Scope for CZ 550 FS

[ccoyle]

OK, I have been shopping on-line until my eyeballs are ready to fall out. I'm looking for a scope for my CZ 550 FS. The property I hunt on probably doesn't have any sight lines longer than 200 yds. I have read many, many reviews and ratings, and I have shopped around for best prices. I'm interested in what I consider the low-end-but-quality entries, e.g. Nikon Prostaff, Leupold VX-1, etc. I have had a chance to look through some of them, but by no means all. Right now I'm most tempted by one of the following: 1) Prostaff 2-7x32, which I can get for $129.99 with free shipping, or 2) Redfield Revolution 3-9x40, which I can get for about the same price.

I have seen a Prostaff up close, but it was a 3-9x40, which I was comparing to a Vortex Diamondback. I thought the Vortex had slightly better glass, but the Nikon was a very close second. I have not had a chance to check out the Redfield, though I have seen its cousin, the VX-1, which was very nice but would cost me about $30 more.

So, feedback on any of these? Thoughts on 2-7x32 versus 3-9x40 for the 550 FS? Truth is, I think I'm over-analyzing and suspect I would be satisfied with most any of these.

Thanks in advance for answering yet another scope question!

 

[MaterDei]

I think I'm over-analyzing and suspect I would be satisfied with most any of these.

Agreed. Purchase any of them and enjoy!

 

[jmr40]

In order of preference I like these in the $200ish range

http://swfa.com/Burris-3-9x40-Fullfield-II-Rifle-Scope-P7932.aspx
http://swfa.com/Leupold-3-9x40-VX-1-Riflescope-P51827.aspx
http://swfa.com/Redfield-3-9x40-Revolution-Rifle-Scope-P44468.aspx

Nothing wrong with any of those. It is worth the extra $100 for me to buy the VX-2. But I'd not feel a bit handicapped with any of those $200 scopes. I either currently own or have had all in the past.

With some scopes going to a 2-7X32 scope is significantly lighter. These 3-9X40's are already among the lightest you'll find. I can't tell the difference between 2X and 3x on the low end so I see no real advantage with the 2-7X. I do have some 1-4X20 scopes on some rifles. If I want a smaller scope with low magnification I'd recommend skipping the 2-7X and going straight to 1-4x

Nikon glass is at least as good if not better than other brands in the same price range. Vortex is very similar, but I don't like either scopes. They have some other design features such as field of view, eye relief, reticle design, size and weight etc., that make them less than desirable to me. None of that matters as much with binoculars and I have and like some of those.

 

[ccoyle]

I finally made my decision. I ended up looking through many scopes, including the VX-1, Redfield Revolution, and Burris Fullfield II in addition to the Vortex Diamondback and Nikon ProStaff. I thought the Revolution had a slight edge in brightness, but all the scopes I looked at had good glass. It's funny, but when you browse through different shooting forums, you find some that seem to be all Nikon guys, some that are almost all Leupold guys, some that are all Vortex guys, etc., etc. I will say that to me, the Nikon ProStaff was not as sharp edge-to-edge as the others, although I saw many posts that indicated that different people have different viewing experiences through the same scopes. Anyways, I finally decided to go with the VX-1 and got one off eBay for a really good price. It is supposedly a new item from 2013 stock, which means it was manufactured after Leupold's last upgrade of the VX-1 line (circa 2011), but we shall see. I admit that I was partially swayed by the VX-1's classic good looks (good match for my rifle, methinks) and by its being made in America. Slightly better eye relief and less weight, too. I did really like the Redfield Accu-Range reticle, but the new scope has a duplex reticle, which is fine by me. Can't wait to get it mounted and then off to the range!

 

[Sniper66]

Good choice. Have fun.

 

[PabloJ]

The 550FS already being heavy light weight Leupold makes sense. I would say if one is shopping for low weight scope, long eye relief, smaller diameter ocular (allows slightly lower scope mounting on a bolt gun) Leupold is the way to go.