I'm gonna set up a .223 for cheap long range practice. CHEAP is the word of the day. I want something that works, but I'm not going to pay for that last iota of optical quality, or low-light ability, etc, since I won't be hunting with it anyway.

Priorities are:

-Magnification in the 18x-20x range on the top end;

-DECENT optics;

-turrets that track well.

I will consider anything. Never thought I'd say it, but perhaps a 3200 series Bushnell... or a Nikon... things like that. I don't know nuthin' about NUTHIN' when it comes to scopes like that, being a Leupold/Burris/Zeiss/Swaro guy, but... here I am. I want cheap, but functional.

Any thoughts, O Great Wise Ones of the Campfire?

-jeff

i'd take a 3200 over a cheaper nikon any day once had a nikon monarch stop adjusting correctly in the middle of a regonial silhoutte match

The optics on those 3200's are surprisingly fine, I have to admit.

Looks like I could get a 6-18X AO 3200 in the low $300's- say $329 or so.

Another hundred bucks or so gets me another VX-II 6x18 AO... that's what is on my Sendero and it seems to work fine... but dang it, I'm trying for CHEAP here <g>!

I just bought a Vortex "Crossfire" 4-12x40mm AO from Doug at Cameraland for $142 AND it came with a free pair of 8x40 Binoculars!!! I expect to set it up on my CZ this weekend, but just looking through it by hand, it's got my Tasco and Bushnell airgun scope beat both hands down.

i have not seen one yet but they list a 7-21 elite 3200 but i know what you mean by a little more $ to move up but a limit is a limit i have over tow dozen rifles and all but 3 wear a leupold, 2-3200's,1-sightron

How about the supersniper?

Jeff: Grab a 3-9 Burris with Ballistic Plex reticle;great scope value and very tough to beat for the dough.I left one with my rancher bud in Wyoming last year. The Yotes, badgers and PD's are taking a beating from his 223.

Nevermind! You want turrets,etc for TARGET work!Sorry!

targets?.....you feeling OK?

Swift Premier 6-18x40 A/O

The tasco super sniper has had good reviews.

I bought a used Swift from VAnimrod and have no plans to part with it. I am just now getting to the point where I am using the turrets regularly (it used to sit on my 10/22). The turrets are consistent and the optics are fine. It's a lot of scope for the money.

There aren't any little critters I'm "mad at", Bob! I don't varmint hunt.

More seriously, yes target! Just targets. Nothing but targets. Just for whackin' steel at long ranges. I'm trying to seperate my recreational SHOOTING, from my hunting rifles. I want seperate guns for the bulk of my shooting. Because, as Pointer says, "I shoot too much".

The Swift suggestion is a good one; I have a fixed Swift 4x on my 10/22 that is a darned decent scope. I'll look that one up.

Are the Vortex Viper things any good? I've been very skeptical because... well.. that's a ridiculous name.

Sub- $200 would be SWEET if it's possible to get something that works.

Thanks to all, much appreciated, keep 'em coming!

20x Super Sniper

I've got the Tasco MAG 6-24x40 AO on my .22-250, and the optics are quite good (in good light), it tracks really7 well, and was about $90. I've been extremely pleased with it for what I spent. About 10 coyotes, a whole lot of gophers, and many targets have also been impressed by the scope.

Jeff, I've spent quite a bit of time with the Vortex Viper and Diamondback in the last 2 months. Lots of scope for the money. Call Doug at Cameraland and he will vouch for what I'm talking about. As for target knobs, again give him a call.

Rob

Thanks, I was trying to remember who the bastid was that got that scope from me........

FWIW, if I was going to go another way other than the Swift, it'd be with a Vortex, though I'd have to get past that made in china thing.......

Here is a short article on the SS and the Bushnell 3200 10x optic

http://www.longrangehunting.com/articles/low-priced-long-range-scopes.php

VA, your the same as me. I fight the Chicom Blues all the time. What real disgusting is picking something up, feeling as though it's quality product and, the seeing 'MADE IN CHINA" on the bottom of it. I have learned that I can fight by sending stuff back like the Yosemite's and not buying other things but at times I just have to bite the bullet.

Rob

There is a used 6-18 VXII in the classifieds for $350.

Super Snipers work, and work well,, the problem with them is they dont cost enough,, if they were around a grand more guys would like them,,, like Larry Potterfield says," And thats just the way it is" the only place this things is more common is in Bass fishing

Best bang for the buck that I've played with are the Leupold VariX-III 3.5-10's with target turrets. I've only ran them out to 1000yds on steel targets. I found no issues with getting on steel gongs that were MOA or larger with the standard duplex reticle. See them sell on the used market for $350 fairly often and that's pretty hard to beat. Good luck with whatever you end up with. You might need more mag if your trying to quarter a 5" Xring on a 1K F class target, but I'm pretty happy with 10x's out front.

I'm shooting at the 1K range all day tomorrow and saturday. I'll drag the camera along and snap a few photos on a 12" gong at 1K through some 10x's loopies, 14X loopies, 20X loopies, 25X loopies, 15X NightForce, and a 22x USO. 10x's will get you along way out there depending on your target. Heck I can get on the PD steel target at 1K with the 14X loopies with a fine duplex, that target is roughly the size of a 20oz or 1 liter pop bottle.

I'm not trying to sway your view on needing 18 or 20X's on the top end, just didn't know if you've looked at targets that small at long range with 10X glass.

Hi Brad,

Yeah, I have.... I run 2.5x8's on most of my hunting rifles and shoot them out to 600 yards regularly... and I have a 3.5x10 (Zeiss) on my .338 and it's actually my best "long range" rifle, at the moment anyways.

Then, I have a VX-II 6x18 AOT on my Sendero. I like that scope just fine, and I had a bit of an epiphany last night that might render this whole thread moot for me anyway. More on that in a sec. But at any rate, while I don't feel that the extra magnification is NECESSARY, for me personally for a dedicated long-range target gun (which is what this will be), I do feel that it's desirable. If that makes sense.

The epiphany is that I should kill two birds with one stone here. Pull the 6x18 off my Sendero, and then send the Sendero off for a muzzle brake. I can't see my misses with it (the Sendero) and it's driving me NUTS, and wasting a lot of time and ammo. Plus I've officially written it off as a hunting rifle this year; my .338 is getting me out to 600 yards with brutal reliability, and that's all the further I'm shooting the Sendero reliably anyway at this point, so...

So pull the scope and mounts off the Sendero, stick that VX-II 6x18 on the .223... and then worry about a scope for the Sendero in a couple months when hunting season is done, and I have it back from the muzzle brake guy, etc.

Solves all the IMMEDIATE needs anyway <g>.

... and in the meantime, try to get my eyeballs on some of the scope brands I typically ignore- like Swift, Tasco, Vortex, Bushnell, etc.

Good deal then...sounds like you have everything under control.

Well... let's not get carried away here <g>...

Vortex Crossfires are made in China, Vortex Vipers and Diamondbacks are made in Japan at the same factory making the Nikons (I think). We live in a world economy, all boats rise with the tide...besides if we p/o China, they own a whole bunch of our federal deficit (US bonds) and we don't want them foreclosing.

Vortex Viper and Diamondback scopes are made in the Phillipines. It is however the same factory that makes Nikon Monarch scopes. Monarchs have not been made in Japan for a long time. Typically they are either made in Phillipines or in Thailand.

ILya

At the low end, the Tasco 4-16X and 6-24X AO seem to be the best values. They can be had for $60 to $90.00. They are not bad at all, and on a .223 would be fine.

I am looking right now to maybe buy a Swift Premier, which seems to be the best value in the $200.00 range. www.eabco.com is high on them.

In the $300.00 range, I would be looking for a Weaver KT-15 or a higher power fixed target scope.

The Super Sniper is a really nice scope, probably the best buy out there in a 10X or 16X. But they are BIG. I have one of the hunting scopes in the same class, made by Hakko in Japan. It takes top German glass to beat it.

You might also look for a deal on a Leupold tactical. I bought one for nothing a few years ago, on a rifle where someone went on a sniper craze and got way over their head and had to shed it for a deer rifle. So don't discount the idea of a $1,000 scope, because you might find one for less than $300.00.

[bleep] China.

We have forgiven tons of their debt; write our own off and tell them to kiss it.

Jeff,

Go find a used Weaver T in the appropriate magnification, and go crank those knobs!

I have a T-6 that I have used since Hector was a pup, and it is still cranking along.

jim

PM sent.

I saw a newer model T-16 sell on ebay the other day for under 300 bucks. Great shape.

Jeff:

Not sure about the price on these, but today we were busting clay targets at 600yd with a friends .223 with a Weaver T series 24x40. Worked well.

I just checked some web prices. Seems to be in the low $400 range. No need to tell you, but the best you can swing will be the cheapest in the long run.

Battue