What would you get???


Shots would be 450yds and under for all sorts of NA big game

This one.

https://cameralandny.com/shop/brand...0137-42f6-00163ecd2826?variation=1964131

And I would spend the extra $200 on quality rings.

Swarovski 3-10x42

Meopta Meostar, pick the one that you like.
Ronnie

3-9 Burris Fullfield II w/ballistic plex reticle
or
Leupld 3.5-10 w/Boone & Crockett reticle
or
6x SWFA classic mil quad

For a max range of 450 yards I'm not sure that "good" glass is gonna be a game changer for you. It wouldn't matter much for me.

never spend that much on a scope.

This I have to follow. Line up the popcorn.

Swarovski Z-3 3-10-42 Wuth 4A..

Half that amount will buy a very good scope.

Something with a 2.5 - 4x on the low end and 12 - 16x on the high end.

Zeiss V4 4X12 with lighted reticle. Love mine for a set and forget and hunting in low light

I am very pleased with the Leupold VX5 3-15 HD CDS with fire dot. Now I can find the center of the crosshairs on a hog in dim light.

so why do you have to follow my statement ? do you not have anything else to do?..

SWFA 6x, spend the rest elsewhere.

Zeiss V4, 4-16 or 6-24 if you’re a turret twister and 3-12 if you’re not and prefer capped elevation

If I had $1200 to spend on a scope it would be something like this: 2.5 -10 with firedot or illuminated.

kwg

LRTSi 3-12x or SWFA 3-9x.

A Yract Toric is as good as it gets and you will have money left over

Tract Toric gets my vote

I would certainly not spend 1200 dollars on a scope manufacturer that may not be in business in the foreseeable future.

Zeiss demo V4 4-16 x44 or 50 for as little as 700 bucks depending on reticle. It will keep a lot of its value and have a great warranty. Great glass too.

You will have 500 bucks left over to buy quality mounts and ammunition.

I have one being delivered today.





Yup. Easy choice

6x SS or 2.5-10x42 NXS used.

I’d give that 3-9 SWFA a try myself.

I would buy ....3.... SWFA FIXED 10X OR 12X.......and put them on my favorite rifles.

That was easy.

best

Heavy

Buy 4 Leupolds

Sounds like multiples of those is a good idea.

450 yards and under - just a nice simple set and forget Leupold VX3 with a duplex reticle. Now what to do with $850.

3-9x42 SWFA HD or Nightforce SHV 3-10x42 would be my vote.

Both would be dead-nuts reliable without the extreme weight/bulk.

Z3's don't hold zero's well. Z5 2.4-12x50 with BRH preferrably. There is no other choice that comes close IMO - unless you have to dial or have illumination. (although they make such a version but mixed opinions on dialing results) Excellent optics, light and small and super reliable....

Leupold VX 5HD 2-10x42mm Duplex 30mm tube - I have two and consider them excellent scope for the money, about $800 if you shop around. As much as Leupold is not so popular on the campfire, they have been my go-to for 30+ please and I've been very satisfied with them. I have scopes by S&B, Swarovski and Zeiss and I don't feel disadvantaged when using my Leupolds.

if this is a real question and there actually is $1200 to just blow on optics.......then.....3 or 4...SWFA scopes would be the smart thing to do. Seriously.

In reality....get 3. Use the rest to buy components or ammo and practice using the scopes and their capabilities and stop day dreaming.

Be sure whatever you buy has at least a 60mm objective lens, 25x magnification on the top end, and weighs 3 pounds or you will be lower than snake [bleep] in a buggy rut around here.

Swarovski Z5 2.4-12x50 BT-4W. A step up from the Z3s with coil spring erector versus leaf springs and more elevation adjustment, than the Z3 and other Z5s. JMHO

3-10x42 Duplex Nightforce open box from Doug @ $699.

SWFA and Nightforce are very solid but lack optical quality, brightness and light weight of Z5 2.4-12.

I’ve been leaning towards this


.... I’ve also been considering same scope with a standard reticle and getting the custom elevation turret

This would my pick as well. And I'd call Doug for the best deal on the one I chose.

i would spend even a little more and just buy a new Nightforce and picatinny mounts, weight is not a big deal on a great scope.

Calling Doug is the only way I buy new optics .
Ronnie

I just bought a NIB Swarovski 2.5-15x56 30mm tube for $1462

My last optic purchase was with Doug and I’m planning on doing business with him again on this one as well. I just want the best scope possible for my #1 big game rifle that I plan taking on lots of hunts in the future. Buy once cry once. Doug is good but he can’t pick it for me ... that’s my dilemma. Lol

SWFA 3-9X42 MIL on most of my hunting rifles, and it's my favorite... hard to beat for the $.

Id spend 5 or 6 hundred on a used Leupold and the rest on a decent set of earings for the wife.
Both would pay off well.

Several decent choices with that upper limit price in mind. I like and use the following and would look at these depending on how the scope was most often going to be used:

If dialing is not a preference:
SHV 3-10x42 Illuminated
Used NXS 2.5-10x42 (or 32) with capped turrets
S&B Klassic series (maybe used for $ depending on choice of power range).....I like the 6x42

If dialing is a preference:
Used NXS 2.5-10x42 (or 32) with zero stop
SWFA 6x42 or 3-9
Used LRHS 3-12x44
Tract Toric 2-10x42 (can be configured to dial or leave capped)

Personal preference on reticles that match the conditions you hunt in most often can make quite a difference in how much you like/use a scope....and how useful that scope is to you.

For $1200 I would buy 2 or 3 scopes...........

I'd buy a luepold 3-10, 3" high, @ 100, buy a couple extra tags other than what was planned, and have some more fun..

Custom elevation turret is nice, but the BT that is available on multiple models works very well. The key to any elevation dial or ballistic turret is accurate data input.

FWIW, and if you se the need, Swarovski introduced illuminated reticles in the Z5 series for 2020.

I may not be able to pick it for you but I'd be glad to discuss some worthy options with you

Thanks Doug for getting me setup!

Ended up ordering 2 of the Swarovski Z5s in 3.5 - 18 x 44 with the Ballistic Turrets ... one for myself and my buddy wanted one too. Doug offered them at great savings today! Can’t wait to get them mounted and give that Ballistic Turret a good test.

Depending on chambering, your 'good test' might make it to 600 yards.....

Huntsman, I’m going to be mounting mine on my Win70 stainless classic in 30-06 and my buddy is putting his on a Savage High Country chambered in 308. We are only looking to get out to 400 or 500yds with them. Strictly hunting rifles and if we can’t get within 400yds of an animal then we will just have to pass on them and try again another day. We aren’t turret twisters but the Swaro Ballistic Turret system seems so simple that I can’t see how we hardly can go wrong with it for our main hunting rigs. I can’t wait to have some good quality optics! Up till now, Bushnell Elite 6500 & 4500 has been my best glass. The Swaro Z5 still has a 1” tube and remains fairly light at 17ozs. I think it’s a good choice for a 400 or 500yd max hunting rig. Time will tell!

Yep. Time will tell you the turrets suck. Take a test once you get it. Sight in, and get your dope. Take a pic of 5 rounds at your sight in target.Then start the test, shoot a round at your sight in target distance. Dial to your max distance target, shoot again. Dial back to first target, and run 5 rounds to each target dialling between each round/distance. 10 rounds total, five at each distance with dialling each shot, and cooling in between if you want. When done, post a pic of those two targets. Then compare the 2 sight in target groups..... I think you'll find that 'best glass' don't equate to 'best groups'. But what do I know, having only done that to 4 of 'em..... Enough to learn me that I'll never do it again with swaro. Give me good internals and glass good enuff to see the target, any ol' time.

For a HUNTING rifle I would spend what it took to get a very good quality 4X and use the remaining money on powder, brass and bullets.

I'd go the 3-9x36.

This isn’t what I want to hear after ordering my most expensive scope to date! I thought I was finally doing something right by splurging on some good glass. Where were you a day or two ago??? Now I’m confused and aggravated.

Great scope but as I suggested earlier, results are mixed on the turret model. I wouldve done the BRH if you're only going 4-500yds. You'll likely be fine in the end.

I like these

Several of us on this thread tried to steer you towards a scope that will actually function properly for you if you do any dialing at all.

Hell, maybe he got one that actually works. I've seen guys on the innerwebs say that they're great......

But it never seems to be a guy that actually shoots.....

Mine has a 4x32 Meopta, can't think of anything I'd replace it with.

Did you try them on the Swaro z5 platform or were you using z3s? I’m curious as heck now. This was a big purchase for me! If I have same experience as you Swarovski will definitely be hearing about it ... lol.

Meopta

Lecia ER 2.5 -10

You can pick up a used one for $600.

Be warned. Once you've tried alpha glass there is not going back....

It would be Nightforce for sure.

Wondering why there is no mention besides mine of a zeiss V4 in this thread, unless I missed it.

Would put $450 - $500 of it in a like new 10 year old Zeiss and the rest into gear. $1,200 today isn't hardly enough to buy much in the way of a new scope, and most of the middle range scopes today aren't as good as the better scopes of a decade ago.

Phil

what universe are YOU from?

I tried to steer you to the Tract Toric a scooe that equals the best ice the best at a 1/3rd of the cost.

I own high end Zeis, S&B, Nightforcs and US Optics and my Tract Toric 3X15X50 takes a back seat to none

I’m still excited about the Swaro glass! I’ll keep you all posted on how it works out for me.

Good deal

I am amazed at how many people select a rifle scope on the glass and how the image looks when viewing but give little consideration to the mechanicals of the scope and how well it will zero, hold zero and dial if needed.

Almost without exception all modern rifle scopes that I have looked thru in the last many years had more than enough glass quality to see the target well and to make shots during any reasonable light conditions, I want mine to also move where the dials are moved and hold zero.

this is a stupid post.

go on ebay and buy a bushnell 6500 elite 2.5x16x42 30mm tube side focus for around 600.00 . keep the rest because you will want another one later.

Thread or post?

My Swarvo Z5 has slightly better definition than my Tract Toric(s) but its hardly worth fussing over. The Tract wins hands down on functionality and value.

He was referring to his post and he was right.

Two Burris FF IIs and a new rifle for the second scope.

I’ve owned many FFII scopes over the past 20yrs. I own a few at the moment. I also own multiple Burris XTR II scopes currently. I’ve had such great results with them all...

However, this past muzzleloader season I was in the stand 3-4hrs in 20 degree temps. I couldn’t turn the damned ocular to get more magnification. Buck standing broadside at 100yds and I wanted 6x to thread the needle through the brush but couldn’t get it. I hammered him at 3x, but damnit!

I hunted out of heated shacks up till last year and never knew this could happen. Also FF II with that whole ocular magnification adjuster makes flip up scope caps a pain in the butt. So, from a die hard Burris fan I can’t recommend the FF II line anymore. I say E1 or XTR line. Just FYI - Brad

Shop around and buy a S&B 3-12x42 Klassic. You can make your reticle any size you want. powdr

I am a S&B fan, I own two Summits and one Precision Hunter, but I just had a Summit puke on me when mounted on a lightweight 30-06. Last correspondence I had with S&B was they are waiting on a new erector to come over from German, or where ever they get them. All scope brands can have failures.

Zeiss V6 3-18x44 used.

😎

I buy a $400 scope and put it on a new $800 rifle.