Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Best value in optics

Let me preface this by saying I know very little about quality optics (although I did pull the trigger this morning on the 8x42 Tract Toric Bins which, according to my research, appear to be a great value) but I am trying to change that. My question is multi-faceted. First, If a company makes quality bins does that mean they will also make quality rifle scopes and spotting scopes as well or are there enough differences that this does not necessarily hold true? In your opinion what is the best, or some of the best, values currently available in bins, spotting scopes, and rifle scopes?

Rifle scopes have requirements that aren't present in binoculars and spotters. The assembly needs to be able to withstand recoil (in both directions if your rifle has a muzzle brake), the mechanism that moves the reticle needs to track even and repeatedly, you need sufficient eye relief and a non critical eye box. Unless those basics are taken care of, optical clarity just doesn't matter. While not the lightest or sleekest scopes, there is something to be said for SWFA's SS scopes as being very solid and repeatable and with sufficient optical clarity to get the job done.

For a general big game rifle scope I thing one of the best values right now is the $350 Meopta 3.5-10x44 from Cameraland. Optics easily in the $500-600 range.

Not necessarily.

You need to concentrate on/research each individul product. Just because a certain company made it, and that company makes other fine products, does not mean every product they make is a quality product.

This should be readily apparent with companies that source products from different countries at different price levels, But is also true of the higher end optics companies as well......

SoonerWing,

Here is my experience with one company. To me there is a major difference between the binos made by Swarovski and the z5 5-25X52. I had four of those scopes. The first and the forth were about the same optical quality with the second and third not as good. The first and forth were significantly, I mean noticeably, better than the other two. My gunsmith was amazed there was that much difference in the same brand.

I returned the first one because it it was not as good as my Bushnell 6500 4 1/2-30X50 on an eye chart. At 500 yards the 6500 needed 15 1/2X while the z5 needed 16 1/2X. It was better than the first 6500 in low light. I purchased the second one and it was not as good as the Bushnell 6500 in day and no better in low light. I sold it. The same thing for the third one.

But since they were six ounces lighter than the 6500 I bought another one. The erector had to be replaced twice in the three years I used it. The second time it came back from customer service I sold it to someone but told them it had be serviced.

I had no experience with their spotters.

First order of business - learn who to, and who not to, pay attention to. Wrongman (Ringman) and DumbassDon (Savage_99) are to be disregarded out of hand. Neither knows their ass from a hole in the ground, and neither hunts worth a schit (if at all).

The only company that knocks it out of the park in Spotters, Bins and Scopes for my eyes is Swarovski. But you pay for what you get.

Swarovski makes extraordinary binos and spotters. Rifle scopes, not so much. Zeiss makes great to incredible stuff in all three, but rifle scopes the lesser of the options. Scopes are a different critter; more complex, more moving parts, subject to more destructive forces, and made for a very specific audience (whereas binos and spotters are not so).

Figure out what you want, first, then figure the best or better options for that application, then worry about maker.

Best value...Cabelas Euro HD binoculars and Cabelas Instinct Rifle scopes (old Zeiss Conquest), both made by Meopta. Can't beat value, service and warranty.

No.

If price, weight, or the harder to define "user friendly' is considered.

But when it comes to the optics forum, others will certainly disagree...........

Casey

Vortex and the mid grade leupulds, along with some stuff from meopta and a few other manufactures are probably the best bang for your buck, if a guy is into things that are other than the best.

To my eye, nothing beats Swaro for clarity, but Els have froze solid in winter and fogged up when it is ridiculously wet out. Zeiss and Leica binos are not as clear to me, but hold up much better. My Steiner Peregrines are hands down the best all around binos I have ever used, except for the stupid, cheap plastic eyecups.

That's a long way of saying that your particular eye may vary as the what is "clearest" and even the most expensive optics can break/fog/freeze.

No personal experience with them but the chorus is undeniable: the 6x SWFA Super Sniper is a great value IF you want to play around with shooting at longer ranges.

If you want to look through a scope and kill things or targets within "normal" hunting ranges, whatever that even means these days, the best value I personally have found is the Zeiss Conquest 3-9x40. Talking that particular scope. It's been recently discontinued but they are still out there in the low $300's. Optically brilliant, great in low light, the adjustments track quite well, holds zero great, the etched reticle is nice and visible in low light, and the eye relief and eyebox characteristics are extremely friendly.

Thanks 444. Got a meoptic on the way from camera land.

As far as rifle scopes go,SWFA SS are very hard to beat. Rock solid,repeatable,good glass. You can't go wrong.

Honestly, the best value is the one you actually use and enjoy using.

The best value changes over time as new products are introduced but brand name is still a good indicator of quality. The big 3 Swarovski, Leica and Zeiss make nice glass in most applications, Leupold is a great customer service brand with a great guarantee Vortex has a good warranty but you are more likely to need it in my experience. I think of Nightforce as target scope for long range applications and don't have any experience with the SWFA scopes but think of them in a similar fashion.

As a value shopper myself my 1st string elk hunting optics are binoculars Swaro 10x42 slc
rangefinder Leica 1000r
scope Zeiss Conquest HD 3-15x50 with Z800 reticle on a 300 Weatherby

I'm happy with the combination but would buy a Sig 2000 if shopping for a rangefinder today.

Best values on scopes recently
Cameralandny.com
Meopta 3.5-10x44
best source for good value in general


EuroOptic for Zeiss
Conquest 3-9x40
HD5 demo models about a $400 discount

But all of this is just my opinion on what looks good / functions well for me. You need to look through as many different types of glass and handle as many binos as you can to make up your own views and prioritize your dollars to performance decisions.

"Honestly, the best value is the one you actually use and enjoy using."

Yep!

Side track: has anyone else been disappointed with a recent Zeiss Conquest scope? A year ago I bought a 3-9x40 from euroOptic, hunt exclusively with it all season. Green fields early morning and late afternoon plus a lot of use in dark woods. I was really disappointed with its low light performance compared to a Zeiss conquest scope I owned about five or six years ago. The only difference I could see on the newer scope was it was marked on the side with eurooptic's logo. After the season was over I sold it and now use Meopta Meopro scopes both a fixed 6x and the 3.5-10x40 and find them to be much brighter.

Hard to really judge things off a sample of one. So I thought I would mention it here to see if others have had issues with the newer conquest scopes being sold at close out prices.

Interesting you should mention that, an acquaintance of mine said something similar about his new "Euro-ziess" 3-9 vs his older Conquest.


Casey

That makes me feel a little better. It wasn't terrible and I could still see till legal shooting times ended. However it was enough that I noticed because my prior Zeiss conquest scopes I could see well past legal shooting hours and this new or scope pretty much faded out as legal hours closed. Also I'm only 35 with good eyesight so it's not like my eyes went bad over the last few years.