Rifle scopes

Go to your local gun store and try some out! Find what looks good to your eyes. Is something wrong with your Prostaff? For <200 yards you really don't need much scope.

I have a couple Prostaffs and for less than 200 yards I wouldn't change. But you may want to. Have you looked at Vortex Viper. I was looking at one for longer ranges, then decided on a Zeiss.

Leupold VX-2 3-9X40. More or less $300.

I like Leupolds and have bought many used for less than $300. There isn't much downside to used since whether or not you're the original owner, if there is something wrong, Leupold will honor the lifetime warranty.

If you can get to $400-450, you won't do better at that price range than a Zeiss Terra 3-9x40 (or 42).

You can get a Nikon Monarch 3 or Leupold VX3 in that range. My pick for under 200 yards would be one that starts with 1.5 or 2.5x.

I just got a Zeiss Conquest 3x9-40 for $329. I wanted to try one, but I prefer Leupold. Just couldn't pass on the price.

i have used a 2x7 leupold scope on my rem sps 7mm08 for the last six years with out any problems, but i have just put a leuold 2.5x8-38 verix 111 boone&crockett scope that i won at a raffle and it is a great scope. eastbank.

I'm a Vortex junkie. My experience is that they have some of the best glass available at any given price point, and the warranty is awesome. I have 2 Viper PSTs and a pair of Diamondback binos, and I plan to get another PST this tax time.

Just my 2 cents

Maybe another Nikon? Prostaff 5 has some good glass for less than $400 and as always Leupold VX2.

Vortex is always a good choice. For 200 yards and under, I would keep it in the 3-9x magnification range. This scope would be a good choice.


Mike C.

Try the Natchez site. Seems like they list a million scopes (just seems that way.)

You can read the information on each. See the price as well .

What`s the problem with your Nikon, Pro Staff. That`s a good scope.

Keep an eye on the classifieds here and other gun forums.
I've gotten some stellar deals on like new optics for a fraction of the cost of retail.
Just do your homework and decide what you want.
I picked up a Nikon Monarch 3 2.5x8x32, a Burris MTAC 4.5x14 30mm and a Leupold VX-hog just recently. All were like new.

I'd recommend going to an Academy or Gander Mtn. where you can look through whatever optic you're thinking of getting. Something that looks great online is not always as impressive in 1st person.

You definitely don't have to spend $400 for a very nice optic...

Im no expert but you cant go wrong with a Zeiss Terra for the money I dont think a single scope beats it for the money. Youll get your range plus a great product thats well made. NOT the best but WELL made. Welcome to the forum.

you guys bragging on those terras should go and look at scope reviews. Very few are favorable and all will tell you its not even in the same ballpark that the conquests optics were. Not for me. For at least a 100 bucks less id take a vx1 and for the same money the vx2 or a monarch are run away winners in that comparison. The old conquests were decent scopes. I allways felt a little to bit of there popularity came from the name not the performance but ive had a couple and they were pretty much in the ballpark of a vx2 or vx3 leupold. Looks to me like ziess is really leaning on there name to sell these new terras.

heres one example http://opticsthoughts.com/?page_id=630

SWFA 10x42M
Best $300 I ever spent, sold the Leupold I had for the same price point. They make fixed 6x, 12x, and 20x models too, as well as a variety of adjustable, but most of them are over $400.

Driftertank said:

I'm a Vortex junkie. My experience is that they have some of the best glass available at any given price point, and the warranty is awesome.

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I have a pair of Vortex Razor binoculars that are good but not great, have a Vortex Viper PST 6-24x50mm FFP EBR-2C MRAD on order (will give feedback soon), bought (and used a lot) a Vortex Viper 3-9x40mm for a friend and have used another friend's Vortex Viper PST 6-24x50mm FFP. I have scopes from Nightforce, Premier Reticles, Leupold, Zeiss and Aimpoint in addition to Vortex and so far I'm not blown away by Vortex glass. I think Vortex offers a lot of features for the money but I know of one firearms company that has had to send a lot of Vortex scopes back for repair. Vortex makes decent products and frankly there's nothing out there to compete with the features on the PST line for that kind of money. I hope the PST is a decent scope and if it is I'll buy more Vortex products, but my mind isn't made up yet. For hunting scopes I'll stick with Zeiss Conquest models with RZ reticles. They're the best scopes on the market for hunting ... in my opinion. The Vortex Viper 3-9x40mm with BDC reticle is a very good scope with decent glass and a useful reticle but the Conquests are better in every way.

you guys bragging on those terras should go and look at scope reviews. Very few are favorable and all will tell you its not even in the same ballpark that the conquests optics were. Not for me. For at least a 100 bucks less id take a vx1 and for the same money the vx2 or a monarch are run away winners in that comparison. The old conquests were decent scopes. I allways felt a little to bit of there popularity came from the name not the performance but ive had a couple and they were pretty much in the ballpark of a vx2 or vx3 leupold. Looks to me like ziess is really leaning on there name to sell these new terras.

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There not bad at all and I dont think Zeiss is just running off their name. I have a Terra 3x on my 358 Ruger G.S.R. Clarity is amazing and its a winner the only question I have and test left is how well will it hold up to recoil over the years.

They're suposeably made in Japan and they're a VERY good place to manufacture stuff when it comes to QC.

No way do I think the Leupolds mentioned would beat it. Ive looked through them and they're not as clear. My father works at a gunshop and sees WAY more Leupolds come back then Zeiss. Hes worked there for over 20 years.



There may be a better scope then the Terra for the price but I have yet to see it so far as clarity goes. Im just waiting on reliability testing. Its hard to beat a Zeiss scope at any price range. Here's some reviews http://reviews.cabelas.com/8815/713988/zeiss-terra-3x-riflescopes-reviews/reviews.htm Just remember as production goes up QC usually tends to fall down and Zeiss has deffinately made its mark on the map.

Leupold

No way do I think the Leupolds mentioned would beat it. Ive looked through them and they're not as clear. My father works at a gunshop and sees WAY more Leupolds come back then Zeiss. Hes worked there for over 20 years.

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read that review I posted and do an internet search and youll see that most agree with that article. Its the clarity there complaining about, not the mechanics. Yes im sure your dad saw more leupolds returned then ziess. Factor in that theres probably 30 leupolds sold in this country for every zeiss sold and its pretty obvious your going to see more trouble.

read that review I posted and do an internet search and youll see that most agree with that article. Its the clarity there complaining about, not the mechanics. Yes im sure your dad saw more leupolds returned then ziess. Factor in that theres probably 30 leupolds sold in this country for every zeiss sold and its pretty obvious your going to see more trouble.

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I took the more Leupolds sold into acct when I read this and so did he.. they still get returned more and the Zeiss IS more clear go look through both then come back and tell me.

Zeiss is catching up in sales to Leupold and I dont like it because I fear QC is going to fall.

The Leupolds are great scopes though.. im not saying their bad but both Zeiss AND Leupold are household names now. Companies like Vortex and others are the ones to watch. American made.

Just an FYI im not a fanboy of Zeiss next scope I want is a Vortex so my comment while biased in the way that I own the Terra 3x ive had the chance to own the Leupold. Im no optics EXPERT though just an amateur hunter.

Zeiss is catching up in sales to Leupold and I dont like it because I fear QC is going to fall.

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where the heck are you getting this from??? Leupold sales are better today then ever. I would have to guess the Nikon is a close second total sales in a year id bet ziess isn't even in the same ball park as those two. Zeiss makes some superior top end optics. theres no doubt about that. Bottom line is it cost them more to produce a scope in Germany then it does in japan or china or even the US and that's why they farm there lower lines out. Think of it this way. They make a great 2000 dollar scope. What shortcuts do you think they have to take to make a 400 dollar scope? The conquest was a decent scope in the 4-500 dollar range. It compared real well up against a similar priced Nikon or Leupold 5 years ago. Look at today. In that 5 years both Nikon and leupold have stepped up there game. Especially in the case of leupold. Ziess on the other hand decided they couldn't afford to compete with there conquests in that price range so they tacked on some additional cost and made a cheap version so that someone with only 400 bucks could still be able to buy a scope with ziess on it. Kind of like leupold does with its cheap rifleman or the redfield series but then they can be bought for half what a terra will set you back. Sorry but common sense tells me that if my newest vx2s do as well or better in low light then my two older conquests do that for 200 dollars less the terra isn't. What it tells me is if im going to come home with a ziess that costs 2 or 3 hundred bucks less then that conquest Im going to come home with just the performance I see everyone talking about when they test those terras. Not looking for a fight because I could really care less what you put on your gun. Im just not drinking the terra koolaid today.

I'm not talking total sales im just saying they're catching up NOT falling back. Im not talking about a conquest either.. your argument against me is off. Maybe I should be more specific.

Sorry too, but Japan and China are NOTHING alike! Japan makes and can manufacture some of the best stuff in the world. I give a great amount of respect to Japanese manufacturing because i've dealt with their craftsmanship in Bass fishing equipment. Daiwa and Megabass, both TOP NOTCH fishing companies that are making better fishing stuff then America. You have to give respect where it is due. Just an example. Also look at Samurai swords.. no one makes a better sword. Just manufacturing examples. In the end I dont think ANYBODY IN THE WORLD could out manufacture America when it comes to quality and the will to create something. I believe this not only because I am an American but I know our workers work for the most part they just are smarter, more educated now a days especially. If anything people are OVER QUALIFIED for jobs here. That said. Japan over China any day and no comparison could even be made between the two because they are nothing alike.

As you said, "I'm not looking for a fight either" well neither am I, it's just a discussion.


End note, Just get the Terra and be happy with it. It will get the job done. If you find a better scope for cheaper then go for it. I recommend keeping an eye on the for sale section. BUT, you must look through them at a store before you buy used. Ones persons eye isn't the same all the time as the next guys. I wear glasses for example and tattoos, tattoos boost accuracy by 100%.