Scope shopping driving me bonkers

[Caseknife]

I have easily more than a dozen Leupold scopes and have never had a single issue with any of them.  Do I turn the dials like a kid with his Etch-A-Sketch, no, but seriously who does with a hunting rifle?  Sight it in and go hunting.  If you have to dial for a shot, unless you get on a lot of shots a year, probably only doing it maybe half a dozen times a year.  I don't understand the mentality that makes someone buy a lightweight rifle and put a scope on it that weighs half what the rifle does.  Kind of defeats the purpose of buying lightweight in the first place.  Go look at scopes and see what you like, not what unknown keyboard warriors think what you like.

[jjhunter]

I’d vote for an NX8.  I have an NXS on  my personal CA 6.5 PRC.   

[pickardjw]

Never owned a Leupold but this thread sold me on not getting one...

Wish I'd read more of the threads over there on the Zeiss scopes before I bought mine, specifically Form's posts. Probably would have gone a different route but it did hold zero during high buck this year. Been tromping around with a bunch since, should probably check zero on it. Wish I didn't have to though.

This subforum contains the reports on all the scopes the guy has tested. His test method is also detailed there. Never seen anything this detailed or thorough on tracking and durability elsewhere.

It's a rabbit hole but one worth going down if you want to be confident that your zero will not shift from the range to the field. Any scope I buy in the future will probably have to have passed his tests.

[Magnum_Willys]

Now that you’ve voiced durability as you primary concern its an easy decision- get the lightest nightforce that fits your needs - NX8 4-32.

I have Leupold Vx6 4-24 & 7x42, Mark V 7-35,  ZCO 4-20, Nightforce 2.5x10, Nightforce NX8 4-32.

Just get the NX8. 

Its not the lightest but light (28oz)
Its not as sharp as ZCO but way lighter and as sharp as Leupolds.
Its more durable than most.
IMO its the best choice for a light durable quality scope.

[Karl Blanchard]

I have easily more than a dozen Leupold scopes and have never had a single issue with any of them.  Do I turn the dials like a kid with his Etch-A-Sketch, no, but seriously who does with a hunting rifle?  Sight it in and go hunting.  If you have to dial for a shot, unless you get on a lot of shots a year, probably only doing it maybe half a dozen times a year.  I don't understand the mentality that makes someone buy a lightweight rifle and put a scope on it that weighs half what the rifle does.  Kind of defeats the purpose of buying lightweight in the first place.  Go look at scopes and see what you like, not what unknown keyboard warriors think what you like.

I'd argue that if a guy is shooting distances that require dialing, they should be twisting those turrets often at the rifle range often before season 

[teanawayslayer]

Go look at a bunch. I don’t know where you’ve heard about some of those scopes. Own huskemaw glass is just fine. Owned nightforce good glass never had an issue. Own Swarovski, Good glass has seemed to hold up fine. Own a couple low end vortex, they’re fine for what their intended use is. Wouldn’t put one on a long range rifle. Have owned Leopold, been a lot of years there quality imo has gone down hill.

[lewy]

I’ve been hunting a huskemaw as my primary scope for 10 years and it has been beyond great, I’ve got a vx5 zl2 on a backup rifle that I also really like but I cant vouch for long term click reliability yet but boy is it clear.

[Alchase]

All my hunting rifles have 3x9x40, Firedots. I have six.
I found as my eyes have aged, the Firedots really shine.
And they are very fast on target.

[fowl smacker]

I own many different Leupold and Vortex scopes.  Some people like to bash Vortex, but my favorite scope is a Vortex PST 6-24x50.  It is clear, dials great and always tracks where it's supposed to.

[ASHQUACK]

Another tried and true Leupold guy here. Best glass for what I do and best warranty in the business. As far as I'm concerned there is no other scope manufacturer that I'll hunt with. And I've had more than a few.

[jrebel]

I’m not sure where you got all your reviews.   If you look at any review list and only read the 1star (5%) reviews, you will always have a screwed view.  I own and shoot nightforce, Zeus, and Leupold and have had zero problems with all.  The only scope I have ever had a problem with is vortex and I had to send two back….never again. 

Buy a nightforce nx8 and don’t look back.  Sub 30oz and are tougher than most scopes on the market.  Super reliable and good glass. What more could a guy want. 

My zeis v4 has proven to be a nice scope as well.  Only owned it for a year but no complaints.

Leupold has a great warranty and are also nice scopes.   

[steeleywhopper]

Use open sights and rid yourself of the stress!

[Magnum_Willys]

I’m not a Vortex guy but the PST Gen 2 5-25 for $650 looks like the best budget option - on europtic ?

[Tenkara]

Leupold.

[b23]

I’m not a Vortex guy but the PST Gen 2 5-25 for $650 looks like the best budget option - on europtic ?

I have a few Vortex scopes, Razor HD LH (Japan made) on light recoiling small cal guns, a HS-T (Philippines made)  on my shorty 6CM, a HS (Philippines made) that's still in the box, and a couple months ago I bought a PST Gen2 1-6x24 (Philippines made) to put on a shorty AR.  Even though I have a few I'm not a huge Vortex fan but I can't afford to outfit everything with a NF.  I'd never use any scope, regardless of make, that was manufactured in China.  The Japan made or Japan optics scopes are generally all pretty good and their Philippines made scopes are relatively decent.

If the PST Gen2 1-6 I recently got is any indication of what their PST Gen2 5-25 is like, optically speaking, I'd agree with Magnum_Willys and $650 sounds like a bargain because I've actually been pretty impressed with the glass quality on my Gen2 PST.  As for their durability and how well they dial up/down and return to as well as hold zero, I don't know and even though 650 bucks is certainly nothing to sneeze at, I wouldn't put any kind of budget scope on something I plan to dial for. 

IMO, if the OP plans to shoot this rifle at any amount of distance then I'd invest in a NF NXS or NX8 and dial away with confidence that not only will your come ups be accurate but they'll be consistent every time and they will always return to your original zero.  If the OP only has intentions to hold over shoot using the reticle, I'm not sure a NF is needed, but, if you do get a NF and you want to start shooting with much more precision and consistency, than you can with hold over shooting, you'll be thankful you made the investment in getting that NF.