Need a good scope for my deer rifle

[Rebel_Rider1969]

2x cost of rifle.

I was actually giving the normal snarky response. I'm cheap as they come. One deer rifle x39 has an old tasco wideview 2x7 $20 from the pawn shop. The other is my premium scope an old leopold 3x9 firedot.$150. I think both were discontinued years ago. I really liked the nikons but they are gone too. Sucks

 

[SLTW]

I was actually giving the normal snarky response. I'm cheap as they come. One deer rifle x39 has an old tasco wideview 2x7 $20 from the pawn shop. The other is my premium scope an old leopold 3x9 firedot.$150. I think both were discontinued years ago. I really liked the nikons but they are gone too. Sucks

$20 optic???? I can understand / relate to $150…but $20???

 

[Rebel_Rider1969]

$20 optic???? I can understand / relate to $150…but $20???

It works!

 

[.22 cents]

It works! View attachment 272179 View attachment 272180

you would have killed it more dead with a Nightforce

 

[Rebel_Rider1969]

you would have killed it more dead with a Nightforce

It IS a Japanese Tasco..... Probably +$200 on ebay. I really like it btw. Clear and crisp good in low light. Really like the wider field of view. I normally run mine at the lowest setting anyway. I'm werid.

I don't know if anybody still makes one like this?? Lucked out buying it and it may explode the next time I pull the trigger. Till then keep on pewing!

 

[SLTW]

It IS a Japanese Tasco..... Probably +$200 on ebay. I really like it btw. Clear and crisp good in low light. Really like the wider field of view. I normally run mine at the lowest setting anyway. I'm werid.

I don't know if anybody still makes one like this?? Lucked out buying it and it may explode the next time I pull the trigger. Till then keep on pewing!

SWFA…SWFA are direct descendants of the Japanese tasco.

The 36x fixed power Japanese Tascos are selling for about $500 on eBay and accurate shooter to the hardcore bench rest guys.

 

[Rebel_Rider1969]

SWFA…SWFA are direct descendants of the Japanese tasco.

The 36x fixed power Japanese Tascos are selling for about $500 on eBay and accurate shooter to the hardcore bench rest guys.

Good to know. Thanks. I'll keep my eyes peeled when pawn shopping! Never know could flip it and get another pew!

 

[.22 cents]

It IS a Japanese Tasco..... Probably +$200 on ebay. I really like it btw. Clear and crisp good in low light. Really like the wider field of view. I normally run mine at the lowest setting anyway. I'm werid.

I don't know if anybody still makes one like this?? Lucked out buying it and it may explode the next time I pull the trigger. Till then keep on pewing!

many US made scopes are just assembled here. heres a list that LOW of Japan makes

Light Optical Works (Japan) rifle scope OEM - Optics Database

All rifle scopes manufactured by Light Optical Works (LOW Japan)

sageratsafaris.com

 

[boatbum101]

IMHO there's a world of difference between what I want in a hunting scope vs what I want in a tactical scope or one for F class competition . For most American hunters shooting during LEGAL hours you don't need great or even above avg, optics . For those who hunt hard & want the ability to see that trophy way back in the treeline & be able to take a shot costs more . OP stated he was on a budget of $ 400 max . Now I allowed my own predjudice to color my choices . I've had cheap scopes & always wound up having them fail or not meet my needs . On the other hand price does not always equal quality . I hunted with a sporterized 1903 Springfield w/ a Denver Redfield Wide Angle for years . Recticle broke & replaced it with a 1990 vintage Zeiss Diatal ZA 6X42 which it still wears to this day . Old girls put a bunch of critters in the pot including elk , mulies , WT & a bear or 2 . The new Leupold VX line is problematic & I'd avold them . Which is why I pick the older Vari X III . Have a Vari X III 3.5-10X50 on a Rem 700 30/06 thats done evrything I've asked of it for years . Another $ 400 scope with very good glass is the older 1" Zeiss Conquest 3-9X40 or 50 . Bushnell Elite 4200 / 6500 also have good glass , but eyebox is a little tighter . Reason I told OP to look for a quality used scope is with careful shopping one can quite often get a lot more for their money , I've been able to buy some upper end stuff for half of what a new one would run . So no you don't need no $ 1000 scope to shoot Bambi . In the other hand if you could get a $ 1000 ( new in the box price ) scope gently used for half that or less , why not ?

 

[Welldoya]

I was gonna say (but others beat me to it) the older Japanese Tascos were darn good scopes. My first rifle was a Marlin 336 I bought from Kmart in 1977 for $92 on sale.
I ordered a “TV tube” 4x Tasco from Sears for $30 and I was the cool kid in school. Still have both.
I remember an article in Outdoor Life many years ago saying what a bargain the Tascos were.
Also, as said above, the Leupold VariX 3s are darn good scopes. I put a 3.5x10x50 on my Abolt years ago. Great scope.
The only problem I ever had with Leupold was when I pair of binoculars with a rubberized coating became tacky.
Leupold sent me a new pair.

 

[gejshooter]

IMHO there's a world of difference between what I want in a hunting scope vs what I want in a tactical scope or one for F class competition . For most American hunters shooting during LEGAL hours you don't need great or even above avg, optics . For those who hunt hard & want the ability to see that trophy way back in the treeline & be able to take a shot costs more . OP stated he was on a budget of $ 400 max . Now I allowed my own predjudice to color my choices . I've had cheap scopes & always wound up having them fail or not meet my needs . On the other hand price does not always equal quality . I hunted with a sporterized 1903 Springfield w/ a Denver Redfield Wide Angle for years . Recticle broke & replaced it with a 1990 vintage Zeiss Diatal ZA 6X42 which it still wears to this day . Old girls put a bunch of critters in the pot including elk , mulies , WT & a bear or 2 . The new Leupold VX line is problematic & I'd avold them . Which is why I pick the older Vari X III . Have a Vari X III 3.5-10X50 on a Rem 700 30/06 thats done evrything I've asked of it for years . Another $ 400 scope with very good glass is the older 1" Zeiss Conquest 3-9X40 or 50 . Bushnell Elite 4200 / 6500 also have good glass , but eyebox is a little tighter . Reason I told OP to look for a quality used scope is with careful shopping one can quite often get a lot more for their money , I've been able to buy some upper end stuff for half of what a new one would run . So no you don't need no $ 1000 scope to shoot Bambi . In the other hand if you could get a $ 1000 ( new in the box price ) scope gently used for half that or less , why not ?

Thanks boatbum101. Someone is finally hearing what I'm asking for. I will look at all of the scopes you mentioned. I often by used (like new) on Ebay. I will look at the Leupold Vari X III, and the Zeix Conquest. Do you think the 50mm objective makes enough difference of 40mm? Also, what about 1" tubes vs 30mm tubes? Thanks.

 

[gejshooter]

I was gonna say (but others beat me to it) the older Japanese Tascos were darn good scopes. My first rifle was a Marlin 336 I bought from Kmart in 1977 for $92 on sale.
I ordered a “TV tube” 4x Tasco from Sears for $30 and I was the cool kid in school. Still have both.
I remember an article in Outdoor Life many years ago saying what a bargain the Tascos were.
Also, as said above, the Leupold VariX 3s are darn good scopes. I put a 3.5x10x50 on my Abolt years ago. Great scope.
The only problem I ever had with Leupold was when I pair of binoculars with a rubberized coating became tacky.
Leupold sent me a new pair.

Thanks. I got my Tasco Bighorn 4.5-18x50 at a gun show by trading a well used mossberg 12ga pump. I used the scope for about 10 years and took many deer with it. It eventually got a little cloudy and I moved on to a Vortex Viper that I got for $199 when Cabelas got absorbed by Bass Pro. I've never need to spend big bucks for a good scope. My son uses a Bushnell Legend Ultra HD in 3x9x40 and he loves it. I just bought one new old stock on Ebay for $145, for my other son to put on his new rifle. They don't have bells and whistles, but they are durable and the glass is clear.

 

[SLTW]

Thanks boatbum101. Someone is finally hearing what I'm asking for. I will look at all of the scopes you mentioned. I often by used (like new) on Ebay. I will look at the Leupold Vari X III, and the Zeix Conquest. Do you think the 50mm objective makes enough difference of 40mm? Also, what about 1" tubes vs 30mm tubes? Thanks.

The VXIII is the one that failed on me twice

50mm will have better image quality and be better in low light conditions.

30mm tube increases elevation adjustment and is heavier. If you’re only shooting 300 yards 1 inch will suffice.

 

[gejshooter]

I was actually giving the normal snarky response. I'm cheap as they come. One deer rifle x39 has an old tasco wideview 2x7 $20 from the pawn shop. The other is my premium scope an old leopold 3x9 firedot.$150. I think both were discontinued years ago. I really liked the nikons but they are gone too. Sucks

Which Nikons did you/do you like? Thanks.

 

[gejshooter]

I don’t know about the scopes put out in the last several years but I’ve used Tasco, Bushnell, Nikon and Leupold with great success. All older scopes.
How good does a scope have to be for most hunters?
So, you might get 2 minutes more shooting time out of a $3,000 scope vs a $300 scope but is it worth it? Not to me.
Might even be fun to give the deer a sporting chance.

Thanks. I think people are beginning to believe me when I say $400 max. I want simple, clear, dependable, durable. I do not need bells/whistles. I will never take my gun to the range to see just how far away I can hit the target. I want to hunt, not shoot.

 

[boatbum101]

Thanks boatbum101. Someone is finally hearing what I'm asking for. I will look at all of the scopes you mentioned. I often by used (like new) on Ebay. I will look at the Leupold Vari X III, and the Zeix Conquest. Do you think the 50mm objective makes enough difference of 40mm? Also, what about 1" tubes vs 30mm tubes? Thanks.

50mm will gather more light & provide all the human eye can process up to 7x , the 40mm up to just shy of 6x . Remember the 7mm exit pupil as it's the upper threshold of what the human eye can actually use . The 30mm tube allows a wider range of windage / elevation adjustment as it can house a larger erector assm'y . Plenty of scopes will work , but IMHO superior low-light performance requires optical quality that many of the Chinese , Phillipino , Korean scopes don't have . So with that in mind again IMHO stick with Jap ( LOW preferred ) or Euro lenses . Zeiss Conquest line uses LOW lenses , don't get German lens until the Conquest V6 , Davari / Diatal & up . All of Swarovski , Kahles , Valada , S&B are Euro optics . Ebay prices are on the high side per se , but careful looking & being lucky you can pull some gems . Stick with your budget & see what comes your way . I once got a Swaro 3-9X36 LNIB ( 800 new ) used for 400 , so it can be done .

 

[gejshooter]

50mm will gather more light & provide all the human eye can process up to 7x , the 40mm up to just shy of 6x . Remember the 7mm exit pupil as it's the upper threshold of what the human eye can actually use . The 30mm tube allows a wider range of windage / elevation adjustment as it can house a larger erector assm'y . Plenty of scopes will work , but IMHO superior low-light performance requires optical quality that many of the Chinese , Phillipino , Korean scopes don't have . So with that in mind again IMHO stick with Jap ( LOW preferred ) or Euro lenses . Zeiss Conquest line uses LOW lenses , don't get German lens until the Davari / Diatal & up . All of Swarovski , Kahles , Valada , S&B are Euro optics . Ebay prices are on the high side per se , but careful looking & being lucky you can pull some gems . Stick with your budget & see what comes your way . I once got a Swaro 3-9X36 LNIB ( 800 new ) used for 400 , so it can be done .

The Zeiss Conquest keeps coming up on several forums. It must be a good scope.

 

[SLTW]

Cheap reliable euro glass. Ziess got me thinking about Meopta.

riflescopes

Meopta riflescopes and red-dots

meopta.store

 

[boatbum101]

The Zeiss Conquest keeps coming up on several forums. It must be a good scope.

When they first came out the 3-9x40 was $ 400 & was better glass than some going for twice that . No frills , bells nor whistles .

 

[boatbum101]

Currently on Ebay are 3 Leupy Vari x III's , 2 Zeiss Conquest , 1 Trijicon TR22 Accupoint , & a Meopta / Cabelas Euro Riflescope within your budget . IMHO all would be suitable for your use . New at Eurooptic .com are the Trijicon Huron 3-9x40 on sale for 299 , Meopta Optik5 2-10x42 , same Meopta line 3-15x44 , Meosport R 3-15x50 , all at or below your $ 400 cap . Hope this helps .