What Scope ?

[ghosthunter]

Keep it coming. I am taking notes.

No experience shooting over 300 yards. But I am a good study. And by next deer season I will be striking targets at 500.

I have never had to shoot past 100 to get a animal. But I am tired of the young guys out hiking me. My knew ploy will be get a vantage point and wack them without the race to get there first.

[kbrowne14]

So while I am not an expert, or the best out there.  I do know quite a bit.  500 yards is not as far as you would think.  If you don't plan on shooting past 500, you could get away with a BDC type reticle.  On a 30-06 with a 180 gr moving around 2800 fps, the drop on your bullet at 500 yards is going to be ball parked at around 40-44 inches depending on conditions.  But to go over things can start to escalate quickly.  For example, 600 yards is going to have around 6 feet of drop.  650 is going to have about 7.5 feet.  700 yards is going to have a little over 9 feet of drop.  For me, I won't do Kentucky windage past 400 yards, too much can go wrong, and it is really hard to judge.  Wind is another deal.  Out to 500 yards, unless its a really stiff wind, or I have all the time in the world, I don't worry too much about the wind.  But past that, you need to worry about the wind.  To shoot past 500, you will need other tools, a way to measure wind, a way to measure temperature, and atmospheric pressure.  You will also need a range finder because the further you go out, the faster the curve drops.  When you are out at 800 yards, every 5 yards and your bullet drops an additional 3 inches.  In my opinion, there only 2 ways to go with scopes, You can get an MOA reticle with .25 moa adjustments, or you can get Milrad reticle with .1 mil adjustments.  I prefer the latter of the two.  I don't know what else to tell you, just get the best glass that you can afford.  Having good glass is nearly more important than having a good gun.  I have the same gun as you, but mine is in 300 win mag.  I shot a deer this year at 680 yards.  It takes a lot of practice and attention to detail.  You need to have  a pretty intimate knowledge of what your bullet does after it leaves the barrel.  If you don't take the time to learn your ballistics, you won't be shooting past 500 yards, even 500 will be a stretch.     

[ghosthunter]

Thanks. I got the time to practice.
Have a good range finder.
Will look into the other items.

[tgomez]

I am a fan of the nikon buckmaster series scopes with the BDC erectile 4.5-14x40 with the side focus. When sighted in properly anything out to 500 should be SPOT ON. $377.00 scope with a full lifetime warranty. Best bang for you buck. Just as good as Luepold but with a cheaper price tag.

[jdb]

I am a fan of the nikon buckmaster series scopes with the BDC erectile 4.5-14x40 with the side focus. When sighted in properly anything out to 500 should be SPOT ON. $377.00 scope with a full lifetime warranty. Best bang for you buck. Just as good as Luepold but with a cheaper price tag.

hows that erectile working for you???

[kbrowne14]

Shooting Straight

[VarmintVentilator]

Leupod's are good, with great warranty.
Nightforce exceptional glass but pricey.
Vortex Viper pst 6.5-20 are good, Glass not even close to a Nightforce.
Zeiss has exceptional glass, 3-15 or 4-14 with stadia lines work really nice.

For a scope less than $1000.00  1)Zeiss, 2)Leupold.   These are my choices, everybody has there own preferences though.

[1J04]

Absolutely Zeiss Conquest 4.5-14x50 with the rapid z 800.  You'll love it.  Get a hold of Doug at Camera Land NY and he will get you a helluva deal on in store demos for big $ off. 

[kbrowne14]

Whatever Scope you get, make sure that it has exposed turrets for elevation and wind adjustments, or I guess you could have capped turrets.  If it has capped turrets, make sure that they are still very waterproof, because you will need to hunt with the turrets off.  You probably won't have time to take the turrets off.  You should be looking for a tactical style scope with some sort of a target reticle.  For my money, I don't see a scope that offers anything even close to the features of the Vortex Viper PST 4-16x50 FFP MRAD.  Nikon, Zeiss, and leupold Offer nothing close to that anywhere near the price range of the vortex.  I have found that, while the glass of the vortex Viper and Bushnell are inferior to the glass of zeiss, leupold, nightforce, etc, the features that these 2 companies offer up in the sub $1000 price range are far superior than any of the other companies.  You can easily get a scope well under $1000 with bushnell or vortex that will take you out to 1000 yards.  Just my 2 cents.

[yorketransport]

My suggestion is to not over think it. You would do just fine with Nikon, Leupold, or Bushnell in the $600 range. I've done an awful lot of shooting out past 600 yards with a beat up old $200 Nikon Buckmasters 4.5-14 Mil Dot just to prove that the scope doesn't really matter that much.

I like to dial corrections most of the time, so I'd go with something with an easily adjusted turret. The Leupold Mk AR 6-18x40 is a great scope at a fair price. I had a Mk 2 (same scope) for years and it tracked like a champ. I'd still have it but a buddy needed a good reliable scope at a good price to get into shooting. I've seen them sell for around $500. The other option is to pick up a VX-3 in 4.5-14 and just have Leupold throw an M1 turret on there so you can dial if you want.

Don't let anyone convince you that it takes  $1000+ to get a functional optic.

Andrew

[carpsniperg2]

  4.5-14 vx3 CDS will serve you well.

[CAMPMEAT]

Personally, I love a $5500 rifle and a $3000 scope with rings and base, that I shoot 1,2,3 times a year.  Just makes me feel good to know I didn't need to spend that much money because of the internet expert groupies, who know how to spend others money, who don't own a long distance shooter. Not saying all of of you don't, juts saying it because it happens all to often. 

[yorketransport]

Personally, I love a $5500 rifle and a $3000 scope with rings and base, that I shoot 1,2,3 times a year. 

Man, I'd love to get out shooting that much! Don't worry though, once you save up enough to buy the Hensoldt ZF 6-24x72 SAM you'll actually be able to hit stuff way out there past 1000 yards.
http://www.eurooptic.com/hensoldt-zf-6-24x72-sam-30-moa.aspx

I love encouraging people to spend more money on better equipment. That's where most of mine came from. The goal is to convince the guy with the NF that he really needs a US Optics scope and that you'd love to help him out and buy his used NF at a good price. That's why I rarely buy any optics new.

[CAMPMEAT]

Personally, I love a $5500 rifle and a $3000 scope with rings and base, that I shoot 1,2,3 times a year. 

Man, I'd love to get out shooting that much! Don't worry though, once you save up enough to buy the Hensoldt ZF 6-24x72 SAM you'll actually be able to hit stuff way out there past 1000 yards.
http://www.eurooptic.com/hensoldt-zf-6-24x72-sam-30-moa.aspx

I love encouraging people to spend more money on better equipment. That's where most of mine came from. The goal is to convince the guy with the NF that he really needs a US Optics scope and that you'd love to help him out and buy his used NF at a good price. That's why Irarely buy any optics new.

Wholly crap Andrew.....!!!! I've shot 1000 yard steel with $90 scopes. If a guy can and has the money to buy expensive equipment, I'm all for it. Most of us can't and never will be able too....is my point. 

[Jason]

Well I am playing with the idea of a new rifle and scope.

So given this info what scope under $1000.00 do you suggest.

Rifle-Remington 700 LR in 30.06
Will be used for North American big game.
1000 yards or less , mostly 500 yards or less.

My eyes are old so I need good magnification to see those small 3 rd points we have.

I currently have a Leupold 3x9 gold ring. And I like it but want more magnification and  better turrets.

Any suggestions?

Before you buy a scope click on the link below. best scope comparison I have found on the net.
http://precisionrifleblog.com/2014/07/01/tactical-scopes-field-test-overview-rifle-scope-line-up/