General Scope Advice

IAMAWILDPARTY

IAMAWILDPARTY

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I'm looking to get a scope for a .30-06 Browning X-bolt.
I've never shot with anything but cheap tasco before.
I had a Tasco on a previous .30-06, and I never got to use it enough to form an opinion, as the gun was a piece of junk and I'm happy to see it gone.
I currently have a tasco on my .22 LR henry lever action, and though it hasn't gotten extensive field use, it seems to hold zero alright. If it turns out to be junk, it's just a $50 loss, and it came with a bore snake.

Anyhow, for the browning, I was thinking 3x to 9x magnification, as that seems to be more than enough for the ranges I'll generally encounter hunting.

When we talk about moving from a Redfield to a Leupold to a Zeiss, what am I getting for the extra money? Better weather resistance? I need to know that when I'm hunting, I don't bring up my rifle to find my scope full of moisture inside. Or is it all about the clearer/better/brighter picture? Comparing scopes in the store, I was having a hard time telling the difference.

At the moment, I'm considering the Redfield revolution and the leupold vx2, the prices seem about what I'm looking to pay.
Are there reasons these might not be a good choice?
 
Kelly Timoffee said:
Just look through the Zeiss.

That is all you need to do.;)
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I did. I had a hard time seeing the difference, the store was brightly lit.

Would the redfield or the leupold be a bad starter? I'm a pretty new hunter (never hunted big game) and like I said, I've only ever used cheap tasco scopes.
 
You need to see the scope in natural and low light conditions to make the best evaluation.

Any of the three you mentioned will work.Zeiss have a constant eye relief which may be a bonus for a new hunter, the Leupold have variable eye relief but good glass and warranty.The Redfield , I haven't looked through a current one, but they are also manufactured by Leupold.

Personally I have chosen Zeiss over Leupold, almost exclusively because the clarity seems better to my eye,the other options are just a formality everybody has 3-9's.

You try the Bushnell 3200 or 4200??

A $300-$400 scope will serve you for a lifetime, you can always upgrade later on when you want something finer.
 
you can get the zeiss conquests for a decent price some places these days, the leupold should be fine too, but for the buck the viper and the 4200 bushnell arent bad.
 
Kelly Timoffee said:
You need to see the scope in natural and low light conditions to make the best evaluation.

Any of the three you mentioned will work.Zeiss have a constant eye relief which may be a bonus for a new hunter, the Leupold have variable eye relief but good glass and warranty.The Redfield , I haven't looked through a current one, but they are also manufactured by Leupold.

Personally I have chosen Zeiss over Leupold, almost exclusively because the clarity seems better to my eye,the other options are just a formality everybody has 3-9's.

You try the Bushnell 3200 or 4200??

A $300-$400 scope will serve you for a lifetime, you can always upgrade later on when you want something finer.
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I'll pay attention to eye relief when I pick up a scope next time. (easy to learn something new every day when you don't know much).

I remember getting a scope in the head once, back with the old gun.
 
I have a new Redfield Revolution as well as a Nikon Omega. Different guys I hunt with have 3200's, entry level Leupolds, Vortex and Nikon Prostaff/Buckmasters scopes.

I like the Revolution as much as a Rifleman or VXI. As long as Leupold is around its got a great warranty as well.

I wouldn't hesitate to get a Nikon either. Every one of them seems to be a great value. Clear and bright optics that don't break the bank.

Bushnell scopes I have stayed away from since a friend had issues with Bushnell warranty. After getting the warranty sorted out he now has purchased another and loves them.

Leupolds are awesome. I think for the money their entry level stuff is similar to the more economical Redfield. I would love a VX3 someday.

Vortex are very popular with the guys who have them. I would have bought a set of Vortex binos last year if I hadn't got a deal on some Nikon Monarchs.

If it were me I'd have no qualms getting another of the new Redfields. Someday a Zeiss, Weaver or VX3 may find its way home with me, but until I have money for $500 plus in optics these other scopes do just fine IMO.
 
Sometimes, you may feel a bit intimidated by the choices out there, since there are so many. However, there are several factors to consider:
Optical Quality. Generally speaking, optical quality increases as price increases. Good optics are not cheap, period!
Second is eye relief. Be sure you have enough so you don't get whacked by the scope, regardlesss of your shooting position.
Another is weight. Some decent scopes add considerable weight to your shooting package, which may or may not be acceptable.
Yet another is the warranty. Some companies are notoriously slow to get warranty repairs/exchanges done. This is a royal pain if your scope packs it in 2 weeks before opening day, and you need that scope fixed, pronto.
One more thing is the diameter of the ocular bell. Some scopes have rather large outside diameters here, requiring higher mounts to get the bolt handle to clear the scope. This is not desirable in a hunting scope, since a comfortable contact between cheek and stock is harder to attain.
Having said all this, you will have a hard time finding a much better all-round riflescope than Leupold's VX-3 series. JMHO, Eagleye.
 
Having said all this, you will have a hard time finding a much better all-round riflescope than Leupold's VX-3 series. JMHO, Eagleye.
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If Leupold ever starts building variable scopes with constant eye relief, I may consider purchasing them again. Until then, I will stick with other alternatives such as the Zeiss Conquest.
 
I've got a Bushnell Elite 3200 5-15x40AO. Love it for hunting. Long enough eye relief for larger calibers. The magnification is a bit higher than what you are looking for. The zero hasn't changed in the 5 years that I've had it on my 300 Wby vanguard.
 
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