need a scope
- Thread starter tcrocker
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I just put a 2-7x33mm Leupold VX-II on my .30-06 Winchester. With Talley Extra Low one-piece ring/mounts ($43), it keeps the gun light and well-balanced. I paid $270 for it, and I am happy with the results.
WRT brand names, scopes aren't clothes. Generally, you don't "pay for the name", and a scope you've never heard of is not going to be a $300 scope for 50 bucks.
WRT brand names, scopes aren't clothes. Generally, you don't "pay for the name", and a scope you've never heard of is not going to be a $300 scope for 50 bucks.
What Armed Bear said. There are some good prices available on the lower-powered, smaller Leupolds.
Leupold Rifleman 2-7: ($189.99)
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=315034
Leupold Vari-X I ($209.99)
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=583363
Redfield 2-7 $129.99
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=219045
Geno
Leupold Rifleman 2-7: ($189.99)
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=315034
Leupold Vari-X I ($209.99)
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=583363
Redfield 2-7 $129.99
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=219045
Geno
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I like this Sightron S1 3x9-40, Japanese optics, clear and nicely made for $112 shipped http://www.shoptics.com/tn-rs-si39x40.html
OR
A Bushnell elite 3200 3x9-40 check ebay there's a guy named sharp-and-shiny that sells them new (not refurbed) shipped for $156. I saw a few others there as well
The Talley lightweight rings are nice This outfit sells them for $28 and change http://www.blackbearsportinggoods.com/Ring_Mnts_30mm_Lo_Win_70_p/elltal730702.htm
I like DNZ Dednutz because they're linked for $30 shippedhttp://www.amazon.com/Dednutz-Products-Llc-Win-Black/dp/B001EYDNZK/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1262963891&sr=8-13
This should provide you with several excellent options for a smart cash outlay
OR
A Bushnell elite 3200 3x9-40 check ebay there's a guy named sharp-and-shiny that sells them new (not refurbed) shipped for $156. I saw a few others there as well
The Talley lightweight rings are nice This outfit sells them for $28 and change http://www.blackbearsportinggoods.com/Ring_Mnts_30mm_Lo_Win_70_p/elltal730702.htm
I like DNZ Dednutz because they're linked for $30 shippedhttp://www.amazon.com/Dednutz-Products-Llc-Win-Black/dp/B001EYDNZK/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1262963891&sr=8-13
This should provide you with several excellent options for a smart cash outlay
Uncle Mike
Member
The Leupold VX-II is good. I would steer clear of the Rifleman.
Sightrons are good, preferably the S-II. They have a better track record than some of the other scopes in the same price range.
Bushnell 3200...another good deal.
Weaver....They have been selling great for us, with zero complaints so far. For your price range, check out the Grand Slam or 40/44 Series.
Sightrons are good, preferably the S-II. They have a better track record than some of the other scopes in the same price range.
Bushnell 3200...another good deal.
Weaver....They have been selling great for us, with zero complaints so far. For your price range, check out the Grand Slam or 40/44 Series.
Lots of great scopes in that price range. And Armed Bear is right - you do usually get what you pay for.
Depending on the specific features that you want, these are the scopes that I usually look at first:
Nikon Prostaff
Nikon Buckmaster
Nikon Team Primos
Leupold VX I and VXII
Bushnell Elite
Sightron SII
Burris FFII
Depending on the specific features that you want, these are the scopes that I usually look at first:
Nikon Prostaff
Nikon Buckmaster
Nikon Team Primos
Leupold VX I and VXII
Bushnell Elite
Sightron SII
Burris FFII
Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow
member
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- Nov 14, 2007
- Messages
- 13,146
On my two 30-.06s (which are for hunting), I have the following, if it helps you any:
1. Nikon Monarch 2.5-8x32...or is it 36?
2. Sightron S2, 3-9x42
Both are in the $220-$275 range new, give or take.
Red State makes a strong list for value there, too. There's something to be said for leaning toward a Leupold if on the fence for heavy recoilers (which I consider .30-06 to be), due to their fantastic warranty.
1. Nikon Monarch 2.5-8x32...or is it 36?
2. Sightron S2, 3-9x42
Both are in the $220-$275 range new, give or take.
Red State makes a strong list for value there, too. There's something to be said for leaning toward a Leupold if on the fence for heavy recoilers (which I consider .30-06 to be), due to their fantastic warranty.
CoRoMo
Member
I've been very satisfied with the Nikon and Leupold scopes that I've put on my .270s.
They make good stuff and you'll be satisfied.
It almost becomes sickening, but I always HAVE to mention ebay. I've found deals on NIB scopes for well under retail, and well under HALF of retail a time or two as well.
They make good stuff and you'll be satisfied.
It almost becomes sickening, but I always HAVE to mention ebay. I've found deals on NIB scopes for well under retail, and well under HALF of retail a time or two as well.
Uncle Mike
Member
Go to Wal-Mart get a Center Point scope for 70 bucks, keep the package it came in and reciept in case you don't like it. Mount it, shoot it and if you don't like it return it. If you do like it keep it. Now let the Center Point bashing begin.
lobo9er
Member
I like leupolds, come with a Lifetime warranty too.
ebay leupold rifleman $199 free ship.
ebay leupold rifleman $199 free ship.
The_Pretender
Member
I bought a Leupold Rifleman, 3-9 x 40mm, matte finish.
It definitely has the most crisp picture with great clarity. I don't like how the adjustment knobs don't click, but it still is a damn fine scope for the price. ($200)
I would like to know why Uncle Mike suggests staying away from them though. Something I need to be aware of?
It definitely has the most crisp picture with great clarity. I don't like how the adjustment knobs don't click, but it still is a damn fine scope for the price. ($200)
I would like to know why Uncle Mike suggests staying away from them though. Something I need to be aware of?
lobo9er
Member
for the money you get a good quality scope that will last a lifetime.
hometheaterman
Member
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2009
- Messages
- 1,115
Burris Fullfield II. By far the best clearest scope I've owned. Best in low light too. I also have a Leupold VX-I and you can read in many other threads I've posted in how much I dislike this scope. Even when it does working a hard bumps seems to make it lose zero. I only have talked to 3 guys I know of that have these scopes in person and all 3 of us have had it start adjusting itself when you shot and just jumping all over the place. I sent it into Leupold and kept it when I got it back. Mines been in for repair twice btw in 3 years of use. The other guy got his back and traded it for a .22 rifle. The third guy is trying to sell his now along with the gun it's on.
I've had better luck with Simmons and Tasco than the Leupold and clarity wise I can't tell a difference between them. A buddy said a $30 Tasco we compared them to looked better to him. However, I couldn't see a difference.
I have a lot of friends that hunt with Simmons and not many of them have had issues. Actually not any of them I know of. They all seem to like them. While they aren't great in low light like the Burris they are usually good enough and seem decent for the price of them.
I know a few guys that like Tasco's but others that have had bad experiences with them and don't like them.
I've had better luck with Simmons and Tasco than the Leupold and clarity wise I can't tell a difference between them. A buddy said a $30 Tasco we compared them to looked better to him. However, I couldn't see a difference.
I have a lot of friends that hunt with Simmons and not many of them have had issues. Actually not any of them I know of. They all seem to like them. While they aren't great in low light like the Burris they are usually good enough and seem decent for the price of them.
I know a few guys that like Tasco's but others that have had bad experiences with them and don't like them.
I have a Fullfield II, and I like it all right.
However, I just got a VX-II, and I can't begin to say how much better it is for practical use. It was worth the additional cash I paid.
Beef #1: The Burris has a "European-style" focus on the eyepiece. It spins and does not lock. To change the power, you rotate the whole eyepiece, also. So the eyepiece rotates, and the end of the eyepiece rotates more. That means you really can't use a flip-up cap on it. I had one, but lost it because of how it got spun around and couldn't be shoved all the way on. This can be subjective; these aren't BAD features. They just aren't ideal for a hunting scope, all told, in my book.
The Leupold has a locking ring on the eyepiece focus. Set it, lock it, and never think about it again. To change the power, you turn a ring on the scope tube, and the eyepiece stays in place. So, flip-up covers work fine. For a hunting scope, this is a lot better.
Beef #2: The Burris eye relief is somewhat critical. Since it shifts with different power, you can install it for a perfect fit and cheek weld at 3, or 9, or 5, but never for all powers.
The Leupold eye relief also shifts with the power, but it is much, much less critical, so you can set the scope up for the same gun fit at all powers if you do it carefully.
Beef #3: The Burris Ballistic Plex drop reticle has asymmetrical duplex posts. This naturally draws your eye down into the drop tick marks, away from the center of the crosshair, when you shoot quickly. It also has to be zeroed at 100 yards to use the drop reticle, which means you really can't just snap-shoot past 150 yards with a .30-06.
The Leupold Long Range Duplex has symmetrical duplex posts, so that, even with the tick marks present, your eye is drawn to the center more naturally. It is made for a 200-yard zero with a .30-06, so that you can snap-shoot to 250 or so. Same cartridge, but it suddenly became more of a "flat shooter" because the scope design makes more sense.
Beef #4: The Burris adjustment knobs can't be re-zeroed. They indicate what they indicate. The clicks are also not nearly as positive as the VX-II, so you can't tell just by feel, for sure, that you went 1 click or 2, not 1 1/2.
The Leupold adjustment knobs are easily re-zeroed. When you've sighted the gun in, you turn them so that the indicator points to 0. If you want to tweak the knob, you have an automatic indication of how much you moved it, and how to return it to your previous adjustment. The clicks feel 100% positive, and inspire confidence when you turn them.
The Burris is durable and the image is bright and clear. It's not a bad scope by any means. There's a tiny bit of distortion if I move my eye off-center, but it's sure not like a Simmons or something! I just won't balk at spending a little more to get a VX-II again next time, since I can list exactly what it is that I'm spending the extra money on.
If I really wanted a scope for $200, I'd skip the BPLEX, and I might well get a Burris FF II. Nikon would get a good look, too, though.
However, I just got a VX-II, and I can't begin to say how much better it is for practical use. It was worth the additional cash I paid.
Beef #1: The Burris has a "European-style" focus on the eyepiece. It spins and does not lock. To change the power, you rotate the whole eyepiece, also. So the eyepiece rotates, and the end of the eyepiece rotates more. That means you really can't use a flip-up cap on it. I had one, but lost it because of how it got spun around and couldn't be shoved all the way on. This can be subjective; these aren't BAD features. They just aren't ideal for a hunting scope, all told, in my book.
The Leupold has a locking ring on the eyepiece focus. Set it, lock it, and never think about it again. To change the power, you turn a ring on the scope tube, and the eyepiece stays in place. So, flip-up covers work fine. For a hunting scope, this is a lot better.
Beef #2: The Burris eye relief is somewhat critical. Since it shifts with different power, you can install it for a perfect fit and cheek weld at 3, or 9, or 5, but never for all powers.
The Leupold eye relief also shifts with the power, but it is much, much less critical, so you can set the scope up for the same gun fit at all powers if you do it carefully.
Beef #3: The Burris Ballistic Plex drop reticle has asymmetrical duplex posts. This naturally draws your eye down into the drop tick marks, away from the center of the crosshair, when you shoot quickly. It also has to be zeroed at 100 yards to use the drop reticle, which means you really can't just snap-shoot past 150 yards with a .30-06.
The Leupold Long Range Duplex has symmetrical duplex posts, so that, even with the tick marks present, your eye is drawn to the center more naturally. It is made for a 200-yard zero with a .30-06, so that you can snap-shoot to 250 or so. Same cartridge, but it suddenly became more of a "flat shooter" because the scope design makes more sense.
Beef #4: The Burris adjustment knobs can't be re-zeroed. They indicate what they indicate. The clicks are also not nearly as positive as the VX-II, so you can't tell just by feel, for sure, that you went 1 click or 2, not 1 1/2.
The Leupold adjustment knobs are easily re-zeroed. When you've sighted the gun in, you turn them so that the indicator points to 0. If you want to tweak the knob, you have an automatic indication of how much you moved it, and how to return it to your previous adjustment. The clicks feel 100% positive, and inspire confidence when you turn them.
The Burris is durable and the image is bright and clear. It's not a bad scope by any means. There's a tiny bit of distortion if I move my eye off-center, but it's sure not like a Simmons or something! I just won't balk at spending a little more to get a VX-II again next time, since I can list exactly what it is that I'm spending the extra money on.
If I really wanted a scope for $200, I'd skip the BPLEX, and I might well get a Burris FF II. Nikon would get a good look, too, though.
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Zeke/PA
Member
Check out the Nikon offerings.
Good optics, good quality, SENSABLE prices.
Good optics, good quality, SENSABLE prices.
Go the the SII Sighton 3-9x42 for $212 at optics planet. Great glass, tracks great, and lifetime replacement warranty no questions asked. They will not fix it if it breaks. You just get a new one. I own one the Big Sky on my 30-06. No regrets.
Birdhunter1
Member
Several good choices have been mentioned. I am particular to the Sightron's myself having both the S1 3-9-40 MD and the SII 6-24x42 AO (out of your intended budget). I also have a few of Bushnell's in the Legend (5-15X40 AO MD) Elite 3200 (3-9X40) and a few Banners. I would not recommend the Banner on a 30-06, but the Legend may be a good scope for it and I know the Elite will hold up well. I have a Nikon Buckmasters 3-9-40 on a slug gun that I really like but I also wouldn't shy away from the Pro Staff series or any of the higher series. Not much of a Leupold guy but the Rifleman is a very good scope and is sold at a very good price.
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