Best hunting scope 500$ or under

I was at a gun show yesterday and had the opportunity to check out the NEW Scorpion line of glass. Oh my have they upped their game with the new owners group. Hands down some of the clearest glass I have seen in the sub $500 range. I run Bushnell / Arken and Athlon scopes and this Scorpion is clearer than all of them. The only thing holding me back is that it has a duplex reticle vs any drop indicators...

https://scorpionoutdoors.com/shop/vision-3-9x40/

Also the show price was less than MSRP so maybe check dealers to see if they have sale pricing.
 
astuart44 said:
I still rock a Bushnell Elite 4200 on my main hunting rifle having tried everything from Nightforce to Vortex to Leupold to Nikon to Burris. Cannot be beat for the $ in my opinion for my eyes.
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I have a Bushy Elite 4200 2.5-10x40. Just a rock solid optic thats been on a few of my setups over the years. A bit heavy at just over 1lb (by my scale), but clear glass and takes everything Cal/Cartridge wise I’ve throw it on (.308Win to .300Wby).
 
Burris, bushnell elite, or leupold at that price point
Nikon p5 or better, or the monarch line if used is alright.
I wouldn't touch vortex till the diamondback hp line/price point which might be borderline that price

Athlon is fine for the range. You dont want budget target scopes tight eyeboxes on a hunting rig usually. Arken might suffer from the same setback.
 
Funny how the iconic 3-9x40 worked just fine for decades for all kinds of hunting but now is in disfavor.

The EE here and GP is chock full of these scopes which can be found at very good prices given the number of them for sale. They will get the job done drama free and at low cost.
 
SuperCub said:
Funny how the iconic 3-9x40 worked just fine for decades for all kinds of hunting but now is in disfavor.

The EE here and GP is chock full of these scopes which can be found at very good prices given the number of them for sale. They will get the job done drama free and at low cost.
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2-12, and 1-10 more then cover the 3-9 range today, and being able to illuminate a center dot. or not are all extra things that modern tech has brought about..... doesn't mean the 3-9 is useless by any means, it just means the newer scopes offer more power range low and high and take batteries but work fine without them as well.

1" tubes were iconic as well then 30mm became the norm for most scopes and 34's are getting more common.

In general the quality of the glass and coatings has gotten better in the sub $500 market as well.

One thing I've noticed is that we all have different eyes and just because on brand tends to look "better" then another to someone else doesn't mean a different brand might look better to you even though the scopes are in the same price range.

When I first go in to shooting Leupold was the only brand I remember offering lifetime, no paperwork fully transferable warranties..... now it's quite common which really helps a person relax and buy a used scope sight unseen.

Leupolds are still a great hunting option because they tend to be fairly light weight.

I feel like were in a golden age for quality affordable optics.... too much choice and many good options is a first world problem.
 
Can-down said:
2-12, and 1-10 more then cover the 3-9 range today, and being able to illuminate a center dot. or not are all extra things that modern tech has brought about..... doesn't mean the 3-9 is useless by any means, it just means the newer scopes offer more power range low and high and take batteries but work fine without them as well.

1" tubes were iconic as well then 30mm became the norm for most scopes and 34's are getting more common.

In general the quality of the glass and coatings has gotten better in the sub $500 market as well.

One thing I've noticed is that we all have different eyes and just because on brand tends to look "better" then another to someone else doesn't mean a different brand might look better to you even though the scopes are in the same price range.

When I first go in to shooting Leupold was the only brand I remember offering lifetime, no paperwork fully transferable warranties..... now it's quite common which really helps a person relax and buy a used scope sight unseen.

Leupolds are still a great hunting option because they tend to be fairly light weight.

I feel like were in a golden age for quality affordable optics.... too much choice and many good options is a first world problem.
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To me they don’t offer any advantages on a hunting rifle, 1” tubes is plenty, they are lighter and they are just fine for all hunting situations, same with reticles, simple duplex, German #4 or #1 and you are golden, of course you do what you want and buy what you want but the reality is it won’t make a difference in “normal” hunting situations. KISS is the way to go for a hunting scope for a new shooter(even for a long time hunter like me 🤣). And like supercub said forget about twirling turrets, set and forget inside 350m with a descent ammunition in 308 and you don’t have to move anything!
You know even a good fix 4x would be a great choice!
 
I find the new burris fullfields have been great for the money. 2.5-10 or 3-12 range is about perfect. Ive put 2 of them through some pretty rough treatment including a hard fall on concrete and the poi didn't shift.
 
DGY said:
To me they don’t offer any advantages on a hunting rifle, 1” tubes is plenty, they are lighter and they are just fine for all hunting situations, same with reticles, simple duplex, German #4 or #1 and you are golden, of course you do what you want and buy what you want but the reality is it won’t make a difference in “normal” hunting situations. KISS is the way to go for a hunting scope for a new shooter(even for a long time hunter like me 🤣). And like supercub said forget about twirling turrets, set and forget inside 350m with a descent ammunition in 308 and you don’t have to move anything!
You know even a good fix 4x would be a great choice!
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These days 1-6,8,10 with a #4 German illuminated dot works fine for me, but I could also just run a peep sight or even buckhorns.... specially the first 45 years of my life!
Plenty of options today from the Iron age to the space age.
My next $1000 purchase that I don''t "need" to make will likely be a digital day night with built in range finder.....

I like KISS and much prefer instictive archery with a recurve over pulleys and sights... but I can also see why people might like a compound.
 
If you are buying retail, Burris has I believe the best bang for the buck. I’ve got a few on my rifles and the glass is very clear. If buying used off the ee the possibilities are endless but you need to wait for the scope you think is best and a seller that agrees to your price. I’ve done this over the years and have done well. Online auctions from our Canadian sites can provide good deals as well but be mindful of buyer premiums, taxes and shipping cost.
Best of luck on your scope search.
Don
 
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DGY said:
Holly brick… hahaha sorry way too heavy of a scope for me. I like them scopes to be under 16oz if I can.
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Fair. I like the extra magnification as it is mainly ground hogs at longer ranges that I am using it for.
 
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ShrtRnd said:
I have a Bushy Elite 4200 2.5-10x40. Just a rock solid optic thats been on a few of my setups over the years. A bit heavy at just over 1lb (by my scale), but clear glass and takes everything Cal/Cartridge wise I’ve throw it on (.308Win to .300Wby).
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Agreed the 4200 is a solid scope & can be found for a great deal on the used market!

The newer Bushnell Elite 4500 2.5-10x40 with the 30mm tube, weighs in at 1.25 lbs (19.7oz) and that weight does help tame recoil if overall weight isn't a concern.
 
Also wanted to throw the meopta line of scopes into your consideration. I have a good friend that has had lots of pretty high end optics and he really likes the meopta offerings. I just bought a optika 5 3-15×44 so I'll see how i like them.
 
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