Scopes and more Scopes - What do I look for?

[Worli]

I am interested to find out if there is a good, reliable thread that identifies what a person should look for in a scope.............. I am looking primarily at a 3-9 for a 30/06 Winchester. There are so many out there ranging from $30 - $600 and more! What are the diferences that a person should look for?

The obvious one to me is clarity, how clear it is when you look through it and of course the type of crosshairs it has, which seems to come down to a personal preference.

I have looked at a variety of scopes and for the price, I really like the Simmons Whitetail Expedition. There are more expensive ones, but it is VERY clear and the price is quite reasonable.

Any thoughts?

 

[squibload]

Hey Worli- Welcome aboard.

Sounds like you’re putting a deer/bear/pig rifle together? Best advice that I can give is to compare scopes outside in the late evening, and focus on the clarity at the edge of the field of view.

A $60 scope will look really similar to a $600 scope in 12:00 noon daylight. It’s when you get on towards evening when a more expensive scope performs better.

In my opinion, light transmission is the most important quality to consider. To that end, look at objective size and quality of the lens coating.

I have had more than a few scopes from just about every company out there, and Simmons are a good, working class scope. They can be very bright, and they will work well in most situations.

I like Bausch and Lomb Elite 4200’s, but that’s personal preference. They’re a bit more expensive, but the lens quality is excellent. My dad wouldn’t own anything other than a Leupold.

Find your price range, and stick to it. That said, I’d rather a $100 rifle with a $500 scope than the other way around.

 

[HiFidelity]

Sightron

Sightron is a great scope for the money if that is a concern. You get pretty much the same scope for a lot less money. 6-24x40 is about $330-340 from Midway. You will NOT be disappointed. I am used to high end otics such as NightForce, IOR, USO, S&B, etc, the REALLY high end stuff, and Sightron blew me away for the money. Word has it a top guy from Leupold struck out on his own and started Sightron. Not sure though but that's what I've heard.