flyinlowe

Ive ordered a .243 barrel for my Encore to deer hunt with this year. Im thinking about getting a 4-12 x40 scope. I can get a Redfield Revolution or a Nikon Pro Staff each for right at $200.00. I don't think it is in the budget right now to get the Lupy. which is about $130 more. Is there one of the two that I mentioned that stands out above the other?

super_hunt54

I'm biased myself. Every rifle and handgun that I own with glass on them wears Nikon. Hard to beat the quality in the price range of them.

bronko22000

Both are good scopes. And since Leupold bought out Redfield, they go through the same testing as the Leupold line. And I think both have a lifetime warranty. So choose the one that you like and don't look back.
I'm a bit curious as to why a 4-12x. Do you hunt a lot of open fields. IMHO for a hunting rifle a 3-9x or even a 2-7x is plenty and on the Encore will look better. The 4-12x is usually longer and heavier. But you can count the ticks on a deer at 200 yards with it.... :-)

flyinlowe

I'm not 100% set on a 4-12. The only farms I will be rifle hunting on are open fields with long range shots available. The other place I hunt I use my shotgun in the thicker stuff. I have a 3-9 on my ML now and I have taken a doe at 176 yards with it. I had it on 9 power and it felt like to me that at that distance I could tell I was on the vitals of the deer but looking back at it I felt if the deer was much further away it would have been tough to zero in. I thought once I got enough practice in with the rifle and felt comfortable shooting further distances the 12X would be better.
What type of distance will you guys typically shoot deer with a 9 power scope?

super_hunt54

For ethical purposes I don't shoot past 400 yards with anything. Just too many things can happen between the trigger pull and impact at longer ranges on live game. Especially with long legged animals such as anything in the deer family. And I've been known to stretch out to 400 with 3-9x40 more than once.

Sheridan

I always keep my scopes on their lowest power.

I power up on a need be basis .................... I have found it is nice to have more power when I need it !

I use 4X -16X 44MM scopes on my rifles as a rule.

I have more powerful scopes on my varmint / predator guns.

flyinlowe

Unless I'm over 150 yards on my ML I typically keep it around 7, seems to be good magnification without the shakes. I might take my ML out and do some sighting on objects around 300 yards just to see how things look. I didn't plan on shooting that far this year with a new gun. I just figured in the future if I felt like stretching it out a bit I would have the optics.

bronko22000

Like SH54 I usually don't shoot past 400 yards and only did it once. I had taken a few heads of game at the 300-350 mark. But with a Burris Fullfield 3-9x with a BDC on my Rem 700 I took a nice 4x4 muley at 437 yards. And the 9x was plenty of magnification. In fact my guide told me the deer was in the clear but at 9x I could see that there was a branch in the way. But he took one step and the 130 Nosler knocked him flat.

Nomercy448

Neither for me, but if I found myself needing something NOW and those were the only two on the shelf, then I'm familiar enough with Nikon and have been pleased with them, so that's what I'd get.

flyinlowe

Are you saying neither because those just aren't your brands or you prefer a different magnification/range?