$300 hunting scope

[bluebayou]

Okay, an age old question.  What scope to buy?  $300 is my upper limit.  I am looking for the most for the money.  This will be a hunting scope.  Everyone says Leupold.  I looked through the VX-1 and VX-2 and was impressed.  The Bushnell Elites look like more for the money though.  Rainguard, one piece tube, but...no one that I know has a high end Bushnell.  I have seen plenty of low end ones (I know that the Elites were Bausch & Lomb once upon a time) and they are pretty much low end scopes. I have a Simmons ATV for target shooting with the 22" .223 barrel and it is "good enough" but eye relief is poor and it is dim compared to a Leupold.  

I would like a lifetime scope.  Has anyone had a non-Leupold scope for a long time and been happy with it.  Leupold looks like the right choice but I am suspicious of everyones overwhelming praise of their scopes.  I seems like the "easy" choice not the most for my money.  Any help would be appreciated.   It is going on a regular .308 Handi by the way.  A $200 scope recommendation would help too.  Is $300 necessary?

[quickdtoo]

Welcome to GBO!!     I don't think you can go wrong with the Elite 4200 for just a bit more, $320 the last time I checked. I've got the 4-16x40, heck of a nice scope. I can't say anything bad about it other than it's not free! Check with Jon and www.theopticzone.com for the best price on the net that I've seen.

[Deadeye47]

Take a look at the Swift scopes also...alot of scope for the money ..clarity rivaling leopold....you'll have a little out of the $300 left over too.. :wink: for cheapest price I've found go to digitalfotoclub and do a search for Swift riflescopes

[Mac11700]

1st pick.... Leupold
 
2nd pick....Bushnell
 
3rd pick....Burris
 
 
Best scope for $200...Leupold
 
 
A lot has been said for the 3200 and the 4200 Bushnell's...and I've looked thru them,both are nice...but if I was going to put that much into optics...go with the leader in them...Leupold....but you need to look thru them yourself and see how they look to you!! If you can look thru them in natural light...so much the better...and don't be afraid to adjust them to be the clearest to you while examining them...that's the best way to determine which is best for your eyes...I've seen guys just pick them up and look around the store with it and never adjust them ...Also keep an eye on ebay for used Leupolds...the warranty is still good for you as if it where new...I don't think any other manufacture offers that kind of offer...
 
 
Mac

[Thunder38849]

Nikon offers the same warranty.  Doesn't matter how many times you sell it, the owner is still covered by a lifetime warranty.

  Checkout the Nikon Buckmasters (the new one)  I think it comes with 92% light transmission.

All the scopes mentioned above are good scopes.   Couldn't go wrong with any of those.

  A friend on another forum just bought a Nikon Buckmasters, he had a Swift 6x18x50 on his rifle which he replaced with the Nikon.   He asked if I wanted the Swift.  Of course I wanted it.... it was free.....LOL.   I had only heard of Swift a couple of times.  When I got the scope in the mail I put it on my Handi Rifle.   Went last weekend and zeroed the scope and shot a box or two of ammo.    The Swift is impressive.

  Best of luck with whichever scope you decide to purchase!

[Haywire Haywood]

I put a Nikon's Monarch 6-18x on my Varmint rifle and their Prostaff 3-9x on my Ruger 10/22.  I like'em a lot.

Ian

[ratherbefishin]

if these  top of the line scopes are good for a lifetime, then it stands to reason you could get one used for considerably less than new prices.

[greenjeans]

Check out this site. I have ordered several from them with delivery in less than a week always. Can't help with the scope recommendation. I have Simmons on my Handis and Savage and have been real pleased, but they are lower end than what you are looking for.

http://www.riflescopes.com/

[bluebayou]

Thanks for the quick answers and the welcome.  You have a good group  here.  A couple of comments:  The used scope idea is a good one.  I found a couple of people with used Leupolds but they want like new prices.  It is a lot harder decision to make than I figured that it would be.  I really like the idea of fingertip adjustments.  That is my main misgiving about Leupold.  The VX-3 is just too expensive.  I will take another look at the Nikon ones also.

Thanks again.  I have a couple of more months before season.  This is my first gun and first scope by the way.

[Fred M]

bluebayou.
The Sightron SII 3-9x42 is under $300 and it it a very good scope. Good optics and good warranty. I have one and can't find too much wrong with it. I need a scope for the 25-06 Ultra and I think of getting another one.
Fred M.

[mitchell]

hey fred good to hear from yeah how did that fishin trip go a few weeks ago?

[Fred M]

mitchell.
The fishing was great we all got our limit. Four each. The rest of the time was catch and release. The biggest Chinook Salmon this year was 42lbs.
I cought one at 35 but most of them were between 20 and 30lbs.

Last year I cought a 48 pounder and my friend a 58 lbs Chinook Salmon. Which is so far the biggest one in that camp. My friend owns the camp.
You break a lot of fishing tackle, we use 40lbs test lines on a spinning reel.
Single hook no barb.

To catch these big fishes in fast water is very strenious work, they don't give up easy.

We had a good time and had grizzly visitors almost every day. These bears are great fishermen. We stay in the fish camp for two weeks.
It is a long hike to get there 33 hour drive the 40 min by float plane and another hour up stream with a jet boat. We are near the Alaska border in BC.

[buckslayer]

if yiur worried about clarity go with the elite 4200 any power. it has 95%light transmission the brighest scope made by any one. its recoil-tested to 10,000(yes 10,000) :eek: of .375 H&H mag. one piece tube is hard to beat. i have the bushnell trophy 3-9x40 going on the muzzleloader. it just has multi-coated optics(the 4200 has FULLY multi) and its the brightest scope ive looked through. i liked it so much i'm getting a 3-9x40 legend for my ultra slug 20 ga. the legend has fully multi-coated and is recoil tested to 1,000 of .375 h&h. for 149.00 from cabelas and it has 93%light transmission. lookes good for 149.00.
later buckslayer :wink:

[quickdtoo]

if yiur worried about clarity go with the elite 4200 any power. it has 95%light transmission the brighest scope made by any one. its recoil-tested to 10,000(yes 10,000) :eek: of .375 H&H mag. one piece tube is hard to beat. i have the bushnell trophy 3-9x40 going on the muzzleloader. it just has multi-coated optics(the 4200 has FULLY multi) and its the brightest scope ive looked through. i liked it so much i'm getting a 3-9x40 legend for my ultra slug 20 ga. the legend has fully multi-coated and is recoil tested to 1,000 of .375 h&h. for 149.00 from cabelas and it has 93%light transmission. lookes good for 149.00.
later buckslayer :wink:

Cabelas has some good buys, but the legend isn't one of them, it's available at our sponsors for less.

http://www.riflescopes.com/products/753940M/bushnell_legend_3-9x40.htm

www.theopticzone.com