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I have several different scopes on different rifles. Simmons, Bushnell, Leupold, Zeiss. I tend to spend more money on better glass depending on the gun I'm putting it on.
Best bang for your buck = Leupold
they have a good selection of scopes in most everybodys price range.
I really like my Zeiss though, 4.5 to 14, side parralax, its clear as a bell, but I paid for it too.
Whatever you do, spend the money and get a high quality scope like Leupold, Zeiss or Swarovski and you wont be disappointed.
they have a good selection of scopes in most everybodys price range.
I really like my Zeiss though, 4.5 to 14, side parralax, its clear as a bell, but I paid for it too.
Whatever you do, spend the money and get a high quality scope like Leupold, Zeiss or Swarovski and you wont be disappointed.
If you don't have a big budget. Look at Leupold and Buchnell.
I have Basuch&Lomb (now Bushnell) on my rifles. Good price and excellent performance. I have the elite 3000, 3200 and 4200 scopes on various rifels. The rainguard coatings are excellent. My 3000/3200 scopes have never come off zero, they were mounted on my 300 Win Mag. Scope adjustments have brass rings and make for a smooth easy adjustments.
Don't have leupold, so no review on that.
I have Basuch&Lomb (now Bushnell) on my rifles. Good price and excellent performance. I have the elite 3000, 3200 and 4200 scopes on various rifels. The rainguard coatings are excellent. My 3000/3200 scopes have never come off zero, they were mounted on my 300 Win Mag. Scope adjustments have brass rings and make for a smooth easy adjustments.
Don't have leupold, so no review on that.
Give us a budget and we can better help you. Bottom line is to buy the best you can afford. I just put a new Leupold VXIII on my .270wsm. Also be specific as to what you will use it for, and what type of country you will hunt in.
The budget is never seems to be big enough when it comes to hunting and fishing. With that said I am looking at a budget under $500. I plan on boar hunting exclusivly in So. Cal. I have been lookiing at Leupold and Bushnell. Specifically the 4200 and the VX I. One question, What are the differences between the VX I and the VX II?
What power scope you looking at? With a budget just under $500, you can get a really good scope depending on the power and model.
On a 300wsm, I would personally put at least a 10 power if not higher. I have a 4.5 to 14 on my stw and I love it. Oregon 2003, I cranked it up to 14 and whacked a mulie at 475 yards. Just remember, long shots require lots of practice and good optics are an important part of the equation.
On a 300wsm, I would personally put at least a 10 power if not higher. I have a 4.5 to 14 on my stw and I love it. Oregon 2003, I cranked it up to 14 and whacked a mulie at 475 yards. Just remember, long shots require lots of practice and good optics are an important part of the equation.
Rancho Loco
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If you shop right, you can find a Zeiss Conquest 3.5-10x44 for $500...The 3-9x40 will be considerably less. The Zeiss is some fine glass, you prolly couldn't do any better unless you were cracking a fat bank for the high end euro scopes.
Truth be told, when I look through my Zeiss Conquest, and then my Bushnell Elite 3200 (3-9 x 40), I'm blown away at how clear and bright the 3200 is. It's not a Zeiss, but if the Elite's aren't the best scope for the buck out there, I don't know what is. They're solid, bright, and the rainguard works.
As for Leupolds, I'm just not enamored...Mebbe 'cuz my dad didn't have one, and grandad didn't have one.
I also don't see the need for anything over 10 power for a hunting rifle.
Good luck, and post a pic when you get it done.
Truth be told, when I look through my Zeiss Conquest, and then my Bushnell Elite 3200 (3-9 x 40), I'm blown away at how clear and bright the 3200 is. It's not a Zeiss, but if the Elite's aren't the best scope for the buck out there, I don't know what is. They're solid, bright, and the rainguard works.
As for Leupolds, I'm just not enamored...Mebbe 'cuz my dad didn't have one, and grandad didn't have one.
I also don't see the need for anything over 10 power for a hunting rifle.
Good luck, and post a pic when you get it done.
Rather than opining on Brand I will focus on type and power of scope. You are getting a 300 Win. Short Mag which is a powerful, flat shhoting long range capable cartridge. However, you state that you will use it exclusivley for hunting hogs in CA where you will rarely get a shot much beyond 200 yards. Moreover if you see hogs over 200 yds. you can probably stalk within 200 yds. due to the typical terrain and habitat they live in. At 200 yds. you really don't need more than 10x, probably less. If you want to go with a variable, something around 1.5 by 6 up to 3x9 would be great. There are some 3x 12s but as said previously, you don't need that much scope although your rifle could justify 4x16. A fixed power scope will save you money and is somewhat more reliable/rugged than a variable. I would go with something like a 4 up to a 6x if you go for a fixed scope.
As for the objective, you don't need more than 44 mm. This keeps your scope lighter and closer to the bore of your rifle. Since you are shooting a pretty powerful rifle make sure you get enough eye relief or you might wind up with an impressive duelling scare over your shooting eye.
Go to SWFA.com to get good baseline pricing. Remember to look at their sample list. You may be able to get things cheaper but usually not by much.
You can get a pretty good scope for $500 and once you get up to that price range there really aren't many dogs. So feel pretty confident.
As for the objective, you don't need more than 44 mm. This keeps your scope lighter and closer to the bore of your rifle. Since you are shooting a pretty powerful rifle make sure you get enough eye relief or you might wind up with an impressive duelling scare over your shooting eye.
Go to SWFA.com to get good baseline pricing. Remember to look at their sample list. You may be able to get things cheaper but usually not by much.
You can get a pretty good scope for $500 and once you get up to that price range there really aren't many dogs. So feel pretty confident.
New Pig Hunter
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I'll dive right in by saying there's a thread somewhere in these forums that had lots of good info & opinions about scopes and such, but I'll be whooped if I can find it. Been searching for 20 minutes and haven't tracked it down. I know I contributed, and I think it got started by "chvyhs" .....
Anyway, you can drive yourself to distraction and your wallet to empty... quite easily. The "what about this and what about that" will continue long after you've already bought the scope and been using it for 5 years.
All part of the fun, I guess.....
So, with that said, I'll offer my 2 cents on brand: Leupold. Why ?? because their reputation is apparently flawless. You break it, they fix it right the first time. Now. For Free. Forever. That's my personal reason for touting Leupold.
And my 2 cents on model: VX-III. Why ?? Top Of The Line. Pay the bucks, enjoy the peace and serenity.
I have 2 Vari-X II's, 3-9x40, one on my lever action, one on my .30-06 Howa. No problems yet. Why not the models I touted ?? I was in a hurry to buy something .... what can I say.... and got a screamin' deal I couldn't resist.
Another opinion: based on what I've read, you don't want VX-I or VX-II. But I did read that the old top-of-the-line Vari-X III sorta became the new VX-II, but that needs confirmation. Here's some tech info:
http://www.opticstalk.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1091&PN=1
A .50 cal shootin' pal told me that .50 cal rifle shooters use Leupold, among a couple of very expensive others. And an LAPD SWAT guy has used a Leupold on his rifle for many years now.
If you want to go crazy with more research, head over to the Optics Forums at www.SWFA.com
http://www.opticstalk.com
They got guys over that have lots of opinions and knowledge, and is the place where I absorbed an education about optics in general and brands in particular.
Just to muddy the waters a bit, a good pal in Texas told me that his Bushnell Elite 4200 is the best-ever scope he has ever used.... ever. He knows his optics and ain't afraid to spend the cash. And he uses it on his air rifle, a platform which is apparently death to most optics because of some back-forth recoil activity.
A good place to find a scope is at www.gunsamerica.com
near the top, yellow box: type in the "brand name" and click on "non-guns" .....
I found the perfect scope for me, VX-III 3-9x40.... but haven't had the courage to buy it yet, go figure. The seller is asking a mere $300 !!
Good Luck !!
Cheers,
Carl
p.s. OK, one more mud: Zeiss Conquest. nothing but raves about it.
Anyway, you can drive yourself to distraction and your wallet to empty... quite easily. The "what about this and what about that" will continue long after you've already bought the scope and been using it for 5 years.
All part of the fun, I guess.....
So, with that said, I'll offer my 2 cents on brand: Leupold. Why ?? because their reputation is apparently flawless. You break it, they fix it right the first time. Now. For Free. Forever. That's my personal reason for touting Leupold.
And my 2 cents on model: VX-III. Why ?? Top Of The Line. Pay the bucks, enjoy the peace and serenity.
I have 2 Vari-X II's, 3-9x40, one on my lever action, one on my .30-06 Howa. No problems yet. Why not the models I touted ?? I was in a hurry to buy something .... what can I say.... and got a screamin' deal I couldn't resist.
Another opinion: based on what I've read, you don't want VX-I or VX-II. But I did read that the old top-of-the-line Vari-X III sorta became the new VX-II, but that needs confirmation. Here's some tech info:
http://www.opticstalk.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1091&PN=1
A .50 cal shootin' pal told me that .50 cal rifle shooters use Leupold, among a couple of very expensive others. And an LAPD SWAT guy has used a Leupold on his rifle for many years now.
If you want to go crazy with more research, head over to the Optics Forums at www.SWFA.com
http://www.opticstalk.com
They got guys over that have lots of opinions and knowledge, and is the place where I absorbed an education about optics in general and brands in particular.
Just to muddy the waters a bit, a good pal in Texas told me that his Bushnell Elite 4200 is the best-ever scope he has ever used.... ever. He knows his optics and ain't afraid to spend the cash. And he uses it on his air rifle, a platform which is apparently death to most optics because of some back-forth recoil activity.
A good place to find a scope is at www.gunsamerica.com
near the top, yellow box: type in the "brand name" and click on "non-guns" .....
I found the perfect scope for me, VX-III 3-9x40.... but haven't had the courage to buy it yet, go figure. The seller is asking a mere $300 !!
Good Luck !!
Cheers,
Carl
p.s. OK, one more mud: Zeiss Conquest. nothing but raves about it.
this is a textbook example of the difference between Bushnell and Leupold.
do a little research and compare the features of these two scopes side by side.
the 4200 is modern, with features found on 90% of all current manufacture scopes.
the VX-I is primitive, with features you can't even find on a BSA or a Leapers scope. non click, 1 MOA adjustments. criminy!
one of those scope manufacturers spends money on R&D to get you a modern, quality scope that is better than their previous model. the other spends money on marketing so you will buy their scope, no matter how outdated it is.
I'll let you figure out which is which.
PS, 2-7 power is all you will need for wild boar in so cal. last one I shot was at 3 power IIRC.
