Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire what scope for less than $ 125.00

My son and I just started deer hunting. Limited dollars to buy guns,clothes, stands, pay for lease, etc. We have 7400 30-6 and 270 bolt. For $ 125.00 or less what scopes should we get. I was recommended Tasco World Class 3x9x50 or BSA Catseye 3x10x44. What should we do?

I would check the pawn shops, gun shops, and classifieds for used Leupolds. A good fixed 4X would work very well on both. A used Leupy is still better than many new scopes. Good luck, Troy.

Jiigbr - Bear Basin has the Weaver V9 3-9X38 on sale for 99.00. Regular price is 149.00. It sounds like a good scope for the price.

If your on a budget, stay away from the varibles. Cheap varibles are often disappointing. I like the used leo idea. Remember, they are warrantied for life, not limited to the original owner. If it fails, they fix, or replace, for free. If a leo isn't availible, how about a fixed 4X Weaver-$120.99 at Midway. Maybe Bear Basin has them cheaper. E.

I went through a variation of this same question a few months ago on the optics board: <P>If you can't find a good used scope, another option is the Swift 3-9x40. High marks, for the price. You might still find the comments at Optics. <P>It's one option if you can't find a good used Leupold.

jiigbr: I was looking for a better scope than what I had about a year ago, and I had to buy two to (one was for a new .22). I spent about $125 or so on a new Simmons for the .22, their top-of-the-line variable AO model for rimfires. I've been pleased with it. It's crisp and very solid and repeatable. Lower-priced Simmons I've had were pieces of you know what. For my centerfire, I went with a Cabelas Pine Ridge 3X9 variable. Cost $89.99. Was and is a piece of you know what. Never did focus up the crosshairs crisp at 100 yds, and it wouldn't hold zero from one trip to the range to the other. (Like a 2-inch change in POI, and I didn't bump it at all!) So I was one bummed dude. I looked in the catalog, and noticed that now Cabelas was selling the bottom-of-the-line Vari-XII 3X9 Gloss for $199.99. Man, I wished I'd gotten that! Course, I would also need to buy the $19.99 one-piece mount and the $19.99 rings too to do it right. Well, I got on the horn with Cabelas, and they are taking the Pine Ridge back for full credit almost a year after I bought it. And to defray the cost of my shipping back the old scope, they're giving me free shipping on an order including a couple of boxes of centerfire ammo, new hearing protectors and glasses, the Leupold, mounts, rings, and ring wrench. That's customer service! I'll give you the same advice that other guys gave me at the time I bought the lousy scope (I ignored it to my chagrin). Bite the bullet and buy the better scope. This is the last year for the Vari-X II. Guys I respect have told me that it's a very good value. The optics are only single coated, so it won't be as bright as a multi-coated scope. (But the word is the difference from more-expensive multicoated models is not that much in normal light, even to 1/2 hour after sunset or before sunrise.) The adjusters are friction not click and marked for 1/2-minute adjustments. Doesn't mean you can't get a 1/4-minute adjustment, however. Because there are no clicks, you can put it halfway in between. I'll throw out the caveat that I don't know my butt from the proverbial hole in the ground on these things, I'm going on expert advice. But you won't go wrong doing business with Cabelas. I've had many instances over the years where the company has gone out of its way to treat me right. If you're buying out of a store, and you decide to buy a cheaper scope, like the $125 models, I'd go into stores and look through them and compare them. Not that you can completely tell in the store. Buying the cheaper models is a crap shoot. I did well with the Simmons rimfire model, but the other cheaper scopes I've purchased have been pretty darn disappointing. We all have budgets; that's why I didn't buy a Vari-X III. But you will never regret spending a little extra dough to get more quality. I probably spent at least $70 worth of ammo trying to get that lousy scope to work right, for example. Anyway, good luck. I'd like to hear what you get and how it works. Best,

Listen to the echos ... used Leupold ... used Leupold ... used Leupold.<P>You can get used fixed 4x Leupolds at Gunsamerica all day long. If that won't work, you can find one at gunshops many times. If that won't work, ask the folks here if they know of any.<P>Be careful. It is at precisely this point (scope purchase) that many, many newe hunters screw up their valuable experience/time irrevocably. You will not regret the Leupold.<P>Best Regards, Talus

Talus makes the most important point. A lot of guys think they will get buy with a lousy quality product, then the find out (as I did) that they have wasted their money. Well, I'm getting the money back on the lousy scope, but look at the money spent on the burned ammo. Think how much more fun your shooting is when you're hitting what you're aiming at.

I'm for the used Leupold.<P>I can get you a good price on a Tasco or Bushnell if you want, but the used Leupold is the way to go.<P>Rick

jiigbr - I must agree with everyone here... Get a Leupold. If you must get a cheap scope and you can't find a good used Leupold, check <A HREF="http://www.swfa.com/riflescopes/simmons/index.html" TARGET=_blank>this out</A>. I would choose a Simmons over Tasco if I <I>had</I> to go that route. Good luck!

TASCO TASCO TASCO!!!! I have the old 3-9 TV purchased in 1977 when they first came out. After a great deal of serious shooting with my 270, I mounted it on my son's 308 last fall. I have a Tasco 1.75-5 on my 308 and I wouldn't trade it for anything! Two of my buddies use the Tasco 2-8, and they like them. Tascos are not like the upper end scopes, but for the money I feel they are far better than the other low end scopes I tried. One question for you - why the 3-9? Is all of your hunting over preety open ground? I've found for woods hunting the low power scopes are great. Doug

I you can find a used Leupold for $125, then by all means thats the one to get. However, I don't know where one can find a deal like that consistently. Even on Ebay, Leupolds generally bring upwards of $200. Same with used Burris scopes. They're usually not cheap. I have seen used B&L Elite scopes for $125-165, so that might be an option. But at $165 or so, your only fifty bucks or so away from a Burris so, what the heck?<P>Other options would be an American-made Weaver. These are pretty good, but the Jap made ones are rather poor. Or one of the better Redfields--but steer clear of the cheap Redfields.<P>In the realm of inexpensive scopes, I would go with Swift. These are made in Korea but have very good glass in them. Much better than any Simmons, Tasco, BSA, or Bushnell that I have either looked at or owned. Personally, I won't get another Tasco, Bushnell (except for the B&L Elite line), Simmons, or japanease-made Weavers. The Swifts are better than any of these IMO. <P>Check this topic in the Optics room for links to sources of Swift scopes.

Folks, this post got me curious, so I looked around the web for about 15 min. for used 4x Leupolds. I distinctly remember looking for this item when I was thinking of getting one for my .22. <P>The site I found at that time sold guns and gun-related items (used). There were at least 4 Leupolds, 4x, in very good condition, for $125. Trouble is, I didn't bookmark the site.<P>I thought it was Gunsamerica, but I checked there and found nothing yesterday. Now I don't think it was Gunsamerica. So I am sorry if I caused you to look there in vain.<P>This site had a searchable format with an optics section. If I can find it again I'll post.<P>Looking, Talus