Good inexpensive scope
 

Hi Guys,

I am looking for a recomendation on a good, but inexpensive scope for mule deer and elk out west. I know you can spend over $1k for a scope with a pretty little hawk on it, but I don't have that much to drop on a scope. Is there anything you recomend to put on Browning A-Bolt .300 wsm that will not break the bank. If possible I would like to spend less than $300. Anyhow, this will be my first real scope (besidesa youth .22) since I typcally hunt with shotgun in the midwest.

Thank you.

RE: Good inexpensive scope
 

I have a Nikon Buckmaster and I like it very much.

RE: Good inexpensive scope
 

4.5-14 Leupold. Around $500. If your spending the money on an Elk Hunt spend the extra couple bucks on a good scope. It will be a great investment and money well spent. If your short on cash sell it when you get back. I bet you'll find a way to keep it though! Besides it will look good on top of that Browning

RE: Good inexpensive scope
 

Try looking on some optic sites like Opticzone, etc or ebay to find a Bushnell Elite 4200 3x9x40, selling below 300 I don't think there is a better scope for this price right now.

RE: Good inexpensive scope
 

My thoughts exactly! At $300 or below, nothing comes remotely close to this scope. Even up to $400, it holds its own against some very fine competition.

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/manufacturers_id/145/products_id/21475

http://theopticzone.com/detail.aspx?ID=4094

http://www.swfa.com/pc-7280-185-bushnell-3-9x40-elite-4200-rifle-scope.aspx

http://www.bearbasin.com/catalog.htm#b_l_scopes

As for mounts, I'd suggest Talleys or Leupold Dual Dovetails.

If this is your 1st real scope, does that mean the .300 WSM will be your 1st real rifle? Make sure you get plenty comfortable with it prior to heading out West!

Good Luck,


FC

RE: Good inexpensive scope
 

Good advice rendered by skeeter and FC. Another consideration would be Sightron SII Big Sky.

RE: Good inexpensive scope
 

Pentax Light Seeker

RE: Good inexpensive scope
 

To answer your question logically, the answer is that you have the wrong set up for a cheap scope application.

It's kind of like buying a plow horse and then complaining about the feed bill.

There is a massive amount of recoil in a 300 Winchester Short Magnum.
You would have been better off buying a 270 / 30-06 type of rifle and then spending the money that you saved compared to theMagnumonA scope of your choice instead of spending all your money on the rifle and then not having a sufficient amount left over for a good quality scope.

Your rifles range- how far you can shoot accurately is determined by how good your scope is.

There is no one that I know ofthat is going to shoot 1000 yards at a 3 inch bulls eye with open sights.

Something as big as a buffalo - you didn't need a scope to shoot.

Even a monster 200 + lbs whitetail deer at 400 yards looks mighty small in a 9 power scope - through the woods - at first light and the last minutes before dusk. Normally the time when the big ones have a tendency to appear.

Re think your idea on a cheap scope and spends as much as you can - when you can afford it.

You still have a long time before most deer seasons begin with a rifle, 6 or more months in most places.

Surely - even if you just give up buying lottery tickets and coffee, you can save $20 a week, which would add up to$500 that you could use towards your purchase.

RE: Good inexpensive scope
 

Actually, $300 is hardly "cheap" for a scope. $50 - now THAT would becheap.

Granted, we've all taken the top end of the guy's spending range & conveniently bumped right up against it. But a good quality 3-9 is perfectly adequate to ranges most people have no business shooting. Is it the perfect setup for consistently shooting to the far edge of the .300 WSM's range? No. That would lean toward a 12x or 16x magnification, and probably a 50mm objective. In other words, a target scope.

In the original post, however, the rifle was purchased for use on Elk & Mule deer. While some shots may be at 400+ yards, the vast majority are inside 200. And crawling around through thick timber isn't fun to do with a giant scope on one's rifle. Actually, trying to get a rifle with a large scope into a saddle scabbard isn't much fun, either.

In my eyes, a Bushnell 4200 is a pretty fine setup for his rifle, & what he says he wants to do with it.

Just my $.02.

FC

RE: Good inexpensive scope
 

Well said Rifleman. Like I said before, 4.5x14 Leupold and don't look back. I can't imagine that you'll find anyone that owned one that didn't like it. I own several Leupolds and this is my favorite for deer hunting point blank to 500 yards. I don't see how it can be refered to as a giant scope either. You can get them in a 40mm objective with a 1" tube. The 30mm with side focus is REALY nice though. It is larger but if your dragging that Browning through the brush I'll bet your gonna be a little careful anyhow.

I've heard a lot of good about the 4200 just haven't looked through one. Might be fine.

RE: Good inexpensive scope
 

I agree with FCI don't think the 4200 is cheaping out, in fact the likes of the 3200 elite, etc is a decent scope that will work for the majority of hunters in NA under normal biggame hours. While i agree on not skimping on optics and especially mounts I also understand that shelling out more for a scope can seem pretty tough compared to the rifle it is on. Took me awhile to appreciate the value of optics. However better optics never really amounted to more success in the field, they are more for me then the game;). I see nothing wrong with spending 300 and getting a good return on investment. I also see no need for a high mag scope for biggame hunting either, I have taken gameoutwards of 500 yards with no more then 10X. I think a 3x9, 2.5x10, etc is perfectly suited for NA Big Game Hunting.

As far as rifleman comment about the massive recoil you get from a 300wsm...:eek:. I have shot a number of 300wsm's anddidn't view the recoil as massive. The LW rigs can be snappy but not crazy orhardpushinglike a .416 rigby!!!

RE: Good inexpensive scope
 

Once upon a time, a long time ago, I bought a Remington 760 Gamemaster 30/06 that had a Weaver 4 x 12 x 40 scope on it that looked pretty decent.

I sold the gun, but kept the scope.

I put the scope on a old used 300 Weatherby Magnum that I swapped for the '06.

After about 6 shots, I picked up the gun - off the bags on the bench to eject the shell - while my brother looked to see where it hit at 100 yards, and the scope made a jingling noise.

When I went to look through the eye piece - it was cracked in half.

That gun was a pleasure to shoot, because it was on a 1917 Enfield action and it was so heavy that it absorbed most of the recoil.

I then put a $100 Bushnell scope on it, and it would not hit the same place twice after about 5 rounds.

Now the rounds I was using was just the el chepo $30 a box - 2001 price, and was not the top of the line rounds.

After two boxes of shells, I couldn't even hit the target twice.

That scope crapped the bucket and I sent it back and gave it away when they replaced it.

That is my opinion of what a cheap scope is.

I never took to a Elite 4200 - because I didn't have any need for target knobs and a bunch of lines inside of the scope. Plus the 4200 Elite is about $500 - $600 - depending on the model.

I do however have two 3200 Elites on My BROWNING pump rifle - 300 Winchester Magnum and on my BROWNING A Bolt Medallion - .270 Winchester Short Magnum.

The 5 x 15 x 40 is no bigger than most regular scopes and it will hold a zero.

That is my point about cheap scopes. If it will not hold a zero - even after being inside of a scabbard - going across a mountain - with a ornery horse trying to throw you off at every pass. Then it isn't worth the Aluminum they wasted to make it.

I would rather look through the box than a cheap scope.

One ofmy brothers has a almost new, Leupold Vari X III -3.5 - 10.5 x 40 ? scope that he would sell you for the price of a new Elite 3200

Once you shoot a 15 power scope with real cross hairs, you will not go back to a Leupold with them tiny little cross hairs.

My other brother has an identical scope that he has not moved since he mounted it 5 years ago. Has not even sighted in his rifle since then!

Yes Leupold is a great scope - but how much do you want to spend.

RE: Good inexpensive scope
 

Stick with a nikon or a burris

RE: Good inexpensive scope
 

Thought I'd suggest whatever scope you get you consider one with a multiple aiming point reticle.....otherwise you're truly guessing at 300, 400, 500yds where that bullet is suppose to be.....

the leupold B&C reticle, or nikon bdc......most scopes now offer some reticle of this type.....

I have a 4.5-14, a 3-12, I'd say at least a 3.5-10, 14 is pretty high, 12 is perfect, though I'm having tough finding a 12 power I like.....or with the features I want......

As far as leupolds tiny crosshairs....? they could be finer IMO.....so larger isn't somethign I'd want.

And ya at 300-500yds I think 14x is quite a bit nicer than 10x. My first scope was a 2-7 on my .270, had it been a 3-9 I may not have replaced it, but I felt the 2-7 was just way too low of magnification for out west, ie 14x is twice that of 7x!!

RE: Good inexpensive scope
 

I have a Nikon buckmaster on my .300wm and it hasent changed its poi since I put it on there.Clear and great low light scope.

RE: Good inexpensive scope
 

Talk to Doug, he'll fix you up.........

http://www.cameralandny.com/

RE: Good inexpensive scope
 

I think most "old heads" like me have been right where you are , and done that ... bought an "entry level" scope.You've gotten great advice here from all of these othe folks. All I would encourage you to do is scrimp, save, scrounge, work OT, beg, look under thecouch, hold a garage sale... whatever it takes ... and gather up enough $$$ to buy the very best optics that you can. I see far too many folks around here with a $500-$600 bolt action riflewitha $50 "Wally-World" special scope sitting on it. That's like putting recaps on a Carvette !!

At $300, you might seriously consider a fixed power in 4X or 6X. Mightget more quality in the glass and construction ruggedness for your dollar than a what you'd get for an equally pricedvariable.

RE: Good inexpensive scope
 

My experience has been that most scopes are 75% on up to 150% of the cost of the rifle!

Not to say this is good or bad, but agreed putting a $50 anything on anything doesn't sound like much benefit.

More to my point was that it surprised me what decent glass cost when I first was in the market for a scope....

My feel is the gun/caliber dictates part of the decision, sometiems you can get by with not the greatest, sometiems it requires the greatest.....

I'd say I've been scammed much more by the supposed great products for a deal/bargain, than the best/quality at the normal/expensive price. As the years wear on, this seems to only be reinforced.....sometimes you pay more for a name......but when the best shares that with a name, you pay more/alot but you also get alot....I'd much prefer to pay alot and get what's fair, a quality product, than to get deal on a peice of junk, or something that under delivers.Because of this I find myself justifying quality more so than quantity, and its all how you want to spend your money, me I choose lesser quanity and higher quality than higher quantity and lesser quality.

Its funny to me also when you buy a "nicer/more expensive item" and even the box it comes in is nicer! To me this only goes to reinforce the quality you just bought. When even the box it comes in is nicer, what do you think of the item inside the box? ie the reason you bought it in the first place.

RE: Good inexpensive scope
 

I love my Rifleman I might go ahead and buy another to put on my new gun

RE: Good inexpensive scope
 

Didn't hear much about Nikon Monarchs.

RE: Good inexpensive scope
 

Bushnell 4200 and 3200 Elites are a good route to take.
3200would be the ones I'd turn to at that price range
and if you can find a 4200 all the better.:)

RE: Good inexpensive scope
 

The Monarch is an excellent mid level scope, but the 4200 with Rainguard is just as good or better and can still be bought for a better price, $250 or so.

RE: Good inexpensive scope
 

I have owned 2 Monarchs. Both were on "used' rifles that I bought. One was something like 3-10x50 mm and the other 3-9x40 mm. The 50 mm was a 2004/5 vintage. The 40 mm a 2007 model. I was very disappointed in the "older" scope. The newer Monarch for whatever reason is much better .... even in low light performance. I sold the 50 mm and kept the 40 mm.

Try looking at Bear Basin Outfitters. I have bought scopes and binos from them in the recent past. Good folks. Not a "gray" dealer. I have zero experience with Bushnell Elites but others here have mentioned them as a good value ... Elite 4200 3-9x40mm for $270.

RE: Good inexpensive scope
 

Go take a look at Nikons lines. I think that you will be impressed. I had one on my .308, and wish I still had it instead of the $1000 + Luepold I put on my .338.

RE: Good inexpensive scope
 

Look at http://www.samplelist.com/

This site is by swfa out of TX I think. Good people, that have been a pleasure to deal with. This is the listing for trade-ins, display models, and factory reconditioned scopes. In fact they have some Nikon factory refurbs in "3.5-10x50 Monarch UCC , Matte finish, BDC reticle, 1" tube, 1/4 moa finger adjustable windage and elevation, fast focus eye piece, like new condition, factory refurbished." right now for 329.95. That is a good deal with a fullwarranty. Just a thought. If ya call them ask about the base and rings also.

RE: Good inexpensive scope
 

Here are some good choices that will fit the bill(no pun intended)

[ol][*]Nikon Monarch 3-9x40 ( low 2's if you can find one used) not made anymore[*]Nikon Monarch 2.5-10x42(around 3)[*]Bushnell 4200 Elite 3-9x40(low 2's) [/ol]