Decent Inexpensive Scopes?

[Picher]

The best scope for not too much money has been this one: Mueller 4.5-14X with adjustable objective. It's on one of my better .22LRs, but is a great scope for the money. I wouldn't hesitate to use it on a bolt-action .223 or somewhat heavier-recoiling rifle.

I've had other variables that didn't focus under 50 feet and weren't particularly bright in dim light.

This is the cheapest price I've found for it:
http://shop.opticsplanet.com/muelle...b9W0aN9QoS0rQdKC_7YjrHxI58TI8H_I0saAuXY8P8HAQ

JP

 

[rickyrick]

Have a mueller and it's pretty good.

Got a vortex on sale recently and it seems to be amazing. It's on an unfired rifle, but looking through it after I mounted it is impressive for a low cost scope.

I had good luck with a bushnell banner, the kind just hanging in a blister pack at Walmart. It was pretty good; many others weren't as fortunate as me.

I have a decent collection of vintage weaver scopes, I can sometimes find them on eBay. I've bought groups just to get a particular scope. There's one scope that was in with a bundle of scopes that looks great. No markings on it really, but I figured out it was a simons that probably came with a new rifle package. Because of the bad rep of Simmons scopes, I won't put it on a rifle.


I kinda rambled at the end, but I like the vortex, if it holds up it will be my favorite.

 

[Huffmanite]

Been well over a year ago, but left a small town gun show with a Mueller 8.5-25x50 Eradicator, new in box, for $50. Normal price should be around $160. Gun show dealer claimed he'd bought a fair number of them at a bankrupcy auction to explain his low selling price. Chuckle, wish I'd bought several of them. Its a rather darn nice scope and have it on one of my more accurate rifles, a heavy barrel 223, that I sometimes use in our private ranges competitions. Anyone that's viewed downrange with my Mueller has be very impressed with its optics and I'm talking gents with $800 to $1500 scopes.

As for another brand scope that's worked well for me, its the Leatherwood 6-24x44 sold by Sportsmans Guide. Sportsmans sell it for around $120 and you will not find this model listed on the Leatherwood scope company website.....so, must be an exclusive. By the way, they offer a 4-16 and a 8-32 too. I own the 8-32 version too. Both of them have been on various centerfire rifles since they were introduced by Sportsmans. Decent glass in them and I've no gripes about any of their adjustments....turrets and etc.

 

[Scorch]

I typically don't buy cheap scopes, you almost always end up having to replace them, and adding the money you spent on it plus what you spent to replace it, you could have bought a much nicer scope. And the difference between a $100 scope and a $200 scope is tremendous.

About the cheapest I will go for my own rifles is Konus Pro scopes, they are actually pretty good for the money. But I realize what they are before I put them on a rifle.

I have had Mueller fan-boys rant about their scopes, but I have never been impressed with them. Yes, they are pretty clear, and yes, they look cool, but they won't shoot the square.

 

[Don Fischer]

Vortex are supposed to be pretty nice but I've never picked one up. But with the price of their more inexpensive models, I could be tempted also But, I don't plan on ever needing a new scope again. My life has been centered around Redfields, at least until they left Denver. I tried one of the Leuopld/Redfields and love it! Matter of fact bought a new rifle recently and the new scope I got was another Redfield, both are 2-7X. I've had Tasco's and one, a grand slam, actually worked out well. Couple other's I destroyed shooting off CF rifles. I've got several Nikon's, make that tw. A 4 1/2-14X and a 3-9X. Haven't got a bad thing to say about either of them. Still have one very old Bushnell Banner, never a problem with it either. My old K4 Weaver is put away but still a good scope. I think the real value of a scope is weather or not you can afford it or have mortgaged the farm to get one. I don't shoot competitively or I just might consider different class of scope's. But I'm not sure anyone could get me to pay even $1000 for a scope! The most I ever paid for a scope was just over $200. That 4 1/2-14x Redfield I found on a marked wrong box the store honored the price on the box, $225. But then I've never had a bunch to spend on my firearm's so I was never in a position where I though I coul afford one of those high dollar scope's.

I've only used my 4 1/2-14 out to 500yds and the click adjustment's worked flawlessly! I don't know if there's enough adjustment to get to 1000yds with it. Lucky I hve no desire to shoot that far for any reason.

 

[jmr40]

a Burris FF-II is as cheap as I'd go. In the same price range Redfield Revolution and Leupold VX-1 are good too, but I think the Burris is a little better.

 

[EIB0879]

I have a couple of Weaver 40/44 scopes that have given me good service.

 

[dgludwig]

You can find new Nikons that perform well at reasonably low costs (depending on the model echelon). The lifetime warranty offers some peace of mind for possible, if unlikely, future problems.

 

[eastbank]

grice gunshop in pa. is selling new verix 1 leupold 3x9 scopes with clicks for 149.99+tax with the repair or replace warrenty no matter what or who owns it. i bought two to go with my other leupolds. eastbank.

 

[random guy]

You can find new Nikons that perform well at reasonably low costs (depending on the model echelon).

Agreeing on the Nikons. The glass is better than average to my eye and I've yet to break one. I have a 2X pistol scope that I got used on a .44 DE. I moved it to a .45/70 Contender and have put quite a few rounds through it. Nice scope and pretty sturdy.

 

[FrankenMauser]

If you buy a Nikon and actually want to use the warranty, you had better have the original receipt AND have used their online registration form soon after purchase.
I know three different Nikon owners that mailed in the paper registration card instead of going online, or couldn't find the original receipt; and Nikon flat-out denied any warranty service through those little loop-holes. (Even on their 'premium' products and binoculars.)

Their "No-Fault" guarantee simply means that they'll never admit that a crappy product was ever their fault.

That's the kind of company that I want to do business with...


(Edit: Tweaked some punctuation for clarity.)

 

[hooligan1]

I gave 220.00 for my Vortex Diamonback delivered from Midway 5 years ago, it has the BDC reticle, 4-12×40.
The only thing that could make that scope better is an AO, but that scope ran anothe 60.00 so I chose this one.
After using this scope on a .270 win, 7mm rem mag, and a 3006, I believe for the money, best scope I have ever owned that wasnt a Leupold.
Now I run Vortex scopes on every hunting rifle I own which is 5, and they all work as advertised.
I looked into Nikon scopes before the Diamondback and the sight pics always seemed small to me, probably and eye thing. I like all the Leupold stuff but seems they are pricy for same options in a Vortex..

 

[std7mag]

When I was younger, I ran the gauntlet of Bushnell, Tasco, Swift, Apollo, etc...

A couple of years ago, I bought a Barska. After 5 shots, and no response from Barska, it went into the trash barrel.

I then bought a Redfield Revenge 4-12x42 with the Accuranger Varmint reticle..
Liked it so much I bought a second. Price at the time was $125 from Midway with free shipping.

Then my wife started shooting with me, and I decided to get her a rifle. Got a Vortex 4-12X44 Crossfire II. WOW, I was blown away by the clarity, and the nice response from "shooting the square".

I now have a Vortex 6-18x44 AO Crossfire II on my 7mm-08AI. BTW, I would not buy the AO again...
And a Vortex Diamondback 4-12x40..

I'm currently saving up for a Vortex Viper. I'm thinking the HST, for range duty..

 

[Hunter Customs]

When it's time for me to purchase a new scope I call SWFA and order another SWFA SS fixed 10x42 with mill recticle and mil-rad turrets.
I have scopes made by Burris, Leupold, Nikon, the older Simmons, Weaver and Tasco.
I'll choose my SWFA scopes over all of them, in my opinion the best scopes for the money and they won't break the bank.

Best Regards
Bob Hunter

 

[reinert]

Vortex scopes

I had a straight 6X Vortex Crossfire scope that went south on me, so I sent it in to have it fixed. Long story short; they called me, told me they didn't make that scope anymore, and there were no parts available for the fix. The friendly guy at Vortex asked me if I would accept a new scope to replace the old one. He gave me three different options I could have, so I chose the Crossfire II, 3-9x 40mm with their standard duplex and matte finish. It was free, and I got it within a week's time. That is certainly outstanding service.

I've read nothing but excellent reviews on that particular scope, and have no reason to believe there'll be any problems when I opt to use it. If there is, I know the good folks at Vortex will handle the issue for free.

If you do a bit of shopping, the Vortex Crossfire II, 3-9x 40mm scope can be had for around 150 bucks.

 

[bedlamite]

If you buy a Nikon and actually want to use the warranty, you had better have the original receipt AND have used their online registration form soon after purchase.
I know three different Nikon owners that mailed in the paper registration card instead of going online, couldn't find the original receipt, and Nikon flat-out denied any warranty service through those little loop-holes. (Even on their 'premium' products and binoculars.)

Their "No-Fault" guarantee simply means that they'll never admit that a crappy product was ever their fault.

That's the kind of company that I want to do business with...

Even if you do have the receipt, and it's still only a few months old when the zoom locks up, Nikon will claim it's due to abuse and not covered under the warranty. I will never buy another Nikon.

Vortex warranty is completely different. I bought a demo model HS-T for a pretty good discount a few years ago. Last year it fogged up on me. Sent it to them on a Monday, they replaced the objective lens set, purged, and sealed it, and I had it back on my rifle Friday of the same week. No problems since.

 

[Rmart30]

Vortex is the last 6 I have bought. I used to be a Nikon fan but when they changed the buckmaster I went to vortex. Can find very good prices on them on ebay and at camaraland. $99-130 for some nice glass that the average hunter willfind works just fine for them.

 

[Don Fischer]

Should have though of this sooner. Define inexpensive. Guy's that think nothing about spending $1k on a scope would probably consider a $500 scope inexpensive! There's other's on either the more frugel side that would consider $300 expensive. But if a scope is more than you can afford, it's expensive! For the average hunter or plinker, anything much over $150 just isn't necessary.

 

[the possum]

Generally speaking, if I were in a situation where I only have a hundred bucks to spend on a scope, I'd much rather find a $200 scope that costs $100, than buy a 100 dollar scope. Same applies to other price brackets. Why buy a "200 dollar scope" if I can find a comparable one in a higher quality bracket for the same price? Somebody is always running a factory rebate promotion, a clearance sale on discontinued items, factory refurbished units, store display models, etc.

I'd also consider recently made used scopes if it's a manufacturer/seller known for a solid warrantee/return policy. As soon as I take it out of the package and mount it on my gun, it will be "used" anyway. I keep reading that there have been big advances in lens coating technology in the last several years, so I wouldn't get a used scope that was older.

Don't have time to wait for a sale? There are places that specialize in discount optics, such as the Sample List: https://samplelist.com/

 

[rickyrick]

The way I look at it, as a layman, my rifles are not life and death machines. Being that most of my rifles, well all of them, are just regular old beater rifles.
Even some of the ones I've assembled that have above standard parts are really nothing fancy.

I won't put a top shelf scope on a bargain bin rifle or vice versa.

Now an inexpensive rifle that has no back up sights will get a scope that has a good following, like vortex, weaver, redfield leupold and so on.

Based on its following here, I found a good price on a vortex and it came with a free cantilever Mount.