Hunter4life81

Hey. Im in the hunt of a new scope after this upcoming season i have about 400-600$ limit! Any opinions on what i can find with good quality. water proof, 4.5-12(i belive thats corect.). I am very "lost" with scopes and advice or opinions are very helpful!

Thank you!

schoolcraft

I've always used Leupold scope on my rifles until this year. Specifically the 3.5-10X40 model.
This year I'm using a Zeiss Conquest 3.5-10X44.
So far I've only found ONE thing I don't like better about the Zeiss scope.
The Zeiss scopes are VERY bright in low light, but I've found the reciticle is harder to see. It has a larger "thin" part of the crosshair towards the center than the duplex recticle on the Leupold models.
For precision target shooting I like it better....but I've taken it out late in the evenings and I can't see the thinner center section of the crosshair for shooting. It seems to dissapear especially when I was aiming at a dark brown hog last week.
With the upper level of your scope budget at $600, you have some VERY nice scopes to choose from. The Zeiss Conquest line will fit your budget and so will the Leupold Vari-X III models.
If I was hunting more open areas like fields or prarie areas or where longer shots were the norm I would stick with the Zeiss model. Since I'm in East Texas hunting thicker wooded areas where shorter shots are the norm and things get darker faster in the evenings, I would now rather have my Leupold with it's slightly thicker duplex recticle back.
The forums here seem to have the majority of shooters preferring Zeiss over Leupold though. I think both would make you a VERY good hunting scope to use for many years to come.

schoolcraft

Also forgot to mention that I've got a Nikon Monarch 3-9X40 on one rifle that I really like. It's nice and bright at dawn and dusk and the recticle stands out well.
The Nikon Monarch will also be in your price range and should be considered.

stubblejumper

I would be looking at the Zeiss Conquest,but at the 3x9 or 3.5x10 models.You don't need 12x for big game hunting,at at close range,high magnification can cause problems.

MALLARD76

+1 for the Zeiss Conquest. Best value for your dollar!

idunno

Ditto on the Kikon Monarch. I have one in 3-9x40 and love it

JeffS

I like the Zeiss Conquest. I shoot mine at night hog hunting just using the moonlight.

Palladin8

www.Bearbasin.comhas great prices on scopes. Iam fond of and haveSwarovski scopes. They are a bit pricey but worth every penny. I also have Leupold and Burris. The Burris scopes that I have really surprised me on the clarity even in lower light situations. And there Black Diamond series of scopes I would compare them to my Swarovski as far as light gathering and brightness. They are really a good scope. Like the previous posters have stated though you can't go wrong with a Zeiss. Look at what Bearbasin has and I am willing to bet you could find what you are looking for cheaper than you can find it around where you live.

rifle_man

Get a Zeiss Conquest Great scope

MichaelT.

I own a lot of Nikons ( because they are great scopes ) and in that price range, you can look into the Buckmaster line to find one in the magnifications range you like....

OR

You can step up to the Nikon Monarch line ( I own these too ) and find an even better scope in the price you like and a magnification that you can accept.... You can get up to a 5-20X44 in the Monarch , but they are in the 500.00 range... but there are others like a 4-16 that cost less... Great scopes.

OR

You and get something in the Bushnell 4200 series... that is a great scope and in your range.

Or Zeiss does make some super scopes, and they are more reasonably prices than comperable Leupold scopes, but they can also get pretty pricy. A 3-9x40 Conquest is about 400.00 ... and the same thing in a Nikon Monarch is considerably less.... But they are nice, .... just not as cheap as others like to make them seem.

The best prices I have found have always come from www.theopticzone.com . Before you decide, browse their site, see whats available in the magnification range you seek, and then look at the prices.... Pick one out and compare the price to the prices at other sites.... Compare the price to the value for that price...

I would safely say that you can get whatever you want to hunt with ( magnification wise ) and be fine. Others will say that anything over 9x is wasted and unnecessary . SOme say that at 12 X , Some say that at 14 x or 16 x... I own them all. I also own a 5-20X44 and I love it. It is a Nikon Monarch, and I love the sight picture I get from it. I love being able to power it up and look at the deer a little closely when deciding if I want to shoot that one. I want to be able to look 400 or 500 yards across a field or down a pipeline and be able to pick a buck out of the weeds, trees, or brush, and not wonder how big he is.

It is all personal preference, and if you like it, and want it, then get it, and don't let anyone tell you that you don't need it.

I wish I had a 100 $$$ for everytime someone told me I didn't need anything bigger than 9X I would be rich. What they mean is that they don't need or like anything larger than 9X .... and they don't think you should either .... because THEY are such a deerslayer.....

GET what YOU like....3/4 of the scopes I own have a high end range starting at 12 X or larger ... up to the 20 X I mentioned before.... and I love using them all much more than my 3-9x40's or 3 - 10 x 40's

Go look around at www.theopticzone.com and look around.... Those folks are real nice to do business with too..... and as I said, they have some of the best pricing I have found in stores or on the net.

After that, look at www.swfa.com... I have bought a couple of scopes from them also..... but not many.

God Bless and let us know what you come up with.

MET