Scopes

[FirstBubba]

There was a time, a Weaver, Lyman, Redfield or Leopold scope was a goal every rifleman sought.
Burris, Bushnell, Tasco and Nikon were considered the bargain basement clunkers.

What scope makers do you think make the best scopes today?

The best scope for the dollar?

[dewman]

Funny you brought this up.😉 Couple of ideas.
1. Don't make 20 different models with a dozen reticles each. Stay in your wheelhouse and focus on making 2 or 3 models and make them the best you possibly can.
2. Do not try to compete price wise with China, they have slaves, we have Biden. 3. Let China make the cheap stuff so after shooters have a couple crap out on them they get smart and invest in you for the quality thus becoming loyal lifelong fans.(and customers).
4. For anyone spending under $400 today I say flip a coin, roll the dice, and play Russian roulette going forward.
5. Finally, to anyone who wants to jump in and say their $50 scope is all they could ever want. Your scope is alive and it is just waiting to screw you at the worst possible time in order to get the most satisfaction from your pitiful, humiliating, anguish. You have been warned!
Thanks FB.👍🏻 Stay safe.

[dewman]

You notice I didn't endorse any brand or model. Trust is coming hard these days.😞

[DakotaMan]

We are fortunate to be living in this time if we are scope hunting. We are blessed to have at least 25 different scope manufacturers producing scopes that are higher in precision and quality than the best scopes made 20 years ago. It depends on what you intend to do with your rifle of course but more shooters and hunters are depending on precision as rifles and ammo get better and longer range shooting is becoming more popular.

I started with a nice accurate, bullet proof 3-9x40 Redfield in the late 1960's and then migrated over a lifetime to using lots of Leupolds that have served me very well. Over the last 10 years I've migrated to lots of Vortex scopes because I have found them to be very high quality at a relatively low price point.

Every scope I buy, I acquire the lowest price scope that meets my requirements in priority order:
1. Best precision at the range I intend to shoot, measured in group size at that range.
2. Clarity that won't interfere with aiming, measured by my eye and side by side compare.
3. Field of view for hunting applications so I can get on target quickly.
4. Turret adjustments that run true for long range scopes. Days of variable distance testing.
5. Vendor warranty. If there ever is an issue, I want it fixed. Great warranties = great products.
6. Zero stop for long range variable distance shooting (not required in fixed target distance).
7. Size/weight appropriate.

I usually compare scopes side by side by looking through them for the initial purchase. I test as many with shooting as I can. There are so many good scopes that I've only been able to test a few.
At this point, I'm buying a lot of Vortex scopes. For long range competition and 100 yard bench rest I switched from the Nightforce NSX 8-32 to the Vortex Golden Eagle 15-60x52. Better scores, better price.
Nightforce NSX 5-22x50 to the Vortex PST 6-24x50. Same performance, less than half the the price.
Vortex 3-7x40 Crossfire Rimfire for .22LR
Weaver T-36 for 100 yard bench rest and testing new rifles as a known accurate scope with high magnification.

I do also use several good old Leupold VX2 and VX3 hunting scopes in the 3-9x40 or 3.5-10x50 magnification range. I use one Leupold VX3i LR6-24x50 that works great but doesn't have a zero stop. I consider this my least effective LR scope (great 1000 yard precision but I cuss the lack of zero stop with every use) and my buddy just had to send his new Mark 5 ($2K+) back for repairs out of the box.

I still consider the many Nightforce models to be a top quality/accuracy gold standard but in many cases, you can obtain comparable precision out of many other scopes at a much lower price point. I consider Vortex to be the best warranty available in scopes (fully transferable, life time warranty to the scope owner even if they bought it used). For special uses, elite scopes like U. S. Optics still provide exceptional products but they cost so much, typically only the U.S. government can afford them.

Please remember, these are only the scopes I have tested and use hard. There are many others out there that will serve you well. I do not use cheap scopes for anything because I have seen too many field failures with them. For example, the cheap scope that came on my new Ruger 10-22 shot 2.5" groups at 50 yards. I put a Vortex Crossfire (their bottom end scope) on it and it now shoots .5" groups at that range. I think it will shoot even better when I replace the 25 pound (just kidding) pull weight of the factory trigger.

[MattM37]

Best scope for the dollar? I like the Classic Mint Anti-Cavity, but really I'm more of a Listerine guy.

[FirstBubba]

Best scope for the dollar? I like the Classic Mint Anti-Cavity, but really I'm more of a Listerine guy.

😂 Now that there's funny! I don't keer who y'ar! 🤣

[dewman]

Dakotaman brings up a very valid point about warranties. I guess that would be the number one feature going forward with me.

[FirstBubba]

Dakotaman brings up a very valid point about warranties. I guess that would be the number one feature going forward with me.

I despise warranties!
I've used a warranty more than once and was doggone glad I had it, but I still don't like them! 😡

[dewman]

I despise warranties!
I've used a warranty more than once and was doggone glad I had it, but I still don't like them! 😡

I understand how you feel but if you've lost your trust, and you still need the product, what better choice is there?

[dewman]

I understand how you feel but if you've lost trust, and still need the product, what can give you better piece of mind than a no questions warranty? I think Dakotaman has hit the nail on the head with warranty.

[Milldawg]

Vortex and leupold. After using bargain basement scopes for years. The vx3i is worth every penny. The bushnell elite series were a great value I miss my 3200. Can’t find them anymore. The warranty for vortex is what wins for me. Not the glass. I still prefer leupold glass. But I’ve been called a scope snob recently. By two guys who won’t spend over 200 bucks on an optic. But they also don’t really own any highly accurate rifles and neither one would take me up on my offer of 100 bucks a shot at 100 yards 3 rounds or ten round who can make the smallest group. I also don’t think expensive gear makes me a better hunter because that can’t be bought. But good equipment that serves whomever purchased it purpose makes for an enjoyable hunt. I hunted with cheap junk and it sucks. These are the same two guys who think 49 dollar red dots off Amazon are suitable for self defense weapons. Anyways I don’t have much of a need for more optics except for the .22 and haven’t had time to side by side compare the leupold to the vortex yet but I will let y’all know.

[FirstBubba]

I understand how you feel but if you've lost your trust, and you still need the product, what better choice is there?

None....... 😜!

[fitch270]

There’s no right answer. It is possible to spend under $200 and get something that will serve you very well or over $1K and end up with a dud. Reputations of individual models are probably more important than brand name or product lines. Problem is those models seem to get discontinued quickly in the name of innovation. It doesn’t always work out that the new tech is an improvement.

Most all the major players and some promising upstarts have lifetime warranties of some sort. It’s become necessary to be competitive.

That said, there’s a good reason why Leupold and Vortex get such high praise for their customer service. It seems to get used a lot if you know what I’m saying.

[FirstBubba]

"... There’s no right answer. ..."

Correct. I remember when Nikon first started making rifle scopes. They were already know for camera lens and a LOT of people bought on the presumption that great camera lens, great rifle scope!
I understand Nikon finally put out some nice scopes before they quit.

[Milldawg]

There’s no right answer. It is possible to spend under $200 and get something that will serve you very well or over $1K and end up with a dud. Reputations of individual models are probably more important than brand name or product lines. Problem is those models seem to get discontinued quickly in the name of innovation. It doesn’t always work out that the new tech is an improvement.

Most all the major players and some promising upstarts have lifetime warranties of some sort. It’s become necessary to be competitive.

That said, there’s a good reason why Leupold and Vortex get such high praise for their customer service. It seems to get used a lot if you know what I’m saying.

Agree it gets used a lot. But if you look what it actually it is being used for it’s no surprise. Look at what we expect from a very small package full of engineering. And the level of precision we expect. To build one that would really be dead reliable for decades would be astronomical. But some tend to do better than others and some of the cost is quality control. Q.C. Minions are not cheap they want money and benefits and all that.