Best Scope. Under 400$

Would like ideas. On best Scope for under 400$. Will put emphasis in low-light conditions.
Thank you for any advice.

The nikon pro staff scopes are hard to beat for the money when buying new

There are several scopes better than the Prostaff in low light for under $400.00. Which one the OP purchases should be dependent on his eyes - which he sees better out of.

The best in low light for MY eyes is easily the MeoPro 3.5-10x44. Also good is a Conquest, VX-3, Fullfield II, and Bushnell Elite 3500.

The base 3-9x40 Conquest from EuroOptic for $329 is very nice. I also agree that the Meopta MeoPro scopes are exceptional. If you were in Dallas, I could point you to a very good local deal in your price range, but I see that's some distance away from you.

Any heard, or looked thru. Zeiss-Tierras/
Heard bad and good.

Well if low light is important the terra is really awful

Vortex Viper HS 4-16 x44 was $399.99 in most recent cabelas ad. When I'm looking for a new optic I hit Optics Planet, Midway USA and Camera Land sites. Sign up for alerts on all and the offers start rolling in within a week or so.

Vortex scopes are about the worst in low light for my eyes, until you get to the Razor.

Fixed power SWFA SS scopes

Zeiss Conguest

Zeiss Conquest or Leupold VX 2 or maybe even 3i (which I think can be had in 2.5-8x for under $400 now).

This too though I believe the MeoPro is better in low light. I do own a Conquest, VX-2 and VX-3 and have compared. I also can't tell a difference in VX-3 and 3i glass.

Meopta 3.5 x10x44mm . Doug's Camera Land $349. Super clear and bright .

Meopta

To the OP. I've stated this so many times I know I sound like a broken record but the fact remains that:
There are only four or five lens makers globally. There is only one company I know of that grinds there own glass, there may be more. Vortex and Leupold(as an example) could be purchasing some of their glass from the same place.

Where I believe most of the differences come in are the quality(cost) of the glass and the coatings each company puts or has put on their lens.

That is why NO one can tell you what the best scope under $400.00 is for YOU. That is why you get so many opinions. I've looked through a lot of scopes in the last couple of years. I've looked through all of the scopes mentioned in this thread except for the SWFA line. Some of them I couldn't really tell a difference, for example a Vortex Diamondback and a Burris Fullfield II. That was in optimal lighting. When taken outside in low light then the Burris jumped out at me as being better. You may see better through Zeiss glass than Meopta, or Leupold than Zeiss. You need to find a store with a good selection of scopes and look through all of them. One or a couple will stand out over the others.

Other than mechanical quality, such as turret adjustment repeatability, I just don't see how one person can tell another which scope is better.

There are compromises too. I don't believe Nightforce has the best glass in its price range but I do believe they are about as tough as you can get. If my life was dependent on my scope, I would get a Nightforce. I believe Leupold focuses more on glass quality in most of their scope lines. All I need is for the adjustments to work well enough for me to sight a rifle in at 100 yards, that's it. So Leupold works well for me. If I did the type of shooting JGFIREMAN does then I probably wouldn't be using Leupold and would sacrifice some glass clarity for features and repeatability.

Well said.

Scopes have evolved and developed into the age of specialization, and scopes are now a lot more purpose-specific. The right tool for the job is out there and the market has provided many choices and options. Its a good thing!

For a good, big scope at an economical price, I would check out the Lucid Optics 6-24x50. I own one of these. It's a 30mm tube with good clear glass for the price. I have hunted with mine for 3 years now and used it in the Hunter Rifle match two years ago. It has what they call the L5 reticle. It's pretty good and it's listed on the iStrelok app. I found the holdovers absolutely to be spot on to 300. That's as far as I have pushed this one. I don't like that the turrets are in 1/8th MOA. However, for a $400 retail scope, it's really, really good. That's my .
Thanks!!
Matt

I prefer Zeiss and Vortex. Customer service has been great for me with those two companies for what it's worth.

Often overlooked but any Bushnell with Elite in the name is a great scope as far as clarity and brightness.

That's basically me too.

From what I see from JG and others, why Leupold doesn't fine tune and produce a consistently adjustable scope is beyond me. Seems like they are losing a lot of market share because of this deficiency.

A used scope in that price range. A Sightron SII Big Sky

I still have an Elite 4200 that to me is an excellent scope and used to have an Elite that was good also.

Unless you want to crank turrets, the Burris Fullfield II is a good one ($300). I was impressed with it in low light.

If low light performance is what you want then I would steer clear of any of the vortex viper and under line.

My 20 year old Leupold 3x9-40 vxII's are better in low light than the 2 year old Vortex viper I have. The vortex has been good, but like others have said I bought it for the turrets not its low light performance.

Agreed.

For a hunting scope, the Meopro 3.5-10x44 or Zeiss Conquest 3-9x40 would be very tough to beat. Those were both above your $400 limit before they were offered as dealer specials.

I have both scopes, they are excellent. Meopta made the Conquest for Zeiss.

Not to bludgeon the issue to death, but I have the 3-9x40 Conquest and three Meopta scopes, two MeoStar and one MeoPro. Buy either price leader with confidence.

1. Conquest
2. Diamondback
3. VX2
4. Monarch
5. Prostaff/Buckmasters

https://www.amazon.com/Vortex-Crossfire-...3-12+hog+hunter

vortex 3-12x56 hog hunter for low light, this thing pulls in light excellent. put it on the windham vex and love it.

255.00 on amazon

The Vortex Hog Hunter just does not compare in low light to a Meopta or a Conquest. Not even close.