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haven't bought a scope in years... need advice #5355534 10/12/14 06:39 PM
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ok so im not trying to break the bank, so id like to keep the zeiss and higher end stuff out of the discussion... for now. just simply don't have the funds for it. so the caliber is .308, the ranges are 50-200 yards... when i had scopes before it was leupold vari x series lol. with that said, I've bought a pair of vortex binos and they are great. i wondered if their scopes are as good too. also, i used to use 4-12x40 and it seemed to do the job just fine. is that overkill? would a 3-9 be better?is leupold as good as they once were? just trying to get the most for my money. thanks again

Re: haven't bought a scope in years... need advice [Re: Arrowslinger82] #5356259 10/13/14 12:11 AM
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You sure will get advice. Everybody will chime in on this.

At your ranges you don't need to spend top dollar unless you want to. But, you can't go wrong with a 3x9 Leupold VX3 or a VX2. And Vortex works fine too. I think it all comes down to what you like and how much you want to spend. Burris is also good, and a bit less expensive. I have all 3 types and like them all.


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Re: haven't bought a scope in years... need advice [Re: Arrowslinger82] #5356286 10/13/14 12:25 AM
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I'm a bit sour on Leupold and Nikon lately. Zeroing them has beeb a problem. See a bullet hole 2" high and 1 1/2" right, adjust that on the windage and elevation and it doesnot move the point of impact what it was told to move, terrible tracking in other words. So I'm gonna say take a hard look at Vortex, the one I have has been great.

4-12 x 40 is what I would run over a 3-9. Better detailed view of the animals, for decision making, and a better tool to get a rock solid zero. But! Fact of life is glass quality trumps magnification. So I'd rather have a low end Zeiss 3-9x than a Bushnell Banner 6-24x


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Re: haven't bought a scope in years... need advice [Re: 603Country] #5356313 10/13/14 12:42 AM
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Originally Posted By: 603Country
You sure will get advice. Everybody will chime in on this.

At your ranges you don't need to spend top dollar unless you want to. But, you can't go wrong with a 3x9 Leupold VX3 or a VX2. And Vortex works fine too. I think it all comes down to what you like and how much you want to spend. Burris is also good, and a bit less expensive. I have all 3 types and like them all.

I've purchased my first Vortex and it is awesome!! I bought because of the reviews on this board.


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Re: haven't bought a scope in years... need advice [Re: Arrowslinger82] #5356565 10/13/14 02:41 AM
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Fireman has a point, but with the OP shooting inside of 200 yards he won't need to be cranking turrets. All he needs is a set&forget type scope, and most manufacturers make scopes that fit that bill. And personally, I'd go for magnification more like 4 to 16 power, which is what I do. The last scope I bought was that Vortex 4 to 16 PST FFP, and I like it a lot. I like my non- turreted Leupolds and Burris too.

For $300, the OP can get a Burris Fullfield II in 4.5-14 and I promise he won't be sorry. That's a lot of scope for the money, unless you need turrets to twist. For more money you can have Vortex or Leupold. The OP has an almost infinite number of scope options. Cabela's would be a good place to do some investigating.


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Re: haven't bought a scope in years... need advice [Re: Arrowslinger82] #5356671 10/13/14 03:35 AM
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It's hard to beat a Vortex Crossfire 1 for the money and warranty....or the Crossfire II for that matter.

Re: haven't bought a scope in years... need advice [Re: 603Country] #5357101 10/13/14 02:39 PM
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Originally Posted By: 603Country
Fireman has a point, but with the OP shooting inside of 200 yards he won't need to be cranking turrets. All he needs is a set&forget type scope, and most manufacturers make scopes that fit that bill. And personally, I'd go for magnification more like 4 to 16 power, which is what I do. The last scope I bought was that Vortex 4 to 16 PST FFP, and I like it a lot. I like my non- turreted Leupolds and Burris too.

For $300, the OP can get a Burris Fullfield II in 4.5-14 and I promise he won't be sorry. That's a lot of scope for the money, unless you need turrets to twist. For more money you can have Vortex or Leupold. The OP has an almost infinite number of scope options. Cabela's would be a good place to do some investigating.

Fireman is right and he wasn't talking turrets! I have a Leupold VX-Hog, the adjustments are mushy and imprecise, my Zeiss Terra is absolutely precise. if you need to move 3/4 of an inch 3 clicks will move it precisely 3/4 of an inch. It saves a lot of time and frustration on the range. The Leuopold does hold it's zero so it's functional but I'm not inclined to switch loads because zeroing is a PIA.


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Re: haven't bought a scope in years... need advice [Re: Arrowslinger82] #5357284 10/13/14 03:54 PM
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I have been very pleased with vortex lately. Have the diamondback series 4x12x40 and love it.
Check out Camera Land NY's website/ I can get demos (unused) at a great price!
Good Luck!


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Re: haven't bought a scope in years... need advice [Re: Son of a Blitch] #5357382 10/13/14 04:35 PM
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Originally Posted By: George - w/ Map My Ranch
I have been very pleased with vortex lately. Have the diamondback series 4x12x40 and love it.
Check out Camera Land NY's website/ I can get demos (unused) at a great price!
Good Luck!


X2 on this!! He has some GREAT deals!

Re: haven't bought a scope in years... need advice [Re: nsmike] #5357517 10/13/14 05:36 PM
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Originally Posted By: nsmike
Originally Posted By: 603Country
Fireman has a point, but with the OP shooting inside of 200 yards he won't need to be cranking turrets. All he needs is a set&forget type scope, and most manufacturers make scopes that fit that bill. And personally, I'd go for magnification more like 4 to 16 power, which is what I do. The last scope I bought was that Vortex 4 to 16 PST FFP, and I like it a lot. I like my non- turreted Leupolds and Burris too.

For $300, the OP can get a Burris Fullfield II in 4.5-14 and I promise he won't be sorry. That's a lot of scope for the money, unless you need turrets to twist. For more money you can have Vortex or Leupold. The OP has an almost infinite number of scope options. Cabela's would be a good place to do some investigating.

Fireman is right and he wasn't talking turrets! I have a Leupold VX-Hog, the adjustments are mushy and imprecise, my Zeiss Terra is absolutely precise. if you need to move 3/4 of an inch 3 clicks will move it precisely 3/4 of an inch. It saves a lot of time and frustration on the range. The Leuopold does hold it's zero so it's functional but I'm not inclined to switch loads because zeroing is a PIA.


Correct. I never mentioned turrets or even a Mil or MOA reticle. 50 yards to 200 is no big deal with no turrets and no subtensioned reticle.

Every time I talk about tracking several guys get lost and think I'm talking turrets. Every scope you've ever shot tracks. Remove caps to zero and tell the scope to move point of impact to your desired zero, replace caps and don't F with anything after that. The scope still had to track correctly to get the dang rifle zeroed.


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Re: haven't bought a scope in years... need advice [Re: Arrowslinger82] #5357714 10/13/14 07:31 PM
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Guess I misread what you meant, Fireman. Still, the OP doesn't need to spend a ton of money to get a decent scope. As for mushy scope tracking, most hunters won't even notice. If a guy is shooting 1 inch or 1.5 inch groups, and he moves the scope a click or two, can he really be sure that where the next shot landed was due to the scope adjustment or just loose shooting? And...even if you don't get precisely 1/4 per click, once a set&forget scope is sighted in (and even a mushy one can be sighted in), there isn't likely to be much more tracking to worry about. We all, at least older guys like me, hunted just fine with those old friction type adjustments. Wasn't precise, but back then neither was my shooting.

I've got old (real old) Leupold 2x7 scopes on my two lever actions 22 rifles (39A and 9422). I sight them in at 50 yards and even with the friction type adjustments on them I don't do too much cussing getting them zeroed when it becomes necessary.

All that said, if I bought a new scope today I would most certainly expect it to track as advertised. That Vortex Viper PST I decided to buy based on chat on this forum is a great scope, as is the new Leupold VX3 4-5-14x40 I bought last year.


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Re: haven't bought a scope in years... need advice [Re: 603Country] #5357763 10/13/14 08:03 PM
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I said nothing about spending a ton of money. I've had recent experience with $300+ Leupolds and Nikons that didn't track and caused hell getting the rifles zeroed. One was on a 7 Weatherby Mag and that aint cheap to shoot nor fun to shoot repeatedly chasing a POS scope that wont zero. Chasing a bad scope with a 22 lr aint a big deal. Chasing one with a 7 Weatherby or a 30-06 is a big deal in my book, and thats what happened at my place with two friends' rifles.

Maybe I'm spoiled to being able to zero a scope in two shots, or maybe my standards have raised through experience. I hate wasting time and ammo at 100 yards. That ammo could've been better served practicing positional field shots, or shooting distance getting better at judging wind.


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Re: haven't bought a scope in years... need advice [Re: Arrowslinger82] #5357769 10/13/14 08:07 PM
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I would get a vx2 if I was on a budget. 3x9x50 would be great for that distance though I prefers up to 14 x

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