Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Best scope for under $250

My son is wanting to put a scope on his 308 and being fresh out of school doesn't want to spend more than $250. No turret twisting necessary. What are the suggestions?

I told him to just get a Fullfield II but there might be others worthy in this price range.

Nikon Prostaff 5 2.5-10x40.

Natchez has VX-2 3-9x40s on sale for $226, their part # LU110797.

Vari x iii (or newer)Leupold 2.5-8x36 , or you may luck up and find a Zeiss Conquest 3-9x40.both are good for that target price. Scope market seems soft too.

If fixed powers will suit you, the Weaver K Series can usually be had for around $150. We've been happy with the several we've had.

Turret twisting or not, I would buy the SWFS SS fixed 6X come black Friday. There just is not another scope anywhere close to it in durability and build quality for under $1000.

DennisinAZ - Burris FF2 is a good recommendation but I think a little dated for the money. I have had one for years and have recommended them -like the Weavers. Hard to part with but some newer scopes give them a run they no longer beat IMHO. I have Meopta, Leupold and had others including Sightron and do in field comparisons on all. I just bought a buddy on a budget a Prostaff 3-9x40 with rings for $149 and am pretty blown away and will second it. Very comfortable eye relief, re-settable turrets with extremely nice clicks that are much more positive than my Burris- or heck even my Vx3 for that matter, fully multicoated with blackened tube insides in a fairly lightweight 1" package. Finding it very hard to justify some other scopes I been looking at considering just how bright this thing is. The rings were those vertical ones like Warne that aren't my thing but some really like. Most of my scopes were 6x in the past for consistency and brightness but newer coatings and so many now fully multicoated make new variables brighter than some of my fixed 6's. To my surprise I found I enjoy not so much the extra power over 6x but going below 6x for the huge fov so no longer seeing the advantage of fixed.

The SS 6x I am sure is a winner for build quality but gonna be a half a coke heavier, $50 more -if that matters, and no extras. The Prostaff came with lens covers plus a neoprene scope chief- or whatever they are called- and of course rings that work on Weaver type base.

Just some thoughts. $200 range scopes these days are a delight. The Vx2 is certainly another good one.

Haven't used that power range but the 3.9's have worked well for me.




Dave

straight 4X FX2 would be my choice, maybe find a used one, everyone likes a 6X but for me its too much where I hunt, of course it seems no one uses a 4X anymore unless they leave their variable set that way all the time. Please note this is only my opinion and I have not had a shot over 150 yards in 10 years at a deer, but I personally would be happier with the duplex reticle and 4x. I had a very nice very reliable Meopta 6x but sold it simply because it was not my cup of tea in the woods. I think Jack O' Conner killed a few animals with a 4X.

He won't be dissappointed in a Burris Fullfield II.

It's less money than a VX 2 with a LR duplex but if I take them out at dusk I don't find a lot of difference. The clearance VX 2 these days are incredible value.

IMO, the absolute best deal going right now are the Weaver Grand Slam scopes at Natchez. Great prices, plus Weaver is offering a $30 rebate. For example, here is a Grand Slam 3-12X42 for $250 minus the rebate. Even after shipping you're under $250 for a very, very good Japanese made scope.

Weaver GS 3-12

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^


THIS...exactamundo.

CameraLand's 3-9 Minox for $85 looks intriguing. I believe a few folks around here have tested them out - maybe they'll chime in.

FC

For the money it’s hard to beat a Bushnell

I haven't seen Vari X III for $250 anywhere.





I've done the Minox experiment. They are extremely fragile. With one exception, every single Minox that I have used, whether I bought it from Doug or a friend bought them, have gone tits up- even the 5 series which are more expensive. I think they are a scope suitable for using in a blind on a 223 or less recoil.

The Weaver Grand Slam is intriguing but the eye relief is a little sketchy and the Nikon Prostaff 5 looks like a good choice.

Keep 'em coming.

There are a lot of good scopes in that price range.When it comes down to final choices,look at the eye relief.Eye relief around 4" is what I would prefer.You never have to worry about the scope bumping you during recoil.I see so many rifles set up for kids with cheap scopes that have so little eye relief they have to really get close in order to see through it.Once that scope touches them one time,the fear is set into them.

Joe..Ive got two of them...and Im EXTREMELY impressed with them..


Bought the first one and was so impressed I went back for another..no idea what to do with it...its still in the box, but I REALLY like them.

Got the first one on my Tikka Superlight .223

I have a NOS Minox ZA 3-9x40 that held up fine for 6 shots on a 257 Roberts before it went haywire. Also worth noting that the minox CS is through the BLASER folks now as that’s who handles there distributorship. I sent the scope in a month ago for what I was told would be a 2-3 week wait. 2 and a half weeks after mailing the scope I hadn’t even received communication that it had been received. USPS tracking showed they had had the scope for 2 weeks. I followed up with an email. I received a response a couple days later that my scope had been received and would be shipped to Germany for repairs later that week.

Between a universally reported lack of durability that matches my experience, the fact that it’s Doug’s deal anymore , and now CS that’s fair to middling at best there’s no reason to buy a minox scope. APO HG Bino’s are killing it still lots of trips and years and hours staring through them later.

https://www.opticsplanet.com/sightron-sii-3-9x42mm-riflescope-sii39x42.html

I have one of these on a 30-06 that has fired around 1200 shots and never lost zero. Tracks good as well.

At that price you can get rings with the scope and still be under budget.

I had similar experience with a single copy of minox i tried.