Leupold, or ... what?

[Legionnaire]

I've been a Leupold guy since way back when. Now I'm looking around again. If you want a good scope (excellent optics, hand manipulable click adjustments, repeatable back to zero) and you're not going to buy a Leupold, what would you buy? I'm looking for something in the 4.5-14X or 6.5-20X range to go on top of a varmint gun.

Leupold is my reference point. Anything better? Anything better for the same money? Anything "just as good" for less? How do Nikon's Monarch and Buckmaster lines compare?

 

[rbernie]

I suspect that you want a Sightron SII or SIII. The Monarchs are probably as good as a VXII, the Buckmasters as good as a VXI, but the SII is as good as a VXIII....

 

[steveno]

Burris would be my choice

 

[Quintin Likely]

I think I'm gonna give one of the Nikon Tacticals a try whenever I get around to setting up another bolt gun.

 

[rbernie]

Burris would be my choice

I've not tried one of the Signature Selects or Diamond, but I can say that the Fullfield II (while a nice scope that helped me harvest my last deer) is equal to the Buckmaster or VXI and no better.

 

[CB900F]

Fella's;

I've owned two Burris scopes & some other Burris products over the years. The compact scope I literally gave away after it came back from their warranty department telling me all was within spec. The other is, barely, adequate to its purpose. I now know better, but that's another story. One of the 'other products', a rear base, couldn't do it's job either.

No more Burris for me.

900F

 

[BusMaster007]

Leupold 4.5-14x40 Tactical on the 700. LONG eye relief. Good for the .308
NIKON Monarch 6.5-20x44 on the V-MATCH. MEDIUM eye relief. Good for the .223.

These were my specific choices, matched to the rifle/cartridge.

 

[sscoyote]

I also like the Burris' products, but i have had problems with their 4-12X MInis yrs. ago, but they're both OK now. If i were going for long-range varmints i'd opt for the Burris Signature 4-16X Ball/ Mil-Dot (for 7 total stadia reference to 14.5 MOA trajectory compensation, and mil-dots for windage reference) with a target turret or 2--OR-- maybe Leupold's new Tactical Milling Reticle for downrange ballistic reticle-type reference along with excellent ranging and windage reference all in 1 package-- target turret 2 if so desired.

 

[Clemson]

I also like Leupold for the money. I do have one Bushnell Elite 3200, and while I don't think much of the lower line of Bushnell products, the 3200 and 4200 series, which were both formerly marketed under the Bausch and Lomb lable, are optically very good scopes, easily the equal of the Leupolds. The place where Leupolds really shine is in warrantee work. I have not needed service on the 3200 (a 2x7), so I don't have first-hand knowledge of what that situation would be.

Clemson

 

[waterhouse]

one more vote for the sightron II. nice glass, great warranty, excellent repeatablity, good price.

waterhouse

 

[halvey]

I'd stick with what you know and be done with it.

 

[cola8d8]

Look in to the Conquest line by Ziess. 6.5-20X50 can easily be found for under $800 and comes with "target knobs". Very clear.

 

[Fumbler]

The Conquests have better clarity, are just as bright if not brighter, and have better reticles than the Leupold VXIIIs. Its not a big difference, but they do have an edge.

The Bushnell Elite 4200s are as good as the VXIIIs at a lower price.

Weaver Grand Slams are another good line of scopes.

Thats all IMHO.

 

[TheDutchman]

Weaver GrandSlam under $350

http://www.weaveroptics.com/pg2_3/pg2_3.html

 

[Mike Hull]

Another vote for Sightron. I've got two SII416x42MD's, and find them far more optically clear than the loopy, the repeatability is first rate, and they have a lifetime(of the scope) warranty. They have the same model in a 6-24x42 also.
They have several new models this year too.
http://www.sightron.com/index.php?action=view_category&cat_id=1044399020

 

[Cindog]

What waterhouse said but f you have the money the SIII's are even better.

 

[Legionnaire]

I'll have to check out the Sightrons when I get a chance. However, I found a good deal on a Nikon Monarch 6.5-20x44.

My Remington 700 VSSF (.308) sports a Leupold Vari-X III 3.5-10X LRT M1, and I needed a scope for my CZ 527 (.223). Coming from another Loopy shooter, BusMaster007's recommendation of the Nikon made sense.

Thanks, all. I appreciate the input.

 

[BusMaster007]

It's 'nice glass', as they say.
Hope it works well for your application.

 

[MrMurphy]

Sightron, Nikon, and IOR Valdada.

 

[Omaha-BeenGlockin]

Zeiss Conquest----none better in that class of scopes------even the higher end scopes have a tough time beating it.

 

[Bear Gulch]

My Leupolds have always served me well. I had one Burris 4-16 come apart on a 30-06 back in 93. Their customer service did me right. However, the replacement made me worry that it might bust as well. It was opening day of antelope season in Wyoming. I stuck an $80 3-9 on the rifle and got my goat. I then switched to Leupld and have never had a problem.

 

[Chut1st]

Got my first Leupold many, many years ago at a gun show. After doing a little trading, probably had about $100 in a Vari-X III. To my consternation, when I got home and started really checking it out, there was a rattle inside! Shipped it to Leupold with a request for a repair estimate. Never got an estimate. Instead, about a week later, the scope came back repaired and refurbed like new. I haven't bought any glass but Leupold since then.

 

[theCZ]

I used to be all Leupold, and then I had a budget crunch. I am now a Nikon man, no regrets. I've been nothing but impressed with their products, which also come with a lifetime guarentee.

 

[Sodbuster]

The scope I now have on order is an illuminated Burris Signature. Burris fell on hard times for a few years when the original owner sold the company and the new one ran quality and customer service into the ground. John McCarty again owns Burris and the scopes are top notch as is the warranty. BTW there are reasons Leupold came out with the new VX series: Nikon Monarch, Weaver Grand Slam, Bushnell 4200 Elite, Zeiss Conquest, Sightron II to name a few.

 

[CB900F]

Fella's;

I haven't investigated it, since it really doesn't matter to me, given my history with Burris; but I've heard that a foriegn arms company now owns Burris. Comment?

900F