Hunting scope

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badkarmamib

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I am looking for a possible new scope purchase. Budget $400 (I know :oops:). Primary use Eastern whitetail at max 150 yards. Secondary use friendly target shooting to 400 yards. Want decent clarity throughout range. Need paralax adjustment, preferably side. 4-16 power. Zero-set turrets and crosshair rather than BDC.

The Burris E1 checks all boxes, except for the E1 crosshair, which I worry might be hard to see in low light hunting (already have E1 plex 3-9, without paralax), but it IS within budget, otherwise. Can't find a boring plex reticle anywhere. Leupold with features is over budget (have a VX Freedom 1.5-4X, clearest glass I own). Vortex seems to be hit or miss lately, as if they are cheapening quality within the old model names (only owned red dots and a Crossfire scope, personally, but not a lot of faith from me). Athlon only looked through spotting scopes, but like them. Any suggestions? Thanks.
 
How about the e1 with a plex (ish) reticle? https://www.google.com/amp/s/gritroutdoors.com/amp/burris-fullfield-e1-45-14x42mm-riflescope-200349

$170 I have one and I like it a lot optically. The power ring on my sample is stupid stiff and hard to turn though.

I've been looking at these https://www.midwayusa.com/product/2420373744?pid=373744 4-16x diamondback hp $200

https://www.opticsplanet.com/meopta-optika5-3-15x44mm-riflescope.html

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1022579575?pid=966880 Argos hmr 2-12x
 
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I would have said Nikon, but they are done with their rifle scope line.

Lots of good talk of Burris (Philippines) -which is where my favorite budget glass came from via Nikon optics. Maybe not "from there" but you get it.

More good talk of Vortex, I believe a Chinese scope.

Today, I would look into Leupold. Even low end Zeiss maybe. Not too far off from $400, especially with Leupold.

But, I'm not sure if this is a Savage axis or a $5000+ rifle. This would matter for me as to which scope I invest in.
 
Need paralax adjustment, preferably side. 4-16 power. Zero-set turrets and crosshair rather than BDC.


You don't NEED any of this for sub 150 yard shots at whitetail deer. Parallax is one of those things some people worry about too much.

But I don't have a clue what to recommend anymore. Everything I like has been discontinued.

VX-Freedom 4-12x40 CDS Duplex | Leupold

This is about as close as I can find. You truly don't need parallax adjustment and 14X is more magnification than you need for hunting. Even at 400 yards 9X is more than adequate. I've shot to 600 with fixed 6X scopes. I'd save $50 and get the same scope in 3-9X40. You'll never need to take it off 3X even for 150 yard shots. A zero stop would be nice, but like I said this is as close as I can find to meeting most of your specs.
 
Maybe just because my eyes are wierd, but i like anything over 9-10 power to have image focus. Worst scope to use i ever owned was a Athlon 3-15x40 Argos.
Optics were good/very good, but the lack of image focus made it useless at anything over 9 at any range besides where it was focused, which for me ended up at about 75-80yds.

In that price range id look at an athlon HMR either the Midas if you can get it on sale (just had the one on my 7 mag out to 800yds, dailing up and down no issues) or an Argos if not. Ive owned multiples of both.
Ive got a few others that are in that range and good optics, but IMO those guys are best bang for the buck IF you can stomach chinese manufacturing, and the weight, neither option is light.
 
How about the e1 with a plex (ish) reticle? https://www.google.com/amp/s/gritroutdoors.com/amp/burris-fullfield-e1-45-14x42mm-riflescope-200349

$170 I have one and I like it a lot optically. The power ring on my sample is stupid stiff and hard to turn though.

I've been looking at these https://www.midwayusa.com/product/2420373744?pid=373744 4-16x diamondback hp $200

https://www.opticsplanet.com/meopta-optika5-3-15x44mm-riflescope.html

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1022579575?pid=966880 Argos hmr 2-12x
Good options, thanks. My E1 power ring is ridiculously hard to turn, also.
 
You don't NEED any of this for sub 150 yard shots at whitetail deer. Parallax is one of those things some people worry about too much.

But I don't have a clue what to recommend anymore. Everything I like has been discontinued.

VX-Freedom 4-12x40 CDS Duplex | Leupold

This is about as close as I can find. You truly don't need parallax adjustment and 14X is more magnification than you need for hunting. Even at 400 yards 9X is more than adequate. I've shot to 600 with fixed 6X scopes. I'd save $50 and get the same scope in 3-9X40. You'll never need to take it off 3X even for 150 yard shots. A zero stop would be nice, but like I said this is as close as I can find to meeting most of your specs.
I agree I don't need paralax or 14X for hunting. I do need it for friendly competition at the range. Not playing for money, so pushing lower end mag and clarity for hunting, but still need decent target options, as I am trying to get one scope that hunts well, targets decent. Rifle, when I narrow that down, will be a lightweight hunting rifle in 6.5 Creedmoor.
 
I've recently acquired a couple of Meopta scopes (made in the Czech Republic, same as CZ) It is a fine product and I've come to like them better than many other currently popular brands. They are a good value and this one fits your budget perfectly. Their reticles are perfect hunting reticles, IMO.
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/941603230
My go to hunting rifle wears a 6.5-20x50 meopta HTR....or actually I've got the Cabelas version on my Ridgeline. Ive had 3 of these scopes and really liked all of them.

I went with the Midas HMR instead of the Optika 5, and while I don't feel I made a bad choice, I really want to get ahold of one of those or an optika6s also.
 
One of my new Meopta scopes is a Optika6 3-18X56mm with Dichro reticle. It's on a Rem 700 VSF .223 and is now my favorite prairie dog rifle. Since mounting it, my hit percentage has improved significantly. When you spend hours looking thru a scope like I do, you want the best scopes you can afford.
 
You can get a Leupold for around 300.00 with a lifetime warranty.

That would be my vote. I'm not an optics snob. People talk about brightness and clarity and all that but honestly to me the only thing that matters is durability and precision. It needs to hold zero well over time and not shift POI. I try not to buy junk, but past $300 to me all the reputable brands are the same. I've used Nikon (RIP), Leupold, and Burris scopes in that price range and all have done just fine.
 
I’m a fan of Leupold scopes on hunting rifles. It could just be me, but I think I see better through them at dusk and dawn than I see through Vortex of similar grade. Vortex often have more features at same price, but it’s the seeing at dusk and dawn part I care about on a hunting scope. I get along fine with their diamondback line and up, but I stay away from the crossfire. It’s just not for me.

You can get a 3-9x40 vx-freedom with a duplex for $300 right now without doing much shopping. I have one and like it. For $350 you can get the same scope with a tri-Moa reticle and cds dial. That would be worth considering, too. I have the cds on a vx3 and vx5 and I’m a fan. Both of those have a zero lock, though. Haven’t tried the cds on a freedom and so can’t say for sure.

If you’re not in a hurry, you might sign up for some notifications at opticsplanet and other places. Several brands will run promos during the year and you can grab better glass at a lower price point, particularly when they are clearing out inventory before a new model release or something. A buddy of mine recently got a vortex viper hs 4-16x44 under $300. Can’t remember where, but sometimes deals like that pop up if you’re patient and paying attention.
 
That would be my vote. I'm not an optics snob. People talk about brightness and clarity and all that but honestly to me the only thing that matters is durability and precision. It needs to hold zero well over time and not shift POI. I try not to buy junk, but past $300 to me all the reputable brands are the same. I've used Nikon (RIP), Leupold, and Burris scopes in that price range and all have done just fine.
These days $300 can buy a really nice scope, better than $300 bought 30 years ago, we are lucky in that way.
 
These days $300 can buy a really nice scope, better than $300 bought 30 years ago, we are lucky in that way.

Yes you can. I have been quite happy with Primary Arms and Swampfox Optics scopes, both are better then the Nikon Prostaff scopes I have owned.

The only negative I have on some of the Primary Arms scopes is the chevron reticle. I have a hard time seeing the tip of the reticle for precise shots.
 
The Arken 4-16x50 that I have would make a useful hunting scope in the $400 range.
At 35 oz you would want to have a rifle that doesn't weigh a ton to start with though.
With a Midwest Industries 1.93" mount it's just over 45 oz.
IMG_20220321_170326.jpg
 
4-16 with side focus makes it difficult to get under your budget for a scope I would be happy with.

This is as close as I can come.

https://www.sportoptics.com/leupold-vx-3hd-4-5-14x40-180623.html

https://www.sportoptics.com/leupold-mark-3hd-6-18x50-p5-180671.html

This one is only $100 over your budget if you can live with a max of 12x

https://www.sportoptics.com/leupold-rifle-scope-vx-freedom-4-12x40-175079.html


I’ll say this regarding scopes and budgets. I’ve never regretted spending more than I originally planned on good optics. Conversely, have at least a half dozen regrets for choosing the lower end of the spectrum.

As a result, my optics budget usually starts with a minimum I will spend, not a maximum
 
I’m a fan of Leupold scopes on hunting rifles. It could just be me, but I think I see better through them at dusk and dawn than I see through Vortex of similar grade. Vortex often have more features at same price, but it’s the seeing at dusk and dawn part I care about on a hunting scope.

My deer rifle has worn a Simmons 44 mag 6.5-20 for well over 30 years. It was made in the Philippines. I think they're all made in China now. I've been in dark woods and watched little critters moving around I couldn't begin to see with my eyes. It's never lost zero and has never fogged up. I've killed a lot of deer with that rifle and scope.
 
This one is only $100 over your budget if you can live with a max of 12x

https://www.sportoptics.com/leupold-rifle-scope-vx-freedom-4-12x40-175079.html

I mentioned above that I have this scope. I compared the entire VX-freedom line plus alot of the lower VX-3i line against the majority of Vortex's <$700 line up (it was a long day at the scope counter for sure)

But for that magnification range, that 4-12x was at least as good as anything else brightness, color and clarity wise. Maybe it dosen't have every nicety I'd like to have, but it has enough of them to make do. And it's also very lightweight, which for a hunting rifle that's already on the heavier side was a big concern.

If OP can swing that, he'd probably be pretty happy.
 
4-16 with side focus makes it difficult to get under your budget for a scope I would be happy with.

Agreed.

4-16x44mm scopes have been my “go-to” hunting optic for almost 30 years. Back then, they were AO, eventually, transitioning to SF.

On a tight budget, sometimes that has meant conceding to 4-12x, 3-12x, 4.5-14x, etc, which have been serviceable, but I have regretted any time I have conceded to scopes without parallax compensation.

After doing making concessions to fit specific budgets, I’ve changed perspective - today, I’d save a little longer and find the right optic with the right features rather than conceding on performance - and personally, I’d push myself hard to get into a First Focal Plane optic, as that has also become a feature I simply prefer as a baseline standard for my hunting scopes.

I do use a couple Leupold VX3i’s in 4.5-14x. Not my favorite optic, and not an FFP, but checks the boxes. I’ve also been happy with a 4-16x44mm Bushnell Engage - again, not an FFP, but in your price range with the specs you’re seeking.
 
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