Scope shopping 2024--any top picks or ones to avoid?
- Thread starter West_Fork
- Start date
b116757
5 year old buck +
I have a lot of Leopold scopes and had generally always been happy with them then I bought a pair of 6-18 Mark AR scopes to go along with the other two of them I already had for a upcoming prairie dog shoot and the second set of two where complete crap compared to the older Mark AR scopes I had called Leupold about the issue and pretty much lost interest in buying their scopes after that conversation. I have a Vortex that seems fine and a few Burris 3-9’s with a 22lr scope radical I been putting on 22’s that I like ok.
I am going to try a Vortex strike eagle, the discontinued 4-24x mrad model for $300. I checked out a couple at a store and seems like a good value. I have been happy with the vipers, so we will see what we get for half the cost. The rings it will sit in cost damn near the same.
That looks like a decent deal, but I am mainly using it for bolt guns. I also don't care for custom turrets or "bdc" reticles because they are essentially useless; the gun doesn't change, but conditions do. If I was going for something higher end I would probably go for a leupold. I find the durability of the lower end Leupold to be probably the best, but optical quality and reticle selection not so great.
What we get for the price these days is pretty impressive.
bigboreblr
5 year old buck +
Never owned a vortex, but have purchased 3 as christmas gifts. All doing well.
I an not a fancy gun person at all, but want reliable stuff. Burris fullfield II has treated me well 5 or 6 times already. They got 3-9 and 4-12. 400 yards I'd go 4-12. I practice to 300, but quit at 250, and often practice at 230 with a 4 inch gong. My 308 savage axis whacks it pretty often from a wobbly old picnic tabe at camp. Deer in open fields it's just fine in low light. NY recently changed from dusk to 30 minutes after, sometimes can be a bit rough in the woods past 15-20 minutes after dusk. I turn them down to low power and they're OK. They have the red ruby coating, which was great 20-30 years ago, but there's better stuff out there now. I'd pass on them if squeeking out a coyote hunt other than a good moonlight.
Never touched zero on any of them unless I am changing the zero or bullet load. Probably over 1000 rounds through a marlin 336. Couple hundred easily on each muzzleloader. Got one on my main 22lr. Even dropped that gun once or twice. 308 is kinda new, but doing well.
I am pretty much done buying rifles unless NY laws open back up with AR's n such. I may scope a nice CZ 22's, 48 year old eyes suck. I remember beating the old men at the blackpowder shoot a decade ago. Playing field is getting level now.........
I an not a fancy gun person at all, but want reliable stuff. Burris fullfield II has treated me well 5 or 6 times already. They got 3-9 and 4-12. 400 yards I'd go 4-12. I practice to 300, but quit at 250, and often practice at 230 with a 4 inch gong. My 308 savage axis whacks it pretty often from a wobbly old picnic tabe at camp. Deer in open fields it's just fine in low light. NY recently changed from dusk to 30 minutes after, sometimes can be a bit rough in the woods past 15-20 minutes after dusk. I turn them down to low power and they're OK. They have the red ruby coating, which was great 20-30 years ago, but there's better stuff out there now. I'd pass on them if squeeking out a coyote hunt other than a good moonlight.
Never touched zero on any of them unless I am changing the zero or bullet load. Probably over 1000 rounds through a marlin 336. Couple hundred easily on each muzzleloader. Got one on my main 22lr. Even dropped that gun once or twice. 308 is kinda new, but doing well.
I am pretty much done buying rifles unless NY laws open back up with AR's n such. I may scope a nice CZ 22's, 48 year old eyes suck. I remember beating the old men at the blackpowder shoot a decade ago. Playing field is getting level now.........
bigboreblr
5 year old buck +
Scope mounts are the achilles tendon. Buy good stuff. I've done great with burris elite rings n bases. The only exception is those 22lr tiny dovetails on some guns. Marlin's reciever is rounded and the lockdown corssbolts interfere with the reciever. Guns with wierd or funny mountings other than common stuff, you should really look for custom manufacturers in that case.
Diversified innovative products solved my marlin 22 problems. I have used those 1 piece DNZ mounts on the savage axis and a muzzleloader or two. I'd buy those again. 1 Piece base is way better than 2 piece. Only trouble is my browning BLR in 450 marlin can only get 2 piece bases. Still holding OK though. Need to recheck zero, missed a deer with it last year.
Diversified innovative products solved my marlin 22 problems. I have used those 1 piece DNZ mounts on the savage axis and a muzzleloader or two. I'd buy those again. 1 Piece base is way better than 2 piece. Only trouble is my browning BLR in 450 marlin can only get 2 piece bases. Still holding OK though. Need to recheck zero, missed a deer with it last year.
I have a pair of empty Seekins mid, or IOR low., but around 2008 The Burris xtreme rings were really good for the money, better with some lapping. Then they went complete crap. I ordered some Vortex rings for $25 this go around to see what happens. If they turn out to be garbage they can always get repurposed for a weapon light or bipod.
My bases are always one piece pic rails, most 20moa. I like to swap optics a lot.
My bases are always one piece pic rails, most 20moa. I like to swap optics a lot.
Mortenson
5 year old buck +
I had a post last year about a new scope for my 450 bm. Got lots of good suggestions. Shied away from a few that I just didn't know enough about. Wound up looking through Leupolds, Vortex, and Zeiss all in somewhat comparable ranges, albeit higher than your range...500-700. The zeiss was an easy standout looking through it in bass pro.
Tree Spud
5 year old buck +
Zeiss makes good glass!
This turned out to be a huge disappointment.
15 years ago I spent over $2k on a 6-24x50 (the most zoom ever!) with the reticle I wanted. Last week I spent $300 and got;
Same optical quality as far as I can tell
greater zoom range
More forgiving eye box
12 less ounces
The reticle is really close to the same.
So assuming it tracks the same, that extra money spent years ago got me nicer knobs, a little more range and more durability, but nothing else.
I found this interesting, Seekins 2007ish to today. There is something to hand written serial numbers that I like.
15 years ago I spent over $2k on a 6-24x50 (the most zoom ever!) with the reticle I wanted. Last week I spent $300 and got;
Same optical quality as far as I can tell
greater zoom range
More forgiving eye box
12 less ounces
The reticle is really close to the same.
So assuming it tracks the same, that extra money spent years ago got me nicer knobs, a little more range and more durability, but nothing else.
I found this interesting, Seekins 2007ish to today. There is something to hand written serial numbers that I like.
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After some field time, I am finding more differences between higher end scopes and my latest made in china purchase. Vortex's lower end stuff is made in china, the better stuff comes from Philippines.
Narrower field of view.
Less low light performance.
Reticle calibrated for 24x. My better scope is calibrated for 12x and 24x. This one will work at 12x also, but it is not optimal.
Tracking appears to be accurate.
Illuminated reticle could use a few lower brightness settings.
All in all it is still fairly impressive for the price.
Narrower field of view.
Less low light performance.
Reticle calibrated for 24x. My better scope is calibrated for 12x and 24x. This one will work at 12x also, but it is not optimal.
Tracking appears to be accurate.
Illuminated reticle could use a few lower brightness settings.
All in all it is still fairly impressive for the price.
I just put a leupold on my .308 and have vortex on my .35Rem, I like them both.
The "rifle guy" in the gunshop where I work is a big Burris fan for that's worth.
I've got a pair of Athlon binocs that I really like and will look at their scope choices next time I am in the market.
Backfire on Youtube just did a budget scope head to head and Athlon won.
The "rifle guy" in the gunshop where I work is a big Burris fan for that's worth.
I've got a pair of Athlon binocs that I really like and will look at their scope choices next time I am in the market.
Backfire on Youtube just did a budget scope head to head and Athlon won.
b116757
5 year old buck +
Athlon’s headquarters is in Lenexa KS as is Bushnell. I’ve been to both buddy of mine bought a Athlon right after they started hitting the market we walked into their headquarters to get it. I would put them both in about the same category although bushnell has historically produced many scopes in the super value economy line otherwise known as junk but I do think mid to high end stuff is likely fine idk about warranty of either however.
The Bushnell Elite are suppose to be good, exact same price range as what I bought the deeply discounted Vortex for. There is no way the Strike Eagle was worth msrp at $6-700.
I would be willing to bet the Bushnell is the better optic, but they don't offer a reticle I like. That's always been deal breaker for me.
