Just for clarification, I personally wasn't promoting a $4000.00 dollar scope. In my opinion, and for the way I use my rifles, you can buy a whole lot of scope for less than $1,500. I have looked through high dollar scopes, and done side by side comparisons between them and a 50mm VXIII. Personally, I couldn't see the difference other than in some cases my Leupold actually looked better to me. But again, That is just my observation for the way I hunt. My only point was don't buy a cheap pile of chinese junk and then cry when it lets you down. I know people who will not pay more than $300.00 for a scope, they insist that is their limit. I have also seen the way they shoot, and helped try to blood trail a deer shot at 75yds, until I ran out of blood . Maybe that's all they need! I personally don't need to spend 4000.00 dollars for what I do.
I've owned and looked through a whole lot of glass over the years.
There are a lot of cheap scopes that work well for the average guy who's not shooting a heavy recoiling cartridge, not shooting beyond 200yds, or in low light.
I've yet to find a "bargain" scope though with at least a 15x top end and 50mm or larger objective that will even stand up well to the recoil of a 7RM that has decent glass.
I through a ton of money away when I was young trying to convince myself that a cheap scope, under 400.00 then was all I'd ever need.
One day however I came across a 3.5-10x50mm Leupold and it changed the way I looked at scopes forever.
We literally shot coyotes with that scope on full moon nights without a spotlight with some frequency.
After the service as I'd matured a bit and got introduced to USO and MKIV Leupold and had the skills to shoot well beyond 400yds confidently with the right rig and I changed again.
Today, I find a lot of great scopes in the 900-2,200.00 range and I have yet to find a scope at a much higher price point that I think would ever justify me buying it because the quality differences just aren't that noticeable.
Now if I were shooting PRS or ELR matches that might change my opinion but for a good quality hunting optic that 900.00-2,200.00 range seems more than adequate.
Below that range it's too hit and miss and I don't care how good a company's warranty and customer service are, I want to know my scope is going to perform as expected all season long. There are few things more frustrating and aggravating that having a scope fail during the season and then be at the mercy of the company to get it repaired or replaced or worse, be on one of my dream hunts and have it fail when time is critical. Been there, done that and learned the hard way.
