Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Value vs Budget

whats the best value in scopes today?
i once bought a tasco titan that was a great scope for the $170 i paid for it. i find that recently i have been looking at lower priced scopes and not the high priced euro glass i used to buy. not because of a diminished budget but because i think its easier for companies to build a quality scope for less money.

My vote is for Bushnell Banner on the low end. Nikon Monarch if you don't want Euro glass.

Conquest is Euro Glass and the other Euro Companies make there own as far as I know.

So the other companies that have good glass use Japanese Glass and then you have the Chinese stuff.

So IMO

Lower Bushnell Banner, Pentax Gameseeker 150.00 and Less
Mid Bushnell Elite3200, 4200 or Vortex Viper or Nikon Monarch 400.00 or less range
Higher Leupold VX III's or Conquest or Elite 6500 500 and above

I guess that depends upon exactly what your needs are, and what you consider your budget. If I had to pick one of enough quality it is worth saving up for rather than getting Chinese junk, yet provides good value without being a state of the art budget buster I would pick Nikon Buckmasters.

Burris FFII

Used Leupolds.

Bruce

Weaver V9 Classic

I agree with BCP.

Best value right now is the Leupold Vari-X line, I see 3-9's regularly selling for 100-125 bucks.

3x9 4200's are 225-250 new. you can't beat that with a stick.

This fall, at different gun shows, I bought used an M8 3x, late M8 4x, and a Vari-X II 2-7x for $120 each. Earlier I found a pawn shop with a VX-1 3-9x priced at $150, but with a 33% off sale running.

Bruce

Used VX-III or even VX-II,

Zeiss conquest are damn hard to beat for what you get.

I've had good luck with bushnell elite 3200 scopes too.

Ed

I would buy every m8 I could find for $120.00.

Nikon, Burris FFII and Pentax Game seeker. Some of the Nikon Prostaff models have been really impressive, considering the price.

I recently had a return credit that I used to buy a Simmons Pro Hunter/Master Series 6x40. I stuck it on My Remmy 799/7.62x39. From sight-in to using in a soaking rain this week, I can find no real fault with this,"el cheapo".

I have never found a Leupy for more than $60, or so, off new prices.