A low magnification mid priced scope options?

USP

USP

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Was looking for some comments on the best brands for a scope that is 1.5-6,7, or 8 type of power range. Even a 2x or similar is fine. Basically something less than the standard 3x9 type.

I have looked alot at Zeiss and the reviews for their 3x9 seem great.

However are there other brands other than Leupold worth looking at in this $400-700 dollar range for this type of magnification?

Any thoughts on Burris, Nikon, Weaver, or others I have not mentioned?

Basically wondering if theres any brands that offer solid quality that I havent looked at that are worth looking at here.

Thanks
 
I had a Bosch and Lomb 2-7X33 on one of my hunting rifles. That rifle and scope were a great team. Not sure if you can get a Bushnell 2-6x32 3200 or 1.25-8x32 6500, but those small scopes sure seem to keep meat in the freezer and never let a guy down.
 
Hunting rifle. Probably a win .270 featherweight. Ideally for 250 yards in. I want just alittle bit more than 4x power in case I use it for coyote or similar.
 
Kelly Timoffee said:
I had a Bosch and Lomb 2-7X33 on one of my hunting rifles. That rifle and scope were a great team. Not sure if you can get a Bushnell 2-6x32 3200 or 1.25-8x32 6500, but those small scopes sure seem to keep meat in the freezer and never let a guy down.
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Whats your thoughts on Bushnell quality? Always seems to be alot of negatives posted about the new stuff- not the old Bausch and Lomb stuff.
 
I believe they were purchased by Bushnell so I hope some of that reliability trickled over. I know a few guys that use Bushnell with reliability. You don't have the glass of higher end scopes but still reliability.

I currently use Zeiss and is my No 1 choice and highly recommend them. Maybe take a look at this little fellow:

http://www.zeiss.com/c1256bcf0020be5f/Contents-Frame/c6b062a1c5089a5585257546006e354d

And that scope will not be pricey considering a 3-9x40 can be had for under 500 clams.

Hope this helps.
 
Vortex has a line of scopes called the Diamondback, they are a mid priced scope that carry a lot of quality in the glass. They have a 2-7X35 and a 1.75-5X32, and both are very nice pieces. I have used the 2-7X35 on a Remington 600 and as I recall my max shot taken with that rifle was about 190 yards on a coyote chasing a deer. I have totally switched to Vortex and could not be happier! Take a look.
 
Crashman said:
Vortex has a line of scopes called the Diamondback, they are a mid priced scope that carry a lot of quality in the glass. They have a 2-7X35 and a 1.75-5X32, and both are very nice pieces. I have used the 2-7X35 on a Remington 600 and as I recall my max shot taken with that rifle was about 190 yards on a coyote chasing a deer. I have totally switched to Vortex and could not be happier! Take a look.
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:agree:
 
Crashman said:
Vortex has a line of scopes called the Diamondback, they are a mid priced scope that carry a lot of quality in the glass. They have a 2-7X35 and a 1.75-5X32, and both are very nice pieces. I have used the 2-7X35 on a Remington 600 and as I recall my max shot taken with that rifle was about 190 yards on a coyote chasing a deer. I have totally switched to Vortex and could not be happier! Take a look.
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I just bought a new diamondback 2-7 for my 10/22 and I was not that impressed. At 7 power it was pretty blurry, but for the price what do you expect. When mounting the scope, I loosened the rings so I could slide the scope slightly to adjust the eye relief, and the rings got tighter when I slid the scope to the front. ie. the tube had a bulge or was not straight. Then when I went to adjust the elevation I noticed that the dial only turned 2/3rds of the way around and stopped, so I couldn't even sight the thing in. The one thing I can say is apparently they have a great warranty, which would come in handy if problems like mine were common.

ANyways, I went and returned it a couple days later and exchanged it for a Leupold 2-7 rimfire and couldn't be happier.
 
deets said:
I just bought a new diamondback 2-7 for my 10/22 and I was not that impressed. At 7 power it was pretty blurry, but for the price what do you expect. When mounting the scope, I loosened the rings so I could slide the scope slightly to adjust the eye relief, and the rings got tighter when I slid the scope to the front. ie. the tube had a bulge or was not straight. Then when I went to adjust the elevation I noticed that the dial only turned 2/3rds of the way around and stopped, so I couldn't even sight the thing in. The one thing I can say is apparently they have a great warranty, which would come in handy if problems like mine were common.

ANyways, I went and returned it a couple days later and exchanged it for a Leupold 2-7 rimfire and couldn't be happier.
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That sucks that you had a bad experience with your scope. Kudos to your dealer for letting you make the switch. That is the first time I have heard of a problem like that with any scope brand, including Vortex. I wonder if there was a bulge or maybe the tube was bent?

In all honesty, my Diamondback is awesome. At 7X it is very clear with no issues. I also have one in a 4-12X40, and it is clear all the way to 12X, but I do find eye position a bit critical at this point.
 
deets said:
I just bought a new diamondback 2-7 for my 10/22 and I was not that impressed. At 7 power it was pretty blurry, but for the price what do you expect. When mounting the scope, I loosened the rings so I could slide the scope slightly to adjust the eye relief, and the rings got tighter when I slid the scope to the front. ie. the tube had a bulge or was not straight. Then when I went to adjust the elevation I noticed that the dial only turned 2/3rds of the way around and stopped, so I couldn't even sight the thing in. The one thing I can say is apparently they have a great warranty, which would come in handy if problems like mine were common.

ANyways, I went and returned it a couple days later and exchanged it for a Leupold 2-7 rimfire and couldn't be happier.
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Well that budlge should have been an indicator to use the 100% no hassle warrenty exchange.
 
Crashman said:
That sucks that you had a bad experience with your scope. Kudos to your dealer for letting you make the switch. That is the first time I have heard of a problem like that with any scope brand, including Vortex. I wonder if there was a bulge or maybe the tube was bent?
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I went to Italian Sporting Goods, they always have been good to me, and I pass by there all the time. They exchanged it, no questions asked, and then told me about how easy it is for them to send the vortex scopes back because of there great warranty exchange.
Satain said:
Well that bulge should have been an indicator to use the 100% no hassle warranty exchange.
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Yah, I should have figured right away. It was only very slight though, you couldn't see it with your eye. I only found out because I was fiddling around with the position of the rings and loosened them very slightly, just so I could slide the scope all the way back. As the front ring reached the end of the tube it started to tighten and the scope wouldn't slide anymore.
I think I might look at their Viper series 1-4x for my jungle carbine.
 
I had a Win 70 Fwt with a Burris Fullfield II 2-7X33 aboard. Nice scope; never should have sold it with the rifle. I currently have a 2-7X33 Leupold VX-II that's just as good. Not a huge difference between them, IMHO.
 
Lots of trade offs here:

I'm not familiar with the Vortex line although I did look at one in the store and it seemed pretty good. Reviews have been excellent. Look up their product lines first though. There's a big difference in price between their entry and high end offerings. Their naming system is a bit confusing. I know with binoculars they have two separate naming systems that are equivalent to each other.

I have a number of Burris Fullfield II scopes in 3-9x 40mm with the ballistic plex reticle. It's my favourite budget scope. Very simple, glass is at 95% light transmission (Elite 4200 is the Bushnell model with comparable glass) and seems well made. So far they've done well for me with very nice clear and bright glass. You can find them for around $200-$230 if you're lucky. There are some trade offs however. The eye relieve does change, and your field of view isn't as good as the Leupold/Redfield (equivalent to a VXII and made by Leupold).

The Redfield models. Are now made by Leupold and are equivalent to a VXII. You get lesser glass although very marginally 94% light transmission if I recall correctly. A large field of view much like the Leupold line, which costs you in terms of eye relief change when changing magnification. I've seen these for about $200 when on sale. I hate the red R on the side of them and just thought the Burris looked classier. Otherwise I'd probably give one a try.

Leupold. Other than the EFR line for my high end rimfires I don't use them. They cost too much and I prefer the competitors for either less money with a comparable product, or slightly more for a superior product. Leupold makes a fine scope but they don't get very much of my money. As already mentioned there are trade offs with Leupold as well. Eye relief change being the big one for me at that price point.

Zeiss Conquest. Very good glass. , constant eye relief, etched reticle (really like the Rapid Z for informal and fast shooting). Disadvantages, 1" tube (limited moa adjustments) and price. They aren't cheap, but they are still usually a little less than the Leupold top of the line. Your field of view isn't as good as the Leupold (when you look through a Leupold you see very little scope housing and lots of optic). The trade off though is eye relief changing which the Conquest doesn't.

Sightron SIII. Probably my first choice right now in the upper level scopes. Excellent MOA, great glass from the reviews I've read (haven't tried one yet), and excellent tracking at half the price or less of Nightforce. From the stats pages I noted you get some eye relief change, but nowhere near that of the Leupold.

Night Force. Does everything right, except the price.

The bolded scopes are the ones I own and have actual experience with.
 
Ended up getting a Schmidt Bender Zenith flashdot. Should be ok. Alot of the fixed scopes I want are now discontinued.
 
Epoxy7 said:
So much for mid priced!!!

Should be a lot of fun.
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Other than Leupold, all the other brands have mostly discontinued their fixed or low power variables this year or late last year. Very little to chose from now in 4x or 1-6 range. To bad as it seems to be a good area for a scope.
 
USP, when you get tired of that S&B and really need to go to a fixed 6 power, let me know I have a Swaro that would be handy and we could trade, keep you from messing with all those knobs:))
 
dizzy said:
USP, when you get tired of that S&B and really need to go to a fixed 6 power, let me know I have a Swaro that would be handy and we could trade, keep you from messing with all those knobs:))
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Lol no, I will not part with the SB, as I have wanted one for awhile. :D
 
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