Ordered Rem 700 .308 - Time For A Scope
08-30-2012, 06:29 AM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 27
Ordered Rem 700 .308 - Time For A Scope
I'll also read through the forum....
Budget = I'd like to stay under $300.
I hunt during rifle season for five days and that's usually it. Maybe one more weekend. Rifle on order, time for the scope. I just ordered a Remington 700 in .308. I think I'll be happy with it. Now comes the time to order a scope. I needed to wait until I knew how much money I had left over to see if I could even get a scope or if I had to re-purpose another one I had and get the scope I wanted next year.
I'll mostly be doing standard woods hunting with some power line and open fields. 300 yds or less and typically 100 yds or less. With that in mind I think a 3-9x40mm will work but I'd like to discuss the actual value of going to a 50mm.
I've only owned one scope in my life which was a Nikon Buckmaster 3-9x40mm and I was happy with it for the price point. I've used a few other rifles with higher end (and more expensive) with a few bells and whistles and you can see the difference. One of them had great light gathering ability and another had some illuminated cross hairs which was nice.
I'd like your thoughts on if you agree on the 3-9x40mm (or 50mm) and what "extras" you think have real value. I don't want my lens filled up with so many playthings that I can't see the deer. I don't need range finders (I don't think) as I generally have an idea to all my markers, etc.
Ready? Go!
Budget = I'd like to stay under $300.
I hunt during rifle season for five days and that's usually it. Maybe one more weekend. Rifle on order, time for the scope. I just ordered a Remington 700 in .308. I think I'll be happy with it. Now comes the time to order a scope. I needed to wait until I knew how much money I had left over to see if I could even get a scope or if I had to re-purpose another one I had and get the scope I wanted next year.
I'll mostly be doing standard woods hunting with some power line and open fields. 300 yds or less and typically 100 yds or less. With that in mind I think a 3-9x40mm will work but I'd like to discuss the actual value of going to a 50mm.
I've only owned one scope in my life which was a Nikon Buckmaster 3-9x40mm and I was happy with it for the price point. I've used a few other rifles with higher end (and more expensive) with a few bells and whistles and you can see the difference. One of them had great light gathering ability and another had some illuminated cross hairs which was nice.
I'd like your thoughts on if you agree on the 3-9x40mm (or 50mm) and what "extras" you think have real value. I don't want my lens filled up with so many playthings that I can't see the deer. I don't need range finders (I don't think) as I generally have an idea to all my markers, etc.
Ready? Go!
Last edited by WonderMonkey; 08-30-2012 at 07:00 AM.
08-30-2012, 07:49 AM
#2
Typical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: West TN
Posts: 847
I'd stick with the 40mm bell, especially since you have a short action which I will assume also has a 20-22" barrel? No sense puttin a zeppelin atop a handy lil rifle!
Since you had a 3x9x40 Buckmaster you will be hard pressed to honestly beat it for much under $300. Heck get another one! Or for around that price range, step up too the same sized Nikon Monarch UCC. Monarchs are mighty hard to beat in their price range!
Leupold vx-ii 3x9x40 is right at $300 & it is a great, super tough, well backed scope as well.
My only other recommendation for a under $300 3x9x40 would be the Redfield Revolution but honestly I'd take the Monarch or vx-ii over it.
Since you had a 3x9x40 Buckmaster you will be hard pressed to honestly beat it for much under $300. Heck get another one! Or for around that price range, step up too the same sized Nikon Monarch UCC. Monarchs are mighty hard to beat in their price range!
Leupold vx-ii 3x9x40 is right at $300 & it is a great, super tough, well backed scope as well.
My only other recommendation for a under $300 3x9x40 would be the Redfield Revolution but honestly I'd take the Monarch or vx-ii over it.
08-30-2012, 08:07 AM
#3
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 27
Thanks for the reply! I'll check out all those scopes.
My default is the buckmaster if I had to order one right now over the internet. Naturally I want to do some homework and see what else is out there for my hunting habits and price range. I'd love to settle on something else just to have "something else".
Again, thanks.
My default is the buckmaster if I had to order one right now over the internet. Naturally I want to do some homework and see what else is out there for my hunting habits and price range. I'd love to settle on something else just to have "something else".
Again, thanks.
08-30-2012, 12:55 PM
#5
I would also suggest you check out Swift...I own a bazillion scopes, and Swift and Nikon are the two I think are the best bang for your buck in your price range. I have owned 4 Swift scopes and all in all I believe they really are a great quality scope and they have great customer service. I did have a bad one once, but it was replaced quickly with a single call (everyone has a bad one now and then...the difference is in how the company handles it). I have 3-9x40's on a 270 and a 7MM and I just put a 6-24x50AO Swift Premier on my new Savage 10 in .308 and love them all! I am a fan of the 50mm objective, more light, but I don't know for your purposes if it is going to make that much of a difference. A Swift Premier in 3-9x40 can probably be had off of opticsplanet or SWFA for under $200. Don't forget to use quality rings/bases...such as Millett, Talley, Warne or Lupy.
Happy Hunting!
Happy Hunting!
09-01-2012, 09:13 AM
#9
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location:
Posts: 2,186
I suggest that you go with the higest quality scope you can afford. Eventhough you may hunt only 5-10 days a season you miss a chance in the low light of a cracking dawn or a fading sunset because your scope is essentially "done" , or the image is not crisp enough to pick out that deer clearly at 300-400 yards, or the flaring in bright sunlight is so bad that you cannot make out squat ... believe me you will lament not having spent that extra $$$.
As for 40 mm or 50 mm? A high quality 40 mm is plenty good.
As for 40 mm or 50 mm? A high quality 40 mm is plenty good.
09-01-2012, 11:14 AM
#10
Typical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Indiana county, Pa
Posts: 681
along with the price of the scope, you might want to include the cost of a set of rings and bases for the scope. they come in different price ranges so you have to decide what kind you want to use.