Hunting Washington Forum

Equipment & Gear => Scopes and Optics => Topic started by: gonehuntin68 on January 10, 2016, 10:39:01 AM

Title: Cheap long range scope?
Post by: gonehuntin68 on January 10, 2016, 10:39:01 AM: Any such thing? Say around 300 bucks.
Title: Re: Cheap long range scope?
Post by: Timberstalker on January 10, 2016, 10:40:07 AM: Maybe the Nikon BDC. Maybe.
Title: Re: Cheap long range scope?
Post by: Timberstalker on January 10, 2016, 10:40:39 AM: That is if you consider 500yds long range.
Title: Re: Cheap long range scope?
Post by: bobcat on January 10, 2016, 10:43:24 AM: What is long range to you? For me it's 450 yards, for others a half mile.
Title: Re: Cheap long range scope?
Post by: gonehuntin68 on January 10, 2016, 10:52:49 AM: Yeah about 5 600 yards. Hunting use also.
Title: Re: Cheap long range scope?
Post by: thinkingman on January 10, 2016, 12:10:34 PM: Used Nikon Monarch.
Title: Re: Cheap long range scope?
Post by: Dan-o on January 10, 2016, 12:12:53 PM: :yeah:
Title: Re: Cheap long range scope?
Post by: jay.sharkbait on January 10, 2016, 12:44:49 PM: I would use something with a mil dot reticle.

And avoid dialing at all costs. Most of the optics in that price point aren't very repeatable.
Title: Re: Cheap long range scope?
Post by: splitshot on January 10, 2016, 01:12:07 PM: wouldn't buy a cheap scope. mike w
Title: Re: Cheap long range scope?
Post by: fly-by on January 10, 2016, 01:26:40 PM: Hard to beat these for a budget long range scope:

http://www.primaryarms.com/primary-arms-4-14x44-mil-mil-ffp-scope/p/kt-pa4-14xffp/

I have this one and the illuminated ACSS reticle version, and prefer the plain mil-dot.
Title: Re: Cheap long range scope?
Post by: yorketransport on January 10, 2016, 01:48:54 PM: Pretty much any scope with a BDC or Mil Dot reticle out of the bargain cave at Cabelas would work great. With inexpensive optics you're better off holding over instead of dialing. Turret repeatability is usually an issue with entry level scopes and can drive you nuts! Run a scope with a holdover reticle (BDC, Mil Dot, etc.) and you'll do just fine.

Glass quality is always good but as long as you can see the target you'll do just fine. You don't need 24x optics that are so clear you can read newspaper print at 500 yards. I'm partial to 12-14x under most conditions out 1200 yards.

Specifically, I'm a big fan of Nikon Buckmaster scopes at the $300 price point.
Title: Re: Cheap long range scope?
Post by: Karl Blanchard on January 10, 2016, 02:06:26 PM: Quote from: yorketransport on January 10, 2016, 01:48:54 PM
Pretty much any scope with a BDC or Mil Dot reticle out of the bargain cave at Cabelas would work great. With inexpensive optics you're better off holding over instead of dialing. Turret repeatability is usually an issue with entry level scopes and can drive you nuts! Run a scope with a holdover reticle (BDC, Mil Dot, etc.) and you'll do just fine.

Glass quality is always good but as long as you can see the target you'll do just fine. You don't need 24x optics that are so clear you can read newspaper print at 500 yards. I'm partial to 12-14x under most conditions out 1200 yards.

Specifically, I'm a big fan of Nikon Buckmaster scopes at the $300 price point.
:yeah: I run a mil dot buck master 4.5-14 on my .243 and have been very happy with it for a long time. I even had an MOA turret made for it by Kenton and it dials very well. Not a single issue......yet :chuckle:
Title: Re: Cheap long range scope?
Post by: spoonman on January 10, 2016, 03:37:51 PM: I just picked up a 4-16x42 Nikon monarch 3 custom XR on red tag sale for $379! That's a $150 off
Title: Re: Cheap long range scope?
Post by: RadSav on January 10, 2016, 03:50:54 PM: The Monarch has always been a good scope for me unless I use it on a Sako. The Sako ejects the round too steep hitting the adjustment knob and dropping the spent round back into the magazine. Works great on the M70 and M77 though. Never tried it on a Remington.
Title: Re: Cheap long range scope?
Post by: Biggerhammer on January 10, 2016, 07:45:29 PM: I've owned and own allot of different optics. I have seen Nikon mentioned a bunch in this thread. A loooong time ago when Remington first intodiced it's "Sendoro" in the early 90's. I picked one up in a .300 Win Mag and parked a Nikon Monarch 6.5-20 Mil-Dot on top and over the first spring and early summer with that rifle. I took 176 Rockchucks with the combo. Super clear glass!

I've taken deer at 300 and 500 yards with a Nikon Buckmaster 4.5-14 with turrets. Since deer are such grossly large targets. I cheated and dialed my dope.😉 I still have a .270 WSM buried somewhere with that Buckmaster parked on it.
Title: Re: Cheap long range scope?
Post by: 2labs on January 10, 2016, 07:56:03 PM: Used leupold! Got a long range tactical for a third of new. Warranty can't be beat! :twocents: don't ban me BOB! Just an opinion.
Agree Nikon are really good scopes!
I think glass is so good now that it comes down to mechanics.
Sorry again BOB. Ill shut up now.
Title: Re: Cheap long range scope?
Post by: CAMPMEAT on January 10, 2016, 08:05:40 PM: Millett, Weaver, Nikon, Burris, Bushnell.
Title: Re: Cheap long range scope?
Post by: Biggerhammer on January 10, 2016, 08:32:01 PM: Quote from: 2labs on January 10, 2016, 07:56:03 PM
Used leupold! Got a long range tactical for a third of new. Warranty can't be beat! :twocents: don't ban me BOB! Just an opinion.
Agree Nikon are really good scopes!
I think glass is so good now that it comes down to mechanics.
Sorry again BOB. Ill shut up now.

:chuckle: :tup:
Title: Re: Cheap long range scope?
Post by: finnman on January 10, 2016, 08:36:36 PM: All things being equal, I spent the money and went with the Zeiss HD5 2-10x42 with the RZ600 ballistic reticle. Good to 600 yards and that's farther than I care to shoot. I like this scope because Zeiss takes the work out of it with their ballistic calculator site. Great tool for calculating hand load trajectories.
I picked this up for $649 on clearance at bass pro, normally was $929!
Title: Re: Cheap long range scope?
Post by: jackelope on January 10, 2016, 10:02:32 PM: I like the Vortex Diamondback HP with the bdc reticle in that price range. Right at $300.
:dunno:
I have one 4-16x42. Great scope for the $$.
Title: Re: Cheap long range scope?
Post by: mountainman on January 10, 2016, 10:04:40 PM: Quote from: jackelope on January 10, 2016, 10:02:32 PM
I like the Vortex Diamondback HP with the bdc reticle in that price range. Right at $300.
:dunno:
I have one 4-16x42. Great scope for the $$.
Good value there :tup:
Title: Re: Cheap long range scope?
Post by: ellensburgpo on January 10, 2016, 11:49:27 PM: Look into SWFA if you plan on twisting turrets. Specifically their sample/demo list for fixed power.
Title: Re: Cheap long range scope?
Post by: bman940 on January 11, 2016, 08:08:47 AM: Check out Nikon's PROSTAFF 5 3.5-14x40 BDC. The BDC will let you use Nikon's Spot On Program to dial in your BDC reticle to the ammo you are using. If you are wondering how accurate is it, I have helped train and then watched guy's new to BDC scope's hit 4 inch jars of tannerite at 600 yards. Nothing like a good explosion to make someone a believer. I have also used Nikon's BDC scope's to harvest a number of Kansas doe between 500-600 yards as well. Check it out then check out some of hunting-Washington's sponsor's to see if any can help you out.
I put the PROSTAFF 5 3.5-14 BDC on the rifle my now 80 year old Father In-Law uses. He has gone 6:6 the last 3 years.
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1216.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fdd363%2Fbman940%2FPROSTAFF%25205%2FDSC_0851.jpg&hash=47de6251b83f151d981de46a1c5bde72d137430d)
Title: Re: Cheap long range scope?
Post by: JDHasty on January 12, 2016, 10:44:19 AM: http://www.natchezss.com/weaver-super-slam-riflescope-4-20x50mm-sf-fine-x-reticle-matte.html

If you can come up with ~ another buck fifty. I have a mess of these including a couple of the exact same 4-20x50, mine are all Nitrex TR2 by Weaver branded, and are five years old or so. But they are the very same scope and they are my favorite 4-20 class scopes. I have never had any trouble with any of them.
Title: Re: Cheap long range scope?
Post by: gonehuntin68 on January 13, 2016, 10:15:31 AM: Thanks guys. Might be leaning towards the Nikon.
Title: Re: Cheap long range scope?
Post by: slm9s on February 05, 2016, 03:55:19 PM: budget LR scopes:
$175 Bushnell Elite 10x
$275 SWFA 6x, 10x, 12x, or 16x milquad/mil
Title: Re: Cheap long range scope?
Post by: CAMPMEAT on February 05, 2016, 04:54:08 PM: Vortex Diamond Back. Very nice for under $300. Very nice..
Title: Re: Cheap long range scope?
Post by: coachcw on February 05, 2016, 06:59:31 PM: I've had the cross hairs false out of a weaver ...... I'd take a vx2 all day . Had one on a 30 378 for six years never moved .
Title: Re: Cheap long range scope?
Post by: 2labs on February 05, 2016, 07:04:37 PM: Used leupold. I have 1250 dollar scope I got for 500. Lifetime transfer on warranty?
No brainier.
My opinion don't ban me!