llbts1

Swift makes a good scope. Sightron is another good company. Larry

James B

Deer travel at different times on different days. Sometimes I see them well before and after legal shooting times. All I can say is that my scopes gather plenty of light for all legal shooting hours. What more do I need than PLENTY? After 49 years of hunting, I have never seen a time when I needed more scope than I was using. I will sure stay with the class of glass I am using and save the money for other things. Just as there is ENOUGH gun, There is also enough scope.Just never could see wasting anything.

Dan. I have also had good results with Swift scopes.Have not used many Sightron yet.

MR.D

On the less expensive end, IMHO the Banner by Bushnell is excellent.
Mid price range I would have to go with Nikon Buckmaster (just got one new on ebay for $175 with no tax and shipping included)
Higher end, I'd buy the Nikon Monarch or Bushnell Elite 4200.

I have Leupold but the scopes I mentioned all seem brighter for less $$.
Just my opinion.

James B

I have had good service from the Banner scopes as well. My VX-l is as good a scope as I would haver have need of. The Rifleman is not quite as bright but is still more than enough for leagal shooting hours.

JagMagMan

Again, James is right on target! Even the scopes that I wouldn't buy again, have been clear enough to make ANY shot in legal hunting times!

okcmco

I don't really like most features on scopes today. I demand GOOD glass, GOOD multicaotings and GOOD weather resistance. I don't need an adjustable objective (I don't think any hunters really do), or bullet drop compensators. But for 200 bucks, the best scope period is the Sightron SII 3x9x40.
That said, I think you should spend more on your scope than on your rifle.
Lets face it. A Savage 110 will shoot as well as any high dollor rifle out there. Ugly? sure! But it does what most other rifles do (and some don't), which is to put a group of shots into an inch at a hundred yards. But in optics, you really do get what you pay for. Good glass costs money. And high qulaity coatings aren't cheap. Plus when you start multi coating a glass surface, it gets even more expensive.
A 400-500 dollar scope (Zeiss Conquest, Leupold VX3, Sightron S3, Burris Signature series, Bushnell Elite 4200) is noticeably better than a 200 dollar scope. Especially in Twilight. To Get more performance than these scopes offer, you have to spend alot more. As the quality rises, price goes up with diminishing returns. A 1300 Dollar Zeiss Diavari is a better scope than the Zeiss Conquest. But the Quality of image to price ratio gets less. So at the premium level. where optics are as good as they thoreticly can be, any little improvement represents huge costs in R&D and manufacture.
Still If I could afford it, I would get a Scmidt and Bender, Zeiss Victory, Or Swarovski PH. Would I kill more deer? Probably not. Would my hunting partners be jealous? YOU BET!
okcmco

Todd1700

I am at the point where I spend as much on my scopeas I do my rifle.

Yes they are and anyone who thinks differently either hasn't usedthem in the field in order to compare; has eyesight too poor to notice; or has a serious case of denial going on.

Agreed, this is what I meant about a point of diminishing return. To me the real world advantagesof a 1300 dollar Diavari compared to a 500 dollar Conquest are fairly insignificant.

Glad to hear it. Maybe you hunt in fairly open country were light isn't as much as an issue as it is for some. Maybe legal shooting time ends earlier where you hunt. Can't speak for you. But, in the deep woods here I can see to shoot far longer with a Zeiss Conquest than with any scope in the 100 to 200 dollar range.

James B

Our shooting hours are half an hour before sunrise to half hour after sunset. Even my old Tasco scopes were plenty bright for those hours. I for one am not saying there is no advantage to a 600 dollar scope. What I am saying is that I don't need that difference nor am I willing to pay for something that I don't need. I love to hunt and if I needed more scope, I would have it. I still have about a 200.00 limit on scopes and until they won't do the job, I will stick to it.

I was a gun dealer for about 20 years so I sold all brands and types of scopes and had a chance to use them and get feed back on them.

Pawildman

Being an old Leupold guy, I just wanted to say that I've bought quite a few of them used at gun shows over the years, all VX-II's. Never had a bit of problems with any of them. Seem to be going for around $175.00 right now, where I live. They don't sit around on the vendor's table very long. Lots of Redfields available too. Less money for a very decent scope. Just a thought...... you may want to check the gunshows out.... How about it, James B.?

James B

I never have bought a used scope except taking a few in on trade while trading rifles. However gun shows would be another good option. Most Leupolds would be covered under warranty even used. Even if there was a small fee for repairs you may end up with a good scope without spending t much.

The 3200 is a fine scope as well. I wouldn't be a bit afraid of those. Oddly enough, I was never much of a Luppy fan until they brought out the VX-l. I always like the M-8's though.