Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Set and forget. 2-7, 4x, 3-9 illuminated

Guys,
What out there for reasonable priced scopes with a simple illuminated dot in a 2-7, 3-9, or 4x scopes? Will be on kids rifle for deer in Iowa, not rigorous western stuff, just walking to blind and sitting, possibly used for a bear hunt down road. Set and forget, farthest shot maybe 140 yards. Not with current vortex as eye box is hard to get perfect.

Thought of changing over to older leupold 4x but wondered if there something out there with simple illuminated dot reticle that might be better.

Thanks
David

Reasonable is HIGHLY subjective. Put a number on it.

$300 and under. I have 4 rifles to set up

Probably a Hawke, or Burris E1 illuminated if you can find one.

Take a look at:

Hawke Vantage IR 3-9x40 - L4A Dot Illuminated

Hawke Vantage 30 WA 2.5-10x50 - L4A Dot Illuminated

I just bought a 2-7 hawke but no range test yet. Going on my 307 Winchester

I'm a fan of the discontinued Burris Fullfield E1 Illuminated 3-9x40. It has a #4 reticle with an illuminated red dot in the center. The brightness of the dot is adjustable and the nice thing about it is that it shuts off in between brightness settings so you only have to twist it 1 notch to be at your desired brightness. I bought all of mine off the Classifieds on here. Usually around $200.

Vortex Optics Crossfire II Second Focal Plane, 1-inch Tube Riflescopes Illuminated - $189 on Amazon

Bought one of these & its been working great for low-light hog shooting.

good morning sir,
i bought one of them sig sauer whisky 3 3-9 scopes with the fire dot. i really like the scope but i had to go with medium high rings, other than that it works good

This might work for you. Bushnell Prime 3-9x40 duplex with illuminated dot. I've found the Prime to be pretty decent scopes. I've included links, but if you look around, you might find them cheaper.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Bushnell...Riflescope-and-Sight-RP3940BS9/582263937

https://www.natchezss.com/bushnell-prime-3-9x40-rifle-scope-sfp-multi-x-illuminated-black

I bought one of these from Doug a year or so ago. It has worked well.
https://cameralandny.com/shop/brand...0138-873d-00163ecd2826?variation=2731178

I put the VX-3HD 3.5-10x40 firedot on 2 guns of that description. Those can be found for just over $500.

Kids have it pretty darn good today. 🫤

Thanks for all the ideas guys.

Simple plex reticle with illuminated dot, 2-12x42 and side focus parallax down to 10 yards. I’ve had one on a CZ455 for three years now, couple thousand rounds without a hiccup shooting offhand matches at 50’.

Doug has them under $300 right now. Fair warning: Made in China if it matters.




https://cameralandny.com/shop/athlo...0138-9047-00163e90e196?variation=2720793

I also have a sig sauer whiskey 3 3-9x40 illuminated made in the Philippines off gun broker for $150.

I haven’t had good luck with the Whiskey or the cheaper Vortex models but so far so good on a few Athlon products - best bang for the buck. Burris FF2 on Amazon for $159 is my choice for cheaper scopes.

Full agreement on the Burris FFII. I'm curious as to what failed you with the Sig Whiskey scope?

I think those were a limited run from Natchezss. Burris didn't show it in its catalog. I believe I paid around $140 for mine and was telling everyone I could about them.
A friend and I compared it side by side at the deer lease in all light conditions against my VX-3 and it was every but as bright\clear\sharp- which I didn't expect. The dot is a little large for target work but what a great hog setup.

I bought a non-illuminated Hawke Vantage for my 10/22 and it has been way better than its meager cost. Unfortunately, I didn't realize it was Chinese at the time or I would have passed.

Bushnell makes a Prime 3-9x40 illum available at Natchezss for $200. Not sure if it is Chinese.

I'd try it for your application. Just bought a Midas HMR 2.5-15 (from Doug) for a 7mm Rem I set up for my stepson on a $1.1K budget ready to hunt; rock solid adjustments (better than the capped windage on my LRHS 3-12s and capped turrets on my Trijicon LPVOs), great glass, great low-light illumination. Have had (2) 2-12 Helos BTRs as well (still have 1), and a pair of 8X42 Ares binos (from Doug for stupid cheap on closeout).

I'd try it before the Burris E1 (or just go FFII for cheap, sans illum.), or Sig in that $ range.

Or spring for the extra Benjamin per unit on the Midas HMR.

Or ask Doug about Meopta options in that range. I have no experience there, only with Meopro.