Okay guys I am going to disagree and agree with both of you. First off, I think there are several scopes under a thousand that are great scopes with good glass and that track well. Second, I don't think you have to buy a NF to get a quality scope and just because it has NF, SB, or TT on the side of it doesn't mean it is the best option for a given application. The Busnell XRS ii is a good example. If you catch them on sale they can be had for around $750-1000. Another good example is the Leupold VX-R TMR Firedot line of scopes that run around $600-700. Athlon's Ares and Midas Tac lines of scopes have incredible glass, amazing illumination, a great reticle, FFP, and turrets that have been tried and tested by numerous sources without fail. They run between $700-850. Leupold's Mark 4 is another example and probably the best on this list selling for $699-999. The VX5HD 3-15x44 CDS is also great as a hunting scope especially with the HTMR reticle; $999.99. Any of these will stand up to the recoil of a magnum caliber and are not to far removed from tier 1 scopes like NF. I would say all of them IMO are superior to SWFA. I have owed two SWFA scopes a 6x42 and a 12x. They are rugged and get the job done but the above scopes just do it better and with more features. All have lifetime warranties. Athlon's being the best. You can basically run over the thing box it up and send it back and they will send you a new one, same as Vortex. I presently own 8 Athlons, a half dozen Luepold, a Meopta or two and a S&B pm ii 3-12. I have owned Swarovski and Zeiss scopes as well and I have been behind a ton off Atacrs. The best glass I have ever owned was in a Zeiss Davaria 1.5-6. The next best is in a Luepold Mark 4 3.5-10 followed by the Schmidt. I have an Athlon Cronus that is probably my favorite scope though the Luepold Mk4 gets most the work during hunting season. I have no experience with the Arken scopes but many think highly of them at the $500 mark. Several of the scopes I have mentioned are made in the Low factory in Japan the same place NF is made. A few here in the US and a few from China and the pacific rim. My point is there are quality scopes for under a $1000 from just about any manufacturer or country you can think of! I would put the Athlon Cronus BTR Gen 2 APRS6 up against any scope out there $1599 average retail new and $1000-1200 used. I would agree that sub $500 scopes are a crap shoot, but above $500 for the beginner shooter there are a lot of quality options. Everyone can't afford a TT, SB, NF or others high end $2500 and up scope and that is really where the men are separated from the boys not because of glass or tracking or even features but simple based on the fact that they have battle proven rugged realiabilty. The Athlon Cronus, Sig Sauer Tango 6, and Leupold Mark 5 3-18 are all being tested and used by SOCOM right now. All three of those lines have options that are in the $1000 range. There are also plenty of used options out there. To say that there are no good options under a $1000 is disingenuous at best. I would suggest the OP determine his specific needs and find several options that would work and watch the classifieds for a good used option or call Athlon or Leupold directly and let them suggest some options or call Cameraland, NY and let them make some suggestions. They are all fantastic companies to work with. Lastly a $1500 budget for a precision hunting rifle is completely doable with a little effort.
If memory serves me correctly I bought my first Luepold scope in the late eighties used and never looked back. I would estimate I have probably owned several dozen over the last 35 years, mostly VX3s and several Mark IVs. If I had to own and depend on one scope it would be a Leupold!
