Good scope for 500+ shots
 

Hello to all, I would like to thank all for their responses before. I'm new to this forum but have several questions for those who may want to chime in. I'm looking for a good scope I can hunt with in Montana and some of the shots I've done were out to the 350+ but not often and not really wanting to take them but I try a long shot now and then but only if it's a clear shot.
Thanks,Hhardrock

welcome to the site
I think your new to hunting and shooting,a s it seems l**** your not sure of many things

first off, any scope can be shot at any distance
has nothing to do with scope and how far one can shoot
second, before shooting at live animals, (it can be dangerous too) you should be GOOD at shooting paper targets accurately, at any distance you MIGHT shoot at a live animal with, its the ethical thing to do, , trying to LEARN how to shoot far at living things is not a proper way to learn how to shoot farther!
I would highly suggest reading up and learning how to shoot far with what ever caliber rile you have and use!

NOW as for scope's
there are countless brands that make even more countless model of reliable scopes, from lower priced ones to very HIGH priced one's
and most all have life time warranty's

so,before we could maybe recommend a scope to you, maybe tell us MORE info
like what caliber and type of rifle(this matters )
then next maybe a bigger part of the deal, tell us what your budget is!

and last, most all scopes can be good for thousands of shots, as again that is not really the main point of a scope, i=s how many shots it can handle, but there are scopes built more robust than others for sure, but price tags tend to climb as you get into the higher tested end one's!

I wasn't sure whether he meant 500+ shots or shots at 500+ yards. Everything you wrote is spot on.

Hey Mrbb and Elmman, I appreciate the fast response, sorry I may have not been really clear in my post and that I'm sorry for the wording in part.
I was trying to ask about 500 yds in distance and that I have a scope I'm not that confident in to take a shot much over 300 yds.
Just trying to upgrade and stay within a normal persons budget of around 600.00(= or -).
Sorry,I wasn't more clear but it is what it is.
Thanks Again
hhardrock

well again
the scope has NOTHING really to do with shooting FAR
many people shoot 1,000 yards with open sights !
the ability to shoot far, be it a 10 yards or a 1,000 is learning what your rifle and caliber and load and YOU can do with it all,
so maybe your question is more about what can you see to shoot at the distances you want to shoot at
But keep in mind,m just can you can see something better, doesn';t mean you can shoot better
shooting far, is a game of practice and practice and more practice, and its Not something you should be trying to learn to do on live targets!

as JUST having a scope large magnification enough to see far , does NOTHING for you honestly in your ability to shoot far!

YES you need to be able to see a target to shoot it, but there is more to shooting far than having a BIG scope and reading a ballistic chart off a box of ammo!
there is a actual skill you need to LEARN< not every rifle shoot well enough to be good on PAPER at 500 yards , never mind trying to kill a animal!
this is what I am trying to get you to understand here and not trying to be rude about it at all, which is also why I am guessing your rather new to shooting.hunting
Based on the words you have used!
so trying to inform you on somethings maybe your not considering here!

so to again answer your question,
honestly , ANY scope can be used to shoot at 500 yards, from fixed 4 power scopes up to as high as you wish to go
I have been shooting in 1,000 yard matches since the late 80's too by the way, so I have some honest experience here!

if you wanted me to PICK a scope out for you, or anyone else,
maybe tell us what type of rifle you plan to put it on, as this also again matters
BIG scopes don't fit well on lever actions, , size of a scope objective will matter to some as will tube size, as some folks don't like scopes sitting HIGH on there rifles, where BIG objectives many times me HIGH scope mounts
eye relief maybe matters pending on recoil /caliber size of rifle?
so, as they say better info you tell us, better info you will get in return

also, maybe include your honest shooting experience here, a lot of SO called long range scopes can get confusing to newer shooters, having more things they can do!

just please before taking shots at animals, make sure you have made them on paper and can do so consistently, time to learn how to shoot far again is NOT shooting at a live animal!


IMO, after about 20 power, you start to get a lot more issues with mirage

$600 can get you into some really decent glass.

Leupold vx3s with a custom dial would be one option.

Nikon monarchs, bushnell elites are some other I would look into.

-Jake

^^^ What he said about glass. A few more questions come to mind though on what you're planning on hunting and what caliber. If you're gonna shoot P-dogs and coyotes with a 22-250, the scope suggestion might be a bit different than if you're planning on elk, bear and deer hunting with the 30 caliber of your choice, etc.

HRM - Are you looking for a scope to dial in the distance or shoot by holding the crosshairs off? Some of the better scopes for one purpose may not be the best choice for the other. The scopes with the primary purpose of dialing have larger and more exposed turrets that are easy to manipulate. In this price area I think the scopes do one thing slightly better than the other. By that comment I mean that some have a more reliable dialing system, and the other have better glass.

Thanks to all for their responses.
I'm not new to hunting or shooting even if my posts may not have the jargon people use on this form but I am not one for paid ranges and not one that takes a shot at a LIVE animal just see if I can hit or kill it.
I am just trying to figure out a better scope for my Howa 1500 7mm mag.
I do understand what some have said but then again I don't want a BIG scope just a better scope than what I have at present time, and I really don't want or have to spend big(hard earned) money so I can impress someone.
I really do appreciate all the responses and enjoy the site somewhat.
Hhardrock

HRM - You seem like a level headed guy. A fellow with common sense is always welcome.

From what you have posted it sounds like you might want to look really hard at the Leupold VX3i 30mm 4.5 x 14 with CDS. I have a couple of these that I use for hunting and doubt that you will be able to find a more reliable big-game scope in this price range. There are some other options that may be attractive but for clear glass and a scope that you can count on in rough country this one is hard to beat. I know some other scopes that have great warranties (a very good thing) but too many fellows that are fans of them seem to have used that warranty (a very bad thing). The price tag is very close to your budget.

That makes sense. What do you currently have so as to get a baseline in scope quality? Just guessing but you might want to look at one of Leupold's new Freedom scopes for around $200 or so. You get really good glass (VX-2 level with good coatings) and Leupold's lifetime made in America warranty at a price that doesn't break the bank. 3x9x40 would probably work just fine. If you get one, let me know how well they work. If you're still on the fence until after tax season is over, shoot me a PM and I can let you know how one works. :biggrin:

see this is my point folks
if the OP< would tell us more, we can maybe help them better

as a lot has to do with THERE experience, the rifle there using and the game there after

I mean, a new shooter might not under stand how to use a target turret on a scope, or its benefits
they might not understand how to use a scope with hash marks for ranging!
they might not even know how to use an adjustable objective on a scope?
do they understand bullet drop and how wind effects it
as its NOT just BUY a scope and then you can shoot 500 yards with it accurately, due to the NAME brand or options it has
wind, drop, bullet BC< types of bullets used, per what game
then lets face it NOT all rifles today shoot very accurately at 500 yards
just cause one shoots well at a 100,yards doesn't always mean it shoots well at 500yrds
and this is why again I am stating, they need to practice on PAPER, and not TRY things when there are clear shots in the field on game!
I have NO clue what the OP''s experience level is here nor does anyone else I gather!

just saying BUY "X" scope and your good to go, it NOT a correct answer

some guys can shoot well with open sights at 500 yards, some with just 4 X scope,
some guys need more magnification to see well far out there, some don't?

sticking a great BIG scope on a 30/30 doesn't actually make for a great LONG range rifle set up?

TV and magazine, and MARKETING< today, has surely been trying to tell everyone, long range is easy if you BUY "X" products
and honestly its NOT so
its practice and learning your equipment and HOW to shoot far
NOT just buying things!

Those are some legitimate issues we deal with in a forum like this. If we were all sitting around a campfire on a hunt, we would pretty much know each other, our rifles, scopes, skill levels, etc. Figuring out the requirements wanted for a new scope would be easier and likely covered within 5 or 10 minutes of conversation. On a forum like this, however, we often have to ask more questions to give better advice and sometimes guess at missing answers. He has good taste in rifles (Howa 1500) so I'm honestly curious what kind of scope he put on it. Not saying it's bad but I'm curious. Also a littl;e jealous. He's running around Montana with a 7mm Mag and who knows how many critters to hunt. :biggrin:

Hey Elkman and MRBB,
I am not one to shoot at anything I see but only Have Confidence in killing what I shoot at.
I sent 22 mo. in Nam(66-68 with Tet 68 in the middle).
The 7mm I have is wearing a Bushnell940-50 yrs. old), I don't care about BIGGER just better, the scope was given to me by my brother(now gone) and I guess I need to Give it a rest now.
Mrbb, are you still shooting with the same scope or even weapon as when you started shooting Matches in the '80's, if not why not and did you move on to impress, brag or just go with improvements in optics.
I came to the site looking for advise and help improving my optics my shooting is fine and I don't target practice on animals as some of you may think, but then again not knowing me you wouldn't know.
With that I'll close and Find a little more helpful information here at home and not on the net. Can't stand the computer anyway.
Thanks again for your comments and what help I've gotten from you all.
Hhardrockminer

well if you read this I will answer some of your questions

as fare if I am still using the same rifle, scope or?? since the 80's to shoot long distance the answer is NO I am NOT, and it has NOTHING to do with trying to impress anyone or to just move on
it was to be able to shoot farther better, with better more modern gear dedicated to shooting FAR, in both rifle and scope and ammo and powder and bullet cases and so on
there has been a LOT learned in shooting far over the yrs, and as such gear has been adapted better to doing so,
BUT NOT all gear is created equally, period, be it for shooting far, or differences from things being in price tag and components used in things!

I can understand how frustration can set in on a computer and forum
But at the same time, I hope you also can understand , it can be frustrating trying to hold people you know NOTHING about what they know or don't, just as you would have NO clue what a experience level those offering advice might have !
there is a lot of BOTH good and bad info on the world wide web these days
I personally try not to be the guy that just say BUY "X" brand name item and then tell anyone they will shoot FAR better with "X" item, as that is NOT again how it works!
I have been instructing shooters for yrs, had a gun shop, sold thousands of scope and rifles and pistols and even machine guns(class III dealer)
I have been in this shooting sport game a LONG time
if you were offended by anything I posted, I am sorry was never my point, I was TRYING to help you, but to be helped you have to inform those trying to help you first!
You again, might know more than it is showing here, but I DON"T know
the fact your using a scope that is 50 yrs old, doesn't exactly tell US your into shooting,a s scopes of that era, have been LONG since proven to to be outdated(not saying they don't work)
but there have been leaps and bounds in scope quality, in ALL ways. from light gathering, reliability of adjustments(mostly repeated movement and holding zero) higher end glass, more user friendly options and more!
and I AM NOT bashing anyone's old scope, I own a few like your's and plan to keep them!
but there is NOT a doubt that things have come a LONG way and have improved in countless levels
and its NOT about , impressing anyone, either
when you UP grade
if it MAKES you see better, shoot better, and gets you more game down,, then its a WIN< period, nothing to do with Impressing anyome, unless you like to BRAG about??
which I don't see a need to when hunting!
BUT there will always be folks that BOTH Brag and feel a need to impress, and well, those that get impressed by what others have
I have NOTHING to do with this
use what you like, I could care less!

NOW back to your Rifle
IMO< IF your willing to invest a little effort more here
I would recommend you have a look at a Leupold VX III, 4.5-14 ,(your choice of a 40 or 50 mm, 50 mm will be larger scope, but more field of view and light in low light)
and get it with there CDS system and with a CDS, it will give you some pretty accurate use of there system to know drop and hold to shoot out to 500 yards
BUT you will need to tell them what load/bullet combo you prefer to hunt with to get you the most honest accurate system
this means you need to KNOW what YOUR rifle does in FPS, not just off a chart or the box of ammo!
if shooting factory ammo, you will need to know the bullets BC
Again, the more accurate info you give, the better the result you will have

a link to buy them if you care!

https://www.cabelas.com/product/Leup...pe/2249531.uts


this will be a HUGE upgrade over your current scope
and its NOT showing off, its getting you a very quality scope, with good features and solid proven history of being quality, not BLING!

yeah, that's kind of on me I guess. I sorta piggy backed on mrbb's post without being more specific although I did post "what he said about glass." I still agree with that statement but can see how it might get lost with the other assumptions mrbb was making or perhaps guessing at. I didn't agree with nor make the other assumptions. Only the part about glass. Once you said it was a 7 mag, I figured big game. Once you said your original scope was a 40 year old Bushnell, that kind of answered the question. I haven't had the best of luck with Bushnell. YMMV. But I think you could pick almost any modern scope in the $200 to say $500 or $600 range and be light years ahead in performance, twilight factor, etc. There's also a lot more reticle choices available now also. I couldn't recommend going below $200 although I'm sure there are some exceptions. I'm not familiar with the Leupold Freedom scope Cal is talking about but it sounds interesting. Maybe this will clarify things a bit.

Just to clarify, I have read a lot about Leupold's new Freedom scope but don't own one yet. That's coming real soon though. The write-ups and reviews I've read just make me curious about them. It may be time for an update on my deer rifle. Never hurts to have options. :biggrin:

Hey,
I would like to say "sorry" for the last post and I was just venting and upset with myself for not conveying a little more info than I did.
I don't get into the depth of some things as I should and have people misunderstand what I'm trying to say which is on ME.
Was and am basically wanting to improve my optics as I know the scope my brother had mounted for me was more of a memory of him thing than it was anything else.
My son after we hunted last yr. told me I really needed to upgrade which I plan to do, just trying to figure out which scope to go with.
He just mounted a Nikon Black on his Browning 7mm, but I would prefer not to spend that much seeing as I'm not working and have a set income now.
I will look into the Leupold and a few others and what you all to know I really do appreciate you in put on this post.
Thanks,
Hhardrock

No offense taken and that is one of the problems for all of us. We try to communicate 100% on a keyboard that cannot convey facial and body gestures in spite of having smilie emoticons. Something else I thought of, you might check wtih Bushnell and see if there's anything they can do to slick up your scope. If they knew the sentimental value, there might be something they can do to tune it up.

No worries there hardrock. I don't always communicate well what I mean on a lot of my posts. I think I'm pretty much banned from the Turkey forum now and prolly on the last raw nerve in the Elk topic. Does it mean you're really talented when you piss them off without trying? :biggrin:

Forgot to mention. Let us know what you decide on and how it works. Now is like a golden age for glass. There should be some real surprised critters in Montana before you're done. :biggrin:

That is certainly true. Many great options at very reasonable prices.

The same can be said for value priced rifles. They won't be as nice as the better options out there, but a hunter can get a good rifle and scope and hunt anything in this continent for under $800.

-Jake

I am going to throw a full wild ball idea for you, as I really get sentimentalist value on things, and to the point I have rifles that are older and I leave AS IS< just due to this reason, they are perfect to em AS IS!

have you thought about just buying a whole new rifle and scope
and before you think this is a SUPER costly deal, I get being on a budget and all
BUT there are decent rifle packages out there, that come with a rifle and a scope on them that can be had for less than or darn near $600 bucks
Rem ADL packages
Mossberg ,, HOWA, and many other rifle makers sell them, you find more of these deals near DEER hunting season at chain sporting good chain stores
but they do have sales on the YR round
NOW you will not be getting the greatest and or most accurate rifles with all the HIGH end parts
BUT< odds are they will be everything your current rifle /scope is and a LOT more

getting you a better scope, and whole new rifle, and you can keep your old one AS IS< for the memories it has AS Is!

Call this food for thought or??
But odds are IF it was , this is the road I would travel down
sentimental value has , worth to me,, more than having the greatest and greatest ???
and again, this can be done in in price range!
OR heck, odds are you can get an even BETTER higher end USED rifle scope for your price range if your willing to go to some gun shops and look!

Its almost IMPOSSIBLE for the average person to AFFORD to shoot out a barrel n a modern rifle(can be done, but few ever do)
and most used guns gets sold for a LOT less than new one's and honestly have very little wrong with them, minus some minor wear and tear marks
most ALL gun shops, place LITTLE value on used scopes, so you can many times get a very high end scope ON a used rifle for a heck of a deal!
be a tad harder getting the exact caliber you want, but not impossible
7 mm mags were and are still very common calibers in used rifles in most areas!

not to add more confusion to things here
but something maybe you should really consider!

here are a few examples I found real fast!

here is a ruger all american(varmit,but can work great on deer and even elk, can be had in a .308 for 619 new?

https://www.sportsmans.com/shooting/...rifle/p/p53052

rem .270 for under 400 with a scope

https://brickseek.com/walmart-invent...r?sku=19480515

savage scope and rifle oin .308
$499
https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p...10sb308wnxxvgu

or a savage with a better scope, in 30/06+- or .308, and have a scope with a designed to help to shoot farther!

$ 550

https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p...11trphyhntrrif

Hey My Friends,
You guys and my wife are going to put me in the poor house. LOL
Well, long story short took my rifle in to a gunsmith I know and asked him about the scope, told him it was good to about 225yds. and after that it was guess work which is why I've stayed at @ 150-200 yds. when hunting, couldn't believe it he laughed at me as I was telling him about it. HE'S COOL.
He kept the gun and will be checking it out for me.
Now about you guys taking me to the poor house, looked at a few scopes Leupold, Nikon, Sig, Sightron and Burris. I liked a few but what a difference between those and that POS I have LOL, Wife liked the Sightron STrac and the Siii so did I but WTF Burris and NIkon OK Sig Tango 4 not there but the 6 was very nice but not much for FOV.
Still can't seem to like the prices but the wife says get the one I want so she doesn't have to listen to me say I should have gotten that_ _ _ scope instead of this one. my problem I know, and its's just the way I am.
Thanks again for putting up with me.
Hhardrock

Buy once cry once.

Most hunting seasons are several months away still. If you need to take a few months to save up the amount you need.

-Jake

I thought your budget was $600+/-. Most of the scopes suggested are well within that limit.

Looks like you want a scope with tall turrets to dial distance. They are very popular now, most notably among the "tacticool" crowd and younger fellows. Optics is one of those areas where nobody else can tell you what to get because all of our eyes are different. It is kind of like trying on boots to see what feels comfortable.

Good luck with your choice.

I agree buy once dry once, only go around once
if you can swing it, get what you want and not look back saying I SHOULD HAVE!

Okay hardrock, what did you buy? Sounds like your wife opened your budget up a bit. :D

Hey, I'm back for more info and opinions on a couple of scopes as most of the reviews I see are a couple yrs. old.
The Athlon Midas, Burris Veracity, Sightron STac (or Siii) and the Vortex Viper, I know there is some price differences but these are the scopes I've kinda lean towards but these are also the only ones I've been able to handle and see up close.
Anyone know or have opinions on any or all.
Thanks, Hhardrock

take this with a grain of salt
I sold optic's for yrs(had a gun shop)
of the one's you listed
I would go, Burris, sightron and vortex, and last the The Athlon
things I will say is this, Burris, used to always tend to be a tad heavier than others, the sightron's had some issues with edge to edge clarity, Vortex is a little newer to the market and didn';t sell a lot of them so, don't have much hands on, minus shooting some rifles with them and looking thru some at shows and shops
and have zero experience with the last one, and that is why its at the end of my list
others have been on the market longer and more proven track records!

NOW I would not know what model/power scope your talking here, but most of these scopes you listed are one's with target turrets, do you really plan to use them?
as in making IN field adjustment for yardage and returning things to zero again afterwards?
these target turret scopes do work VERY well when used right, but are more than many want to do, and they are also heavier than most other non target scopes, this matters to SOME< doesn't to others!
just asking and pointing this out
MANY of them above models are on 30mm or larger scope body's and or larger objective ends, which will then need f , HIGHER mounting, for most rifles,
which many don;'t like, as cheek weld can be harder for some to get comfortable with them! or need a higher cheek piece to feel like they want!

call this food for thought, NT trying to confuse you, just asking if you know/have considered these things

all the lines of the scope you listed are Higher end scopes and all should be very GOOD scopes and a HUGE upgrade from what you have now !
so not really a bad one there, I personally would shy away from the last one, just due to not as proven IMO as the rest there!
will they be there down the road or here today and gone some time later on<??
it happens in optic companys!


a key thing to remember in optic's such as scopes, is it NOT all about the glass, the internals are VERY important, and how accurately they hold a zero and return to a zero is a BIG part of a scope, and this is where a LOT of the price tag comes from(along with glass)
but all the high end glass, will never matter if things don't hold there own else where
good honest scope reviews done by REAL professionals are far and few
but there are some out there if you look
and they do them off rest and rifles and use standard procedures to test how well a scopes adjustments work and how accurately they move things and return things
Outdoor life was one magazine that used to do good tests every yr on a BUNCH of scopes of all sizes and price ranges! been two yrs or so since I last subscribed to there mag, but maybe others still do and or there online now??
be worth maybe looking into!

hope I didn;t confuse you more, just trying to offer honest information so you can make the best choice possible
let us know what you end up with! too

It sounds like your budget has expanded.

Hey My Friends,
Well, I've looked and have had a hard time putting hands on some of the scopes I've been drawn to but this one is very clear but not sure I want pull the plug on the others so I need your opinions of this scope for hunting and some(if any) longer range shooting.
It's a Sightron Siii 6-24x50(UPC #793139251268) = $691.98 I think it's a good deal but I know it's more of a range scope so would it make it in the jungle LOL.
Mr. BB and of course elkman what are your pros and cons of this one for now???
Thanks for your advise in advance from all responding to this.
Hhardrock

OK again take all this with a grain of salt, I mean well here!
first thing I have to ask is based on me doing a quick search on the model your looking at!
and there are TWO things I have found that maybe you need to consider here
FIRST off, is this a NEW 2019 model with the return to zero stop on it or NOT?
and I am asking as this is basically a important option to have on this type of scope, and MOST all I found with it, are costing a BUNCH more than the price your listing, which then makes me think this is a older stock scope that DOESN"T have this feature on it
IT CAN be added and will cost about 160-200 bucks with shipping to have it added!
NOW< again, I HAVE to ask you this
are you really ready and willing to learn how to make long range shots , making scope corrections in the field for each shot past your desired zero?(say you sight in at a 100 yards, do you plan to make scope adjustments as shots get farther, 200-300-400-500 yards and yardage in between?) and then returning things BACK to zero after doing so for each shot!

as this is what this the of scope is more or less designed for, and honestly, for more folks that are shooting Farther, where things matter more?

OR do you more or less want a more simple design set up?
like a SINGLE dial , on the scope that is SET for your 100-200-300-400-500 yard shots(and 50 yrds in between them as well)

as if this is more or less what you want, the scope you have NOW, is NOT the scope for you

the above scope is a VERY nice scope, with many fans that love it, ONCE they got the return to zero feature added
without it, most are not as happy with it, when so many others have this option!

PRO"S real fast, good warranty, good decent glass, and good reliable adjustments and seem to hold true and last long, in repeated adjustments!
its a 30 mm tube, which is a pretty strong set up, and durable design, and you got a LOT of magnification options to help you see better afar!

CON"S > its a rather heavy scope, if you walk far and carry it, you will FEEL it as distances go by, more so for some than others!
,the 50 mm objective lens, and 30 mm tube, tends to mean the scope has to be mounted HIGHER than many find comfortable for a HUNTING rifle they walk with and shoot off hand at times with
, many rifles scopes like this go on tend to have higher check pieces or adjustable one's on there stocks! again take this with a grain of salt, some are FINE AS is, some are NOT, 'just pointing out things here so you know ahead of time!

its also NOT really designed for folks that DON"T wish to learn how to use all the features the scope has, and or those NOT willing to learn ballistic of there rifles caliber and loads they shoot thru it!
as making IN field adjustments, also tends to mean you also NEED to have a very accurate range find with you so you KNOW what and how to adjust for distance!
DO you have a GOOD range finder??(you will NEED one with any scope when shooting far so this is a just more info maybe you didn;t think about I am adding here, as guessing distance is NOT what this scope is designed for!)
for ME< any scope over 20 power I start to get more issues with mirage, and so do a lot of distance shooters, so a SLIGHT con, due to the fact you can adjust lower if it bothers you here

LAST con, for me will be the 6 power Min power setting, if you ever hunt thick cover or take more close shots, MANY find it harder to see game on 6 power than a scope of lower setting option, say 3 or 4 power?
and higher the power the FASTER it looses LOW light ability's
this again DOESN"T matter to some, much comes down to experience level and how far your typical shots are. and how and where you hunt!

to be clear, again this in a very nice high quality scope

BUT from all I can get here, I still think you might be better off with something more along the lines of what I suggested ( and I am NOT pushing it or a know it all)
but a good vari x 3 or better scope from leupold with there more simple CDL scope set up to YOUR rifle and caliber/load
might make your life a LOT easier for the more rare longer shots you MIGHT take
just an opinion and a honest one at it, trying to help you here, NOT sell you anything LOL

here is also a decent link to for you to read on this scope if you care some what of a review

https://www.longrangehunting.com/thr....204284/page-2

Hey guys,
Well, I've tried to get in touch with OpticsPlanet with no luck and have decided to check else where for a scope 600- 850 give or take so if any of you have another place to refer me to I'd appreciate it very much.
Thanks in advance and Mr.bb I do thank you for all your help when we've talked, I'll let you know how the scopes are doing.
I'm leaving the old scope on and am looking at a few 300 Win. Mags, just haven't made up my mind as far as the brand.

Thanks for all the help .
Hhardrock

I never had problems with Optics Planet, but you might want to look at Camera Land or SWFA. I am not a big SWFA fan but the do a good job and most fellows just love them. SWFA has some very good deals on display samples that are generally in fine shape.

cabela's, bass pro, brownell's,, mid way shooting supply, and like chain stores all have web sites and sell a LOT of rifle scope's and many have sales all the time as well
many lie stores even offer used guns for sale with scopes on them too, or packaged deals on new rifles with scopes on them.
but I know for a FACT MY local Cabela's/bass pro(now the same owners)
there used gun prices are CRAZY high, most times way more than a brand new rifle just like it, I have NO clue how they sell any LOL
over the yrs I have made some offers on some I have seen while in there store and they wouldn;t budget a penny off asking price, even after I pointed out new one's on there shelf were cheaper HAHA!
maybe why they have so many there ???

Hey Big Uncle and crew,
Well, I took some of what Mr.bb to hart and thought about some of the things we had spoke about, I did some talking to the boys and a friend and decided to order a Athlon scope for hunting and maybe some longer range shooting. Not real long as most ranges don't have longer ranges but a friend does have a 800yd. area he uses for a range, which he has been good enough to let me use now and then so maybe I'll like it maybe not, we'll see.
The scope was on sale at CameraLand, so thank you Big Uncle for the advise there.
It's being shipped and should have it soon and then to the zeroing of the rifle, should be a blast.

Thanks again for all the advise and help you've given me in this process.
Hhardrock