Budget glass twice

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WestKentucky

WestKentucky

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I need 2 optics, and neither of them necessarily need to be anything superb. A rem700 in .270 which is used for deer hunting, and a 5.56 AR used for poking paper and possibly varmints in the future. With a change in profession (starting over at entry level because I'm tired of the same BS day after day) money will be tight for a while, so I'm not spending much on either gun. The AR currently has a crappy red dot which I dislike because it's too large of a dot by the time it's bright enough to see. The .270 had a Tasco World Class 3x9x50 on it but that scope was moved to another rifle which I use more. I liked it though for a cheaper optic.

I want traditional scopes which don't necessarily require batteries, but I'm open to illuminated crosshairs. Neither fancy, neither expensive. Not in a hurry so I can wait for a sale, and I can spread the purchases out if I need to. Let's say well under a hundred bucks each. What recommendations do you all have?
 
The Mueller apv is pretty good for a moderately high power scope 4-14x

Take a look at the Bushnell custom gold scopes available from natchez shooters supply. They are essentially Weaver 44/40 scopes at a discount. It is the best deal under 100 I know of right now. https://www.natchezss.com/bushnell-...-10x44mm-ballistic-x-reticle-matte-black.html
As long as you at Natchez, take a look at their refurb stuff. I saw a Nikon buckmaster for $115 while I was looking for that custom gold link.
The Bushnell banner scopes are not great, but they will function for you and are cheap. (Under 70)
The Bushnell ar optics lines are OK.
Bushnell and Weaver will offer rebates, you can check their websites for that.

You can look for deals here https://gun.deals/category/accessories?caliber=47

And you can find $100 gift cards to Cabela's for about 80 on eBay. And occasionally Cabela's will run a good sale/mistake. I recently picked up a vortex diamondback 4-12x40 ao for $52 out the door after deals and eBay gift card.

Used stuff can be found on eBay or the classifieds here or on various fun forums like ar15.com and rimfire central.

Save money on your ar mount. There are generic mounts for roughly 10-20 on eBay and Amazon that work just fine. There are also clones of the Burris pepr, aero precision and even Giselle mounts too. From what I have seen, all the complaints come from people who overtightened screws and strip threads in soft aluminum.
 
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Nikon pro staff on sale or vortex crossfire when on sale. If I was going to rely on the 270 for deer hunting I would put a Nikon on it. I have beat the snot out of my prostaffs over the years and always been fine. Bushnell could go bankrupt for all I care, vortex crossfire on the AR if its a woochuck, prairie dog gun. If your just shooting coyotes the recoil isn't that bad and you can get away with something in the $100 range. Simmons is crap, tasco is iffy IMO. Midway tends to put stuff on sale a lot.
 
For a riflescope under $100, look at a Bushnell Banner.
My father has one on a lightweight, hard kicking .30-06 and it keeps its zero just fine. He's had it for about 4-5 years now and I don't know that he's ever had to adjust it when hunting season comes around.

Now granted, it's not astronomy grade optics, but for less than a Benjamin, it's not a bad scope.

We can sit here all day and tell someone to up their budget, but at the end of the day, you get what you can afford to at the time.
You can always upgrade if you wish, when you're able.
 
The Banner is the only scope under $100 I can say has both 1) good enough glass quality to be worth owning, and 2) held up to use and recoil.
 
How about buying one, slightly better scope, a decent mount, and move the scope between rifles? Yes, you will have to sight them in everytime you change, but better glass is better glass. Keep the adjustments to ease the sight in issue. Save for the second scope over time.
 
I haven’t had much luck under 100 for low light use, holding zero, or a clear lense.

Bushnell XLT is ok

Vortex crossfire ii has been real good for me for about $100

Nikon makes a scope for around 100 that has been ok as well for me

Don’t be tempted to buy anything hanging on a pegboard at a big box store in clamshell packaging. You will regret it at some point. I always did.
 
I really like nice scopes, I just don’t like paying for them. I go with the buy once cry once, and only buy Leupold scopes any more.

I’ve had bad luck with cheap scopes, and they can be frustrating when you can’t trust them. I know others seem to do ok with them though.

I would rather have quality peep sights on rifles if I cannot afford a good scope, like tech sights or the magpul back up iron sights. I wouldn’t trust any scope under $100 for hunting, although I know others disagree.

If you have a scope you like and can count on now, why not get a QD mount to move your scope between rifles?
 
Ive got a couple on sale 6-18 dollar Banners on my .22 and my air rifle, they work as advertised. Ive had good luck with the Trophy line in the 80-110 dollar range.
Over that I like the Nikon older Prostaff series, but i havent tried the newer Buckmasters 2. I also like the Bushnell Ultra HDs for the price.
I want to try one of those Minox Zvs but havent bought another scope recently.
 
Get the bushnell banner at walmart for $100 or less. But buying cheap gets expensive since buying a crappy red dot proved for your ar15. Be patient and save.
 
With a $100 budget just flush your money done the toilet. You might find a decent used scope for around $100 if you look around. I don't like dot sights, even good ones for the same reason. If the AR has irons just use them until you can afford something better. Spend $200 on a decent scope for the other rifle now.
 
I don’t have any scopes under a $100.00 but there is one I highly recommend, the Minox ZV-3 from Camera Land. Got one for my SIL to use on his 7mm RM and it has held up nicely. Bought it from Camera Land not because they have the lowest price, they do, but because they are the best retail optics store I’ve ever dealt with and I knew it could be returned. Based on the experience with my SIL’s scope I recommended it to a few people and they all are happy.

It blows the Crossfire, Banner and ProStaff out of the water. It’s as good, possibly better than a Fullfield II or E1.

I’m in agreement with eastbank with this one exception.
 
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I agree with the Minox ZV-3 from Cameraland. I bought one of the 4.5-14X models with side focus for a friend's son. It seemed pretty decent for just over $100 and I have heard good things about the 3-9X. I have purchased a pair of Nitrex TR-1 3-9X scopes, paid $99 for the first one 5 years ago and recently stumbled across one on line on sale $69.99 new in box. I may have got the last one at that price, but it is a decent scope made in Japan. Keep looking, deals are out there.
 
ms6852 said:
Get the bushnell banner at walmart for $100 or less. But buying cheap gets expensive since buying a crappy red dot proved for your ar15. Be patient and save.
Click to expand...

I have never purchased a red-dot, and will not purchase one. The one that's on it now came to me on something else or I wouldn't have it. Seems like maybe on a Mossberg 835.
 
West Kentucky wrote:
What recommendations do you all have?
Click to expand...

Spend some time searching for liquidation sites. Also check local shops for clearances. Discontinued models, closeouts, etc. can often be had at significant discounts. About a year ago, I bought a Bushnell scope at an LGS that was on their closeout table and was marked down by nearly 50%.
 
Two of the last 3 I bought were budget optics, the Minox from Cameraland and a Bushnell red dot. The pair was $134 and both easily worth twice what I paid, particularly the Minox. If you really loath red dots, buy two ZV-3s and live like a prince on a pauper’s budget.

FWIW; my father got in on a Cabelas sale on the Vortex Diamondback, 4-12X I believe (maybe 14X), for $129. The glass was fair but eye relief was far less than advertised. When I pointed that out to him, we promptly took a road trip back to return it.

I own a number of Vortex products but the lower end scopes fall flat in certain critical areas outside a very narrow spectrum. Would have been fine for a .223, but wasn’t suitable on a 6.5 Creed with an 11 year old’s little eye 2 1/2” behind it. She got the Minox and a Leupold on her rifles.
 
WestKentucky said:
I have never purchased a red-dot, and will not purchase one. The one that's on it now came to me on something else or I wouldn't have it. Seems like maybe on a Mossberg 835.
Click to expand...
swfa.com has used scopes you can buy or trade in. Check them out.
 
If your budget is really tight, but you want to gamble, you might take a look at these:
https://www.natchezss.com/bushnell-...-10x44mm-ballistic-x-reticle-matte-black.html
I believe they are comparable to the old Intensity scopes that were imported by ATK a few years back, and are currently sold by Weaver as their 44/40 model. The same website has the Weaver version for $20 more, if you prefer that brand to Bushnell. These are the two I would consider if I had to buy a sub $100 scope. Good luck.
 
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