Scope Decision: Vortex, Nikon, Burris...

I wouldn't consider any of the above target style scopes. By your post I'm left to assume two things: first that there are points or gift certificates involved with the purchase and second that you feel higher magnification will work better.

Having combed the Cabelas website I would add the Leupold VX II 3-9 CDS to your list within the given parameters. I'd also advise you to consider- if time isn't a pressing matter, saving a few dollars more for a Minox or a higher magnification Leupold.

If you simply cannot wait, your spending limit is fixed and you're set on higher magnification I'd flip a coin among your current picks.

I vote for the Vortex Viper.

I like my Viper (6.5X20) a little better than my Buckmaster (6-18), and think they are both a little better than the FFII.

Scopes are pretty personal. What I like of the three you may not. Eyeballs are funny that way.

I like high magnification as well, though granted, sometimes you have to dial them down in poor conditions. I just put a 5X15X44 on my .308. I caught it on sale earlier in the year.

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Walkalong and I both got our Vortex scopes about the same time...there is a thread on THR about the scopes. I am still quite pleased with mine and even use it as a spotting scope at times.

Scopes are pretty personal. What I like of the three you may not. Eyeballs are funny that way.

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So absolutely true..Always better to look through, handle what you plan on using, unfortunately not always an option.

Vortex, I have one for a 10/22, buddy has one for the 30-06. They are great optics, and have an amazing warranty.

Vortex, I love mine. After looking through so many scopes at Cabela's I went with Vortex. The price, clarity, and quality are great. Look up how their customer service operates, unrivalled to say the least. The amount of stories about people having an old model Vortex doesn't even make anymore and getting a new model as a replacement are well documented. Most are made right here in the U.S.A, the lower priced offerings are made in the Phillipines but the lifetime warranty still applies!

I have had mine since summer, it has around 260 rounds from my Mosin on it, but moved it over to my AR, It was too nice for my crappy Mosin! Around 500 rounds from the AR, It is a soft recoiling rifle length 20" so that says nothing. It is still clear and no fog even though it has been through rain, snow, and now sleet today! The prices are better and supporting an American company makes me feel nice too.

I am a big time vortex fan but for what you are asking I think the high magnification of the Buckmaster is going to help you.

Another Vortex Viper fan here.

I was in the same boat as you about 2 months ago. I bought a Windham Varmint Exterminator. I use this gun as a range toy for longer distances 200-500yrds. I went with the Burris. I almost chose the vortex and have heard great things about them. The Burris also had favorable reviews and from my research was the best scope in my price range >300$$. The Burris has nice glass and is easy to adjust and is clear throughout the magnification range. The ballistic reticle is also easy to understand and use. I can easily recommend the Burris.

Five, forgot to mention Club Rewards members received an Employee Pricing Sale notice good through 1/2/13. If you don't have a code you might try looking it up or signing up if you're not already. Saved me $40 (20%) on my Vortex SPARC during a private shopping event last month. Third Vortex optic but no scopes, didn't want to taint your decision toooo much but they have all worked well so far.

Vortex followed by burris. Nikon for me doesn't even come into play for me, and yes i have looked through a buckmaster a friend has(hes looking at replacing it with a Leupold vx-1) . Find a store and look through them(any consolation i dont care for the bdc, especially if yourshooting at paper) good luck, highly suggest vortex out Burris as a secondary (nikons warranty seems to have gotten better but they were terrible the first time i tried to use them)

Im not a fan of a buckmaster but for that money you can about get a monarch which is a good scope. Really any one of your choises will get the job done. You can get a bad scope from any company and mostly what youll get is opinions based on the fact that someone bought a certain brand and they want to think they would only buy the best. Bottom line is most scopes in that price range are good scopes and most people if they were totaly honest would tell you that there eyes arent good enough to tell the differnce. If it were my 350 id look at a vx2 leupold, a nikon monarch or a votex viper and let your eyes decide.

For $25 more, you can get a Nikon Monarch 5x20x44. Very nice scopes.

For a real target style scope, you're severely limiting yourself by only shopping at Cabelas.

In your price range, SWFA.com has fixed power 30mm tube scopes with etched reticles in various fixed powers, from 6x to 20x.

http://swfa.com/SWFA-SS-16x42-Tactical-Riflescope-P53715.aspx

They are, by far, the highest quality target scope you'll get in your price range. They're also made in Japan, and probably way better than any Chinese or Fillipino scope that Cabelas sells for $300. The 30mm tube goes a long way as far as brightness, compared to a similar scope with a 1" tube, and the etched reticles are amazing:



Edited to Add:

I shoot a lot of paper at 200 yards and shoot targets out in the desert at 500+ yards sometimes.

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I didn't mean to step outside of your limitations (Cabelas), it's your intended use that I was keeping in mind. For target shooting, a BDC reticle for hitting a 6" section of a deer in the woods is tailored to something completely different from shooting a 1" bullseye at 200 yards. There are scopes that can do well with both (like Leupold's TMR reticle, for example see below) but they are many times more expensive. In the $300 range, you have to be specific with your needs is what I'm saying.

Leupold TMR reticle:

FiveInADime said:

Uh? Where is the Monarch for $364.99?

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You op said $350
3rd generation has them. I bought another one lastnight.
$374.99 I believe

mastiffhound said:

Most are made right here in the U.S.A, the lower priced offerings are made in the Phillipines but the lifetime warranty still applies!

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While the company is American, I'm not aware of one item that is made in the US. Their high-end models are made in Japan. They do have a technical service center than can service items in Wisconsin but nothing, to my knowledge, is actually made there.

I'm not going to go into the "where it's made" thing and my opinion about that. I will say that I own five Vortex products and I am very pleased with all of them. I've also had to use their warranty service and I was very pleased with the results and the quick turn-around. They completely disassembled, cleaned, inspected, reassembled and re-purged my spotting scope in one day and had it back on its way to me. In their possession less than 24 hours.

I also have a couple of Monarchs (3-12 and 4-16) and a Buckmaster (6-18). They work, but I've been really underwhelmed with the Monarchs. I got them for a good price, under $400 each, but I wouldn't buy them again. I replaced one of them on my elk rifle with a Bushnell Elite 6500 that I'm much more satisfied with. Yes, it's a more expensive scope, but again I got it for a good price and the difference in performance is more than the difference in price. The other Monarch is on an AR that I have for coyotes and the Buckmaster is on a .17HMR. They serve their purposes well enough. All made in the Philippines if that matters to you.

I haven't been able to convince myself that a Burris is a scope worth buying. I'm sure that they're not bad, but when I can usually get a better scope for the same money it doesn't make sense.

I have the Nikon in question and love it. My only complaint is the 1/8 adjustments and 1" tube.

Personally, I like the Buckmasters.

I have the Nikon, Buckmaster 6-18X40 Mil Dot version from Bass Pro. It works great, clarity is very good. The range finding setting is marked on the 12 power. I like the Mil Dot for that reason - range finding. The BDC never works for me as I change loads and bullet weights from time to time.

When it comes to the vortex are the cheaper ones comparable to the higher ones in terms of quality or is there a big drop off?