Hunting scope sub 500?

Jahnj0584

Jahnj0584

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Curious what you guys think about this, since I've spent the last week looking into things.

I want a 2-7 scope for hunting deer/plinking within 200y with a 308. My budget is sub 500, so the Leupold Freedom series comes up a lot. I'd love to try such a scope, but the lack of AO bothers me for some reason. My biggest desires in this is lightweight (under 11oz?) and GREAT glass quality. I want something that makes me understand why I paid 500$ for an optic instead of a 200$ one.

I've used Bushnell banners, a Vortex Diamondback and a Crimson Trace Brushline.
 
For a hunting rifle out to 200 adjustable parallax feels pointless to me. If you miss at that range that's on you, not parallax. The glass quality on a Leupold freedom will be miles ahead of any $200 scope, so simply looking through it at low light should make you understand why you spent the extra money.

The only stuff I see on Vortex's website in a 2-7 are diamondbacks and crossfires, and they are significantly cheaper than what you're after. So the Freedom still looks like the front runner to me.
 
Suther said:
The Freedom 2-7 is 11.1oz.
His idea of "great glass" is going to be different from yours if you think $500 scopes are junk.
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I didn't say they were junk, and I also just realized this was a 'hunting shooting' thread. But I completely agree with you 'adjustable parallax' is a waste of time for a short range hunting scope, set a '50-200 zero' and let it fly, plus I doubt parallax would ever get adjusted after the rifle was zerod.
 
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For me I am older and vision not as good as it used to be I have to have the adjustable objective scope otherwise I can get the cross hairs clear and down range is fuzzy or the cross hairs are fuzzy and down range is clear unless someone can tell me another way that works same with or without my glasses
 
rboule said:
For me I am older and vision not as good as it used to be I have to have the adjustable objective scope otherwise I can get the cross hairs clear and down range is fuzzy or the cross hairs are fuzzy and down range is clear unless someone can tell me another way that works same with or without my glasses
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You have to adjust the focus ring. Zoom at Max power at the sky and adjust until the cross hair is sharp.
 
The best inexpensive glass I've found to date is a Japanese-made Bushnell 3500 elite. I think the 4200 and/or 4500 elites were also Japanese-made, but I don't have either.
Basic, solid scopes with superb glass for the pricetag.
 
Jahnj0584 said:
You have to adjust the focus ring. Zoom at Max power at the sky and adjust until the cross hair is sharp.
Click to expand...

AO is 'adjustable objective' the far end of the scope that you are looking out of, that 'adjusts objective parallax' to focus on distance. The other end that you look through is the 'ocular lense' and 'ocular ring' that can adjust to sharpen the crosshair to the sight picture.

Unholysavage said:
The best inexpensive glass I've found to date is a Japanese-made Bushnell 3500 elite. I think the 4200 and/or 4500 elites were also Japanese-made, but I don't have either.
Basic, solid scopes with superb glass for the pricetag.
Click to expand...

You could find fixed 10x bushnell tactical for under $300, maybe SWFA for a bit more. I tried one, glass was good but I didn't even bother mounting it as it wasn't want I needed, it was 'over-sold' to me... and probably triple the weight the OP is looking for.
 
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Vx3 is newer.

If your looking at a low power scope at the 2-7 range , a red field 2-7 at $180 will do exactly the same as the vx3 will do.
Your only shooting your distances.
 
The Leupold Freedom line fits your budget. Good scopes. I feel the glass clarity is equal to the VX3 line. I have a 1-4X20 on a plinker. Great scope and very solid, no issues. I picked up a 3-9X40 with a rifle trade. I put a Swarovski on the rifle but am keeping the Leupold as a spare as they clarity is great. One of my buddies has the 2-7X33; I love that scope and am considering picking one up for another build, despite my love for the Swarovski line.

If you can manage to boost your budget I would recommend jumping into the Swarovski Z3, 3-9X36 ($900) or the 3-10X42 ($1100)
 
I think I'm gonna have to just nab the BNIB american marksman 3-9x40 with the windplex off of GP. It corresponds to my loads 200,280,340 drops. It's going on a Ruger American (seems fitting) and saves me 170$ from buying a new Freedom 2-7 (540 after tax) while being the same weight and a lil more zoom for the range. I can put that extra money to my next Rimfire scope in January.
 
Unholysavage said:
The best inexpensive glass I've found to date is a Japanese-made Bushnell 3500 elite. I think the 4200 and/or 4500 elites were also Japanese-made, but I don't have either.
Basic, solid scopes with superb glass for the pricetag.
Click to expand...
All the scopes in the "Elite" line regardless of numbers in the name were made in Japan. I still have two. I believe they are discontinued but can still be found and are a great deal for Japanese glass.
 
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