Good scope for around $200

ARmasterzach · August 22, 2007, 10:32 PM

Who makes a good scope under 200 dollars that has good low light visibility and a clear image and all that great stuff? I dont need anything for over 4-500 yards and I want to put it on my 300WSM for the upcoming season. Ive always liked leupold but theyre kinda spensive and I dont know who else to trust.

fisherman66 · August 22, 2007, 10:39 PM

Sightron might fall in your price range. I think they offer incredible value.

paknheat · August 23, 2007, 05:46 AM

+1 on the sightron. their customer service dept is good also.

taylorce1 · August 23, 2007, 06:39 AM

Burris Fullfield II, Bushnell Elite 3200, Leupold VXI or Rifleman, and Nikon Buckmaster all offer a 3X9 for around $200. I wouldn't be afraid to use any of these scopes on any of my rifles. I like the VXIII and Conquest scopes better but for optics on a buget these are pretty good.

buckster · August 23, 2007, 09:21 AM

Another one for the Sightron 3x9x42, about 200. at Midway. Mine has been on a 7MM WSM, a .22 and now my AR. Does not lose zero. Good in low light.

dbgun · August 23, 2007, 09:46 AM

Leupold Rifleman - $179 shipped on Gunbrokers.

I put one on my Win. 30-30 this year. works great. I haven't had achance to use it in low light conditions, but one of my friends told me it was better than the Bushnell
he use to use.

Here is the GB link:
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...?Item=78409947

Gunner69 · August 23, 2007, 09:57 AM

For all things optic related I prefer

www.swfa.com

They exchange discontinued site is

www.samplelist.com

They currently have a Burris 3x9x40 Fullfield II w/ ballistic plex and a 20x50 spotting scope for $185 Stock number is 6162..

FirstFreedom · August 23, 2007, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Burris Fullfield II, Bushnell Elite 3200, Leupold VXI or Rifleman, and Nikon Buckmaster all offer a 3X9 for around $200.

Yep, but add to that the Sightron S2, and you've got a pretty good list. I'm keen on the Burris FF2 and the Sightron S2 more than the others.

The Weaver Classic "V9" 3-9x38mm is also a good basic scope for $150, so a little less than the others.

http://www.swfa.com/pc-2323-256-weav...fle-scope.aspx

Very interesting that the VX1 3-9x40 is now $220 or less, when they used to be around $299 just a couple years back - ahh, the wonders of a competitive marketplace.

jhgreasemonkey · August 23, 2007, 02:34 PM

The burris fullfield II is a great scope in your price range. Also a Nikon prostaff is worth checking out as well.

Birdville2011 · August 23, 2007, 04:39 PM

you can get leupolds for less than $200

taylorce1 · August 23, 2007, 11:53 PM

Quote:

Yep, but add to that the Sightron S2, and you've got a pretty good list. I'm keen on the Burris FF2 and the Sightron S2 more than the others.

FF, didn't feel the need to add Sightron as it was all ready suggested. I've never even looked through one as well, but I have looked through the others and think that they are good. I just generally wind up shelling out the extra bills to go for the upgrade on the scope. I'd would rather have a cheap rifle than a cheap scope.

Look around for a good deal they are out there. I bought my last VX1 3X9 for less than $200, and picked up a brand new VXIII 2.5-8 for $365 delivered. FWIW Natchez is offering some awesome deals on optics right now.

SevenMag4X4 · August 24, 2007, 09:57 AM

Most of the cheap Leupolds (rifleman) only have 1/2 MOA adjustments and use steel to brass adjustments.

Burris FFII has 1/4 MOA Adjustments, steel on steel adjustments, quad seals, and all of ther optics are fully multi-coated.

I bought a 3-9x40 for $199 and it came with their Landmark binos (8X). Can't really beat that deal.

hunterjoe21 · August 24, 2007, 08:32 PM

Will the Burris FFII stand up to magnum muzzle loading charges?

I've been thinking about putting one on my T/C Encore, the sales "guy" says "NO PROBLEM" but he doesn't eat if he doesn't sell me one either.............

Anyone tried it?

castnblast · August 25, 2007, 12:30 PM

You can get the Nikon prostaff. I think it's the same as the buckmasters...at least I can't see a difference between them other than the name...And I won't buy any product that has "Buckmasters" written on it...I won't pay them for their name, and the organization is not worth a @#$%...

Unless you like supporting organizations that grow domestic deer w/ huge racks and then brag about how big a buck you shot because you could buy it...

FirstFreedom · August 25, 2007, 12:56 PM

The Nikon Prostaff is a pretty good scope. But it's a "$150 scope", like the Weaver Classic V, not a "$200 scope" like the others. The Burris Fullfield II, since it can be found at more like $180 rather than $200, is the best deal going in that general range. Yes it will stand up to magnum muzzleloaders, I'm almost certain. It's a very good scope.

hunterjoe21 · August 26, 2007, 10:08 PM

Quote:

at least I can't see a difference between them other than the name...And I won't buy any product that has "Buckmasters" written on it...I won't pay them for their name, and the organization is not worth a @#$%...

I too refuse to ever purchase anything with the BM name again. And I have also heard that the only diference between the ProStaff and the BM line is the name, and Jackie Bushman's cut. His organization is a joke, as a matter of fact, he still owes me 3.5 years of membership to Buckmasters. Once he got paid, I stopped receiving even the magazines(which are very poor) and I never bothered to pursue it, 'cause I didn't even want it anymore.

Anyway, sorry to hijack your post......

piercfh · August 26, 2007, 10:50 PM

Id take a bushnell elite 3200 or burris over a luepold any day. Leupold just doesnt impress me. I have been very surprised by a tasco world class pluss in low light. They are in the same category as the tasco titan scopes if you can find them. My dad has one on a .300 and it does a very good job.

The 3200 scopes are very fine too I have one on a .270 and really like it. Mueller makes a nice 44mm hunting scope too. My mueller noticeably outdid a luepold when me and a buddy compared their light collection one night.

We hunt with kahles and swarovski scopes too, but we just cant afford it for every rifle. So we shoot cheaper scopes on some guns, and those I have mentioned are very comparable to pricier glass.

castnblast · August 28, 2007, 03:38 PM

just out of curiosity, and this is not sarchasism...what is the difference between a Nikon prostaff ($150.00 scope) and a $200.00 scope, other than $50.00? I really can not see a difference. What exactly are you getting that is better. Not poking here, geniune question...

Wildalaska · August 28, 2007, 03:46 PM

Leupold rifleman...best "cheap" scope out there.

Avoid Burris like the plague.

All the rest are also rans.

WildtheyareonmyslAlaska TM

Art Eatman · August 29, 2007, 08:50 AM

Just some comments about "need", as opposed to "nice to have":

In the Lower 48, most hunters--and that's mostly the deer hunters--rarely shoot beyond some 200 yards. As far as rifle accuracy and group size, anything that stays inside two MOA is gonna collect Bambi, and is usually plenty good enough for Ol' Wily Coyote.

So, IMO, repeatability of adjustments is nice, but not really necessary. At least for me, these last 40-some years, it has been a case of, "Set it and forget it," once I'm sighted in. I've never needed more than a 40mm objective lens, either. And type of adjustment hasn't seemed to matter, whether it's clicks or just a matter of watching the little marks on the adjustment knob.

I'm highly in favor of folks buying whatever they want, at whatever price-limit they set. I'm just saying that there is a big difference between what's needed to accurately hit where you want, and what's nice to have.

IOW, you can kill as many deer with a good used Weaver K4 on top as with Mr. Super's $1,000 whoopilah.

, Art

Bigfatts · August 29, 2007, 03:32 PM

Mueller APV

Ascendant · August 30, 2007, 08:14 PM

For some odd reason a buddy of mine gave me an NCStar 4x.... he had one and swore by it on his SKS.
First off, you cant see squat through it in low light.
Secondly the FOV is pretty much 10'@100y (not what they promote but pretty darn close
Third... its totally out of focus unless you like looking at your c-hairs other than the obdject you're about to plug.

At first, I couldnt understand why this nice-looking, shorty "perfect for my AR" scope was so bad... maybe it was a defect.... untill I researched it online and found that it can be had new for under $100. Heck, I may as well put it on my paintball gun!

I know it had'nt been mentioned yet (probably for good reason. I just wanted to throw in that in case you saw one and the sales guy tried to push it on you that you'd resist the temptation to save a few bucks.

I've always liked Nikon but I also agree that their policies are crap and wont endorse them any longer. I have yet to try a Burris however but I'm curious to see how this thread works out.

castnblast · September 4, 2007, 03:50 PM

Just sighted in my Nikon Prostaff...0 complaints...great eye relief, and best of all, when I clicked it 2x, it went .5" when I clicked it 1x it went .25"...Just like it's supposed too...can you say 3/8" group? got it...w/ reloads of course...

BTW, Good mounts go a long, long way...

MeekAndMild · September 4, 2007, 08:03 PM

Sportsmans' Guide has a sale this month on 2 flavors of Nikon scopes. Just ordered one of the 3x9x40 models.

Countertop · September 4, 2007, 11:32 PM

I picked up a great old Weaker k4 scope for $35 on ebay. Have used it for 4 years.

August 22, 2007, 10:32 PM	#1
ARmasterzach Member Join Date: July 6, 2007 Location: Perrin Texas Posts: 83	Good scope for around $200 Who makes a good scope under 200 dollars that has good low light visibility and a clear image and all that great stuff? I dont need anything for over 4-500 yards and I want to put it on my 300WSM for the upcoming season. Ive always liked leupold but theyre kinda spensive and I dont know who else to trust. __________________ I cant carry my pocket knife to school caus its considered to be a weapon, but a brand new sharpened pencil is perfectly ok. I dont need either though cause im the biggest guy at my school.

August 22, 2007, 10:39 PM	#2
fisherman66 Senior Member Join Date: August 22, 2005 Location: The Woodlands TX Posts: 4,679	Sightron might fall in your price range. I think they offer incredible value. __________________ la plus belle des ruses du diable est de vous persuader qu'il n'existe pas!

August 23, 2007, 09:21 AM	#5
buckster Senior Member Join Date: January 24, 2006 Posts: 674	200.00 scopes Another one for the Sightron 3x9x42, about 200. at Midway. Mine has been on a 7MM WSM, a .22 and now my AR. Does not lose zero. Good in low light.

August 23, 2007, 09:57 AM	#7
Gunner69 Member Join Date: August 19, 2007 Posts: 57	For all things optic related I prefer www.swfa.com They exchange discontinued site is www.samplelist.com They currently have a Burris 3x9x40 Fullfield II w/ ballistic plex and a 20x50 spotting scope for $185 Stock number is 6162.. __________________ No man who refuses to bear arms in defense of his nation can give a sound reason why he should be allowed to live in a free country" T. Roosevelt

August 23, 2007, 04:39 PM	#10
Birdville2011 Member Join Date: August 1, 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 69	you can get leupolds for less than $200 __________________ Marlin 336W .30-30 Remington 870 Express Synthetic 12ga Remington 597 .22lr Springfield 20ga (old)

August 23, 2007, 05:46 AM	#3
paknheat Senior Member Join Date: October 17, 2006 Location: East Texas Posts: 334	+1 on the sightron. their customer service dept is good also.

August 23, 2007, 06:39 AM	#4
taylorce1 Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2005 Location: On the Santa Fe Trail Posts: 8,242	Burris Fullfield II, Bushnell Elite 3200, Leupold VXI or Rifleman, and Nikon Buckmaster all offer a 3X9 for around $200. I wouldn't be afraid to use any of these scopes on any of my rifles. I like the VXIII and Conquest scopes better but for optics on a buget these are pretty good.

August 23, 2007, 09:46 AM	#6
dbgun Senior Member Join Date: March 25, 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 326	Leupold Rifleman - $179 shipped on Gunbrokers. I put one on my Win. 30-30 this year. works great. I haven't had achance to use it in low light conditions, but one of my friends told me it was better than the Bushnell he use to use. Here is the GB link: http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...?Item=78409947

August 23, 2007, 02:34 PM	#9
jhgreasemonkey Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2006 Location: Pacific Northwest Posts: 2,238	The burris fullfield II is a great scope in your price range. Also a Nikon prostaff is worth checking out as well.

August 24, 2007, 09:57 AM	#12
SevenMag4X4 Member Join Date: August 23, 2007 Posts: 18	Leupolds Most of the cheap Leupolds (rifleman) only have 1/2 MOA adjustments and use steel to brass adjustments. Burris FFII has 1/4 MOA Adjustments, steel on steel adjustments, quad seals, and all of ther optics are fully multi-coated. I bought a 3-9x40 for $199 and it came with their Landmark binos (8X). Can't really beat that deal.

August 24, 2007, 08:32 PM	#13
hunterjoe21 Junior Member Join Date: June 9, 2007 Location: Northeast Ohio Posts: 10	Will the Burris FFII stand up to magnum muzzle loading charges? I've been thinking about putting one on my T/C Encore, the sales "guy" says "NO PROBLEM" but he doesn't eat if he doesn't sell me one either............. Anyone tried it?

August 25, 2007, 12:30 PM	#14
castnblast Senior Member Join Date: July 2, 2006 Location: Corpus Christi TX Posts: 1,148	You can get the Nikon prostaff. I think it's the same as the buckmasters...at least I can't see a difference between them other than the name...And I won't buy any product that has "Buckmasters" written on it...I won't pay them for their name, and the organization is not worth a @#$%... Unless you like supporting organizations that grow domestic deer w/ huge racks and then brag about how big a buck you shot because you could buy it... __________________ VEGETARIAN...old indian word for bad hunter

August 25, 2007, 12:56 PM	#15
FirstFreedom Junior member Join Date: May 31, 2004 Location: The Toll Road State, U.S.A. Posts: 12,451	The Nikon Prostaff is a pretty good scope. But it's a "$150 scope", like the Weaver Classic V, not a "$200 scope" like the others. The Burris Fullfield II, since it can be found at more like $180 rather than $200, is the best deal going in that general range. Yes it will stand up to magnum muzzleloaders, I'm almost certain. It's a very good scope.

August 26, 2007, 10:50 PM	#17
piercfh Senior Member Join Date: July 27, 2006 Location: Central Alabama Posts: 183	Id take a bushnell elite 3200 or burris over a luepold any day. Leupold just doesnt impress me. I have been very surprised by a tasco world class pluss in low light. They are in the same category as the tasco titan scopes if you can find them. My dad has one on a .300 and it does a very good job. The 3200 scopes are very fine too I have one on a .270 and really like it. Mueller makes a nice 44mm hunting scope too. My mueller noticeably outdid a luepold when me and a buddy compared their light collection one night. We hunt with kahles and swarovski scopes too, but we just cant afford it for every rifle. So we shoot cheaper scopes on some guns, and those I have mentioned are very comparable to pricier glass.

August 28, 2007, 03:38 PM	#18
castnblast Senior Member Join Date: July 2, 2006 Location: Corpus Christi TX Posts: 1,148	just out of curiosity, and this is not sarchasism...what is the difference between a Nikon prostaff ($150.00 scope) and a $200.00 scope, other than $50.00? I really can not see a difference. What exactly are you getting that is better. Not poking here, geniune question... __________________ VEGETARIAN...old indian word for bad hunter

August 28, 2007, 03:46 PM	#19
Wildalaska Junior member Join Date: November 25, 2002 Location: In my own little weird world in Anchorage, Alaska Posts: 14,172	Leupold rifleman...best "cheap" scope out there. Avoid Burris like the plague. All the rest are also rans. WildtheyareonmyslAlaska TM

August 29, 2007, 08:50 AM	#20
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	Just some comments about "need", as opposed to "nice to have": In the Lower 48, most hunters--and that's mostly the deer hunters--rarely shoot beyond some 200 yards. As far as rifle accuracy and group size, anything that stays inside two MOA is gonna collect Bambi, and is usually plenty good enough for Ol' Wily Coyote. So, IMO, repeatability of adjustments is nice, but not really necessary. At least for me, these last 40-some years, it has been a case of, "Set it and forget it," once I'm sighted in. I've never needed more than a 40mm objective lens, either. And type of adjustment hasn't seemed to matter, whether it's clicks or just a matter of watching the little marks on the adjustment knob. I'm highly in favor of folks buying whatever they want, at whatever price-limit they set. I'm just saying that there is a big difference between what's needed to accurately hit where you want, and what's nice to have. IOW, you can kill as many deer with a good used Weaver K4 on top as with Mr. Super's $1,000 whoopilah. , Art

August 29, 2007, 03:32 PM	#21
Bigfatts Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 2005 Location: Lutz Posts: 1,528	Mueller APV

August 30, 2007, 08:14 PM	#22
Ascendant Junior Member Join Date: August 25, 2007 Location: Western NC, USA Posts: 6	Avoid NCStar For some odd reason a buddy of mine gave me an NCStar 4x.... he had one and swore by it on his SKS. First off, you cant see squat through it in low light. Secondly the FOV is pretty much 10'@100y (not what they promote but pretty darn close Third... its totally out of focus unless you like looking at your c-hairs other than the obdject you're about to plug. At first, I couldnt understand why this nice-looking, shorty "perfect for my AR" scope was so bad... maybe it was a defect.... untill I researched it online and found that it can be had new for under $100. Heck, I may as well put it on my paintball gun! I know it had'nt been mentioned yet (probably for good reason. I just wanted to throw in that in case you saw one and the sales guy tried to push it on you that you'd resist the temptation to save a few bucks. I've always liked Nikon but I also agree that their policies are crap and wont endorse them any longer. I have yet to try a Burris however but I'm curious to see how this thread works out. __________________ Outlaw my guns and I can still beat you repetedly with a large sharp rock attached to a stick.... quietly and very messily. YOU choose.

September 4, 2007, 03:50 PM	#23
castnblast Senior Member Join Date: July 2, 2006 Location: Corpus Christi TX Posts: 1,148	Just sighted in my Nikon Prostaff...0 complaints...great eye relief, and best of all, when I clicked it 2x, it went .5" when I clicked it 1x it went .25"...Just like it's supposed too...can you say 3/8" group? got it...w/ reloads of course... BTW, Good mounts go a long, long way... __________________ VEGETARIAN...old indian word for bad hunter Last edited by castnblast; September 4, 2007 at 03:51 PM. Reason: afterthought...

September 4, 2007, 08:03 PM	#24
MeekAndMild Senior Member Join Date: August 2, 2001 Posts: 4,988	Sportsmans' Guide has a sale this month on 2 flavors of Nikon scopes. Just ordered one of the 3x9x40 models.

September 4, 2007, 11:32 PM	#25
Countertop Senior Member Join Date: September 7, 2004 Location: At the diner Posts: 125	I picked up a great old Weaker k4 scope for $35 on ebay. Have used it for 4 years.