One criterion Semisane didn't include in his list is weight. Weight has always been one of my major concerns, because of the way my hunting is done. This has led me to own three 4X scopes that weigh 9.3 ounces each. The 1.5-5 scope i mentioned in a previous post weighs 9.5 ounces. Yes, i like to keep weight to a minimum; this eliminates a lot of possibilities. A lot of my shooting/hunting is done with a light 4X scope, and experience has shown; one can shoot past 1/4 mile with just a 4X scope, and have fun doing it.

My concern about weight led to a bad scope choice once. A light scope is the Leupold 3-9 ultra-light. Yes, i own one, and am afraid to use it on my rifles, because of the short eye-relief. It is reliable, clear, and light, but it doesn't get used. It now sits on an AR-15, and wow, every now and then, it is used to hit pop cans at 700 yards. The 223 doesn't recoil like a muzzle loader.