What should my Optic cost
- Thread starter BCbattlebuddy
- Start date
Hand Skills
CGN Regular
- Location
- In the 'heartland', southern SK
I feel like the optic (and mounts!) are generally the weakest link when it comes to a repeatable rifle system.
It may not be popular, but I'm in the 'spend as much in the optic as I would on the gun' camp.
DNZ game reaper is a great mount, but if your rifle is a long action it's not going to give much mounting flexibility fore and aft.
With Talley rings, for example, many low power scopes are too short to fit the 'long action's spacing.
If you are looking to save some money, check out the equipment exchange - used scopes are a great value.
It may not be popular, but I'm in the 'spend as much in the optic as I would on the gun' camp.
DNZ game reaper is a great mount, but if your rifle is a long action it's not going to give much mounting flexibility fore and aft.
With Talley rings, for example, many low power scopes are too short to fit the 'long action's spacing.
If you are looking to save some money, check out the equipment exchange - used scopes are a great value.
^^^
If you're hunting then a low, under<9 power is fine.
What features do you want
no frills reticle? eg duplex, german no4 post.
low light, in the treeline shadows? large objective to gather light.
illumination?
regular or the new HighDensity, Extra low Dispersion glass?
fixed or adjustable objective.
tough enough to survive the bush or just the table at the range?
get an older leupold VX2 or new vx3hd if hunting imo.
If you're hunting then a low, under<9 power is fine.
What features do you want
no frills reticle? eg duplex, german no4 post.
low light, in the treeline shadows? large objective to gather light.
illumination?
regular or the new HighDensity, Extra low Dispersion glass?
fixed or adjustable objective.
tough enough to survive the bush or just the table at the range?
get an older leupold VX2 or new vx3hd if hunting imo.
Hollow Point
CGN Regular
- Location
- New Brunswick
Think a little more about what you want. Will you be dialing for distance? look for reliable tracking and exposed locking turrets. using hold over? look for reticle designed for hold over. will you be sighting in use the maximum point blank range for your given rifle / load. do you need or want illumination? How much weight are willing to add to the top of your rifle? etc. If you have a store or two locally, look through as many scopes as you can and pick the one you like most that suits your criteria.
need more ker-ch$ng.
I have bought - and sold - at least a dozen scopes in the past half decade. I am shooting target rings and I have my own preferences what I want to see in the eye box.
My benchmark is, put a business card at 100 and read it. That crisp and clarity will show you the bullet holes at 300.
That power and quality not necessarily means it need to cost $ grand and half, but when shopping around you need to put a decent effort to locate a good deal, all depend how far you wanna go. Myself very finicky who will earn my dollar.
My benchmark is, put a business card at 100 and read it. That crisp and clarity will show you the bullet holes at 300.
That power and quality not necessarily means it need to cost $ grand and half, but when shopping around you need to put a decent effort to locate a good deal, all depend how far you wanna go. Myself very finicky who will earn my dollar.
I buy my optics used and so far I’ve been really happy, Leupold vxII or III or 3200-4200 series Bushnell are great scope for the money on the used market and plenty for hunting, my preference are fix 4 or 6, 2-7, 2.5-8 and 1.5-5! I like simple reticles and none of those big turrets, just the old boring caped turrets work for me up to 300m my max hunting distance!
Vortex tactical series scopes are a great bargain. I also have a PST Gen2 and the newer Strike Eagle 4-24x50 but it really depends on what your preference is and use. I despise Bushnell after getting a defective red dot and still going on 5 month for the warranty replacement.
Stay FARRRRR away from Bushnell garbage and the crooks that "Run" the warranty center.
Needless to say I got rid of all my Bushnell garbage and went to a real optic company that actually honours warranty should you ever need it.
I'd check out the vortex tactical line or the strike Eagle's if you want illuminated. I'd go illuminated even if you don't think you'll use. Better to have and not need then to need and not have
Stay FARRRRR away from Bushnell garbage and the crooks that "Run" the warranty center.
Needless to say I got rid of all my Bushnell garbage and went to a real optic company that actually honours warranty should you ever need it.
I'd check out the vortex tactical line or the strike Eagle's if you want illuminated. I'd go illuminated even if you don't think you'll use. Better to have and not need then to need and not have
Not sure! Grew up on irons but want to get better at doing basic ballistic math (zeroing, windage etc.)
so sounds like you want a rifle for hunting and range shooting.
check out the exchange of optics under 2k page. Look for older leupolds vxii,, vxiii, vx2 and vx3. Very good glass and should be very affordable.
I owned 5 leupolds over the years as i upgraded.
Vortex gets alot of recommendations, but i've seen as many complaints as compliments about them so its iffy on them.
to 400m. Id prefer at least 15/16power.
Do not fall for cheap scopes with huge magnification, you will regret it when you dial up and image becomes fuzzy.
get a model with either exposed adjustable turrets, or capped and easily adjustable turrets, not the old coin slot versions.
if you already at a range, try before you buy and ask to inspect others scopes.
small things many dont consider but should.
how tight is the eye relief at max power? some are very tight and unforgiving
how crisp/mushy are the turret adjustments? can be a big problem in harsh cold weather whenturning mushy dials in gloves with frozen fingers.
how thick are the reticles? not ideal for tgt shooting if too thick.
how much internal elevation in the scope, some have very little adjustment, not great for rimfires or when shooting out to distance.
check out the exchange of optics under 2k page. Look for older leupolds vxii,, vxiii, vx2 and vx3. Very good glass and should be very affordable.
I owned 5 leupolds over the years as i upgraded.
Vortex gets alot of recommendations, but i've seen as many complaints as compliments about them so its iffy on them.
to 400m. Id prefer at least 15/16power.
Do not fall for cheap scopes with huge magnification, you will regret it when you dial up and image becomes fuzzy.
get a model with either exposed adjustable turrets, or capped and easily adjustable turrets, not the old coin slot versions.
if you already at a range, try before you buy and ask to inspect others scopes.
small things many dont consider but should.
how tight is the eye relief at max power? some are very tight and unforgiving
how crisp/mushy are the turret adjustments? can be a big problem in harsh cold weather whenturning mushy dials in gloves with frozen fingers.
how thick are the reticles? not ideal for tgt shooting if too thick.
how much internal elevation in the scope, some have very little adjustment, not great for rimfires or when shooting out to distance.
What should your optic cost? As much as you're willing to spend. I personally wouldn't want to go below about $300 (maybe even $400 these days, prices have been climbing a lot in the last 5 years), but you can easily go 5x that for a good hunting scope too.
Personally I use a Vortex Viper 3-9x40, I don't think they make 'em anymore but they were ~$400 regular price a few years ago.
Illuminated reticle and tactical turrets are just extra weight on a hunting rifle IMO. That Strike Eagle you mention weighs close to twice what my Viper does as an example. Same with magnification - more magnification is rarely a bad thing (as long as you still have a useable low end) but 9x is still plenty at 300, you certainly don't need 24x to get out to 400, so is it worth the extra weight and bulk? Not for me its not... Plus you're paying for those features, so you'll most likely end up with crappier glass than a more simplistic scope at the same price point.
Personally I use a Vortex Viper 3-9x40, I don't think they make 'em anymore but they were ~$400 regular price a few years ago.
Vortex tactical series scopes are a great bargain. I also have a PST Gen2 and the newer Strike Eagle 4-24x50 but it really depends on what your preference is and use. I despise Bushnell after getting a defective red dot and still going on 5 month for the warranty replacement.
Stay FARRRRR away from Bushnell garbage and the crooks that "Run" the warranty center.
Needless to say I got rid of all my Bushnell garbage and went to a real optic company that actually honours warranty should you ever need it.
I'd check out the vortex tactical line or the strike Eagle's if you want illuminated. I'd go illuminated even if you don't think you'll use. Better to have and not need then to need and not have
Illuminated reticle and tactical turrets are just extra weight on a hunting rifle IMO. That Strike Eagle you mention weighs close to twice what my Viper does as an example. Same with magnification - more magnification is rarely a bad thing (as long as you still have a useable low end) but 9x is still plenty at 300, you certainly don't need 24x to get out to 400, so is it worth the extra weight and bulk? Not for me its not... Plus you're paying for those features, so you'll most likely end up with crappier glass than a more simplistic scope at the same price point.
Donny Fenn1
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- East Kootenays
There is not an engagement ring in the world worth 2 months salary. They may cost that much but they aren't worth it. Optics on the other hand....buy the best you can afford.
WRONG! The same or as much as you can afford. Better to buy a $2k SCOPE AND 1$k rifle. Great too see how little you know! Posting as present and all will. The guns only as good as you can see. There are many deals on the EE for great optics at great prices. Ask any knowledgeable rifleman where to spend the money. As painfull as it is the cheap Savage with a top tier optic will be hard too beat unless your shooting PRS with custom rifles.
FatCatsDad
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
In the real world $500 scopes are the hot sellers, look how people tripped over themselves trying to score $250-$400 Vortex optics a while back.
$2000 scopes adorning ½ dozen assorted rifles might be the norm in your pharmaceutical enhanced world but not the average shooter with kids and a mortgage.
½ as much on glass as the gun cost is a general guide.
There are plnty of $300-$600 scopes out there for $600-$1200 guns that are fine optics and quite serviceable
