best scope for < $250?

[yooper77]

Just be aware that a lot of the Leupold scopes you find at gun shows are not.  There are tons of knockoffs in from China, so, unless you know how to tell the difference, sending it back repair will do nothing for you except cost you the shipping.  I kind of like the Swifts, they are sort of in between cheap and expensive, nice scopes, I have several of them.  Larry

 Great point Larry. That doesn't get brought up a lot here.


http://www.leupold.com/corporate/resources/counterfeit-warning/

Its always good to be cautious, but these counterfeit Leupold's are very easy to identify and is probably why it's rarely brought up.

yooper77

[Swampman]

There are new in the box Leupold VX-IIs on Gunbroker for $239.00.

These are cheap because they don't make them anymore.

[KIMBER45]

Swift scopes are as good as any of the others. They cost less and have a great warranty.

[trotterlg]

So if I were to pick up a Leupold at a gun show, how would I know if it was a fake?  Larry

[Swampman]

You'll know.....I wouldn't worry about it.

[1armoured]

Only managed to buy one Leupold over the years,


a big VXIII and had it boosted,for silhouette.


Never had any issues with it or my zero.




Alternatively, I've accumulated quite a few 'budget' scopes over the years, but have been fortunate again. Tasco, Simmons, etc


My latest purchase, (with some discount vouchers) was a Mueller 8.5-25x 44AO.
I just use it on my .22 centrefires off the bench.
I find the top power a bit fuzzy, (maybe it's my old eyes), so take it down to 20x .


Another Leupold would be nice, though ! 


cheers,
SS

[Ranch13]

Just can't say enough good about the Burris fullfield scopes. Picked up another combo at Cabela's the other day got the scope and the binoculars for 199$. Sharp clear optics on both and the scope carries the "forever" warranty.

[Lloyd Smale]

they still make the vx-2 its the vari x 2 that is discontinued

There are new in the box Leupold VX-IIs on Gunbroker for $239.00.

These are cheap because they don't make them anymore.

[quickdtoo]

The VX-2 is not the same as a VX-II, the VX-II is discontinued just as the Vari-X II has been discontined

Tim

http://www.leupold.com/hunting-and-shooting/products/scopes/

[Swampman]

The VX-2 is much brighter than the VX-II.  The MSRP has remained the same and it's an excellent value.  The VX-2 is the Outdoor Life 2012 Optic of the Year beating out $1600.00 scopes with a much bigger objective.  They said it was noticeably brighter than the expensive European scopes.

[quickdtoo]

From what I've read on other sites, the new VX-1(not to be confused with VXI) is similar to the VXII, the VX2 has the same glass and coatings as the FX series or at least some of the features of the FX. These upgrades are similar to the differences they've made before, it would be nice if Leupold would update their FAQs to explain the differences between new and old VX lines. As has been mentioned, the VXIIs were on closeout recently, I bought a new VXII 3-9x33 Ultralight LR for $280 from Midsouth(IIRC).

Tim

http://www.leupold.com/hunting-and-shooting/resources/faq/

[HogFan]

I would suggest you look at a Vortex, or Leupold VX-II you could find on clearance. I bought a Vortex 2 months ago for a .300 Win Mag and really like it. The Diamondback line and Razor line are made in WI. Vortex also has a forever warranty like Leupold does. I also have a Burris FFII scope along with some Bushnell Elite's, but they are not made in the US. Heck, even though Leupold owns Redfield, only the Revolution line is made in the Leupold plant in Oregon.

[HogFan]

From what I've read on other sites, the new VX-1(not to be confused with VXI) is similar to the VXII, the VX2 has the same glass and coatings as the FX series or at least some of the features of the FX. These upgrades are similar to the differences they've made before, it would be nice if Leupold would update their FAQs to explain the differences between new and old VX lines. As has been mentioned, the VXIIs were on closeout recently, I bought a new VXII 3-9x33 Ultralight LR for $280 from Midsouth(IIRC).

Tim

http://www.leupold.com/hunting-and-shooting/resources/faq/

Tim,
 
  You are correct with the new VX-1, begin pretty much a VX-II. I just finished a class for my MBA and had to research and market an already existing product. I chose Leupold, and learned quite a bit. Leupold is made in the US, but the lenses are not from the US, as no comapny in the US currently manufactures lenses to meet Leupold's standards. My next scope will probably be a VX-1 to replace a 1 year old Simmons that broke recently.

[31 bertram]

Lots of good stuff out there for $250 or less. Burris, Nikon, Bushnell, etc.  Just a matter of your preference and the sale you find.  The next big difference is around $400 for the Conquest which will be a noticable step, and probably waaaay more than you would need for 100 yds.

[Lloyd Smale]

to clear up any confusion for someone who doesnt know. the old model was the varix II and the new model is the vx2. the old vari x II is the same scope as a new vxI. the newer vx2 uses the same glass as the older vari x IIIs did. The vx2 is a much better scope then the older vari x line. The new ones have 1/4 inch click ajustments too vs the older friction adjustment which in my book make them worth twice as much. I really detested those vaque friction ajustments on the old vari x scopes and the new vxI. I had many of them and sold all but one and replaced them with vx2s and vx3s.

[quickdtoo]

Here are the differences in the old Vari-X line and the old VX I,II III line, no mention of the new VX1, VX2, or VX3 or FX yet.

Tim

http://www.leupold.com/resources/faqs/#WhatAreTheMajor

3. What are the major differences between scope lines?
 
With all of the recent changes, it can be difficult to know exactly how each product will perform. Every scope Leupold produces, including the Rifleman, is fully coated (all lenses, internal and external, are coated) and utilizes glass, coatings, and optical systems of equal or better quality than the discontinued Vari-X II’s of the past. Decreased cost associated with the Rifleman line is due to increased efficiency in our production process, not from reduced quality.
 
To make things easier, a brief summary of our current scope lines has been compiled including the most prominent features belonging to each.
 
It is important to note that every lens (internal and external) in every Leupold scope is coated, but the type of coatings will vary. “Fully multicoated” indicates that each lens in an optical system is coated with multiple layers of lens coating, such as Multicoat 4. “Fully coated” indicates that each lens is coated with a single lens coating; Leupold uses magnesium fluoride. “Standard multicoated” scopes have a combination of coated lenses and multicoated lenses.
 
VX-7
 •New for 2007, the VX-7 line takes full advantage of Leupold’s 100 years of experience. The VX-7 uses ?-MOA SpeeDial adjustments which eliminate the possibility of losing adjustment covers. DiamondCoat 2 exterior lens coatings provide the highest level of scratch resistance ever offered. Xtended Twilight internal lens coatings work to optimize the wavelengths specific to twilight conditions, making the VX-7 the best low-light scope we’ve ever produced. The use of a 4-to-1 erector system provides a larger range of magnification, making this line the ultimate scope for serious hunters.
 
LPS
 •The LPS line uses ?-MOA, low-profile, finger-adjustable adjustments; a fast-focus eyepiece; and our DiamondCoat lens coatings to provide incredible light transmission values with the addition of remarkable scratch resistance.
 
VX-L®
 •The VX-L was new for 2006, and uses ?-MOA or 1/8-MOA adjustments depending upon model, has a fast-focus eyepiece, and utilizes an objective lens specially shaped to allow large objective scopes to be mounted in low rings. VX-L scopes use a combination of Index Matched and DiamondCoat lens coatings as well as edge-blackened lenses to produce extremely low glare and unprecedented light transmission values.
 
VX-III
 •The VX-III line was new for 2004, and uses ?-MOA, low-profile, finger-adjustable adjustments and a fast-focus eyepiece. VX-III’s are fully multicoated and Index Matched to ensure that each lens has the best possible coating, producing total light transmission values higher than ever seen before.
 
Mark 4
 •Beginning in 2004, all tactical scopes are included in the Mark 4 category and will have the same features as past tactical models with the addition of a fast-focus eyepiece and Index Matched lenses; there are two exceptions which include the CQ/T and 3-9x40mm PR. The CQ/T has always utilized a combination of DiamondCoat (external) and Multicoat 4 (internal) lens coatings, and the 3-9x40mm PR is fully multicoated using Multicoat 4. 2003 tactical scopes typically had fully multicoated lenses utilizing Multicoat 4.
 
Vari-X III
 •The Vari-X III line (discontinued for 2004 with introduction of VX-III) has seen little change and is still optically the same as those produced in the 90s. Vari-X III’s utilize ?-MOA click adjustments and are fully multicoated with Multicoat 4.
 
VX-II
 •The VX-II line (2003 and older) uses a combination of Vari-X III and Vari-X II (discontinued) technology. VX-II’s also utilize ?-MOA click adjustments, but the lens coatings are unique. The external lenses are coated with Multicoat 4 and the internal lenses are coated with magnesium fluoride.
 •Beginning in 2004, the VX-II line is fully multicoated and will perform comparably to the discontinued Vari-X III line.
 
VX-I
 •The VX-I also utilizes a combination of Vari-X III and Vari-X II technology, utilizing ?-MOA friction (non-clicking) adjustments. The external lenses are multicoated and the internal lenses use magnesium fluoride.
 
Rifleman
 •Though the Rifleman line of scopes uses a different maintube (for aesthetic reasons), it is optically the same as the Vari-X II (discontinued for 2001). The adjustments are exactly the same as the Vari-X II (?-MOA friction) as are the lenses and coatings. All lenses, internal and external, are coated with magnesium fluoride. Basically, the Rifleman is a newer-looking matte finish version of the Vari-X II that helped build the Leupold reputation. It is important to note that Custom Shop options (reticle changes, target adjustment installation, etc.) are not available for the Rifleman line of scopes.
 
Beginning in 2005, there were changes to the fixed magnification scope lines, updating them to follow the current convention used by the VX series of scopes; all fixed magnification scopes now have an “FX” designation followed by a number indicating the combination of technologies used in that product. For example, an FX-II will have the same lens coatings and adjustments as a VX-II, an FX-III will have the same lens coatings and adjustments as the VX-III line, etc.
 
There was also a shift from using the term “compact” to the term “ultralight,” meaning that the FX-II 2.5x20mm Ultralight which was introduced in 2005 will be a fixed magnification scope with ?-MOA click adjustments, fully multicoated lenses, and will have the compact eyepiece.