Your budget is 1000$ plus tax, what scope are you buying for your rifle?

[horseman2]

Not to be the language police but GOOD . . . BETTER . . . BEST.
Lacking information about what is currently being used, direction you want to go and the end results.
$400 would fall in to the GOOD category at 3-9 power but is there a limitation on objective diameter?
Are the rings and bases going to be changed at the same time? Will the current R & B accommodate a 50 mm objective?
By increasing the power from 3-9 to 3.5-10 or 4.5-14, the price generally goes up.
My best is a Leupold VX-6 2-12 X 42 but today that would exceed $1000.
Are you hunting elk in grizzly habitat and will a low power of 3 allow quick target acquisition?
There are essentially three categories of scope value . . . 1/2 the value of the rifle, equal value and twice the worth of the rifle.
With some trying to save money and others spending yours you have to decide for yourself.
The guessing game continues given the limited information . . .

[stogs]

What do you find better about the z5?

I find the z5 is overall brighter at first and last light. If you do a vertical test the turrets are bang on. It's also lighter and has better magnification than my z3.


Don't get me wrong tho a z3 is miles ahead of lots of other scopes.

[emerson]

For a hunting rifle low light performance is key for me. Low mag 1-8 ish with some kind of illuminated dot/reticle. YMMV.

[Astepanuk]

I really like my Swarovski Z3 BT. I have switched that scope out for the new Leupold VX5 HD if you could find that scope for under a grand I'd be all over that.

[RyoTHC]

Cool, I kind of meant that I think there might be better ways to spend the money. I likely get more animals each year than most on this forum- with $400 or less scopes. I invest the money in airfare, motels, etc.

We should have a PP measuring contest. I don’t think I could fill a tag without spending all the money I did on fancy scopes and guns !

[twoSevenO]

Leupold VX-3 CDS for the under $1000 budget.

If I ever increase my budget to $1500+ I will for the zeiss V4.

There are a lot of nice scopes out there that can even be found used for decent deals. The problem is a lot of them arent very good hunting scopes.

For example, Nightforce. I will never own one. While they are bulletproof, by all accounts, they are overly heavy and their reticles all SUCK for hunting.

[sako79]

I find it interesting that some folks choose a brand name as part of their HBC moniker. It would seem to suggest that they're very proud of their ownership of a particular item(s)- and possibly what they feel that ownership conveys about them to others.

It reminds me of the type of guy who buys a Harley, then shows up for work with Harley Davidson pencils.


A $400 scope should work well for most hunters.

Optics are more important than the rifle itself

[albravo2]

We should have a PP measuring contest. I don’t think I could fill a tag without spending all the money I did on fancy scopes and guns !

Dang Ryo, I didn't have you down as one of the funny guys but that made me spit! Well played.

I'd add that having cool gear is one of the things I enjoy about hunting. I could hunt in a wool sweater but every time I look at my Kuiu jacket I smile a little bit. Not only is it a very technical bit of kit, seeing it reminds me of a lot of good times.

[swampthing]

HBCers dont let HBCers buy vortex! Find something else! If you dont like leupolds check out bushnells forge line up.

[moosinaround]

I am slowly switching over to all Leupolds on my rifles! I do own a couple Vortex, and I haven't had issues with them. moosin