Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Reasonable quality 4X fixed scope?

Hello all!
I am setting up a Tikka compact for an 8 year old grandson and others to follow. I have generally been a Leupold guy but recently have grown to appreciate Burris scopes both USA and imported for certain applications. Does anyone offer a budget to medium priced fixed 4X today? Prefer not to bulky nor heavy.
Any ideas?
Thanks for the help!
Rick

Find a used jap Weaver K4 4x38…

I have one more Jap Weaver K4 4X38 $140 shipped conus.

As mentioned, the older Japanese Weaver 4x scopes are some of the best scopes for the money.

No reason to get a fixed 4X scope. Every 4X made today is either high end or junk. The old ones are at, or past their useful life. Rubber seals don't last forever. I wouldn't trust anything more than about 30 years old to not leak or fog up.

If you want to keep it small and light get a 1.5-4X. You can still find 3-9X40 Burris FF-II scopes for around $150 and that would be your value leader. Something in a 2-7X32 would split the difference.

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Again. This.

I vote used M8 4X or 6X. I'm a big fan of M8 6X42.....

Find a variable power scope you like, set it to 4 and tape it in place so it can’t move.

Weaver Grand Slam 4.75X. Rugged. Great glass. Light. Made in Japan. Hard to find, but they pop up for sale here and there.

I suspect a kid with a variable scope will spend 90% of the hunting time playing with the zoom.



Bruce

Search JPro's posts for his take on starting small shooters. He used the Leupold 2.5x with its long eye relief.

They are good scopes, but the tube section is fairly short making them harder to fit on a long action.

A pickatooney rail would fix that problem.

Very true! But the rifle in the OP is a Tikka T3 compact SA, so it shouldn't be a huge issue.

I'd get a Kaps

Tikka's only come in one action length.

Use Sportsmatch rings directly to the integral rail and you'll be fine. So long as one of the rings has a recoil pin in it to keep the scope from sliding, you can move the other ring to best suit your scope tube. Newer Tikkas have holes for a recoil pin in the front or rear ring.

I had a few Leupold 2.5X. They served me well, but they wouldn't be my choice to start someone out. They have a comparatively limited FOV, or at least they used to, and I've found that people who aren't used to using a scope often have trouble finding game after they mount the gun. They are also comparatively dim in lowish light scenarios. I no longer own any.

Hawke 4x.

Under $100 & very clear.

Current spec is just under 40' at 100 yards.

I like the 3.5x10 Leupold’s. Leave it on 3.5, can grow into it. Bought one on here recently for 325.00, lifetime warranty if it has an issue.

There is a 2.5x8 Leupold in the classifieds

I always touted Weaver fixed K classics. The 4.5 Slam would be great too but if wanting an inexpensive workable 4x for a grandson his age why not look at a 4x32 Hawke Vantage for under $100 bucks??

I put one on my 10/22 thinking it will work well enough for now but as much as I didn't want to like it the thing has been great. Fully multicoated lenses and brighter than I ever imagined it could be. Adjustments are solid , tactile, clicks and have been spot on. The semi auto hasn't phased it a bit. Hard not to love the thing at this point.


**Edited - I didn't see 10gauge prior post. +1

That seems pretty good. Certainly should be able to find the target with that.

I replaced the 2.5's I had with 1.5-5's. IIRC, the 1.5-5 has a FOV of 65' and were noticably brighter.

If it has been a while the 2.5s you replaced were likely M8 models with single coatings, but 1.5-5 were likely at least Multicoat-4 unless they were also old. Current 2.5x scopes have better lens coatings.

Was the 65' FOV at 1.5x?

I have one of these sitting on a shelf. Was going to use it on a 10/22 as well but ended up going with a Helos 2-12 instead. I spent some time tinkering with it both in daylight and at dusk and have to agree that it's pretty impressive for a $100 scope.

Going to gift it to a 12 yr old girl for her .22 this Christmas.

That's the route I'd go in a 4X if it was for my own use.

If not stuck on 4X I'd look for a used Meopro 6X42.

These^^^!

I personally would avoid variable scopes for the kid. That’s my rather strong opinion!

Not sure what you’re planning for him to be shooting. But I'm guessing white tail.
I’d look at 2.5x, 3x or 4x for a starter scope. Early Weaver Jap models seem to be a favorite.

When Herters went under, my family went to Mitchell SD and bought their inventory of Weaver K series, J Series and Marksman scopes. The 2.5x and the 3x worked great. They had many K4’s and they worked good too - I think that 4x scopes were considered the best for deer then, at least for hunters around home, unless they were still using iron sights. Those scopes all worked well. However,, the higher power scopes (>4x) were mounted mostly on varmint rifles.
It depends on your hunting style but we often were shooting running deer up close (<50 yards), therefore a 2 1/2x or 3x with post was pretty cool. — We never sat in a stand.

Yes. @ 1.5, which of course is less X.

Through the years I've had just about all iterations of vari X III, VX III, VX3, VX3i, etc. You are correct in that years back they offered a much bigger optical advantage over lower tier models than they do currently, IME.

Most of what I've kept is gloss 1.5-5's, 1.75-6's, and 2.5-8's. For what I use them on, mostly blued/walnut levers and nostalgic woods rifles, they do what they're supposed to.

They seem to be highly regarded scopes, but I'd advise don't bother trying to order from them. I ordered a 4x last December and it has yet to be delivered. Comms with them are sporadic at best. They blame covid supply chain issues. This reminds me it's been awhile since I sent them a "What's going on" email.

I picked up a Simmons 4x for .22 magnum years ago. It's still ticking along. I just saw them at Walmart yesterday. I did not get the price. I know, a Tikka is too good for a Simmons. Just making a suggestion.

kwg

I was going to go the same route for a custom rifle, but communication was spotty with the company and supplier so ditched that idea.

Wasn't worth the hassle so a VX3 2.5-8 does just as well

As am I.

I've mounted them on Long Action Model 70s, and Model 700s and in EACH instance, they fit just fine.

They are shorter than the FX-2.



Compared to a 2.5-8



M8 for comparison on a 721.

I depends on what R&B system you are using. The wider Weaver rings take up more space and the std Weaver bases sit pretty far forward on a 700. I use a Leupold weaver style base that moves the front ring back a bit.

I'm sure some of you guys will really call Blasphemy.... but I've got 3 or 4 plain old Tasco 4Xs with a 32mm Reticle, but I can see out of them just fine, and these scopes are around 30 years old... they've seen service on top of 30/06, 30/30, 243 and a 260 Rem, and they have never had nary a hiccup about them... always worked just fine...

Even if they were a $29.95 scope....have a couple of Tasco 2 x 7 World Class scopes also...seen service on top of a 338.06 and one on top a Browning 338 Win Mag. I think they were originally like $39.95... they really haven't ever hiccupped either....

They've ever seen service hunting in Northern MN and Northern Wisconsin at 20 below.. and worked just fine in that weather also...

but hey, If I can see out of them, that's all I was after, not what anyone else thinks of them.... and they always tracked pretty darn well....

swift 4x40, made in South Korea ...