.243 Win Scope??

[firme67]

Looking for suggestions for a good scope (& magnification reccommendation) for my Savage BTH .243, gun will be used to hunt deer and coyote with shots up to 350 yds. I have a .223 Vanguard with a Nikon ProStaff 3x9-40 w/BDC that I really like. However, I would like a little higher quality scope for the .243. Up for consideration right now is the Nikon Monarchs & Redfield Revolutions. Would like to here all your ideas. Would like to keep scope/rings/mounts under $475. Thanks.

[reynolds357]

Nikon Monarch is a step up from what you have, but the Revolution as far as optical quality is pretty much a lateral move to what you already have. I have a Revolution and I am thoroughly un-impressed with its low light abilities.
Nikon Monarch, Vortex optics Viper, Sightron SII Big Sky or SIII, are all worth looking at. My hands down favorite for price vs quality at this exact moment in time is the Meopta Meopro. All that might change next week when someone brings out something better or cheaper or better and cheaper.

[AllenJ]

I don't think Redfield is an upgrade over Nikon, but that is just my opinion. You might consider saving up a little more money and getting a Zeiss Conquest. I put one on my 243 and I really like it. Very clear and good low light performance.

[Mauser8mm]

Vortex Viper 6.5-20x50 - $459

(http://www.opticsplanet.com/vortex-r...pr-m-06fp.html)

Leupold VX-2 4-12x40 - $449

(http://www.opticsplanet.com/leupold-...fle-scope.html)

If you are willing to spend a little more:

Zeiss Conquest 3-9x40 - $499

(http://www.opticsplanet.com/zeiss-3-...-reticle1.html)

[taylorce1]

I'd go with Talley LWT mounts for $40 and it will save you from having to buy bases and rings and will leave more money left over for a scope. So now you'll have about $400-430 left over for the scope and now that the SHOT show is over you can pick up some demo scopes for cheap. SWFA/The Sample List or check CameralandNY for some good deals on scopes something like a Leupold VX3 3.5-10X40 would be great on top of that rifle. Another scope I've been very interested in trying is the Minox 3-9X40.

[lefteye]

http://www.opticsplanet.com/custom-l...fle-scope.html

I have this scope on three rifles: .270 Win, 7mm Rem Mag, & .300 Win Mag. It is a good value in a quality hunting scope for 10 to over 400 yards.

[Bamashooter]

I have Burris FFII scopes on 3 of my rifles including a handi-rifle 243. Very good scopes for the money IMO.

[phil mcwilliam]

Another vote for Zeiss Conquest.

[Guv]

VX1, 3-9 or 2-7.

[Huffmanite]

take a look at the Weaver 3.8-12x44 A.O. model 40/44 at www.natchezss.com Sells normally for around $180 plus, but natchez has them onsale for around $120. Very good optics in the aspherical lens 40/44s that Natchez has forsale. Scope is made in Philippines. Own this scope and have it on a 6.5 swede rifle. Glass in mine is quite clear and bright. Darn close to quality of glass in my two Weaver Super Slams.

[Saltydog235]

I have a Weaver Super Slam 2X10X50 EBX on my .243 Savage 10 Predator. It is a very nice piece of glass. Re-settable turrets, glass etched reticle, clear optics etc. Look on Natchez or Glenn's Outdoor's for the best prices.

I have the same scope on my 7mm08 and took deer to 322yds this past season without adjustment or dialing. IMO, one of the best bangs for the buck right now.

[dmazur]

We have two .243 rifles.

One is more of a varmint rifle (Ruger M77 VT) and has a Leupold VXII 6-18X.

The other is more of a deer rifle (Ruger No. 1) and has a Zeiss Conquest 3-9X.

The Zeiss is clearer and has a better reticle, probably comparable to the old VXIII. (More expensive than the VXII as well...)

[2ndtimer]

Given your budget, you are well within range of a Leupold VX-2 3-9X plus some Burris Signature rings and what ever bases you like. I recently bought one, along with a Zeiss Conquest 3-9X, and they are both excellent hunting scopes out to any reasonable range. The Zeiss is a little better optically, but the Leupold is still very good and a little lighter and sleeker than the Conquest.

[steveNChunter]

Burris FFII 3-9x40 and some Talley rings with the bases built in. You would be well under your budget but still very pleased

[Cowboy_mo]

Check out the Minox 2 x 9 x40 at Camerland suggested by Taylorforce.

I have had one for two years now and absolutely love it. Scope runs less than $300. It is much clearer than my Nikon and clearer than the Zeiss' scopes I have looked through for $200 more.

I also have a pair of Minox binos which I took to Africa in 2010 and they are great.

[highbrow]

The Vortex Diamondback is an improvement over the Nikon Prostaff for not much more money. I also have a Prostaff that I am happy with on a 270. The Diamondback went on my 243. Burris Fullfield II is also a nice scope for less than 200.

[bamaranger]

I am a big Leupold fan. If you really are going to dual role a .243 and varmint with it, the 4-12x in not too much scope. I'd settle for a 3-9x if I were only varmint once in a while. Less weight and maybe a bit trimmer too.

We're on a sort of .243 binge lately here at the bamahouse, a 20" bolt carbine wears a fixe 6x36mm small bell, and a full size bolt (long action) wears an earlier VX-II 3-9x. 40mm bell.

[reynolds357]

Cowboy, I dont personally like your power choice, but I definitely agree that Minox is some Awesome glass. If Minox and Meopta ever figure out how to market, they will hurt Leupold badly. Product wise, they are far superior to leupold in dollar for dollar product line comparison.

[Picher]

I vote for the Leupold VX2 or 3. You may not need a higher-powered scope than a 3-9x for hunting, so you can get out of it for about $300, or go for a more expensive 4-12, but accuracy won't increase much and you'll need to fool with an adjustable objective, so field shots may be slower and the rifle will be a bit bulkier and heavier.

With my VX2, I can clearly see "kite" strings against green backgrounds in our blueberry fields...out to more than 300 yards. That's good enough for me.

[.300 Weatherby Mag]

Zeiss Conquest 3-9x40mm or Leupold VX-3 3.5-10x40mm

The Leupold 3.5-10x40mm is on my .243 and other rifles as well.. I have the Zeiss too, very nice optics... Both Superior to the Monarch IMO... I've used Nikons and I'm not impressed... No Philippine or Chinese built scopes for me... Pretty much anything from Austria, Germany, USA, and Japan are fine optics...

[CTS]

The Nikon Monarch is hard to beat. People can say the Leupold is better all they want but since they use Nikon glass, I don't see that as being possible. The only thing Leupold makes is the tubes and turrets. The optical glass for both Nikon, Leupold and Redfield (who is owned by Leupold) are ground in Japan at Nikkor, the optical glass division of Nikon. Same place that grinds glass for their camera lenses.

[reynolds357]

Slappy, my problem with Monarch is that it doesn't live that long on big magnums with aggressive gas port angles on the brake.

[CTS]

Slappy, my problem with Monarch is that it doesn't live that long on big magnums with aggressive gas port angles on the brake.

Two things. They have a lifetime warranty, same as the others and I though we were talking about a scope for a .243?

[reynolds357]

You made the point that Nikon is as good as Leupold. Nikon's glass is as good as Leupold's glass, but their scopes (comparable product lines being compared) are not as good as Leupold. Leupold's mid range stuff will stand some brutal punishment.

[CTS]

Nikon's glass is as good as Leupold's glass, but their scopes (comparable product lines being compared) are not as good as Leupold. Leupold's mid range stuff will stand some brutal punishment.

That may be your experience. I have never heard that complaint from anyone else. You state it as a fact like the whole world knows this to be the case. Maybe you just got a bad one, I don't know. "Big magnums with aggressive gas port angles on the brake"? What are we talking elephant hunting? If you are using a brake then recoil shouldn't be the problem so it begs the question, what is destroying the scope if not recoil? Gas being blown back into the scope at high pressure because of the brake? I think that would be considered abuse on anything but some specialized equipment. At any rate, again we are talking about a .243 not a heavy magnum with aggressive angles on the brake. You believe Leupold is better than Nikon, I don't. No point arguing about it.