Help me pick a scope

JohnnyNitrous

Regular
Rating - 100%
35   0   0
Location
Langley, BC
Picking up a Tikka T3 Hunter stainless in .30-06 in a couple weeks and need to pick a scope for it. I will be using Talley rings to mount it, the idea is to mount the scope as low as possible. I have been looking at the Leupold VX-3L 3.5-10×50 with CDS for lower mounting, but would like to hear some input from here. Was hoping to keep it around $1000. Open to othe brands, Zeiss etc.

Thanks in advance.
 
Lots, and lots of good scopes out there now, it's a more personal preference, and budget. $1000 budget opens alot of doors. First thing I'd do is scratch the 50mm obj for a hunting scope. Then go look at Zeiss, Swaro, Meopta, leupold, and the bushnells. I like lighter scopes if possible, reticles are more personal depending on what, and how you hunt, hard to beat a good old plex reticle though.
 
Lots of good scopes for under $1000.00. I would stick to a 36mm or 40mm obj, 50mm is not required for hunting in legal lite.
Seeing as how you have a lite weight gun and are going with lite weight rings, try to keep the scope under 16oz.
That would be a pretty sweet set up.
 
Last edited:
I would check into it to see if you would be able to mount a 50mm objective on low mounts. What type of terrain will you be hunting in? If you want a excellent scope with great light retention I would suggest looking at Nikon Monarch 3's. I have Zeiss HD5's, Leupold VX 3's and Nikon Monarch 3's and you really can't tell the difference in optics quality. I would agree that a 50mm objective really isn't necessary. If you want to go that route I would tend towards something in a 30mm tube. Again the only real difference is light transmission. 30mm tubes tend to be a bit heavier so again it comes down to area being hunted.
 
I don't have much experience with many of the brands listed, but I do have a leupold VX-3 3.5-10x50 with CDS. I only got the CDS because they didn't have any of the same scope in stock with the regular turrets... And I got the custom dial just for the stop. A regular set up would have been just fine for me... But I have nothing but good to say about the scope
 
Only few brands making own glasses and mechanical parts, and it is not a Leupold, Zeiss and Swarovski. Look at German scopes S&B making own glasses at Hungarian factory. Docter making own glasses in Jena. All it means that have very consistent quality, because they control glass manufacturing. Check Leupold website, they vey honest about it and saying that they are buying glasses all over the world, whatever is available for today, yes, they checking and selecting good glass, but not every single one, so it is a hit and miss about 80 x 20 % I think. I'm not promoting S&B or Docter - I think they are a bit pricy, but for your purpose you can go with absolute highest quality with fix power around 1000 or under
 
Only few brands making own glasses and mechanical parts, and it is not a Leupold, Zeiss and Swarovski. Look at German scopes S&B making own glasses at Hungarian factory. Docter making own glasses in Jena. All it means that have very consistent quality, because they control glass manufacturing. Check Leupold website, they vey honest about it and saying that they are buying glasses all over the world, whatever is available for today, yes, they checking and selecting good glass, but not every single one, so it is a hit and miss about 80 x 20 % I think. I'm not promoting S&B or Docter - I think they are a bit pricy, but for your purpose you can go with absolute highest quality with fix power around 1000 or under

Who makes the glass is irrelevant , as long as the glass is of high quality, and you use good coatings. Swarovski and Zeiss use glass that is very high quality, and their coatings are among the best.
 
I have a premier heritage, a zeiss victory diavari, and a S&B PMII, you could say I'm quite picky about optical quality :)
on my hunting rifles I have a Bushnell Legend Ultra HD 3-9x50mm, a Bushnell Elite 6500 2.5-16x42, both are clear than Leupold VX3s, with life time warranty.
 
Last edited:
Took some advice from here and ordered a Zeiss Conquest HD5 3-15x42 with z-plex reticle. I will try it out for a bit and decide if I want to send it off to get custom dials for shots with a rangefinder. Thanks for the input.
 
I just used my hd5 upto 500 yards, lets just say had I tried it out at 500 yards earlier I wouldn't have dumped it so fast for a s&b.. I haven't received my s&b yet but boy did the 5-25x50 ever perform for me! Zero complaints about the glass or optics, lack of turrets were my fault. The clarity was sweet!
 
Back
Top Bottom