new rifle

doug d · 03-04-2007, 07:47 AM

just bought my first rifle, rem 30-06.looking for best/value scope to put on it.i will hunting whitetail and possibliy moose in future.

timbercruiser · 03-04-2007, 08:05 AM

Go to the SWFA website and see the sale on the Nikon Monarch scopes. Great value. You can also look at their leftover list (refurbished and demo scopes) and get some great deals.

douglas d · 03-04-2007, 08:25 AM

thanks timbercruiser, just found this site this am, so i'm a little green. but this is going to be alot of fun to talk to others that are as passiotate about hunting as i am.

apexpredator · 03-04-2007, 11:09 AM

Don't skimp on your glass, buy the best your budget can afford. Scopes are one of the things where ya get what ya pay for. SWFA are good people.

Folically Challenged · 03-04-2007, 11:31 AM

Congrats, from anotherRemington .30-06 owner!

"Best value" can be tricky. I just bought a Zeiss Conquest that I think is a tremendous value at $400. Compared to a $30 Tasco, that may seem outrageous, but this scope's brightness & clarity are right up there with some $1,000 scopes. And some people may think a $1,000 scope is a steal if it seems to them to be just as clear & bright as a $2,000 outfit.

If you can manage$100 to $150, you'll get into some serviceable glass, like the Bushnell 3200's, Nikon Buckmasters, Burris Fullfield II, and the Leupold VX I. At this level, you're getting a really big upgrade in the glass, as well as a much higher probability of repeatable adjustments, and holding zero over many years. When you step up from this level, pricewise, the quality differencesdon't increase as dramatically as they do when yougo from $50 to $150. It's kind of a sweet spot on the price-value curve.

Try to resist the temptation to buy huge objective lenses (> 44 mm or so). If you want the best light gathering capabilities for dawn and dusk hunting, having better glass is far more important that having a giant bell on the end of the scope.

Also, be aware that you don't have to have a bazillion-X magnification. If you're not trying to nail prarie poodles at 500 yards, a 3-9 scope will be more than enough, as would a 2x-7x.

So, to summarize:
1) Scrounge up as much $$ as you can for the scope
2) Get the bestoptical quality you can afford, and then
3) Get a scope with an objective diameter &magnification consistent with what you're hunting.

Good Luck!

FC

Predator26 · 03-04-2007, 07:14 PM

Awesome choice on the rifle! I own a Remington SPS DM in 30-06. The scope on my rifle is a Leupold VX-I 3-9x40mm. It's great for short to medium range engagements, and you can't beat the value of a Leupold.

hunter5325 · 03-11-2007, 10:03 AM

It just depends what you want to spend. IMHO the Burris Fullfield II 3x9x40 is the best value in the price range. Right now at Cabela's and Sportsmans Warehouse you can get the scope and a pair of Landmark binoculars for $199. The binoc's are $130 by themselves. My buddy now has bought three of these combo's, and I honestly have been very very impressed. Brett

okgobbler · 03-11-2007, 01:17 PM

I also have 3 Burris Fullfield II's and am very satisfied. Check Natchezss.com they often have them for about $169.

bronko22000 · 03-19-2007, 04:57 PM

Add another vote for the Burris Fullfield II scope.

Red Lion · 03-20-2007, 06:44 AM

Opticsplanet can sometimes have decent deals as well. I would also suggest a Bushnell 3200, Burris Fullfield II or Nikon. I would think that a 3x9 power would do you well.