Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Lightweight, simple, affordable 3-9ish options?

As per usual, I will suggest the Burris FFII 3-9x40 with the ballistic plex reticle. Even though I don't know what distances you intend to shoot, the ballistic plex works very well (when used right) out to 500 yards with most standard cartridges. It's a very simple, yet very effective system. I have them on most of my "hunting" rifles, and trust them. Have been using them since around 1998. It does take a while to get used to the whole eyepiece turning when adjusting the power ring though. So beware of that. Also, because the whole eyepiece moves, that means you can't use a flip up scope cap, like a buttler creek on the ocular/eye piece end of the scope. That is not a huge deal, but also something that needs to be mentioned. As for the VX3, you can use it, but I don't trust them. I've had some fail (CDS models), and had to send them back to Beaverton for repair. However, if you are not twisting the turret much, it will probably be alright.




I'd be very leery of the cheaper Vortex rifle scopes. I've seen many that had to be sent back. Even a $1,500.00 Razor HD LHT that had to be sent back very recently by one of my buddies. Their tracking can be very sluggish, especially the horizontal/windage adjustments. You adjust it, and it doesn't move until you fire a couple shots. Thus affecting your zero and POI. My buddy in Oregon had to send a 2-10x40 HD back last year for the same problem. He said it mainly did it when it was "cold outside", but I saw it having issues when it was in the 70's as well. I believe that was a $6-700.00 scope, when my buddy bought it. According to what he told me. So not exactly a "cheaper" Vortex, but one I'd stay away from. He's also had issues with the first gen Viper PST as well.


I have quite a few of them and most recently put one on my girlgriends 243. She has small hands, and can turn the magnification ring/eyepiece with no issues. They are stiff, but not that difficult. If it was, she would have told me about it. Some guys complain about the short eye relief of the FFII as well, but I've used them on my 300WBY's, 338wm's and 9.3x62mm, with no issues.

They are an excellent scope, but some guys have issue with them because they can't believe such a low priced scope can work so well. The first one I bought, back in '98 cost me $175.00 and it was on a 300 win mag for years. That scope was used to test other rifles, and ended up being on 10 different rifles, before I retired it to my 1956 30-06 featherweight. That scope is still going strong and still a trusted and proven scope that I'd take and use anywhere.