Prolly shouldn't have sold that one.

Regular Guy, you've gotten some good advice on brands. I agree with buying Leupold used for a bargain. My recommendation is that if you go fixed power, get a 4X. You'll find that there are times when anything higher is too much. If you go variable, 3x-9x is a good match for a .243. Personally, I like a variable with at least 9X on high. If you are like most hunters, you'll spend more time lookin' than shootin' so the higher power option just adds to the enjoyment!

Thanks again guys, for taking the time to reply.� My little $40 tasco has not shifted yet.� I've put about hundred more rounds through it since�I zeroed it as well. I am gonna squeeze as much out of that little scope as I can.� By the time I replace it, I'll probably be working with a better budget.
�Meanwhile, I doubt if I'll be looking more than shooting.� When hunting, yes, but otherwise I take every opportunity I get to go to the range.
I have bought, sold, and shot several types of guns throughout my life, but I have never enjoyed it as much as I do now.� The Ruger American is an accurate and handy little rifle, and the .243 Winchester cartridge is a pleasure to shoot.� The prospects of long range shooting, tinkering, and reloading have made me eager to move forward with this hobby.
Originally, I was looking for a durable, dial it in and forget it for life, fixed power scope.� Something that goes on a gun that gets pulled out once or twice a year, with the potential of some rough handling in the field.� Now that I have done some research, asked a few questions, gotten some feedback, researched more, and so on (I am sure it sounds familiar to yall )� I have some new criteria.� I would have asked even more questions, but there a lot of good threads in the forum.� I usually find the answers to my questions before I get to post them.
I saw a comment somewhere, that if your main criteria for a scope is to be rugged, you are doing it wrong.� I feel that advice is spot on.� I realize that for less than $500, I am probably not going to find a reasonably clear optic with the features I desire that is nearly as durable as an old fixed Weaver or similar scope.� Actually, I feel like I probably won't find such a scope for less than a few thousand dollars, unless I get real lucky with a cheaper optic.� Anyway, having learned a little bit, here is what I'd really like in a scope:
1.� A mil or half mil reticle.� I still don't care for most of the gimmicky, drop compensating reticles that I have seen, but I think a mil reticle could be very useful.
2.� .1 mil turrets track well and are repeatable, with positive adjustments.� Positive clicks with good feedback, so I'm not second guessing myself on my adjustments.
3.� Either fixed power, or an FFP reticle.� I don't see the point in having a variable scope with .1 mil turrets and a mil dot reticle that only works on one power setting.
4.� Reasonably durable.� It doesn't need to be bulletproof, it's not going to be shaken apart on an ATV and I'm not putting it on a safari rifle.� But it should handle the occasional accidental slip, and it needs to hold up to frequent adjustments for long range plinking.� I want to re-set it to zero with confidence, and not need to test fire at 100 yards every single time I use it.
5.�Last, but not least, bright and clear glass.

So, there are all my criteria. I want to achieve all this with as little expenditure as possible.� If i can get� scope that meets all these criteria for under $500, but it only lasts for about 2-3k shots, I'd say that's not bad. Especially if I can send it in for a replacement, and only have to pay for shipping.� It seems most name brands offer a lifetime warranty on their better scopes, and so far it looks like a fixed Bushnell Elite Tactical or a fixed SWFA Super Sniper are about the only options for under $500.� The Super Sniper is available in 6x, and meets these criteria.� Otherwise it's the Bushnell Elite Tactical 10x or the Super Sniper 10x. I really like the 10x Bushnell, and for $200-$250 it is well within my budget. A fixex 10x scope is probably decently useful for ringing steel as far out as I can, but may be a handicap in the woods. A fixed 6x would probably be better in the woods, but not as good for long range shooting. So even narrowed down to a couple of prospects, the decison is tough. But I have time.
As sure as this won't be my last rifle, this also won't be the last scope. I hesitate to call it a for now scope, it is definitely something that will grow with me for awhile. That said, inevitably it will either be replaced, and/or I will have other rifles with different setups in the future, because that is just the inevitable lack of an end to my new obsession. What say you?

I've said this before and I'm saying it again. To get everything you want in a scope for the absolute best value on the market look at the SS 5-20 Mil/ Mil FFP. Slightly used (non-illuminated) ones can be had for $1k. And with the list of features it has it will do everything you want it to do, I promise. In the thick woods turn it down to 5X. A day on the range shooting far turn it up to 20X. If the mirage is so bad you lose clarity, turn it down until it clears up. It is the best bang for your buck, and it is a scope that will give you very good clarity, good tracking turrets, a very useful reticle, and will handle any light use or abuse you throw at it. I have competed and hunted with the same one since 2012 and have yet to have a failure. I have worn the anodizing off the corners of the turrets, and have changed magnification untold thousands of times, while of course adjusting parralax. It is a scope I will always keep, period.

Also, reticle values are most important for windage. Sure you can use pure holds for elevation and wind, but if you have the one second to dial elevation you will. Then your reticle is used for holding the correct wind, in tenths of a Mil.

FiremanJG, what kind of rings do you use with that setup? Also, what do you think about the Burris Zee rings with the elevation inserts?

All I use now are Badger Ordinance and Talley Tactical rings. The SS 5-20 has been in Badgers for the entire time I have had the scope. The scope was literally mounted in the rings, leveled, low strenght Lock-tight, and screws torqued 3 years ago. As soon as I got away from Burris Zee rings I quit having a zero shift. The Zee rings are decent rings, but they are not as trustworthy as Badgers or Talley Tactical. The Zee rings have to slide off the front of the pic rail in order to remove scope and rings in one piece, and you have to hold your mouth right to get it done.

Another reason to use those style rings is the ease of moving the scope off and on one rifle or multiple rifles. With the cross bolt stationary and a removable clamp and nut the scope and rings can come off the rifle in seconds. And be replaced on the rifle in seconds without losing zero. I have more rifles than I do scopes and the SS pulls duty on two of the rifles. All of the rifles wear EGW one piece aluminum 20 MOA picatinny rail. In May I took it off the 7mm-08 and mounted it to the .22-250. To get it zeroed to the .22-250 I wrote down " down .8 Mil and left .4 Mil. I toom the .22-250 on the annual prairie dog hunt and shot 500 rounds in two days. The next week I put the SS back on the 7mm-08, refrenced the notes, turned the turret up .8 Mil and right .4 Mil, then fired a shot. Bigno, rezeroed on the 7mm-08 in one shot. If there is a better system out there, I don't know about it.

Using that system a guy can literally have one scope he really wanted and could only afford one, and use it on as many rifles as he likes. I am not advocating moving to a different rifle and not firing a zeroing shot, but more than likely you will be very close to where you want it, maybe only a few tenths off.