Dave,
I have a GREAT TIP for you. Christmas is coming soon. You can get some of those long Xmas-Paper rolls and really setup some long range equipment. Toilet paper rolls are more like 2x7/3x9's, you need more power
My favorites - whatever is on the rifle I am shooting at the time, as long as it is crystal clear, tracks and returns and takes the recoil of some of my scope wreckers. That elliminates some of the above, particularly Dave's favorite wannabee tactical brand. Matter of fact it includes a lot of what he listed.
For hunting scopes I would include the Nikon Gold or whatever they call their new 30mm hunting models, they are super - one helped kill a very big Alaskan brownie on my hunt last summer, 1.5-6 is about as nice a dangerous game scope as you will get. Also have some Swarovskis and a Zeiss that almost melt my eyes they are so sharp and bright, 3-12x50's. I also have a 3-12x50 Burris Black Diamond that is a very good hunting scope, has turrets that are so-so but optics and reliability are tops. For that matter I use a Burris Signature a lot also, it has never let me down. Really like Monarch 3.5-10'sx50's, (might be 2.5- what the hell) they are bright and very sharp, and reasonably priced, have been on a lot of hunts and stood up to lots of use and recoil. Also have some old Redfield Ultimate Illuminators that have to be used in poor light to be believed. They are clubs, heavy and bulky, so-so turrets but amazing optics. Another VERY sweet new scope is the Leupold MK4-MRT in 3-9 (Dave, you gots to get one - don't ask why, just buy one...). For Jerry's sake I will certainly include the 4200's, they have been reliable, tough but their big scope needs decent turrets.
Found out that the NXS 2.5-10 does not perform like its big brothers when the sun starts getting low and you are trying to kill a mulie buck that is running into the sun. Somebody turned out the lights and at the same time fired a flare down the scope tube! He died tho, the GA LITE Non-Typical scored again!!!
You pretty much get what you pay for, I have seen a few expensive dogs but not many. Just how much we are paying for the name on some turrets would be interesting to know.
I would trust someone like Jon's opinion - he has given a lot of good advice here and he is in the business of marketing optics. He has pretty much stayed with hunting scopes in his list, would be interested to hear his opinion on tactical scopes if he does much with them.
Oh yea, I have an original Weaver K-4 or two, steel body, beer bottle glass in the lenses but it still works perfectly. Also think there is a Weaver K-6 around if I want to shoot long
Those were the good old days.