SUBMOAS
Member
Your rifle is only as good as your optic..........
How much do you spend on a scope for quality?
- Thread starter MCgunner
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Fatelvis
Member
I consider $300 to be the bottom end for a rifle scope. I like to catagorize them as follows:
Level 1 = Leupold, B&L, Burris / $300-$650
Level 2 = Leupold MK4s, Swarovski, Ziess, USO, Nightforce/ $1100-$1700
Level 3 = S&B/ too much for me!!
Level 1 = Leupold, B&L, Burris / $300-$650
Level 2 = Leupold MK4s, Swarovski, Ziess, USO, Nightforce/ $1100-$1700
Level 3 = S&B/ too much for me!!
MCgunner
Member
I doubt I'll ever own a rifle worth more than 1000 dollars nor a scope more than 400, personally. A 1 moa gun is a 1 moa gun. If I can hit what I'm shooting at, it's good 'nuf. I said in my post I've shot a Kleingunther (or however you spell it)/Schmidt and Bender and a couple of other rifles ol' Henry has. I know how good those S&Bs are, also know they won't do anything my cheaper scopes won't do in my deer hunting. They do have marvelous optics, though, and I'm sure a bit better in low light. If I was rich, I might would go for the high dollar optics, but I'd still be shooting a sub 1000 dollar rifles. LOL I like Remingtons, they're accurate, they do the job. I don't need fancy wood and gold inlaid hunting scenes to hit the target.
I think on my budget, no budget, I have to go for at least 200 dollars MSRP on a scope, though. I know there's a limit to how low you can go with optics and have acceptable quality.
I got a deal on that Weatherby Supreme. I'm not sure what those things went for new, got mine on a sell out, don't think they sell 'em anymore. But, it's MUCH brighter and a little clearer optics than my Weaver and seems to be pretty danged rugged. I shoulda got two of 'em at that price, LOL. It's only draw back is it's HEAVY. But, then, I have it on a 7mm Rem Mag, so weight is a good thing. That scope approaches what I've seen in 400 dollar scopes. The 44 mil objective helps the brightness of it, I guess.
I ain't no rich safari hunter, Bwana MC or anything. I'm just a poor white trash Texas deer and hog hunter, never will be anything else I reckon. I keep buying lotto tickets. I might even buy a suit and tie if I win, just to pick up my check in.
While I'm in Austin, I'll be looking at hill country ranches, too, and maybe I'll pick up a Schmidt and Bender at one of the better gun shops while I'm at it.
I think on my budget, no budget, I have to go for at least 200 dollars MSRP on a scope, though. I know there's a limit to how low you can go with optics and have acceptable quality.
I got a deal on that Weatherby Supreme. I'm not sure what those things went for new, got mine on a sell out, don't think they sell 'em anymore. But, it's MUCH brighter and a little clearer optics than my Weaver and seems to be pretty danged rugged. I shoulda got two of 'em at that price, LOL. It's only draw back is it's HEAVY. But, then, I have it on a 7mm Rem Mag, so weight is a good thing. That scope approaches what I've seen in 400 dollar scopes. The 44 mil objective helps the brightness of it, I guess.
I ain't no rich safari hunter, Bwana MC or anything. I'm just a poor white trash Texas deer and hog hunter, never will be anything else I reckon. I keep buying lotto tickets. I might even buy a suit and tie if I win, just to pick up my check in.
While I'm in Austin, I'll be looking at hill country ranches, too, and maybe I'll pick up a Schmidt and Bender at one of the better gun shops while I'm at it. 
rbernie
Contributing Member
$300 is pretty much the least you should spend. How much more you spend is dictated by your budget and desire for incremental gains in quality.
I don't think that I've heard that. And if I have, you're right that it's an ignorant statement.
Yeah.
And if it's so dark I can't see a deer with the scope I have on my deer rifle, I will get a big fat ticket and probably lose my hunting license for a while if I pull the trigger.
With a Swarovski, I could count the hairs on its nose way past legal shooting hours. I appreciate that kind of quality, and I definitely notice it. I just don't NEED it for deer hunting in open country, so my money is better spent otherwise.
With a mid-range, quality scope (Burris, Leupold, whatever) I can hit it perfectly well under any real circumstances. That statement does NOT mean that a VXII is equal to a $1500 scope. It means that it will do the intended job just as well. There is a difference between those statements.
That doesn't mean I wouldn't get a high-end scope for any purpose that actually exploits its capabilities. Nor does it mean I would buy junk when I need reliability. But I'm pretty confident that a Swarovski would break just the same as a Burris if dropped onto concrete from 50 feet in the air. If I'm wrong, let me know.
It's accurate to say that you won't be able to get groceries reliably in a car that's falling apart. However, it's not true that you need a new Rolls-Royce to do it. You will get just as many groceries, just as reliably, if you drive a Toyota. That doesn't mean a Toyota is the same as a Rolls-Royce, either. It means that, when you specify a task, it may do that task just as well for less cash.
Rifle Scopes
Just a word on scopes. I've owned many kinds as I trade rifles a lot. Among them Leupold, Zeise, Bushnell Elite 3200 & 4200, Weaver Grand Slam, Kahles and several lesser brand cheapies. My last scope purchase was the Zeise Conquest. I recieved a Fuginon riflescope in a trade last week, it is NIB. It is without a doubt the finest optical scope I've ever looked through. It clearly exceeds any other optic I've ever owned, even the highest quality European glass. Down side is it's ugly, but that's the only down side. Solid one piece aluminum tube, etched reticles (I think) and very precise repeatable adjustments. Fuginon is world renoun for it's optics. The Border Patrol and U.S. Military use the Binocs (M22 & M24) and they are amazing. Why these scopes never caught on here is a mystery. I found some on E-bay that were quite inexpensive. This is a quote from a blurb I found on an optics site " Fuginon brings optical quality equal that of the finest European makers such as Zeiss, Steiner, Swarovski, Lica, and Doctor... Each Fuginon Model is brighter, clearer, and tougher than any model in it's class... They have the highest light transmission of any rifle scope on earth. I think this scope far exceeds the Zeiss I have. They are a treasure and they are affordable if you can find one I'm sure you'll agree. I consider this as the best bargain I've found in a very long time.
Just a word on scopes. I've owned many kinds as I trade rifles a lot. Among them Leupold, Zeise, Bushnell Elite 3200 & 4200, Weaver Grand Slam, Kahles and several lesser brand cheapies. My last scope purchase was the Zeise Conquest. I recieved a Fuginon riflescope in a trade last week, it is NIB. It is without a doubt the finest optical scope I've ever looked through. It clearly exceeds any other optic I've ever owned, even the highest quality European glass. Down side is it's ugly, but that's the only down side. Solid one piece aluminum tube, etched reticles (I think) and very precise repeatable adjustments. Fuginon is world renoun for it's optics. The Border Patrol and U.S. Military use the Binocs (M22 & M24) and they are amazing. Why these scopes never caught on here is a mystery. I found some on E-bay that were quite inexpensive. This is a quote from a blurb I found on an optics site " Fuginon brings optical quality equal that of the finest European makers such as Zeiss, Steiner, Swarovski, Lica, and Doctor... Each Fuginon Model is brighter, clearer, and tougher than any model in it's class... They have the highest light transmission of any rifle scope on earth. I think this scope far exceeds the Zeiss I have. They are a treasure and they are affordable if you can find one I'm sure you'll agree. I consider this as the best bargain I've found in a very long time.
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