Right scope for me?

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Rustle in the bushes

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So this will be my first scope and I hate to go down to the store completely clueless. Im just getting my hunting license and am currently putting together gear- a model 70 featherweight in 30-06. I wont be attempting 250 yard shots or more- probably less I'd imagine.

I like to buy gear once and not worry about it later and I hear leupold makes good stuff but dont know a darn thing about scopes really- or what kind of $$ I should be spending.

Heres a vx-3: 3.5 -10 x 40

http://ca.wholesalesports.com/store...rifle-scopes/vx-3-riflescopes/prod269139.html

I can also get a 3.5-10 x 50 for $100 more but I wanna be able to mount this with low rings for a better fit.

Wouldnt buy a thing without asking the experience folks here first- good idea?
 
that should work just fine. the vxIII is a very good scope and should last you a lifetime. whether or not it is the best scope for you depends on your hunting style. if you like to sit still and let the deer come to you and take the shot on your own time then it sounds like a geat choice.

i do a lot of driven hunts where the action can be fast and close but also will spot-and-stalk and on occasion will watch fields and treelines from a distance. because of all this i needed a scope that would work up close as well as at distance. i went with a 2-7x. i would much rather have more flexability on the lower end vs the upper end. YMMV.
 
A 50mm objective makes for a BIG scope. Heavy, too. Would be counter to the Model 70's featherweight characteristics. I'd keep that front lenses under 42mm. A 32-36mm objective makes for a great light weight scope. IMHO high magnification is not need on a hunting rifle. I'd rather have a wide field-of-view and a large exit pupil. 2-7x power makes for a good light weight scope. A lot of my hunting scope are variables in 1.75-5x power range.

Expect to pay $200+ for decent huntable glass. Buy a good brand name, that makes it easy. Leopold is a good name and a great value in their lower cost lines. No "bad" scopes in their line up. A used Leopold is something to consider. Look on eBay. Their warranty and no BS CS makes a used Leopold a low risk.

Burris is good. Vortex is a new up and comer in the optics world. Burris also makes some good rings that aren’t too expensive. Look for Burris “Zee” rings. Under $40, built like tanks, and as good as anything out there. Nikon makes a lot of good scopes, they also make some that are not so great. A Japanese Nikon is about as good as it gets. Their Chinese scopes, not so much. Weaver makes some good value scopes.

I would not recommend a scope with a lot of bells and whistles: adjustable objectives, target turrets, illuminated reticules, etc, add cost, complexity, and add no benefits to a hunting scope on a lightweight rifle.
 
Rustle in the bushes, if you're going to buy a decent scope don't buy from the rip off muppets in the link you provided. You can find the scope in your link for $550 at Bear Basin ... that's almost $200 less!! Bear Basin has much better prices, free shipping, 6 or 12 months of 0% financing and very good service. You can buy a Leupold VX-3 3.5-10x40mm with a B&C reticle from Bear Basin for $560.

http://www.bearbasin.com/leupold-scopes.htm#leupold-vx-3-scopes

I really like Zeiss Conquest scopes. The 3-9x40mm with the RZ600 reticle is a great scope and if you don't need 4" of eye relief, the 3.5-10x44mm is excellent as well.
 
For deer hunting inside of 300 yards and even more, there is no need for more scope than a fixed four power. Sure, I use a variable, but I've always set a 3x9 on 3X for hunting and 9X for precision in sighting in. Convenience: On 9X, I can see bullet holes at 100 yards without using a spotting scope. :)

My father was noted for long-range kills, on out to 500 yards. On his two sporterized Springfields, one had a 4X and the other a 6X.
 
I would recommend a Sightron S-II 3-9x42mm, Vortex Viper 3-9x40mm, Nikon Monarch 2-8x32mm/2.5-10x42mm, or Bushnell Elite 2-7x32mm/3-9x40mm. IMO any of these will not only be just as good as the VX-3 (which is a good scope), but on average save you quite a bit.

:)
 
I also think that VX3 is too much scope...not so much the magnification, but the 50mm objective (which costs a lot more than its actually worth in my opinion)

Look into the 40-44mm objectives...they'll do the same thing for a lot less money, and will mount lower on the rifle which makes it more comfortable to shoot without an adjustable cheek rest.

I recently bought a Vortex scope, its a 4-12x44mm Viper HS (30mm tube, rings are pricey)...I LOVE THAT SCOPE!....$489 from MidwayUSA.

You can find a scope to fit your needs without spending over $500...easily.

Vortex
Nikon
Leupold
The upper end Weaver scopes are good too...
 
You are not going to go wrong with a Leupold. Especially their latest VX 3 version.

Good advice from others above. The one thing I would chime in on, having made this mistake myself, is do not get anything with an adjustable objective.

That 3.5X10 is a great scope and there is no real need for a 50mm objective. they get used in Europe where you can hunt when the sun is down.

Finally do get yourself a good set of steel rings.

Let us know what you do!
 
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