rifle scopes
 

i have use leupold scopes for over 20 yrs and have no problems with them but wanted opinions on different scopes with good low light condition views.

Nikons and leupold are the two I'd stick with!

yea i have always shot leupolds so i have nothing to compare them to

I have a Nikon that I shoot a lot and like it but I just put a $80 Bushnell on a 45-70 and so far its fine, I can see good in low light and its very clear

I like nikon

I had a pentax scope 3-9x50 with adjustable eye relief, it was great. well worth the $159 which I think it compared to many higher cost scopes, One problem about buying a scope its kind of hard to see which scopes work best in low light conditions when your in a store.

Diavari V Zeiss. Captures light like none other

dont look through a zeiss you wont like any other scope after.

You can also buy two browning rifles for the price of one.

I am deer hunting and only shooting about 100yrds, $150 scope does what I need but if I was sharp shooting I would want better

While we are on the subject, anyone have experience with a Barska?

i have a Nikon and a Schmidt & Bender and prefer the Nikon

I was told to stay away from Barska, doesnt hold zero. Im fixing to get a Zeiss with the rapid x reticle to put on my 308.

Or Steiner scopes?

IMO, Nikons are the best scopes for the price.

Not scopes, but I have a pair of Steiner bino's and like them.

The question is, how much do you want to spend? I have owned/used about all of them. The best two scopes I ever owned were Zeiss Diavari and surprisingly a Burris Black Diamond. For the money I would put the Black Diamond up against anything - a great scope for the money. I would buy another Black Diamond before I bought anything else within it's price range.

No matter what you do don't buy a simmon's scope. Cost me a deer sunday morning in the rain. Fogged up so bad you could not see a damn thing. Time to buy a new one myself.

good to know. have one and was thinking about putting it on a 22-250. that prob explains their price. just saw at academy they sell for $50

I bought 3 a few years ago for a good price. Gave my uncle and grandpaw one. All 3 gave problems,send them back to the factory. They would not stay where you set them and fog up after a couple years. I was so pissed I threw it in the trash. Hard to beat a nikon pro staff for the price. I have one on my muzzle loader and like it alot. My uncle has a nikon buckmaster on his rifle and likes it too.

Ive only had cheap scopes LOL.

I have had a 100 dollar Swift on my 25/06 for 15 years. I sighted it in back then and haven't adjusted it since. Granted, I dont shoot it alot anymore, but it was good enough I could consistently shoot the lids off coke bottles at 200 yards. Its my only experience with a Swift though. It has never been in the rain so dont know if it fogs or not.

I have a Swift 2x7x40 ($175) on my muzzleloader and I think it is retty good.
Just put a Leupold VX3 3.5x10x50 illuminated reticle ($750) on my 270, and a Sightron Big Sky II 3x9x42 ($380) on my 243. Love both. The Big Sky II is their mid grade scope which many compare to the Leupold VX II. I like both, but the illuminated reticle is the shiznit as far as seeing the reticles in low light.

Bushnell Elite 3200 series are very good low light scopes.

I bought a bushnell trophy 6x12x54 with a 30mm tube and ill ret. I hunt hogs at night with a feeder light from 80 yards in a box blind. Absolutely top notch performance for hunting in the dark. I think the scope was around $300

I have a zeiss conquest for my 308 - love it - very clear and brings in a lot of light.. Also have I think a bushnell $150 scope on my 444 that gets the job done for where I hunt with that gun...

I have a Nikon on 45-70, great, a 40 yr old Redfield on a 30-06 4-12 variable ( only leaked one time and factory replaced all seals and recticles no charge ), and a 4 power Widefield Redfield on another 30-06. Redfields have been good. Also a Red Dot on a 50 cal muzzle. Oh an a Simmons on a 22LR Remington.

Another vote for the Zeiss Davari, best scope out there. The Nightforce would be my 2nd choice.

I have tried many quality scopes over the years and the Zeiss wins hands down. I'm sure there is some competition but I won't use anything else for the time being.

I did pick out a new rifle and scope for my teenage cousin and found there are some really good scopes for less than $300 but still don't compare to my Zeiss.

I have heard lots of good things about the Vortex line of scopes... I have a friend that is into custom rifles and accuracy shooting... he has owned several $1500-$2000 (Nightforce, Zeiss, Swarovski, etc) scopes and he swears by the Vortex scopes for their performance and their warranty.

Don't let this thread won't die!

I have a Zeiss Conquest 4-12x50 on my 300wsm. For $500, you aren't gonna find anything better.

my dad has some top end Zeiss and Swarovski's...some of the best ive shot...I put a Leupold 8-32x50 Mark 4 TMR and absolutely love it..


Sent From an Apple Tree.

I've scoped a lot of rifles. I recommend Leupold for most average to serious gun enthusiasts and shooters. Guns I've scoped have taken hundreds of deer and won a number of long range shooting events, often outshooting NightForce and other higher end scopes. The Leupolds on my daughter's guns are often the lowest end scope on the line. The Army sniper types with their NightForce scopes are often surprised when they are out shot by a 14 year old girl.

We've also done a lot of low light hunting over the years. We had nuisance damage control permits for deer and it was legal to shoot them at night. Shooting racoons, foxes, and coyotes at night was also common. The Leupold Vari-X III and later VX-III models with 50 mm objectives were always up to the task and the 40 mm objectives worked well as long as we dodn't turn the magnification up past 6 or 8. You could see more through the scope (in terms of light collection) than you could with the naked eye. "Legal" shooting hours were never a problem. Often, the scope alone extended practical shooting light well past "legal." Other common tricks (bait on a light background, moonlight, etc.) extended shooting hours even more.

We've never had a Leupold fail.

Got 5 Leupolds and 1 Zeiss. The Zeiss gives me about 10 minutes earlier and later due to increase light gathering. They are expensive but I find myself using the. Zeiss 95% of the time.

Bushnell Elite 3200...is great scope fro the price..I like it better then my leupold..but my best scope is Swarovski Z3 3-10 but it set me back 1k..For the money I lean towards the Bushnell Elite...I also like Zeiss HD5 but it to is expensive.

I would have to agree Nikon pro staff is great for the money!

I shot Nikon & Leupold for years, recently I have become a huge Burris fan. Love them clear bring in a ton of light and doesn't cost a load of money.

I've shot Leipolds for years & still do. Vari X 2's & 3's have several Nikons & Zeiss conquest also. I bought my wife & son's the Alpen Kodiak. Check em out. They are nice good low light & very clear, very impressed with these.
http://www.alpenoptics.com/RScope-kodiak.html
A scope is only as good as te rings & bases.

Bauch and Lomb elite 4200 with rainguard. Never EVER foggs. Rain, snow, breathe on it. Never a problem. It is worth looking up a used one if you need to.

X2 on rings and bases

I've got Nikon, Burris, and Zeiss. The Zeiss is by far the best. I'm a firm beleiver in quality mounts/ rings also. I'm sold on the DNZ mounts,simple and solid.