Best scope under $400.00

What is the best all around scope for less than $400.00

  • Leupold

    Votes: 41 32.8%

  • Burris

    Votes: 23 18.4%

  • Bushnell

    Votes: 55 44.0%

  • Simmons

    Votes: 2 1.6%

  • Weaver

    Votes: 4 3.2%
  • Total voters
    125
In your origional post you said "best scope for $400 or under" but you never said new or used ;) :D

I myself would buy a used VX-II, there are lots out there for around $300 and sometimes under. Then you get the best of both worlds, a good quality scope and a good warranty and still put money in your pocket.

And also the guys at the range wont make fun of you for topping your gun off with a turd :)
 
Get a room guys. :confused:

Actually Dave, the thread was really started by another over on the "hunting" forum. I just figured I'd put it to a vote, numbers don't lie. I would say that this goes for "new" scopes. Ok, now you and true north can carry on...whatever.
 
Last edited:
burris.
Better glass (fullfield II) for the money. I recently bought a 2-7x35 and I like it. On the other hand, the only Leupold I own is a pair of binoculars.

Leupold is good but overpriced (Period)
 
You can get into a lot of the Leupold fixed powers for under $400. Fixed scopes are brighter than comparable variables, lighter and even tougher. The short eye pieces and lond mounting sections make mounting of nearly anytjhing a snap. A fixed 4 or 6 will take care of most hunting needs and seem like an $800 scope when you look through it. For a bit more ($500) the FX 111 6x42 is a steal. Honestly.:dancingbanana:
Dogleg
 
I like the bushnell 3200's i've owned.They hold up well even after banging around on a snowmobile and fourwheeler.eye relief is about the only complaint i'd have about a 3200
 
gitrdun said:
I'm sorry, but I just can't say "Bushnell" anything. I've never had any luck with their stuff. I've never owned a Leupold that was under $400.00, although Leupold IS my favorite scope, in all fairness I can't vote that way. Under $400.00, I must go with Burris as two that I currently own are doing a fine job. I've heard now from two different people that Bushnell Elite 4200 won't take recoil from a 7 mag and a .300 mag
Click to expand...
I have a Bushnell 4200 elite 1.5-6 36m on a 7 mag for 2 yrs. now. No problems after say 1,000 rounds. Great scope on par with the VXIII for a lot less money. Leupold scopes are over priced in Canada.
 
Win/64 said:
I have a Bushnell 4200 elite 1.5-6 36m on a 7 mag for 2 yrs. now. No problems after say 1,000 rounds. Great scope on par with the VXIII for a lot less money. Leupold scopes are over priced in Canada.
Click to expand...


I had a 6-24 4200 Elite that didn't last two seasons on a .22 Target rifle, another (2.5-10 4000) that survived a half dozen hunting rifles and thousands of rounds.It did eventually crater though, and the brand new replacement that showed up 3 months later got swapped on a new Leupold VX111 3.5-10 the next day. The less said about the POS 3200s the better.
There was a time that I believed that Leupolds were over priced as well. Most of that is the distributor is screwing us over in Canada, not the manufacturer. I've been on both sides of this arguement, and at one time felt that I couldn't afford or didn't need the "over priced Leupolds" When I consider the time taken to sort out scope problems from rifle problems, swapping scopes after taking apart combos that work, a number of trips to the range, two trips to the post-office, endless frustration and a 3 month wait the Bushnells didn't seem like such a bargain anymore. Doing that 11 times in a couple seasons confirmed it.:mad:
Switching sides wasn't easy, and required one Hell of a lot of money. The hardest part was putting my money where my mouth (And experience)was, instead of putting my mouth where my money WENT.
Dogleg
 
I just spoke with my hunting/riding buddy who's completely computer illiterate, but a damn good cowboy. Anyhow, he told me about his 2 x 7 Leupold that he sent back to the factory a few years back because the tube was bent as a result of his horse freakin' out and binding the scabbard up against a tree. A new scope was sent to him promptly, no questions asked. That my friends could be one of the reasons that you pay more for Leupold. Bushnell makes a whole bunch of stuff, from trail cameras, night vision stuff, God knows how many binoculaurs. Like a jack-of-all trades and master of NONE.
 
Last edited:
Giterdun,
I don't think that Bushnell makes anything at all. What they do is source them from manufacturers and get Bushnell printed on the side. You can get "Gitrdone" on the side of a scope if you order enough of them, then you could be in the scope business too. Bushnel is a brandname, a Logo and an office and nothing else.

This has been around for a while, some of the info is no doubt dated. Still there is a lot educational content and it looks like some could stand a little educating.

http://www.charm.net/~kmarsh/scope.html#brand
 
Last edited:
Great reading Dogleg, thanks for the link. I found it informative, I hope others do as well and make the right choice.
 
Last edited:
gitrdun said:
I just spoke with my hunting/riding buddy who's completely computer illiterate, but a damn good cowboy. Anyhow, he told me about his 2 x 7 Leupold that he sent back to the factory a few years back because the tube was bent as a result of his horse freakin' out and binding the scabbard up against a tree. A new scope was sent to him promptly, no questions asked. That my friends could be one of the reasons that you pay more for Leupold. Bushnell makes a whole bunch of stuff, from trail cameras, night vision stuff, God knows how many binoculaurs. Like a jack-of-all trades and master of NONE.
Click to expand...

I have had the same great service from Leupold, they have fixed things for me that I expected to pay big dollars for, and fixed it for free. Almost any other company would have charged for what was done for free by Leupold.

I learned the hard way, but will never buy cheap optics again in my lifetime.

Buy once and be done with it. Good service these days is hard to come by, you get what you pay for.
 
gitrdun said:
Anyhow, he told me about his 2 x 7 Leupold that he sent back to the factory a few years back because the tube was bent as a result of his horse freakin' out and binding the scabbard up against a tree. A new scope was sent to him promptly, no questions asked. That my friends could be one of the reasons that you pay more for Leupold.
Click to expand...

I hear lots of folks saying how great the Burris line is, but I never hear stories like this about their customer service.

I shoot either Leupolds, B&L or Bushnell Elites. All are good for the money and can be bought used for alot less in the EE, coming with a good warranty

.
 
Last edited:
I have Bushnell Elites, a Leupold, and a Burris. The Bushnell Elites are on my low round count hunting rifles, I have a Leupold VARX-III LR on my traget/varmint rifle, and the Burris is on my muzzlelaoder. I cannot say much about the Burris Short Mag yet othe than the glass seems pretty good, but this scope is also over $400, as well as my Leupold.

That is always the problem, you fork out X amount for a rifle and then try to come up with the cash for the scope. I personally like the Elites for the hunting rifles due to the Rainguard coating, and the light transmission. The past hunting trip, it was getting so dark I could barely see into parts of the woods where I was sitting, but I could see fine with the Elite 3200 mounted on my 375. Also, the year before I had first hand experience with how well the Rainguard works when I had the scope drenched in a storm and the visibility was still about 90%. I would still fork out the cash for a Leupold if I had it, but I would not discount the Elite either.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom