scope selection

[Cookie-kid]

What does one look for in a good scope? How much Magnification does one really need? I've read threads that state you should almost pay as much for your scope as you do for your rifle, but how does that effect when you purchase say... a $200 rifle or a $2000 rifle?

What options are kinda overkill for Van. Isle. hunting or BC Coast?

I'm going with the guess-timate that the sales reps are going to try to sell every dollar they can out of me, so I figured I'd ask the pros as to what is worth using without under or over spending.

Potential scope will go onto whichever potential rifle I have yet to buy... will be a non-mag. Short listed to: .243/ 7mm-08/ 6.5X55/ .270/ .308.

Hunting Deer mainly, maybe pie plates, zombies and if I get lucky enough, an elk or moose tag. Not a bear hunter, probably won't be going after goat/sheep or predators.

[Mr. Dean]

3x9's have killed more than their share of Zombies.

What inflates a scopes price (mainly) is the quality of glass used in it.
And the better the glass, the sharper the image.

Look through a few and decide just how much you're willing to go for clarity.
FWIW, I've long been a fan of the Bushnel 3200.... Good bang for buck.

[BCBRAD]

if price point is a consideration , looked for a used Leupold in the 2x7, 2.5x8, 3x9,3.5x10 range. However for your type of hunting a 2x7 would be ideal, 2x for deer in the tight stuff and 6x for everything else. quality of glass is nice but its nice to have a scope that won't shoot loose and tracks well.

[islandhunter]

The Redfield line of scopes looks good for the price. Made by leupold in the US of A

[B.C.Boy(100%)]

3-9x40 is a standard magnification in the hunting community, and just to keep things simple with a rifle, the 308Win is every where, can't go wrong with those two.
2-7 is a great scope also, usually lighter in weight (by a few oz's) I'd use one on a bush gun where the cover is limiting the range vision, however my bush gun has the 3-9 on it, which helps out by extending the range of vision in a clear cut or opening with the potential of longer range shots.

I'm a bit, OK a lot bias towards the Leupold and Redfield scopes, I can't stand Bushnell's period, had too many of them crap out and fail, and Bushnell's warranty takes forever 12 - 20months or better. (in my experiences)
Never had a Leupold fail yet and the new Redfield's have Leupold's reputation to back it up, I hear warranty turn around time for a Redfield/Leupold is within a month, yet never had to use it.
Bang for your buck = Redfield. Have a few extra $$ = Leupold.

Just my worthless 2 cents, hope that helps.

[gerrygoat]

Go with a Leupold or Redfield 3-9x40 or similar size no need to go with anything bigger. I have been pretty impressed with the Burris FF II as well.

[tuffteddyb]

Bushnell elite 3200 is a great scope i have 3 of them.
Also like the Burris fullfield,have 2 of them.
Really want to try the redfields out.Think they are a pretty good bang
for the buck.
Leupold are just too pricy for me.
As for what magnification,I have all 3x9's.Also one 4-14 which is my wifes and she picked it
cuz she wanted to try a bigger magnification,which I expect will go on her varmit rifle.
By the way,on yer rifle choice i would go with the 7/08.lol

[russm86]

I'd go leupold or redfield as well for the lower end of things otherwise you could look at someof the european glass like ziess and swaro but if price is a part of your choice then they are probably out. Just as BCBoy has said, I too have had my fair share of problems with bushnell, I have had one new 3200 elite 3-9x40 scope repaired 3 times now each time has taken minimum probably 9 months as well as a range finder that shit the bed and one older bushnell scope that went all cloudy inside and never cleared up. These are the last and only bushnell products i have and will ever own. The 3-9x40 3200 elite looks like it might finally be fixed for good now but I just can't bring myself to trust it on those important shots so it's now used on a .22, that is how much i respect and trust bushnell products now, no more than plinker optics. I will never purchase another bushnell myself. Redfield/Leupold is a minimum for myself. PS all good rifle choices, though .243 may be a touch light for elk or moose, not that they haven't been taken with one I'm sure, but for a bit more confidence in shot and clean kill I probably wouldnt go .243 on anything larger than a deer myself.

[Bow Walker]

Well, FWIW - I looked through quite a few scopes and I did a bunch of research when I wanted to put some glass on my new .270

I finally bought a Vortex Diamondback in the venerable 3-9x40 size and I've been very satisfied with it.

[Mr. Dean]

Geeze.....

I got 2, 300WM's that are topped with 3200's. One of them gets some serious range time, shooting serious loads. I know that it's round count is in the multiple of thousands. - Notta burp, hiccup or fart.

And that particular scope has got to be pushing 10 years old now, if not more. Safe to say that it gets drenched too, each and every year out hunting.

I probably have 5 3200's in all of my collection....

I also got a pair of their bino's that have bumped and banged there way, up-n-over mountains while on foot and 1000's of click's of dashboard driving in my Jeep while off-road cruising. 6 years old, no burps there either. Oh yeah, it gets it's yearly soaking as well.

Gots me one of their upper classed/rated spotters - Too big for hiking with, the focus knob is a little bit fast for my liking but it does bounce around in that earlier mentioned Jeep for ~ the last 4 years. It still does everything that it did when new. This item really doesn't see much rain,,, some but not a lot. Notta fart.

I really can't say that any of these purchases were regretted and that they did/do meet my expectations; Of main importance, being budget friendly and being reliable.

Guess I'm a Lucky Guy after all!
For a while there, I was wondering.........


WTS, I do own one loop, a Vx3. It's a year old, sits atop another 300 WM, has 20 rounds under it's belt, CRISP as all get-out AND it looks good mounted to the rifle it's on. So far, no hiccups.