If I were to spend $1K on a scope...

[montana_native]

...what should it be?

I've had good luck with all of the Leupolds I've owned. I just stuck a new Bushnell 3200 on my hunting rifle and it seems of good quality. That's about the extent of my scope experience.

I'm debating on whether or not to spend an extra $600 on a Nightforce and call it good too. But, if $1000 was the limit what would be the best recommendation?

This will be going on a long range 300 Win mag. The range we built is 1000 yards. So I doubt I'll take any shots over that.

Thanks.

 

[blipelt]

leupold mark 4, IOR, NF(benchrest $1211) are all good scopes for the price range. Another option is to buy a VXIII long range and have leupold put M1 turrets on it for about $120. These are the three I have owned and I liked them all and never had any issues.


Brent

 

[Willys46]

If I only had 1000 to spend. It would be a Lepould VXIII 6-20-50 side foucus with the M1 knobs installed.

With that said I had a VXIII 6-20-40 with the M1 knobs and just replaced it with a Nighforce 5.5-22-50 NP-R1. I can tell you the price hurt but now that its on there i am very happy.

I was having questining the repeatablity of the leupold and having doubts is no place to be come hunting season. I lost 3 moa some place.. I think the M1 knob slipped. It was my fault probably not having it tight enough.

Plus it gave me a great excuse to just buy what i wanted in the first place.

 

[Longshot38]

Sightron SIII without a doubt! For under a grand you can't beat these. Better glass then leupold, tracks as well as nighforce, and 100 moa of internal travel.

 

[pjracer]

if its your own range then nightforce. get more use out of it for sure.

 

[uncleB]

For $1K the best scope IMO is the Leupold 8.5X25X50 LRT, good glass, is repeatable, and I prefer the target knobs over the M1 knobs (dont get bumbed off with the caps on).
UB

 

[lerch]

Well the NF is your best bet for sure but i understand being reluctant to spend the money.

the luep 6.5-20 or 8.5-25 will be great for you as well. I agree with UncleB that the standard target knobs are less likely to get knocked off zero with the turret covers on. leup turrets are fairly easy to turn and while it isnt at all a problem having the exposed M1 knob could be a annoyance. The knobs on the NF are very stiff and not very prone to movement unless you want them to. I had a guy pick up a NF just the other day with the Zero Stop feature on it purely for the reason that if his turrets got shifted without him knowing he would simply be able to spin them back to the bottom and be able to know confidently that he was at his zero. that is a heck of a nice feature to have!!

If you dont wanna spend the money on the NF then go for the Leup, they are second only to NF and are a great scope.

have a good un
steve

 

[CS T]

The Nightforce is worth the money. The Leupold will do the job and will do it well. Once you go Nightforce you will see why. I use Leupold, Nightforce, S&B, and USO my long-range setups. I also use a Bushnell 3200 3.5-15x44mm Tactical scope on 10/22.

Mike @ CSGW

 

[yobuck]

i certainly dont intend to start a ****ing contest over scopes. i hope my comments arent taken in that context.
i am familiar with all the scopes mentioned, except the sightron and the 3200. ive used all of them also.
i wouldnt disagree with any of the comments.
i guess my question is, does anybody except me, think $1000 is still alot of money for many of us to spend for a scope?
especially when it gets such limited use by most of us?
hell many of the scopes cost more than the guns they sit on.
isnt anybody restricted by what they can or at least should spend on this stuff?
if there are, whats their alternative?
i can say what works for me, and others i know also.
i have 4 rifles i use for long range hunting. all have custom barrels and chambers. one is a heavy bench type on a custom action.
3 of the scopes are older 40mm leupolds ive owned since new. all are at least 20 years old.
the other is an old bausch & lomb 6x24 with a kuharsky micrometer.
they all still work flawlessly.
ive never missed a shot because of the age of my scope, or the fact that it isnt up to nightforce standards.
all of my scopes combined, wouldnt be worth the cost of 1 nightforce.
mind you, im not reccomending you not buy a nightforce. or any other for that matter.
but for any out there concerned by what you spend on this stuff, take heart. the older stuff still works just fine.
and theres tons of it for sale on ebay. if it dosent have target knobs, not to worry, they can be added.
sure the new scopes have advantages over the older ones. but conditions have to be pretty bad before your shut down because of the scope.
you'l never be stuck with a good used leupold.
sort of like buying a good low milage used car.

 

[blipelt]

yobuck, yes it is alot of money but it is all in what you do. You buy a boat new or used the quality of a NF scope you will be paying I am sure $25-35,000 used probably $35-50,000 new. I can build alot of guns for that. Do you see many used NF on ebay?

There is one bad thing about Night Force, once you get one you will want them on all of your rifles.


Brent

 

[montana_native]

I guess my thought is that I am finally in a position financially to afford the high dollar scopes. As long as I've been working, $200 was about the upper limit on optics for me so I'd hunt down used Leupolds. Now, I want to see what I've been missing all these years. I might hold out for a Nightforce.

 

[topwater225]

I once was a "Leupold Only" guy, and I have to say that if you're not going with NightForce, don't overlook the new Sightron SIII. I just purchased one, even with a little hesitation because no one (locally) had them in stock for me to evaluate.......and man they are clear, have very nice turrets and a 30mm tube. Absolutely no regrets.

Do some searching around on other sites as well and you will see those who have them, love them.

Price is very good, also. I chose the 6-24X50 at $715 to my door.

Sightron Riflescopes / Binoculars / Sighting Scopes product pages. SIII Series - SIII SS 6-24x50 LR D

 

[butcher307]

i would by a millet tactical awsome scope for the money

 

[Boss Hoss]

Have had bad luck with the Loopy's over the last 30 years or so --- run to the NF! Loopy is a good mid line optic but they have too many problems for me (have had many failures over the years plus the glass is just so so). I use the NF on my competition rifles but not for sporters. USO, S&B Zenith, PMII's and a few VMV series are what I use. More money but cry once and it is over with plus never a problem with any of those.

Just my opinion for whatever it is worth.