I'm fairly new to whitetail deer hunting (this will be my 3rd season). Up until now I've been borrowing a Savage 243 with a Leupold (3x9x40).....Anyways I'm hooked and it's time to invest and get a gun and scope. I've done a lot of research and the general consensus is don't go crazy with anything but also don't skimp. With that said the deer stand is set up at 75-100 yards from the feeder so I obviously don't need something real big. Honestly I've read some good reviews suggesting I should stick to set zooms and not do adjustible at that range. Long story short suggestions would greatly be apreciated. As for budget, I can afford up to $500 or so on the scope but I also don't want to overspend and not get that much added benefit....I'll never be an expert marksmen, or hunt at 300 yards, etc. I'd really like to get the best bang for my buck but don't want junk.

Thanks in advance.

Pretty tough to beat this one although I prefer a 40mm objective. There are several good deals if you like Leupolds on their Sample List.

http://www.samplelist.com/Leupold-35-10x50-VX-3-Rifle-Scope-DEMO-B-P76420.aspx

I also recommend using them. Call and ask for Skylar, give him you THF username, and he will give you a great discount.

What caliber rifle is the scope going on? Another 243? or some other "basic non magnum deer rifle" from 243 to 30'06?

You can spend all of the $500 budget and have a better than average scope, or buy a decent average 3x9x40 Burris scope at $200+/- new or used & right now buy a better than average Range Finder - the closeout price on a new & disc'd Leupold RX-10001TBR is $300 announced yesterday - and this is the way I'd go with a $500 budget. the Range Finder will give more info than you now can get froma scope, and the basic 3x9x40 in a middle of the road brand with an excellent Warranty like the Burris is adequate for 99% of tyhe shots you will want to take out to beyond 300 yards IF you KNOW the Range for dead solid and certain. The Leo is good for deer sized critters to 500 yrds and other stuff out to 700- 1000 yards.

As said, shop SWFA's Sample List 1st for a scope and call Skylar, Credit Card in hand before he runs out of the Leo Range Finders.
Ron

I would buy a Leupold vx2 right now while they have a rebate. I forget where I saw it but it was like yesterday

Look on CameraLandNY's website, I think thats where I saw it this morning....dunno coulda been on SWFA's too. Didn't see it anywhere else though.
Ron

I have, among others, a VX2 6-18. It's nice, but for deer I'd go for the Burris 4.5-14 Fullfield II at $300. That's a darn good scope for the price. Get the one with the BDC.

This helps, thanks.

Now for an even dumber question....say I went with 3x9x40. What magnification would you use at the 100 yard shot on a whitetail and why? I would probably site it in at 100, I have no reason to shoot further than that.

9; that gives you a precise shot.

Redfield Revolution for less than $300 and the Buriss Fullfield, Nikon Pro Staff, all good choices for the low price and good quality.

? on Magnification to hunt with...depends on times of day and amount of brightness... 3x at 1st & last light to aid in the amount of light the scope offers. Low but adequate light to see the crosshairs clearly at the target's range...ex: could be +/- the 100 yards to the feeder adjust the power ring to what ever power the scope gives the best resoulution... could be 9x, but at that distance on a fidgety critter I usually set my scope at 6-or 7 power & only use 9x to look at details I want to be sure of before I pull the trigger.

I'm not worried at 100 yards which side of the tick bite I'm going to place the bullet...taking head & neck shots is different though, and I want to see how long the hair is inside his ear if its possible....and don't do head & neck shots on a moving critter anymore, but I do like to use the hollow spot underneath the ear hole at the back of the jaw hinge, or base of the neck 1/4-1/3 of the way below the back of the neck right in the middle of the neck muscle on a 90* angle shot right in front of the points of the shoulder blade...or the top of the curl in the cow lick on a full frontal shot taken at the same exact elevation angle as the bottom of the deer's chest...think taking the shot from a seated on the ground position or prone.

All of the these shots are all about the bullets entry point on the angle of the bullet's travel beyond the entry point...and you need to practice shooting from the classic Field Positions and study live or fresh killed WTail anatomy to be comfrtable with where the bullet goes & winds up - I used to to the Zoo with my wife until she figured out what I was doing. Did the same thing to learn to ID Waterfowl...Oh Well

Visualize the deer's anatomy in 3D and shoot for the heart is the most common bullet placement I use, or shoot to break his Off Side shoulder & see if you can catch a lung or heart hit on the way through to prevent a runaway deer and get max bullet expansion from the front side + anchoring the off side shoulder, reducing his ability to run efficiently. Only 3 wheels and 1 lung will slow a deer down for sure. Just like shooting pool and leaving the Cue Ball where you want it...it's all about where the bullet winds up.
JMHO & YMMV
Ron

Leave your scope on 9. Redfeild revolution is a good choice on a budget.

Meopta scopes offer great German glass a lot cheaper than Swarovskis and others. CamerlandNY currently has a great sale on the Meopro 3.5-10 x44. Well within your budget and it's a scope you will keep. I have the Meopro 4-12x50 and love it.

Link: http://www.cameralandny.com/optics2/meopta.pl?page=meopta541800

+1 on AH78's idea of the Meopta...nice piece of work.
Ron

Gasman, when I'm hunting the edges of the pasture I usually keep my rifles on about 8 power. If I see a coyote or pig (or a deer, during the season) at 100 to 200ish yards, I'll just leave it on 8 and take the shot. Based on that, you could certainly get by with a 3-9 scope. But...I do a good bit of paper punching and I like to see the holes at 100 and not have to reach for the spotting scope (I have a poor spotting scope). A 3-9 just isn't much good at spotting holes at 100, but 14 power does just fine. And, every so often I'll have a shot on a pig or coyote at 300, 350 or 400ish. That's when I crank the scope up to max. A max of 9 power is Ok, but I think a max of 14 is better.

Most of my scopes are Leupold, but the new one is a Vortex Viper 4-16 FST in FFP. Nice, but it's early to say if I like it a lot more than the Leupolds. And, a year or two ago I needed a scope for the Grandson's 308 and I decided to try a Burris FFII 4-5-14 for $300, which was half of the cost of a comparable Leupold VX3. I was truly impressed by the Burris. Just a darn nice scope. And soon after that I needed a scope for my late Father's 270 and I got another Burris. For a time I had a Nikon Monarch 4-16, and I'll say that I liked the Burris a bit better than the Nikon. For $300 and Cabela's will ship for free, I'd go with the Burris. Truly, it's all you need.

And I'm not saying that Meopta or Weaver or Nikon or Bushnell doesn't have good scopes. Sure they do, but don't be locked into a 3-9. Think bigger. I no longer have ANY 3-9 scopes. I gave the last one, a Zeiss Conquest, to my BIL last year.

FWIW IMO to look at a critter at longer ranges than your Mark I eyeballs allow, yur really ought to be using BINOCULARS instead of a rifle scope.

I know I know ALL the arguments about being on Private Land and NOBODY's s'posed to be around your blind...but it happens. I've had to go get a guy from time to time during his "Blind Time" and really don't like to get a loaded rifle pointed at me ... told one guy I'd let his wife know that he could not be contacted when she called to say that there had been a death in the family and he needed to come hone RIGHT NOW...'course that was in pre cell phone days too. Today most guys forget to TURN OFF or Mute their cell phones. Guilty as charged here.

But GW's & LO's have the right and DO cross fence lines to inspect lease activities when they have "suspicions". LO Family Members are frequently a PIA too, but can create all sorts of problems with a Lease, especially when a loaded rifle is pointed at them....but it is a also a deterrent to Trespassers to be seen ... just don't shoot at one of 'em who's related to the Local Sheriff even if they are tresspassing. Not me, but a related famly member spent beau coup bux in Lawyers fees getting out of that kind of deal. Lost the Lease and was told to get out of the County for a long time very quietly. It is a NO Win deal.


So, Just Sayin' buy a decent pair of Bino's to scout with and not wave a gun barrel around outside the blind alerting every critteraround that might just spook a deer you wanted, and other asst'd intruders of your presence & save the scope peeking for looking at something you might want to shoot in the next 30 seconds AFTER you've confirmed that REALLY IS a Good'un with the Bino's.
Ron

VX-R 3-9x40. I'm very pleased with my wife's 4-12 and am looking to put a 2-7 on my .338.

http://swfa.com/Leupold-3-9x40-VX-R-30mm-Riflescope-P48036.aspx

Also when you buy rings take the time to buy rings that will get the scope as close to the rifle as possible without touching. This will generally put more of your cheek on the stock instead of floating in the air. Typically resulting in more stability and better shots.

Vortex optics, I have a Diamond back and love it, cost 200 and of course has their lifetime warranty. Talley scope mounts or Warne rings with rail mounts.