I’m getting frustrated by the lack of “Traditional” hunting scopes out there and the lack of power ranges 1x-5x
Leupold I’m looking at you! Does everything have to have a monster tube and a turret on top of it? Also you bumped out all the fantastic middle ground offerings. Everything is close to $1k because it has HD on it! How about running some a line of hunting scopes in that vx3 range? Even if it was only every so often?

Other brands too, vortex had it nailed with the razor hd lh line that they quickly made tacticool…now it’s like everything else…

I want simple optic for some DG calibers and just cannot find a simple scope like the good ol m8 of Vari -x iii

FRUSTRATION RANT

HOPE THEY READ IT!

As Slick Willy said, "I feel your pain".

Just buy all of the old Vari-X III and M8 Leupolds you can find. If one goes bad they will send you crappy new ones under warranty forever. But you probably won't need them.

It’s what’s selling right now.

But yea, I strongly agree.

Sadly, you may have to buy used.

https://www.leupold.com/vx-3hd-1-5-5x20-cds-zl-duplex

1" tube, 1.5-5x. Seems right up your alley if that's what you're after. It does have a CDS knob that is low profile and locks, so you don't have to use it.

https://www.leupold.com/vx-freedom-1-5-4x20-moa-ring

1.5-4x, 1" tube.

far too many to tacticool and heavy . versus more simplistic and nice and light..

Probably the reason scopes like the gloss and silver Leupold Vari-XIIc models are selling like hotcakes over on ebay. Those damn things demand a premium.

Girls want their heels to match their nails.

Lots of Fudd scopes out there still. And they still suck

That’s why I held on to the 80’s vintage Leupold 3X9’s For tracking I don’t want anything bigger and half the time I take it off and run iron sights. People don’t hunt like I do anymore which is fine I’m set with my gear. Most hunt over a Ag field or a pile of corn and shoot critters from their deer blind gun turrets. Different strokes. There’s a few out there still, find one, grab it and hold onto it

I quizzed two manufactures about making a simple 3 - 9, both almost verbatim said, magnification sells.

Blame your fellow shooter, market driven environment, they build what sells.

Yep. 3 guys I’ve advised lately all want 14x or more, to hunt mostly inside 250yds for deer.

I just shake my head every time is see the uber tacticool LPVO mentioned. I was using 1-4X, 1.75-6X, and 2-7X 40 years ago. Still do.

https://www.eurooptic.com/Trijicon-...1-in-Matte-Black-Riflescope-2900042.aspx

https://www.eurooptic.com/Trijicon-...1-in-Satin-Black-Riflescope-2700004.aspx

A simple scope is not hard to find ffs...

What's wrong with a Trijicon Accupoint 3-9x40 with a duplex reticle? Also, Burris Fullfield II scopes may be"discontinued," but they're (including 3-9x40 model) still available on Amazon, so stock up before they're gone. Those are the scopes you are looking for at two different price points.

Agreed. Nothing fits a rifle anymore. Especially if you want low with nothing hanging over the ejection port.

Same reason you can hardly get a mfg like Winchester to run a m70 with blued steel and walnut…

Listen i know there are used options etc but I’m just saying…WTF

I understand it’s marketing and it’s what is in but it seems to me that they have terrible overlap on their models…Jesus, how many turreted, w/ segmented reticle, scopes does a company have to produce? Need to bug SWFA to do a “hunter line” simple sleek light hunting scopes!

searching midway and filter the search for “min power 1x”….proceed to get pissed!
Looks like trijicon might have an option or two. But bordering that affordability line…
Saw a nice nightforce $4350 ‘ish

It’s frustrating! Leupold do a “campfire run”

Wow, I absolutely believe that but still saddened. Better off with a fixed 3x if they could find one. We live in an urbanized culture where practical field experience has been supplanted by wannabe SEAL snipers. Ask any Western hunting guide and they'll tell you their clients are over scoped, over calibered, under practiced and out of shape, but the fundamentals aren't sexy and don't sell product or periodicals.

OP). I run 50mm 2x10/2x12 on all my hunting rifles..........We can shoot(deer) 1 hr before sunrise to 1 hr after sun set........Those weinie scopes just won't cut in low light. Neither will small cheap binoculars..............Youse pays yo $$$ and makes yo choice.

Assuming it’s gold ringed produced, call it the ‘vx-classic’ maybe 3 variations keep it vx3hd or vari-x3 technology (unless it can be done better for less)…
I was really pissed when vortex did away the the razor lh line, that was great lineup IMO. It also filled a roll they weren’t in at the time and it was semi-competitive with the European offerings.

It’s damned frustrating!

Basically, you're yelling at clouds because you don't like the locking CDS turret?

I've got a pile of 2-7, 3-9, 2.5-8 and 6x scopes with BDC reticles. I'll not part with any of them. When it's time to dial, SWFA or Nightforce will be getting my business, but I don't need or want anything beyond 10x. Still, having said that, I don't think it's especially hard to find "standard" scopes, although Leupold's aesthetics have gone into the crapper.

Just go down to wallyworld, they have what you're looking for.

I love how old timers care more about looks than actual function. O suppose it's because they spend far more time looking at s hit instead of using it. All this just to put it in a safe and never use it lol

Why do you care what Leupold and Vortex do? Better options are available than what those two companies offer. If you're sentimental about Leupold of old - they left you, you didn't leave them - so feel comfortable moving on to Trijicon.

You couldn’t be more wrong about that….
I love how youngsters follow marketing wank instead of using what works…
“Walley world” yeah not likely.
I’m far from an old timer!

Point me to a better option? Trijicon is maybe the closest but not the biggest fan of them.

Aside from a few models I’d never choose Leupold. Honestly I’ve seen over a dozen failures from their middle of the road offerings to the top of the line (at the time). Fact remains for certain rifles they were the best game in town!

I’m not sure what this means. But I’ve used rifles a bunch. I’ve had rifles ride 100’s of miles on a pack as well as in a saddle scabbard. I don’t want a 23 plus oz scope mounted 2” above the bore. I also don’t want extension rings to make a scope fit either. I want something simple, low, with a couple of hash marks to get me to 500 yards quickly and hold zero. That’s it. I’ve shot a lot of game with that recipe.

Hunters and what they need are no longer driving the market. Hunter numbers are way down. Rifle shooters numbers are way up. They want rifles and optics suited for shooting at paper and steel.

Burris Fullfield II in the $200 price range (and from everything I've read, they are better than many scopes costing hundreds more - Burris did a great job with that scope)
Trijicon Accupoint in the $600 price range

I'm thankful for those two good options considering all the lousy scopes sold today and in the past.

This is so true, 30mm tubes and larger being all the rage.

When hunters are wanting light weight, and a product that is reliable.

Ok. Not real sure what that has to do with my post. So you have personal idiosyncrasies for scopes. Cool. Keep b itching I guess.

There is still an entire line of lightweight, 1” Leupolds.

I’m not bitching. But honestly don’t know what your post even meant.

1-4x or 1.75-6 are LPVO.

Yup me too! With some decent glass. That’s what makes me frustrated, simply Everytime I look they’ve added some coating costing many hundreds of dollars more, added turrets, mil-inspired reticles and weight. It’s too bad. You have good taste in the necessities!

Simple scopes are still made if one knows where to look.

Looked on the Burris website and it shows the Fullfield ii, the entire line, as “discontinued”

Thinking the Droptine could have replaced it. Maybe the FF IV is supposed to be the replacement, no idea.

another point would be who wants to pay for all the tacti cool when I'd rather spend the same money on better glass and coatings and simpler retical and less bells and whistles plus the weight savings

Burris is still selling Fullfield II scopes on Amazon as I mentioned earlier in this thread.

Edited to add: Neither the Droptine nor the Communist China Fullfield IV truly replace the Fullfield II.

Correct.


Still some for sale but still discontinued. When they're gone they're gone.

Tried 1, didn't need another.

Sold it here with full disclaimer as to its issues.

Turn power ring and focus adjustment turned with it. Turn focus and power ring turned with it.

I have recently bought a few 3-15 power scopes, like them better than my old 3-9s.

The word on the street is that there is a 3-9 hiding inside all the 3-15s.

Just Sayin.

There's plenty of great lower powered smaller options out there. Fact is there's much better optics available now than an decade or two ago. There's wonderful LPVO optics out there in abundance that have high and low profile turrents and reticle options for everyone. We're in an golden age of optics where we have lots of options and even some of the Chi-com stuff is really good. Price points are all over the place and there's literally something for everyone if you look. I'm thankful the days where Fudd optics were the only option are a thing of the past. Today there's soemthing for everyone.

Within the last year I picked up a couple of Sightron SI 1.75-5's. Trim little 1" scopes that fit well and dont look out of place on old school levers and woods rifles.

Carried one around some this fall on a 7600 carbine 35 Whelen that I use for tracking; the short, light Whelen has made one scope go wonky.

Overall, I've had great luck with many different Kenko sourced scopes. While all of my previous experiences with them have been with Japanese variants, the SI scopes in reference are built in the Philippines. Not sure what mechanical differences exist between scopes from different manufacturing facilities, but what I can report so far is that the little SI's adjusted as they should and are holding zero.

This article pretty much sums up the problem….
Sad!
https://www.outdoorlife.com/gear/best-rifle-scopes-for-deer-hunting/

Leupold failure claim is not bs! That is only a couple from me personally but I’ve got several friends that I’ve dealt with these are first hand accounts! Honestly the failures come from dialing Leupold scopes! My friend missed a 115” Coues in AZ when his trusty mark 4 failed. My exact words to him as he pulled out of my driveway headed out were “have you ever had any problems with this scope?” Him: “nope! It’s been to hell and back and has always worked.” He was pissed when he returned home!

I’ll look at that sightron offering! I’ve been liking the SWFA ultralight too! Swaro sheep hunter is a go to… I’m setting up some dg rifles and the lack of 20mm lvpo offerings is glaring! Leupold has totally cut out the midrange priced options!

Wow - they managed to get a lot of different brands onto the list they published.

Although they mentioned assessing each scope for how well it tracks, I didn't see any data provided from those tests.

??

Leupold is the best all around scope. Did you even read the article?

So your buddy missed a deer and determined it was the fault of a scope that had a flawless track record? Seems less than legit.

"Dangerous game" rifles and "midrange" optics don't belong together, at least for me personally.

Seems like this comes up every couple of months . Lack of low power scopes in decent price range meant for hunting rifles.
Agree that majority, if not close to all, is a small telescopes or AR style scopes.
I’ve tried to plead this case to John at tract optics and he also said , long range game is where $ it’s at.
even the Athlon rep on their thread here avoided the question….twice!

I killed six deer this season. Five of the six inside 100 yards and four inside 50. I need a high magnification, 20+ oz. 30 mm scope with miltiple aiming point reticle like I need another hole in my head. Not many hunters left these days I guess. Lotta shooters.

Tract offers the Toric 2-10x42 and introduced the Response 2.5-10x42 with T-Plex reticles. As much as I would like a Toric 6x42 with a T-Plex reticle, considering the marketing focus on long range shooting, I am grateful to have these two hunting scopes available and have a couple of extra Torics just in case they cease production.

You summed it up pretty well. Just picked up an E1 3-9x50 cheap as a spare. I see lots of classic used for sale as well if
I want to go “period correct” or just slim and trim. Don’t have any of the Gen2 S1 Sightrons yet, but the specs look pretty good, more clicks available than most 1” scopes.

The 30mm LPVOs aren’t too big, and the views are impressive.

Different people, in different places, where the hunting styles/methods are different require different equipment. A lot of people seem to forget that not everyone hunts the same way that they do. IOW, the gear that may be optimally suited to you and your way of hunting might be a very poor choice for someone hunting in a very different environment.

Anything larger, physically, and with more magnification than a 2-7x32/33 would seem out of place on a rifle used for still-hunting or tracking in tight cover. My friends in northern New England who track their deer swear by scopes with no more than 2x, with several favoring the old Weaver K1.5s with a post and crosshair reticle. I have older Leupold 1.5-5x20 scopes on my dedicated still-hunting deer rifles, a Ruger 44 International and 3 different Winchester 100s, and a 2-7x33 on my Remington 760 black timber elk rifle. All of those Leupolds were returned to the factory to have the heavy duplex reticle installed back when Leupold offered that service for a nominal fee.

In contrast, my wife's cousins who live/hunt on the plains of eastern Colorado prefer scopes in the 6-24x42 range, as their shots commonly present at much greater distances. They occasionally jump a deer that was bedded in an over grown swale, but they let the deer run off and stop to look back before they decide whether to shoot it or not.

It seems that in a lot of places deer hunting has morphed into deer shooting, often by people who think that they were endowed by their creator with the shooting skills of a Chris Kyle. Few of them were so endowed and fewer still spend the time and money to develop their shooting skills to a level anywhere near that of a Chris Kyle.

Or so it seems to me.

You gotta be shyttin me. We lost the entire Nikon line, which included many light, trim, 1" scopes in the 1-4, 2-7 and 3-9 power range with simple Nikoplex reticles. I have a couple of the 2-7x32's and love em. Bright, clear, light, compact. We also lost the entire Weaver line which included the Japanese manufactured 1-3x20, 2.5-7x32, 3-9x38, 2-10x38, 2.5x20, 4x32 and 6x38 all with simple duplex reticles. I have several and they're also good hunting scopes with the same attributes, bright, clear, light, compact. I don't see anything out there that comes remotely close to replacing those scopes. The bulbous, over weight and unfortunately extremely numerous 30mm LPVO's don't come close to being a suitable replacement.

Pretty close replacement here. Wouldn't mind getting a couple more.

https://www.bushnell.com/scopes/sho...24-riflescope-multi-x/BU-REL1424BS3.html

Another I have been impressed with for the $$.

Chink made so will turn many off, and I am not real fond of that but so are so many other items that some regard as top tier.

I guess if you consider a 15.5 oz. scope "pretty close" to a trim 8-10 oz. scope. I don't, and I've had more South Korean made Bushnells crap out on me than any other. A big no thanks. I won't go near those things anymore.

Less than 5mm/quarter inch compared to 1 inch, hardly "bulbous".

Never seen a 10 oz 3-9 or 2.5-10.

Lol you're bit ching about 5oz? Five f ucking ounces. Gawd dam Fudd boomers are a fickle bunch...

And less than 2/10 inch.

I for one would love to see the VX-3i lineup return with 1.5-5x, 2.5-8x and 3.5-10x offerings. Matte and gloss finishes with standard duplex, 1” tubes and nothing larger than a 40mm objective. Leupold for example, could make them available only through their website if sales volume didn’t merit a retail setting.

I think to cater to only long range shooting is a huge mistake. While it may be what’s in vogue, there are still plenty of hunters and shooters out there who don’t want or need the Hubble telescope attached to their favorite hunting rifle.

Boomer thread. Pass the Geritol

I prefer some stuff that isn't available anymore as well but if it's not available you find something as close to what you want and move on.

As far as weights go a few oz doesn't concern me at all. If it's ounces I need to shave I can do that easily by just cutting back on a few small items or carry 3 less shells in my pocket.

Yeah, but, considering we're at a point in time when you can get a scope that will most likely actually track repeatedly for less than a mortgage payment, it's hard to buy into the "woe is me" stuff

Trust me, I‘d never shyt you Blackie. You’re a Campfire legend.

I don’t fret over a few ounces of scope weight when that weight comes with better glass, good reliability, and availability without the need to scrounge around for good oldies, which can be problematic IME. Within limits, balance matters more to me than weight. We lost those scopes you love so dearly because not enough people were buying them to keep them in production along with the stuff people were actually buying. Lots of your old faves available online if you want to roll the dice.

You might learn the value of a small ocular bell and power ring when trying to mount a scope as low as possible on a traditional lever action while still allowing the hammer to be cocked. The scopes on my Marlin levers weigh 9 oz. and allow the use of low Weaver and super low Burris Zees while still offering good clearance for the hammer. I don't want higher rings or an additional 6.5 oz. on top for absolutely zero gain.

Better glass my ass. I've been killing enough deer every season to feed my family venison several times a week year round with these scopes for decades. They've for sure been durable enough and the glass good enough. The fuggin deer are out there all day long. I don't need to shoot them by the dark of the moon, see the fleas in their ears or shoot them over in the next zip code. Anybody who does perhaps ain't the hunter they'd like to think they are. Spending the money to obtain the latest fly weight rifles then putting an extra half pound to pound of scope with superfluous glass/features on top doesn't make a bit of sense.

Maybe not but my 1-4 weighs 9 oz vs 15.5 for that fat fuggin South Korean POS and I sure don't want or need a 3-9 or 2.5-10 on my woods rifles.

You are the one who mentioned them.

Yeah, just what I always wanted and needed to kill deer at woods ranges, a scope that tracks repeatedly.

Consistent adjustments are pretty nice.

No need for 1 click to move POI 1/4" then the next is over 1/2".

Wow, what a fuggin hardship that must be !

None of my 3-9's weigh as much as that 1-4.

Don't require you gear to operate as it should or as advertised?

Bet the ones you mentioned are within 1-2 oz.

Actually 3.5, almost a quarter pound and they're in a totally different class use wise than that 1-4.

All I need is to get it zero'd and stay there. They do that just fine as proven through long service and many dead animals. I sure as hell ain't gonna be fiddle fuuckin with the adjustments constantly.

Back to OP- perhaps you overlooked the Vortex Diamondback and *still available* Fujinon Accurion? They may be the same scope in fact (Vortex being current seller).

Ironic, coming from the guy bi tching and moaning over 5 ounces. Not pounds......OUNCES.

These feeble old tards are something else lol

It's 6.5 ounces you fuuckin mouthy retard, which is significant.. And I'm not all that old or feeble either.

Lol bi tch lol

old piece of s hit scope that might be light enough

The idea that accurate, repeatable adjustments for windage and elevation are NOT needed is amusing.

Even if you "set and forget," you have to "set."

Yeah, and I don't seem to have any trouble with that.

I have no need to "dial" as I am a set it and forget it guy but like the stuff I spend my $$ on to work as it is supposed to.

Just me.

I still have use for trim 1" scopes, and I'm glad that there's still some good options available for new purchase. But I don't bemoan the fact that the market is changing. Any company has to offer what sells in order to stay in business. How sustainable is the market for low price, low magnification, "classic" deer hunting scopes with simple reticles when there's already 40 years' worth of them out there? Sure they still get the job done in the majority of scenarios. But they don't exactly wear out and they generally last a very long time.

Plenty are available used. If you're looking for something very specific, I've had great luck with WTB adds in classifieds.

A lot of good options for new purchase have been listed in this thread.

And yes, I agree with whoever pointed it out that this thread has classic "boomer" signatures all over it.

Like many you've been duped intio believing you need things you don't, like scopes that track repeatedly when you have no need to dial. I have 40 year old scopes that still zero easily and stay there. Some of them don't move exactly 1/4" per click but I haven't found that any great hardship. Some of my old scopes that are still in use don't even have "clicks". My heavens what a terrible obstacle to overcome.

I've got a safe full of old and new levers, pumps, and carbine bolts. Most have low X scopes attached; many of those scopes have friction only turrets. They work very well for certain applications. But I like to hunt in a wide variety of locations, and I like to shoot a lot, sometimes at game and targets that are far off. Why shouldn't I have gear that's well suited to those applications the same as I have rigs well suited to close up shots at moving game in heavy cover?

Maybe you've been lulled into a false sense of security in that your rigs are more relevant than they really are for scenarios outside of your own backyard?

Yes - and the erector system should be able to take punishment and maintain zero, as well a track correctly. I have a mountain of "set and forget" Leupold BDC scopes. I like their weight, reticle options, and size. But I'm under no illusion they are great scopes. They're not. Leupold's tracking and erector system sucks, and they need to pull their head out and do an overhaul. There's no reason a scope can't be built with a reliably tracking erector system that can take some drops, and keep going - and it should be able to do this with a reasonable weight.

Like I said, if I'm going to dial it'll be something other than Leupold.

Umm, I believe you have PLENTY of choices in scopes suited for shooting "far off". It's trim, light weight, low power scopes with simple reticles well suited to those close range woods carbines that you'll have little to choose from.

Have to wonder why a Billy Badass like Blackie can't just get it done with iron sights? They would be the ultimate in lightweight and reliability, no?

Woods ranges, hunting your way closer, no low light issues, blah blah - shouldn't need a scope at all playa.

I have killed many dozens of deer with iron sights. My most used and in fact my only deer rifles for several years when I was younger were so equipped. My eye sight is not what it used to be and I now prefer a scope, though I do still occasionally use an iron sighted 94 Winchester and killed a deer with it as recently as the 2021 season.

Yeah, sure, smart guy; but that doesn't make for good complaining!

The complaint is a legitimate one as is evident by several threads recently by folks lamenting the lack of simple, light weight, low power hunting scopes.

I am partial to the traditional 1" tube simple scopes, because I like traditional rifles and the big scopes with turrets look out of place on them.
I own a bunch of the dreaded leupolds for this very reason, the majority are 6x36, but have some 4X, 2X and 2-7 & 3-9 in the mix.
I also like the lightweight of the leupolds, although I am pretty sure the detracts from the reliability.
I have weeded through Leupolds for years to get the ones I trust. Hopefully they won't give up before i do.
All that being said I also have a bunch of 30mm dialable scopes for long range fun. I am not really a long range hunter.
A current favorite is the Athlon Midas tac. I hate protruding windage dials on any scope.

I agree - 6.5 ounces is noticeably significant on a scope.

In close woods type of ranges there's electronic and prism sights that are very tough.

I bought a Bushnell 3-9 Legend at wallymarks about 6 months ago for $150. I see Midway USA has the Prime 3-9 with the illuminated center dot for $200. If I had another rifle with no scope I would buy the Bushnell Prime because I want a simple scope as well. The only "gadget" is the red illuminated center dot.

kwg

I'm very tempted to throw a Primary Arms 3x micro prism on my 45/70. The more I use it, the more I like it.

PA 3x micro prism


Under 8oz

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1...campaign=bushnell-elite-4500-rifle-scope

Better make sure those irons aren't adjustable. Might be too tacticool.

Buckhorns baby, no peeps allowed!!!!! God forbid there's fiber optic.....

I would love to be able to use irons, cataract surgery and new lenses say no