Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Best Deer Hunting Scope

If you had betweeen $1,500 and $2,000 to spend on a scope for deer hunting only. Max power necessary would be in the 10X to 12X range. Shots to about 400 yards. Absolute best low light capability. Low light capability being more important than higher power, or other options. Illuminated reticle?? Pros and cons for the illuminated reticle on a strictly deer hunting scope??

Which would you choose?? Please be specific. I have my ideas, but I am interested in what some of you other guys think. Tom.

I have killed over sixty deer, and a passle of other African game as well as elk and caribou, and have always used the same Leupold and Redfield 3-9 x scopes. They are old but do the job just fine.

Terry

Leupold VX-II 3-9X40, the illuminated reticile is for novices that don't know better. Anything more than $250.00 is a waste of money.

My favorite is a Leupold 3.5-10X50 VX3. No illuminated ret with the old style CPC reticle. It has served me well.

HOGGHEAD it's your money I'm spending so I'm not gonna lecture and if I were doing it my first choice would be a Schmidt Bender....

I am one of those delusional folks who does believe high end glass can help a guy see better,so don't blame a guy for wanting it.

I have a Summit but that may not make it "best" S&B for your purposes...although I intend to use it for just that purpose,and it will go to Alberta with me next time I am there.

Personally I would not want a lighted reticle but that's just me.

I have also liked the Zeiss,Kahles, and Swaro scopes I have used real well; but S&B would be my choice for that kinda chedda.JMHO.

Man, that is some cheddar, too, isn't it?

While I will sing the praises of higher-end riflescopes to the best of my ability (there's many I've never seen) at SOME point it starts to get a bit... nutso <g>. $2k on a riflescope, which is essentially an aiming device, seems over the top to me. Not that I wouldn't do it if I had a truly extra $2k lying around <g>.

Love fixed 4x's and 6x's, but for any potential situation a variable 2-8 or 3-9 leaves little to want. New favorite is the Zeiss conquest which is a bit heavy, but very nice to look through for a $400 scope.

my deer are only worth $500 worth of glass, I could shoot most of them with iron sights but at 400 yards your a better shot than I am. I wonder what a cheap 3x9 conquest with rapid z 600 would do for you.

My vote goes to Swarovski 3-10X 42mm. Have not seen better.

If I were on the market for an all purpose/deer scope, I'd check out Doug's Zeiss demo sales posted today. He has a Zeiss Victory 2.5-10X50 ill. #4(40) reticle with LotuTech coating for $1650. That's about the finest all around scope money can buy. I have the same scope in the Classic trim. It is is leaps and bounds ahead of any US and Pacific Rim scopes I have looked through, illumination is one of the best.
Grab it before someone else does. Hell... log on two more times and I'll talk myself into it.

S&B Summit

Me, Jimmy?

I've used a 3.5-10 Conquest with the RZ600 quite a bit (a couple years). It does work great.

I like how you put it- "my deer are only worth $500 to me"... that's about perfect!

My Weaver Grand Slam 3-10x40 has never left me wanting more in the woods, really has been a great scope for me. I gotta tell ya though, I'm really leaning toward the new 2-10x42 Super Slam for my next rifle. Even better glass than the Grand Slam, etched recticle and goes down to 2 power in the brush. Should be an excellent deer scope.

The man said he wants to spend up to $2k.....gotta go with his wishes....

1.5-6x42 Zeiss Victory Diavari would be my choice if I could afford it. Until then, I will keep the 2.5-8x32 Zeiss Conquest on my favorite hunting rifles. They are perfect for deer hunting for my price range.

Point. And I never answered properly!

S&B or Zeiss for me Hoggshead! I think. I try not to even put much thought into $2k scopes because for me, thinking > obsessing > buying!

Zeiss Victory 2.5-10X42

Best I have ever hunted bar none!!

No doubt it would be Schmidt & Bender or Swarovski. I have both and just took my Schmidt and Bender 4-16X50 off my 300 Weatherby and replaced it with the new Z-6 3-18X50 BR.

The jury is still out on this one, but for now I have a S&B for sale...

Geeeeezus, if it's so damn dark you need a 2000.00 scope to see, you might better buy a spotlight. It'd be a helluva lot cheaper and would probably work just as well or better. Probably not legal but might just as well be if you're shooting so late/dark you can't get the job done with a Leupold/Nikon etc..

Yup.