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.

The 3-9 Minox is very nice, I have two.
I also like the Weaver Grand Slam Tactical for $219 also $30 rebate,Natchez link here

Any of the Bushnell Elite's

Proper scope selection completely evades me. I've paid decent money for some name brand scopes that have been junk. I also have a little no-name 4X scope that I bought on a whim for $40 at a dept. store several years ago that I've had on 3 or 4 rifles. It's surprisingly bright and clear and the focus can be dialed in as close as 10 yards, or so. I've been waiting for it to break for about 10 years but so far it refuses to do so. I've got it on a Kel-Tek SU16 right now. I've since bought a Redfield 2-7X33 to replace it, but it's dialed in tight at 100 yards and I hate to take it off.

Maybe it'll break this year.

Sucks the cabelas euro scopes are gone. They were blowing them out for what 200ish -250ish. Other than that u could probably find a leupy vx2 in that price range

I’ve seen too many Nikon scopes fail- both Prostaffs and Monarchs, to trust them.

Personally, I’d get a SS 6x, but if he can’t warm up to that idea, then a Burris FFII or Bushnell 4200, and no dialing, would be my next stop.

Leupold VX1 3-9X40 brand new off ebay for $140. Buy ammo and shoot with the other $110.

I had one of these that I let go with a rifle I sold - don't regret selling the rifle but wish I had kept the scope. A lot of scope for $170.

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

Also noticed this ad over at rimfirecentral,com If in fact it is a VX2 and not one of the earlier iterations this may be a pretty good buy.
I do not know the seller and have no affiliation with him.

http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/vbclassified.php?do=ad&id=194650

Lots of options out there.

edited to add - I know you said that he would not be dialing but the Sightrons I have owned (4) have always dialed perfectly, Leupolds not so much.

drover

I would take a look at Redfield Revolutions. My daughters M77UL in 257 Roberts wears one and it is very nice.

https://www.amazon.com/Redfield-RF6...;sr=8-3&keywords=redfield+revolution

My 3 to 9 vx2 in the classifieds would work fine. It's new and for your sons uses I am happy to ship to him for 250

Is it possible to get the reticle in a 6x FWSF changed by anyone? I can't deal with all those lines for hunting..I like the German no. 4 ..Thanks for any help...

Welcome to the fire shehunter.

I really like my Hawke Endurance 4-16 that Doug has on Black Friday special for just over 200. It is spot on and the glass is clear. So far, I have shot a 1/4-inch group at 300 yards with it and killed five deer in five shots. It has taken a few fairly good knocks, too. Time will tell, but first impressions have been favorable.

I have 4 Revolutions. I like them quite a bit. I really like the Accu-range reticle. I am pretty sure (based on specs) that they are a the same as Leupold Rifleman scopes.

The Revolutions are about 2 ounces heavier than the comparable Leupold models. I think that is probably a good thing for durability's sake.

I've had two Revolutions so far, a 3-9x and a 2-7x, both of which are very very good for their price.

https://www.leupold.com/scopes/compact-scopes/rifleman-3-9x40mm

https://www.redfield.com/riflescopes/compare/

If you look at Leupold Rifleman 3-9x40 and Redfield Revolution 3-9x40, the weight, length, etc are exactly the same.

I've picked up some real nice featured Cabelas House Brand scopes as of late
in that price range...

their durability, time will tell...

but their older stuff, I have a couple of, have held up were well
even after seeing a lot of abuse, being cheaply purchased scopes...
and better glass than they should have been considering what I paid
for them...