yet ANOTHER scope shopping question

[Crockettnj]

Prior to the old TB crash the optics threads were littered with posts related to scope purchases.

I searched and am a bit of an impaase.

So, last year I upgraded binoculars to Viper Vortex 8x42's and I am very pleased with them. I got them new/used for about 300-ish and think that I got a lot of value for the price.

SO, now I am considering upgrading my bushnell 1-5 shotgun scope, now mounted on my ML, with a better peice of glass.

Criteria , roughly in order , are

1) about $300 price range, a little more or less. say $0 - under $400.

2) good low light performance for scoping out deer parts in the dark cedar & hemlocks I hunt.

3) clear optics, preferably on par with my Viper Vortex binocs (as comparison)

4) I could live with fixed 4x or 6x, but a 2-7 or 3-9 would be preferable. (I leave mine set on 4x now exclusively.)

5) It doesnt have to be a small/compact, but I prefer not to have a HUGE 50mm objective. "normal size"


Shopping for BINOCS was easy because there are lot of birding/audibon threads etc to refer to.

Scopes, not so much. Those sites dont tend to shoot things so much!

I know, go to a store and try them. Fact is, the selection is never wide enough for me, and really, the salespeople are not to my liking in most stores. I would rather "shop" via advice on here and THEN try before I buy.

So, I think the scope I am asking for exists, and I am sure that deals are out there.

Thoughts greatly appreciated.

[ncboman]

No. 0184 Tasco F 6440C 4x40 Black Gloss Fine Cross-hair Clean $29.99



http://www.exnerssportsmansparadise.com/125060.html

May not fit your bill but one of my favorite scopes. VERY good in low light. :)

[Just a Hunter]

Redfield scopes should be available for purchase in the very near future (28days or less) and there new owners are well known to the shooting world.
(Leupold)

There prices will run apx $100 less than a comparable Leupold, and what reviews I have found have been favorable.

This is a scope manufactured right here in the good old USA, with a price tag that compares favorably with the stuff you might find from China.

I am likly going to give them a chance on my Slug Gun.

Midway prices
http://www.midwayusa.com/browse/BrowseProducts.aspx?brandId=1712

Redfield Revolution Rifle Scope 2-7x 33mm 4-Plex Reticle Matte
Product #: 219045
Status: Coming Soon
Our Price:$129.99

[Crockettnj]

Thanks for the input guys.

So, you think a $30 tasco will compare favorably with the optics on my $300 Vortex binocs? Have they changed things at tasco? I had 2 tasco's way back in the day and they were both notable for literally having fallen apart from the inside out. Not here to tasco bash, but my hands on experiences were pretty dramatic and less than favorable!

[swamp]

buy a leupold... they make a good scope that will serve you well for many yrs, dollar for dollar you will not find a better scope.

or buy a thrasco or some other piece of junk and throw your money away...

[Bill Gunn]

buy a leupold... they make a good scope that will serve you well for many yrs, dollar for dollar you will not find a better scope.

In the last 50 years I have had a lot of different scopes, some great, and a few real lemons.

In the long run though, I have to agree with Swamp.

[Sabre]

All I can tell you is the Weaver classic V and K series scopes are real sleepers in the under 300.00 price range. I personally own Sightron S-1 3-9x40, Baush & Lomb elite 3000 3-9x40, Bushnell elite 3200 3-9x40, Nikon pro-staff 2-7x32 & 3-9x40 and Weaver classics in 3-9x38, 2-10x38, 1-3x20 & fixed 2.5x20 and the Weavers are the best of the bunch. I've even compared the Weavers side by side with my brothers Leupold VX-II's {3-9x40 vs my Weaver 3-9x38} and the weavers are just as clear, bright and sharp right up till dark. My brother compared them side by side too and agreed he could see no difference.

[Hi Ball]

Well all I can say is there is a heck of a difference between a Bushnell Elite series and any of those Simmons, Weaver scopes. YOU only get what you pay for in a rifle scope.

Now I will give you the 3 best for the amount of money you want to spend OK. You do the research on these scopes!

1. Bushnell Elite series 3200

2. Nikon Monarch

3. Eagle Optics

I just purchased 4 Bushnell Tactical Elite series 3200 for my varmint/predator rifles and saved a bunch of money verses those Leupolds. Trust me I want back 3 times comparing these scopes inside the building and outside the building. In bright sunlight and in low light conditions with slight fog!

Now after bringing them home and mounting them on new rifles, I was very pleased. So much so, I went back and purchased another Bushnell in the 4200
Elite series 4200 for my son n laws 7mm mag rifle. I saved over $170 dollars per rifle scope verses the Leupolds. My 3200 tactical scopes have mil-dots and turrets with adj AO on them all. I paid $380 dollars each for them and Leupold wanted over $600 dollars for such a scope. Just to let you know ok.:)
Now that is something like $680 dollars on my 4 scopes!!!

Now the one thing I noticed with the Leupols, was when I went from the lowest power to the highest power, they were not as clear as those Bushnells and that is something everone who is looking at a rifle scope should do, not just put the scope on 3 or 4 power and compare. You go through the whole spectrum of powers and compare one to another. I even thought the Bushnells had a slight edge in brightness. Now everyone's eyes are not the same but for my wife and I Bushnell got the nod after the viewing sessions closed. Bushnell has very good lenses in those 3200 and 4200 series rifle scopes!

[Sabre]

Well all I can say is there is a heck of a difference between a Bushnell Elite series and any of those Simmons, Weaver scopes.

There is a difference and it goes in favor of the Weavers. I own both and have compared them side by side in every way and under every imaginable hunting condition. How many of the new Japanese made, Light Optical Weavers do you own or have experience with ? These are NOT the Weavers of old from El Paso.

[swamp]

comparing scopes inside a building ...LMAO

[Hi Ball]

SWAMP, you best grab your ASS again and re-read my post! I also went outsside the building and compared those rifle scope as I always do Sport.;)

[ncboman]

buy a leupold... they make a good scope that will serve you well for many yrs, dollar for dollar you will not find a better scope.

or buy a thrasco or some other piece of junk and throw your money away...

I know Tasco is known for low end scopes. Say what you want but the 4x40AO air rifle scope is a good low light scope. Mine's over 15yrs old and has killed ??? 30+ deer. ... and is as good a low light scope as I own. I paid about a hundred bucks for it new and am thankful I gave it a try. A person could easily violate shooting hour laws with it. I doan know what else anyone could want for low light situations. ... except perhaps to feel superior for spending much more money on something that doesn't work as well. :rolleyes:

think about this; a fixed power 4x40 scope with AO. How can a variable power, even Leupold, begin to compare with the light gathering ability? Can't do it. I've compared side by side. :)

[AK-49]

NC, you can't argue with what works for you.

The only scopes i currently have are leupolds and a swarovski, i'd like to have a nightforce some day

[Hi Ball]

Spend your money the way you see fit simply put! I have never needed anything better than what I have on my rifles at the present and those are Leupold, Bushnell rifle scopes. ;) :D

[Just a Hunter]

Ive used a wide range of scopes in my years, and have learned a few things in doing so.

Like many people I started with scopes such as Tascos and Simmons as this was all I could afford. When my job status improved I moved up to such scopes as Bushnells elites, Nikons, Burris and Leupold. I think the most I ever spent on a scope was the time I had to have a Zeiss, but for my own humility I decline saying what it cost me.

What did I learn?

Ok, this might come to some of your surprise, but the Ziess was a better scope than my Tasco was. :)

Ok, I will stop joking

Typically the more you spend in regards to optics the better quality product you will recieve.

However, You have to ask yourself if your willing to pay twice the price of one scope over another for a marginal difference in performance?

Point in case. My Zeiss may have extended my ability to shoot in low light by up to 15 seconds longer than my Burris. This is a benefit if the buck your looking for happens to come out in that very small timeframe, but otherwise the two scopes were identical in my eye's. Was it worth paying 3times the cost of the Zeiss over that of my Burris? Not to me it wasnt.

There are those that will argue that any benefit is one worth paying for, and maybe there correct.

If a scope is reliable, with a supported warranty and its performance is nearly as good as a scope that cost 3x as much I will gladly take a look at it.

With that being said I must admit I am very curious of what the Redfield scopes have to offer, especially since they are owned by Leupold.

[DancesWithKnives]

I too am curious about the Redfields. Not just owned by Leupold but, as I understand it, made by Leupold at the main Leupold factory. I'll be interested to see whether the scopes have any classic Redfield-type features or are simply a reasonably priced line of Leupolds with the Redfield name slapped on them.

DWK

[swamp]

dollar for dollar leupold is the most scope for money. Sounds like a leupold with redfield stamped on it. I had a redfield and it was a bad performer with a lot of parallax

[Bushman]

I'd say that I get considerably more hunting time behind my 30mm tube Swarovski or Zeiss scopes than 15 seconds extra, but then I've never owned a Burris scope. Tasco, Weaver, Redfield, Bushnell and Leupold, but never a Burris. So much extra time that it isn't legal time to even shoot, so a guy needs to decide for himself how good is good enough. Ergonomically a Leupold is about the nicest proportioned looking scope on my rifles. The custom rifle guys list recommended scope manufacturers for their rifles and that is a pretty short list.

[swamp]

i've owned a few burris rifle scopes and i do NOT recommend them. I quickly got rid of those i did have.

The customs guys probably recommend swarovski or leupold or the german zeiss... I would like to try a nightforce if i wanted a good varmint rifle rig

[swamp]

SWAMP, you best grab your ASS again and re-read my post! I also went outsside the building and compared those rifle scope as I always do Sport.;)

There is so much more to a rifle scope than optical resolution, its important but there are many other factors as well that can't be measured simply by looking through a scope

[kenjs1]

6x42 Leupold FX3 - about the brightest scope available in your range. If going variable have to give the nod to the Weaver Grand Slams. Very bright and perhaps the best adjustments\tracking.

[Rich]

Crockettnj,

I have a 6-24X42 Weaver with A.O. Also I have a 4-16X40 Tasco with A.O. The other day I set them on 7X and then 13X and compared the resolution ability of each to the other. The object of the test was a John Barnesness "eye chart" at 75 yards in the shade. I really had to fiddle with the A.O. on the Weaver to beat out the Tasco. The reason for the 7X and 13X was they were compared to my 7X21 Leica 1200 rangefinder and my 13X56 Minox "big eyes". I was amazed that the 7X21 on the rangefinder was better than the Weaver. Just for your information, there is a world of difference up to the Minox from my 4 1/2-30X50 Bushnell and the Bushnell was a world of difference better than the Leica. I could not discern any difference between the 12-42X56 NightForce and the 4 1/2-30X50 Bushnell.

My son-in-law and I have several Tascos on rifles. My big kicker is a .375-.416 Rem Mag. for years. My buddy's big kicker with a 4-16X Tasco is a .340 Weatherby. My son-in-law's big kicker is a 7 Mag. He has a 2 1/2-10X Tasco on his .308 Mohawk and I have a 2 1/2-10X on .223 Savage.

All the above is stated to let you know Tascos work. Don't let the name or your buddies prevent you from buying a good value. That is unless you just want to spend the money. Then the want is justification enough.

[LeeInSC]

Under $400.00
* Used Zeiss Conqest 3-9x40
* New Zeiss Conquest 4x
* Nikon Monarch
* used Leupold 2.5-8x (one of the best scopes they ever made)
* Leupold 6x42 M8 new
* Used Leupold VX-III
* Bushnell 3200 10x40
* Used Swarovski 3-9x36 Habicht Nova on a good day (usually over $500)

Under $300 (maybe under $200 on sale
* Bushnell FFII Ballistic Plex
* Swift scopes
* Sightron 3-9x42mm