Your recommended best value optics

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Those extremely highend scopes are fine for people who wish to allocate their resources that way. I prefer to have different things and A higher retirement account balance. To each his own.

I was out at 1000 yard range last week with my 50 BMG and it's walmart centerpoint 4-16x $69 scope. I handload my rounds to only about 10,000 foot pounds. Even with a muzzle brake, my shoulder just can't take much more than that. Guess I'm somewhat past 400 rounds now or maybe just 300, wow those primers are expensive, but the scope is just doing fine. I've now got the same scope on three or four different rifles, and except for the fact that it doesn't have a way to instantly recognize how many turns of the turret you're up, it is a great scope. At least for people like me.
 
Lets put it this way. Buy cheap, get cheap. You don`t have to break the bank to get a solid scope.

Check out the" Natchez site." They show scopes galore.

There is a difference between, 20%, 5%, what ever and a scope that really catches you eye. J s/n.
 
the great values are when you can catch something on clearance. seems like most scopes at similar price points are fairly comparable. I keep an eye out on natchez and other places for sales.

That said, I too think that mueller, weaver, and vortex make good value optics. I can't really speak to anything that costs over 300 bucks though. I can't afford and have never needed higher end optics.
 
I agree. I think if you want a good serviceable rifle scope that will cover 95 percent of any real world hunting a vx1 is hands down the best bang for the buck on the market. Sure at 200 bucks its not a 2k scope but it is repeatable, has good low light performance and is backed by the best service dept in the industry. If you would have asked me three years ago I would have said a vx2 but now that they have the older vx2 glass and coatings and now even click adjustments there good enough for my hunting guns. Only thing they lack is an adjustable objective model for really long range shooting so for those guns I step up to a vx2. Ill still buy an occasional vx2 or vx3 or even a Nikon monarch. Only others competitive are the bushel elites and ziess conquests but both of those scopes have crept up in price to the point that the hands down winner in bang for the buck comes from leupold.

On a hunting scope a current production Leupold VX-2 is the sweet spot for me. Most sell for around $300-$350 depending on features. Three years ago Leupold upgraded their entire line of VX scopes and the VX-1's made since then are essentially older VX-2's. The current VX-2 is essentially the same as a VX-3 that sold for $500 a few years ago. The current VX-3's are even better too, but not enough to justify the added $150-$200 over the VX-2. Especially the new versions.

With ANY brand of scope you will get the most scope for the dollar in that brand with a 3-9X40. That is the most commonly sold type and competition is heated between the manufacturers. They put out the most value in that size.

The now discontinued Zeiss Conquest 3-9X40 was at one time near, if not at the top in value. They initially sold for about the same as a VX-3, but were later discounted. I saw some selling for as little as $250 right before they were discontinued. They had better glass than the Leupold, but the Leupold has other features that are a bit more desirable. That scope has been replaced with the Zeiss Terra. Reports are mixed. It is not as good as the Conquest, but still a good scope. I've looked through one, and like the VX-2 better for $100 less money.

There are a lot of $200 scopes that are very good too. I'd not feel handicapped with a $200 VX-1, Redfield Revolution or Burris FF-II. I'd not recommend anything less. There is a huge difference between the those listed above and most of the $150 or less scopes.

Nikon, Vortex, Bushnell and many others make good scopes in the same price range. The glass is good, but there are other features that are important too. When you consider field of view, eye relief, scope size and weight, tunnel vision issues, funky reticles on some, and proven reliability and toughness; Leupold, Burris, Redfield, and Zeiss are the brands I prefer.

The $600 and up scopes are better, but unless you need some of the special features or higher magnification than a $300-$500 scope they are not a good value. As price goes up above $200-$300 you see tiny improvements in performance for huge gains in price. If someone really needs or wants every bit of performance you can spend $2000 or much more. For my hunting needs I can't imagine needing more than my $300 Leupold
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Yep, cheap is for for me.
I've got a cheap scope on my 50 BMG, my 308 semi, and my 7 mm 08. (and they are adjustable objective so I can get rid of parallax. Makes a pretty big difference when your groups get smaller.)
I even shoot Mosin-Nagant's!
My reloading equipment is Lee.
My shotgun is a Mossberg
But the holes in my target are just as round as the next guys, my IRA thanks me, and I shoot at hundreds of yards while the guy next to me works at 50 with a rifle worth five times what mine is.
Whatever turns your crank!
I put a boatload boatload of money into a solar panel system in my backyard and make half my electricity now.
One of these days I'm going to buy me a really really expensive scope, but I keep teaching young people that A thousand dollar spent now means $64,000 less in their IRA, and for a lot of them that makes a big difference to their families!

I'll be retired soon, and I'm looking forward to that Vortex or Nightforce.
Might even replace one of my Keltec pistols!
 
And by the way, I have a midpriced scope on my 6PPC.
Nicer turrets than my cheap scope, but it was the cheap scope that put the deer antlers on my wall...
 
A cheaper scope like a Zeiss, Leopold, etc etc would be fine. Unless your insane rich, one real nice scope to have should be fine enough.

If your blessed with cash unlike some of us including me dont give people bad vibes about buying a cheaper scope when it WILL get the job done.
 
So many things factor into the decision, but some of my favorites are the Leupold VX-1 2-7x32 rimfire, and the Nikon rimfire w/BDC. In 3-9x40, there are many good values - I like the Nikon Prostaff. I really liked the Nikon Buckmasters 6-18, which has been discontinued. There are others that I haven't tried, but those I am happy with.

I bought a 4-12 Redfield entry-level scope a couple of years ago, and could never get it to focus clearly for me. I literally gave it to a friend's kid who needed a starter scope, and he loves it.

Manufacturers change scopes without notice. They change facilities/countries/continents at will and the quality changes. Heck, I have some old Tasco World Class Plus varmint scopes that were made in Japan (excellent) and the Philippines (good), but I don't recommend the current ones.

The big-box sporting goods stores are pretty nice places to go and actually look through optics. It can be pretty eye-opening.
 
what a perspective of a 1%-er....

(btw, terra-series doesn't count; those are made in Japan)
Click to expand...

Way to point it out, is it that obvious? LOL Anyway..

The Japanese are crazy about their quality control even more so then Germany so thats not a bad thing if anything its MORE of a reason to get it.


Their fishing stuff for example like Megabass fishing rods etc are one example of their craftsmanship.





I also have a Terra on my 2014 Ruger Gunsite Scout with a match-grade 22" Shillen barrel chambered in 358 Winchester. I love it. I also have New England Custom guns Masterpiece iron sites on it as well with the QR mounts for quick access. :p


Moral of the story the Terra is a FANTASTIC scope for the price.
 
I've always bought and ENJOYED mid priced $200-300 scopes. Has accounted for many deer out to 250yds and decent range groups. This past summer I had the opportunity to look through several NightForce scopes on my bil's long range guns - .50bmg, .338 llupa and Cheytec. UNBELIEVABLE! Clarity like I've never seen. I'll most likely never own one but it was a joy to look through them.
 
This is really going to be a subjective matter. Most people will be well served by a sub $500 scope as the zero it them never touch the thing again. Any longer ranges and wind is just dealt with by using good ol' Kentucky windage.

On the other hand if you're one of the shooters that knows exactly what elevation to dial for a 1000 yard first round hit then what to dial down to for your next shot at 750 your cheapo hunting scope just won't do. A lot of the mid/lower end scopes don't track well so when you dial up to 1000 then back down to your 100 yard zero you may no longer be at your zero. Also, when you are shooting various ranges, especially in practical or tactical rifle competition, you'll want a first focal plane reticle to be able to spot shots and make quick adjustments ar any magnification.

The Vortex PST is a good starter scope for someone looking to get into the tactical/practical game but they definitely don't compare to the higher end glass. Get behind a Steiner or Schmidt & Bender and nothing else compares anymore. They track perfectly, have awesome reticle options, are FFP (first focal plane ), you can adjust for parallax error and the glass is out of this world. Your 300 hunting scope looks great till you go back and forth between high end glass then you actually realize how cloudy and how poor the contrast really is.

Still, there are some scopes that are in the higher end range that provide an exceptional value for the money such as the Vortex Razor HD Gen. 2, the Bushnell elite tactical line, or the new Steiner T5Xi line. They still run in the $1500-2500 ranget but it's still cheaper than some of the scopes like Hensdolt or S&B in the $3000-4500 range.
 
Best "for the money" is, of course, in the eyes of the beholder. It also depends on what features you want. There are many lower priced options especially in lower power ranges. There are dozens of options for very good reasonably priced 3-9X scopes. Don't you just love competition!! If you want more magnification like 4-16X or 6-24X, the best bang for my dollars has been the Bushnell Elite series. My organization gets a 40% discount off MSRP so all of my high magnification scopes are Bushnell Elites and cost around $350.
 
So has anyone here had any experience with Nikko Sterling optics?? I have seen many threads on the "optics" subject, but I have never seen this manufacturer mentioned.
 
A couple months back I borrowed and compared a Vortex Viper and a Leupold Mark 4 LR/T. Granted, the Leupold cost nearly twice what the Vortex would cost. The Leupold is nicer and it's sharper... BUT... the Vortex is a stunning buy for the money. If I were not fortunate enough to be able to buy the Leupold, I would not hesitate to buy a Vortex. Everyone I know that has one, really likes them.
 
Wise man once told me, "Whatever you are going to spend on a scope, keep saving and double it", your eyes will thank you if you use it a lot. All depends on how much you are going to use it. I have Nightforce, Leupold, Cabela's and Nikon. They sit on rifles according to the use the rifle gets. In optic's you really do get what you pay for. Also have Vortex, love them all for what I use them for.
 
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