Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics If money was not an issue?

Suppose someone would buy you any scope available for a walk around hunting rifle,whitetails to moose,shots from 10 to 500 yards,what would you pick?

The only stipulation is that whatever you choose,you can't sell it and buy something else with money left over. You have to use your choice for at least the next 5 years for all your walk around-hiking-backpacking hunting.

Leupold 6x36.

NightForce

Leupold VX 111 3.5-10x40

2-10x42 nsx or whatever size that one is close to.

SWFA SS 3-9x42 milquad reticle. Same choice I made when I made my decision w/o the "rich uncle" factor, couldn't find anything I liked better.

David

NF nsx 2x10x42, in the short time I have used mine it has become my favorite for my use , but for 500 yds on in a Leupold vx6 would work pretty well!

Night force or
Vortex pst
6-24 or 5-20

I really love my March 8X80 so it would have to be a hunting version of a March scope

Schmidt & Bender Polar or Nightforce NXS


http://www.eurooptic.com/Schmidt-Be...-Posicon-Covered-Turret-753-911-42D.aspx

http://www.eurooptic.com/nightforce-nxs-35-15x50-mrad-zero-stop-mil-dot-c142.aspx

Probably stick with my S&B Summit.

Out to 500 yards I'd go with a SWFA SS 6x42 MOA-Quad, and then shop for tags.

I would like a 4x scope built on a 30mm tube that was straight , no objective bell with 4a or 7a reticle. Make the tucbe about 8 in. long and I would be happy. Would cost a bit to get it right,.

+1

Since I've had zero issues with my VX6 2-12x42 CDS/duplex for over 3 years now, I'd probably take that one. It's had the crap beat out of it going back and forth to Africa twice, ATV/UTV scabbards for hundreds of very rough hours, etc and never wiggled.

First off... S&B 1.5-6x42 Police Sniper with the turrets and modified #4.

Second... Zeiss 1.5-6x42 Zplex #8? reticle

They're what I intend to use for the rest of my days.

Leupold 6x36 would be fine, with standard duplex.

Bushnell 4200 3-9x would be fine, from Japan.

Weaver Grand Slam 3-10 old style would work.

In fact, just about any scope that held zero would work just fine.

Nightforce 2.5-10x42

+1.

I can understand the NF NXS and the S&B but I find it hard to believe the cheap Leupolds,Bushnells,and Weavers are the best scopes in the world for a walk around rifle.

I've been trying to answer this question for at least two decades.

Bushnell 6500 4 1/2-30X50. Anything better is not better because they are too heavy.

You may be right about the "cheap" one. But the good Bushnells are great.

For me, a 3-18x44 VX-6HD. Hope to have my dirty paws on one this week.

However, I will say that the Bushnell 6500 4.5-30x50 has incredible glass for the price. If you haven't looked through one as darkness sets in then you can't comment. Its the only scope I've ever regretted getting rid of.

Z8i 1.7-13.3x42, If 500 yards was the max.

I think you have answered your own question.....

This.

VX-6 2-12x42 with Firedot 4.

Based on the above, I'm a wee perplexed by some of the Dolly's being mentioned here.

My choice would result in two coin flips:
Flip 1: NXS 2.5x10x42 vs NXS 2.5x10x32
Flip 2: Winner of flip 1 and the S&B Summit

Pretty easy IMO - Schmidt Bender...Probably the Stratos 1.5-8x42 or a 1.5-6x42 Zenith.

I've no expierence on moose but the 32mm and 42mm nxs compact doesn't leave a lot of room to improve upon for what I've used them for. I'm one that can't tell any difference between the two from light gathering brightness etc....but I do prefer the illumination control on the 32mm.

It's not for everyone I know but the velocity 600 reticle works very good for shooting something from 1-600 yards. Mine still has zerostop turret to dial with but normally I'm lazy with it and just use the marks. I've done that on targets to 600 and deer to 400.

Since money does effect what I can get I'll say for $450 on bf sale the swfa 3-9 is amazing "to me".

+1, with dotz. It pairs nicely with my Weatherby ULW in 280Rem as a walk around, backpacking set-up.

Leupold VX 3. Great scopes

Nightforce NXS Compact 2-10 with illuminated MILR reticle.

John

NF compacts seems to have a pretty good following....and for good reason!

Another plug for dainty NF in mil/mil-r config.

I'd have to agree, for a pure hunting scope the NF compact 2.5-10x42 would be hard to beat.

March scopes would be hard to pass on as well.

Well thinking about it, I guess I'm already there(at least mostly), pretty much every rifle I have that actually gets hunted is topped off with a Weaver Classic K4. I have "better" glass, but it mostly stays in the safe. For a good reliable all purpose hunting scope, the K4 is awfully hard to beat.

Leupold FX-III or FX-3 6x42 Heavy Duplex

Since we are going to be hunting and most animals come out right at dark......zero chance i'd pick anything Japanese. Either a Zeiss Diavari or a Leica. Zoom to 10X, maybe 12X and a 30mm tube. Easy choice, as these are the two I hunt with now...and I really have tried them all.

All? As in even March 52mm objective. Now that I brought that up I would sure like to give one a go to see how it compares with my Bushnell.

It's an easy choice until you figure out that lots of Euro reticles suck in low light (too thin IME). The greatest glass in the world is useless with an unusable reticle.

Nightforce NXS 2.5-10x42 w/ MOAR, Hi-Speed turret, ZeroStop.

And I'd be GTG well past 500, too.

I'd go with a used Tasco World Class Plus.....








Just Kidding

Two on my wish list are Nightforce and Leica. Keep hearing good things about Nightforce and have had excellent service/use from my Leica bino's.

In the past I offered to buy one for those who claim Tascos are no good, but have not used one. I think they used to be the best optics value on the market as long as you get the World Class. I never had one fail and yet had a Swarovski z5 erector fail two years in a row. Of course it was repaired free, but that does not help on a hunt. I would choose a World Class over a z5. Maybe the z6 is better.

I had a fixed 24 power one and had no issues. Just saying, if someone was to give you anything you wanted, would you really get a $100 Tasco? To me, that's the time to get something you normally can't get.

R_H_Clark: The answer to your question is = a Leupold 4.5x14x40mm with adjustable objective, matte finish and fine Du-Plex.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

What is unusable about a lit reticle????? All my scopes have one, but I still haven't seen any "unusable" reticles in euro scopes yet. Rarely do I turn mine on. Then again, I could be the one that is lucky enough to have better eyesight.

Only between those two would I go with the World Class.

There is only one scope I know that would be in the running against the 6500 4 1/2-30X50. That would be the 2.5 - 25 x 52mm because it is only two ounces heavier than the 6500. IF the glass is as good as the Schmidt and Bender then its 25X would probably allow me to see the same detail on 25X with it I could see on 30X with the 6500. Most likely it would last longer in low light.

Barska all the way!

Have you ever heard of binoculars or a spotting scope? It's really goofy you think you need a 30x scope to go shoot a deer. You ever look around through threads or whatever and notice all the trophies killed with 6x to 10x scopes?

Why? For a 500 yard rifle that you want to walk around and hunt with, I'd dare say that there is no big game animal that you will get with a NF or SB that you couldn't shoot with a Leupie 6x.

Have you encountered situations where you needed the higher-price glass in order to actually harvest game out to 500 yards?

DD,

I think the gist of the OP is if someone is buying you a new car gratis and money is no issue, it might be ridiculously pragmatic to pick the Chevy Malibu when the Corvette or Porsche is an option.

NF NXS 2x10x42 mil,mil

Well said good example.

A couple years ago I decided to "trophy" hunt for deer. I decided I wanted a blacktail with antlers wider and taller than the ears with four points on each side. I got out early. There was heavy cloud cover and a mist that first morning. After using my b]BINOCULARS[/b] for a few minutes I found a buck. It was the third or forth place I glassed. I could see the horns were wider than the ears and pretty tall. BUT I couldn't tell if it had four points on both sides. I let the binos go back to my chest and brought up the scope that was set on 5X. I couldn't tell it had five point on both side till it was on 12X.

Then I went to another state. Since I had the "trophy" I was meat hunting. Again I found a deer while using the BINOCULARS. As I was walking to the place I was going to set up my 15X58 binoculars on a tripod a buck came in to view from somewhere. It was a three point on one side area. I could horns, but couldn't tell if it was legal or not. Up came the scope. Again I could not tell it had three points on one side until it was on 12X again. By the time I discovered it was legal I didn't get a shot. It disappeared into a canyon. Later I found one while glassing. But again I couldn't tell if it was legal or not. I put the scope on it and could not tell it had three points until the scope was all the way up to 25X. I was able to get that one.

You see, I don't need a spotting scope since I can check animals I found with the binos because I have a scope adequate for my application. By the way, I almost didn't get to kill the "trophy". If the "trophy" had one more second it would have disappeared into the forest. As it was, it still disappeared at the shot but was lethally hit in front of the right rear ham with the exit right behind the left shoulder. No time for a spotting scope; but time to verify with the rifle scope.

Another one for you. A friend of mine went on a mountain goat hunt with another friend. The guy had 7X binoculars. They found some goats. My buddy got on them with his 6 1/2-20X scope. The other guy watched them for awhile and decided which one he wanted. He put down his binocs and picked up the rifle with a FIXED 4X. Got on the goat and fired. Instantly my buddy cried out, "Why'd you shoot that one?" "It's the one I want," he retorted. "Whadda ya mean? The one you want went over to the left. The one you just killed came out from behind that rock!" In this case and the "trophy" deer case a spotting scope would have been worthless.

This buddy hunts a lot. He used to think like you. Once he found an elk in the timber as he was walking along. He couldn't make out antlers through the timber so brought up his binoculars. It was legal. By the time he got his rifle up he didn't have a shot. Now while walking through the woods while hunting and sees game he verifies the antlers with his rifle scope.

But, hey what do I know? Carry on in all your experience.

See post above.

Good response.

I respectfully disagree.....if my rich uncle were buying , a Leupy 4x14x40 would be the last scope on my want list, and not because I have one!

Mine is the one I have now. A Schmidt & Bender 3-12X40 w/#4 reticle. I've had it going on 16 years now and if I had a chance to buy whatever I wanted again...I'd buy another one. Some guys will dream of a certain scope all of their lives but keep on buying cheaper stuff. You younger guys take heed and buy that dream scope while your young, so you can enjoy it. powdr

Agree. I tell people all the time to buy what you want the first time and it will be cheaper in the long run.

I get that, but I think your example is a good example of why it would be better to have something like a Leupie 6x on a walkaround working rifle.

For actually getting to work, I would bet that nearly everyone would be more successful with a Chevy Malibu than a Corvette. Not as stylish, but probably actually gets the job done more consistently and reliably with less chance of an accident.

I can see where a simple scope like a NF Compact is just as consistent and reliable as anything else, but also gives some extra capabilities for dialing and such. I've just not seen where it would net any more actual game in the bag out to 500 yards.

Disclaimer--I have no experience with a Porsche at all!!!

That is exactly why I purchased my March 8X80
I wanted the highest power scope I could get for my old eyes
S&B had one and I studied it on youtube because no one I talked to had even seen one. It looked big bulky and just did not look like what I wanted.

I looked at Night Force high power. Again big and bulky
I ordered my March waited for months and when I received it I was skeptical about such a high power scope in what I thought was a small package.

I took the March to my favorite gun shop and they had several Night Forces on hand.
6 salesman 3 customers and myself looked threw all kinds of scopes that day and with the exception of one salesman we all came to the conclusion that even under the same power the March had the best glass and it was the most powerful of the bunch.
One salesman did not want to put it down. I asked him what he was looking at and he told me that he was looking down a girls blouse in a gas station about 400 yards away. he said that he was so close he thought he could reach right in there. We all got a good laugh about it.

So not actually using any other high end scope other that looking through a Night Force and the March kicks my Swaro. to the curb.

If I could buy another high end hunting scope I would like to try one of March's. I was looking at them for a while and gave up due to the cost.

When I have shot with the March the highest I have been able to crank it up is between 50 and 60 my breathing and hart beat just wiggles that retical so much it drives me nuts on 80.

But 80 makes for a great spotting scope.
at 100 yards you actually look at the grain structure of a paper target. it took me a while before I figured that one out. I kept loosing the target even with the rifle in a mount.

Maybe some day I can look threw a Henzolt and compare the two

No,but if someone was buying me anything on the market.I wouldn't choose the cheapest thing that will work.

Years ago I bought what I wanted. It was a Beautiful Burris Sinature 8-32X. Three times it died. I replaced it with a Tasco and never had problems.

Then I discovered low light performance. I bought the z5 and discovered one does not get what one pays for. Since then I bought three Bushnell 6500 4 1/2-30X50. Lately the March is looking good since lighter isn't available.

Exactly right. I guess some folks just don't dream big even when it's free.


BTW,my pick would be between a NF NXS 2-5-10, a March 2.5-25X42, and a S&B Summit. I would like to have all 3 in hand first but I would lean toward the Summit because of weight.

I'm not using something for the next 5 years unless I've hashed it out and beat it up a bit already. For the 10-500 yards I'll go with what I use now. I'm open to trying lots of stuff to see if it works but I gotta beat on it a bit before I commit...so for me either a 6x42 Leupold or 6x42 SS.

Lot's of $ don't count stuff I'd be happy to try but nothing I want to commit to before using it.

It's lots of fun following these discussions. Not hard to tell the folks who have actually done the hunting described, and who hasn't.
First of all, shooting game at "500 yds." is alot different than shooting stuff in close cover. Particularly if it's dark. Then we have what kind of "close cover" shooting ? Are you on a stand, or are you trying to kill a running animal ?
Then, again, if you really want to make "500 yd." shots, particularly on big tough animals, you are going to have to practice at that range, and above all, under the wind conditions you will find where you hunt.
Ever do any back pack hunting ? Nobody comes back from a back pack hunt and buys a heavier rifle or scope for that rifle.
Just for the record, I've made kills well over 500 yds. The longest one I made was with a cheap 4X scope. On the other hand, I'd like to see the situation where a quality 4X with a heavy reticle, won't show me the details I need to see in heavy cover.
I agree with the last poster. The guy buying the scope needs to try what he thinks will work the best, and see how it fits his needs. I'd suggest he start with the mid priced stuff and go from there.
I've met countless hunters who hunt all over the world. The only ones who use expensive scopes are those who specialize in long range shooting. Most of them hunt private property, not public land. But the bottom line is they learn what fits their needs by trying different setups. There are no short cuts. E

I can see your point. For discussion I should have only stipulated that you can't sell the scope you pick to buy another with money left over.I basically wanted to know what scopes people would honestly like to own but can't afford.

I start laughing every time I see a discussion about this. When I started hunting we all used open sights. Then we had a bid decision to make . K-4 weaver for woods hunting or K-6 for long range. When the Luepold 3x9 was introduced we were in hog heaven. 67.50 for a do it all scope.
My advise is to buy the best glass you can afford. Better to have a 1000.00 scope on a 200.00 rifle than the opposite. Hasbeen

Oheremicus,

You sound oh so astute. I'm sure I'm not the only successful hunter who doesn't know world wide hunters who love less than expensive glass. I don't know any world wide hunter who love expensive glass 'cause I don't know any world wide hunters.

I purchased a few of the mid-priced ($1,500) and discovered one does not get what one pays for. I settled on $700 scopes that weigh 22 ounces. They are on 5 1/2 pound rifles so the finished product is still less than 7 pounds.



You're not playing the game correctly.

I like the 4.5x14 Leupold scopes too. I can see after legal shooting hours are over. Great for the price.

Leupold 2.5X8X36 B&C reticle

Thanks for proving 2 points.

1. Don't run schitty glass, I can count points on deer well past the average shooting distance with my 8' and my 12's. If you couldn't count points with 15s on a tripod, you need better.

2. Dumphuqs of a feather flock together.