowd these days...

My wife's M77 has a 3-9x40 Leupold VXII and we couldn't be happier.

A couple of things. The VX-II with Roman numerals hasn't been made in years. Those are quite old. They were replaced with the VX-1, VX-2, and VX-3 with Arabic numerals probably 20 years ago and even those are no longer made.

And there is no such thing as a 3X9 or 4X14 scope. If they did make them they would he fixed power 3X and 4X scopes with tiny 9mm and 14mm front objectives. A fixed power scope is simply listed as 3X, 4X, or 10X etc. If you choose to list the front objective size it comes after the (X). So 4X40 is a 4 power scope with a 40mm objective. If it is a variable it is written 3-9X, or 4-14X. If you choose to list front objective size that comes after the (X). Something like 3-9X40 would read "3 to 9 magnification (X), with a 40mm objective"

Of current production if you can afford it the VX3i is a good scope. They are available in a 3.5-10X40 or 2.5-8X36. IMO the smaller scope is a pretty close fit on a long action rifle and doesn't look quite right. I like it better on short actions. The 3.5-10X40 is probably more magnification than needed, but the one I'd pick for a long action. At around 13 oz it is one of the lighter options and Leupold as a general rule have good eye relief compared to others. Basic scopes run around $400, but those with non-standard reticles or other options run up the price

The VX-Freedom replaced the VX-1 and VX-2 a few years ago, It is supposed to be closer to VX-2 quality with prices closer to VX-1. In my experience they are a good scope that will do what 90% of hunters need. The basic models with a standard duplex reticle are around $200 but they can go up as features are added.

IMO this is the best buy in a scope right now. This is the old discontinued Zeiss Conquest with Cabelas badging on it. Those were always made by Meopta and have been sold under several brand names over the years.

https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/cabelas-instinct-hd-rifle-scope

Quality wise it is at least as good as the VX3i. It is a couple of ounces heavier, but not excessive.

I have two Leupold VX 3.5-10X, one is a 3 and the other a 3i. Both really fine scopes. I have several older Leupolds and, frankly, I prefer the new ones. The adjustments are smoother and more crisply defined. Some of my old ones are a bear to adjust. I suppose I could send them to Leupold for a fix, but the rifles are such good shooters, I hate to mess with it. So...be careful about older used ones. That said, Leupold will happily replace them, but not with new glossy ones.

I am a set and forget type.
Am content with Leupold for that.
My new VX3i clicked right in when zeroing...... the vertical adj clicked fine, the horiz was not pronounced in click feel.
I have had a couple of the Freedom VX. They clicked but felt mushy.

IMHO if wanting to click on critters afield, buy something else.

I dunno what...........maybe SWFA or spend the $$$$ and go NF.

Leupold history here
https://riflescopesinfo.wordpress.com/2014/03/15/leupold-vx-1-vx-2-and-vx-3-what-is-the-difference/