First rifle - with or without included scope

[Gryphonxxx]

I'm looking to buy my first rifle. Probably .270 or .308.
I know a lot of rifles at cabelas or basspro have scopes included but I've also read reviews that say the
Included scopes were crap. I know scopes can be pricey, is it better to buy separately to get a decent scope.
Not hunting yet, target shooting is my plan for it.

Thanks

[Foxer2373]

all depends are there good scope and rifle combos out there yes, are there horrible ones where the scope is a throw away absolutely.

I would buy a rifle and a scope sepratly unless there is a package deal that includes a well branded and warrantied scope that I would consider buying separately anyway.

If you are a new shooter as well as owner 100% I would buy a well reviewed gun at the top end of my budget and use iron sights for a month or two putting away some extra cash for a scope later on. So many bad shooters out there because guys throw scopes on everything and expect it to be a magical device.

For out to 200yards (I use red dots but irons are fine) you can identify and shoot with no optic, 200-500yards $200-500 is totally fine 500 to 1000yards $600-1200 and over 1000 well sky is the limit.

Personally I only use vortex scopes because of the glass clarity and the lifetime warrenty (buy once). The above costs are the range id spend on optics for that distance in the vortex line. If you need a scope right out of the gate a 3-9x crossfire II for $250 (less used) will do you just fine and you will probably find your skill won't match the optic yet.

The biggest downside to a package is you are stuck with lower end rifle and scope vs buying a higher end rifle practicing with it and upgrading scopes as needed. A $700 Savage TR10 in .308 will dominate a Mossberg Patriot and scope package for $600 and with the right glass you can have a 1000yard rifle vs that patriot if you can hit past 400yards no matter what's mounted on it id be impressed.

Just my long drawn out 0.02

[Gryphonxxx]

Thanks a lot for the response
Lots of good info to think about

[simpleman]

Cabelas sells a weatherby vanguard 2 with Redfield scope combo at an attractive price

[Kelly Timoffee]

What is your intended budget?

If you want to spend as little as possible, I would look on the EE here for a pre-loved rifle and scope or combo.For what you will spend on a bottom of the barrel new combo, you can get a much better quality in a used.

If you spend on a rifle what you would spend on a combo or slightly more, you will get a rifle that is of slightly better quality IMO.Then get an entry level but decent scope.

I will say this though, the rifle scope combo even if cheap cheap will still get you out hunting and will harvest game, they do shoot and usually are not the wink link in a bad or missed shot.

However, if you can budget a couple more hundred $$ you can get into a better feeling and fitting rifle/scope setup.

The Vanguard/Redfield combo though is one I would not hesitate to purchase, the cheap Remington, Savage, Marlin, etc... combos, well, I would just try to budget a bit more, but if it is all your budget allows then that still gets you hunting.

[CanadianBaconPancakes]

The vanguard is an excellent gun for the price, I own one and got 300 rounds through it. I paid 500$ for it but they may be more now. I topped it with a bushnell XLT trophy 18x thats clear as can be and only costed me like 240$.

Just got a mossberg patriot in 300 win mag with scope combo for 299$ and i'm impressed ( aside from the GARBAGE rings and rail, That both broke immediately) the scope seemed ok, but I didn't want it on there and used it for another gun.