What's your favorite brand of rifle scope?
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Redfield.....which I'm pretty sure is owned/made my leupold :?
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Leupold is good and reliable and I have no complaints except for price point. For the same dollar figure there are better quality optics out there. For example in the mid range price line of $300 -$500, you will get better optics with the Bushnell Elite line, Zeiss Conquest or even the newer kid on the block, Minox ZA series. But if I had a price limit of $500 to spend on a scope, it would be the Zeiss Conquest, hands down. Under $300 would be a Bushnell Elite and if skys the limit, a Swaro or Kahles.
The one good thing is that the quality of hunting optics has come a long way and one does not have to sell the farm to put a good reliable scope on their weapon of choice.
One tip for the beginner though, is do not put all your money into that rifle. It doesn't matter how good of a tack driver that rifle is, if you can't see what you are aiming at or your shot never hits the same place twice, you will have a very frustrating hunting season.
Spend what you can afford on your scope and don't forget that also means buying good quality mounts. If you have $600 to spend on a package, try to balance it out. Don't spend $500 on the gun and $100 on the scope and mounts. You will be setting yourself up for disappointment. A 50/50 rule works pretty good and will balance out your rig quite nicely.
Remember, you can always tweak your rifle to shoot better with load development, trigger adjustment, bedding, etc, but there is nothing you can do to tweak a scope that won't hold its zero, fogs up or is hazy at sunset.
The one good thing is that the quality of hunting optics has come a long way and one does not have to sell the farm to put a good reliable scope on their weapon of choice.
One tip for the beginner though, is do not put all your money into that rifle. It doesn't matter how good of a tack driver that rifle is, if you can't see what you are aiming at or your shot never hits the same place twice, you will have a very frustrating hunting season.
Spend what you can afford on your scope and don't forget that also means buying good quality mounts. If you have $600 to spend on a package, try to balance it out. Don't spend $500 on the gun and $100 on the scope and mounts. You will be setting yourself up for disappointment. A 50/50 rule works pretty good and will balance out your rig quite nicely.
Remember, you can always tweak your rifle to shoot better with load development, trigger adjustment, bedding, etc, but there is nothing you can do to tweak a scope that won't hold its zero, fogs up or is hazy at sunset.
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193 Posts
I would like to buy better optics, and probably will in the future, but so far the Simmons 8 Point scope that came with my Savage 30-06 package deal has served me great out to just past 400 yds with precision for the past 9 years. Practice, practice, and practice.
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When Simmons first came out on the market, they got a bad rap, and it was probably deserved. But for some time now, I know a lot of experienced shooters who have them. My wife has had one on her varmit rifle (22-250) for several years now, and has had no trouble at all. She shot a sod poodle with it at a lazered 637 yards.Tailhunter said:
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Wow, that is a crazy shot,lol! Congrat her for me! I practiced out to 500 yds on my -06 and was Very happy to make a 411 yard shot count! Not sure I will be too eager to make that shot again though, I like them within 300 yds if I am set up right.mikeh416Rigby said:
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Remind me not to make her mad,lol!
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936 Posts
Higher end eites (6500) and Vortex Vipers have been my scope of choice... based my choice on eye relief and glass clarity - those brands came above the leupy, which is originally what I wanted to get... but looking thru leupy vxIII the 6500 2.5-16 was a winner when 'best bang for buck' logic came about... I do like the 6x magnification on most of the zooms
I tried then bought a VViper 4-16 HSLR and wow! Then bought another....What a good scope! I have one on a 260 and 7-08, and really am impressed! Wouldn't hesitate for another
I would like to try a nightforce or zeiss... heard nothing but good about them too.
I tried then bought a VViper 4-16 HSLR and wow! Then bought another....What a good scope! I have one on a 260 and 7-08, and really am impressed! Wouldn't hesitate for another
I would like to try a nightforce or zeiss... heard nothing but good about them too.
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For the range I spend $200-350.00. I have been a recent convert to Nikon, I really like the clairity and the sharpness of the image with Nikon glass. I did buy a pair of Vortex Binos and am quite happy with those too.
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Ive always been a Bushnell elite guy but if I was buying another I'd be looking at a Nikon.
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One thing is for sure; you can get a lot more scope for the money now than even 10 years ago. There are at least twice as many brands on the market. I have Leupold, Bushnell, Nikon and Mueller scopes on rifles. All of these brands and many others have good offerings. I do not care much for anything Tasco and am slowly losing confidence in Bushnell. They say to buy a scope only once. That works if you only scope one or two rifles or have lots of cash to scope more rifles with high end scopes. Otherwise it is a matter of searching for truly good optics combined with great features at a reasonable price and hopefully a good warranty. The Mueller I have is an 8-32X44 I put on a range gun. 30mm tube, side focus, laser etched reticle with target dot. This scope was about $300 and is worth twice that IMO. It enabled me to cut group sizes in half with my .223 range gun with my pet load. Huge exit pupil and edge to edge clarity at high mag. These scopes are worth a look and as luck would have it the Canadian distributor is here in Winnipeg and sells direct to the public. U.S. assembled with German and Japanese glass.
Two other points; warranty is very important as is the type of service you can expect from where you bought it. The original Simmons Aetec scopes were great, many of their subsequent offerings were not IMO.
Two other points; warranty is very important as is the type of service you can expect from where you bought it. The original Simmons Aetec scopes were great, many of their subsequent offerings were not IMO.
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2,420 Posts
highlandglen guide said:
I have two Elite 4200's both on 243's... the clarity is amazing for the price rivaling all the Nikons out there... On the otherhand I have a DOA 600 that should have the same glass that is absolutely terrible....
My next scope will be A ziess or Leopold...
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216 Posts
I personally would only consider two American brand scopes: Leupold but only the VX3, or VX6, or the Mark series, and Nightforce.
Higher end Leupolds are assembled in the US with Japanese glass.
On my older Leupold Vari-X-3 still says "Made in USA" love that scope, will always keep it. Leupold's warranty is outstanding....although I never needed it. Their lens treatments, coatings are on par with some high end German glasses, but better than Kahles, Docter, or the Czech Meopta IMO not to mention the lower end Zeiss Conquest or the mid grade Z3 Swarowski.
Their lower end optics are made in China like the Green Ring series.
Nightforce are great scopes have also Japanese glass and are being made there. Never owned one which I regret but heard great things about them.
The only other American brand that I owned for a short while was a Bausch&Lomb back in the days.
In optics buy the best you can afford, no free lunches there.
Higher end Leupolds are assembled in the US with Japanese glass.
On my older Leupold Vari-X-3 still says "Made in USA" love that scope, will always keep it. Leupold's warranty is outstanding....although I never needed it. Their lens treatments, coatings are on par with some high end German glasses, but better than Kahles, Docter, or the Czech Meopta IMO not to mention the lower end Zeiss Conquest or the mid grade Z3 Swarowski.
Their lower end optics are made in China like the Green Ring series.
Nightforce are great scopes have also Japanese glass and are being made there. Never owned one which I regret but heard great things about them.
The only other American brand that I owned for a short while was a Bausch&Lomb back in the days.
In optics buy the best you can afford, no free lunches there.
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