I need a scope for an in-line muzzle loader. It will be used at ranges not exceeding 175-200 yards. Things I'd like:

Street price under $400
Variable with a top end magnification of 6x to 7x
4"+ eye relief
Illuminated reticle
Objective size - 44mm or less

I would prefer it to have some sort of ranging marks below the center crosshairs

Leupold makes a muzzleloader scope.

The Nikon muzzleloader scopes are pretty nice for the money. I'm normally not a Nikon scope fan, but like the Nikon on my Encore ML.

This

No illuminated reticle but the eye relief along is a big deal for me. I've had my brow cut buy muzzleloaders more than anything else. optics are clear and the spot on program has been very accurate with my Encore

have a Leupold Vari-X II 3-9x40 on my Encore 50cal. standard duplex. never had an issue and still holds zero after about 10 years (granted I don't shoot it much, handful of times a year is all)

You're asking for a lot of stuff for $400, assuming you want decent quality.

I have a Leupold 2-7 ML/shotgun scope on my Knight. It's been shot maybe 100 times and I've not touched the knobs since I zeroed it. No light, no hashmarks, but solid so far, and well under $400. The reticle is very bold.

Elsewhere on this forum, there's a post about a Hawke 2-7 with a light and 4.5 inches of eye-relief for $100. I bought one, and it looks good, though it's still to be tested. You could buy 4 of those.

Natchez has a bunch of stuff on sale, some pretty cheap. You may find a suitable scope deeply discounted there.

I have this one for sale if you're interested in a 3x9x40.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...73/re-leupolld-vx-ii-3x9x40#Post12293773

I have the exact scope you are asking for on one of my ML rifles. Meopta Artemis 2000 1.5-6x42. When I bought it it came with a plex reticle. I sent the scope back to Meopta because it had a nitrogen leak that slightly fogged the objective lens. They returned a new scope a week later but sent one with a reticle you describe. It is every bit the scope my Same spec'd Swaro/Zeiss/S & B scopes are. Fantastic FFP low light performance. I suspect that getting one now would run you more than $400, but keeping an eye open for a used one would likely turn one up at your price eventually.

I put a Leupold Ultimate Slam 2-7x33 on my Omega last fall. No illuminated reticle but it checks your other boxes off. Took me about 10 shots to get it sighted in at 100 yds. I put the 200 yd dot on the gong at the range and sent it swinging on the first shot after sight in. A huge improvement over the B&L 3200 I had on the gun.

Doug just posted a special on the Hawke Endurance 2-7x32 with an illuminated 30/30 reticle for $99.

I'd jump on that. I have an endurance 30 1.5-6x44 with the same reticle on an AR in 450 Bushmaster. It works well and the prices are right.

Call Doug.

Dan

I probably will have to stretch my budget higher to get what I want. Is there anything with a street price under $500 that meets my criteria?

Your Leupold would be ideal if it had an illuminated reticle.

I have a Burris MTAC 1.5-6x that is very nice. It has a very nice "Ballistic AR" illuminated reticle. But it only has a 3.5" eye relief, and I don't want to set off a magnum charge in a .50 cal. in-line with the scope that close to my eye.

Leupold VX 2 2x7 is all you need the juncture of where the thin meets the thick will be your 200 yrd hold with a stiff load of BH209 and a 250gr projectile
This was taken at 140yds in waning light a couple weeks ago






Another from a few years back last light again no problen with VX2 2x7