sweet spot price for rifle scope?

deucelee · July 31, 2012, 07:02 PM

Just wondering what you guys think a sweet spot price range for a scope for a $3-400 rifle should be. I have very little scope knowledge.

what i mean by sweet spot is a price where you're getting your money's worth, high quality without selling your kidney...for example, in the world of power tools, something like a makita/bosch/dewalt would be sweet spot products. they're good quality products that are not 2x the cost for not much additional gain like festool...they're not cheap like Black and decker which are barely made to do anything.

i'm new to rifles and all...i see that scopes can go anywhere from $30 to $600 on amazon with good ratings (4.5 stars+)...

I heard nikons are good scopes....they go anywhere between $100 for 4x to $160 and $220 on amazon for 3-9x scopes...even more if you wanted to...i was considering their prostaff 3-9x for $170 but would rather not if a $80-100 would work just as good...thanks

Creeper · July 31, 2012, 07:10 PM

Hunting rifle... I'm guessing. Doin' it on a bit of a budget?

If you're into the "math" of it all... about 1/2 or more than the price of the gun is a good guide.

You don't put a $2000 scope on a $300 rifle... well, you don't unless you have that scope just "laying around".
Inversely, you don't put a $150 scope on a $2000 rifle... well, some do, but that's just wrong.

Cheers,
C

deucelee · July 31, 2012, 07:33 PM

exactly what i was looking for buddy...i was looking some rule of thumb like that...i agree, back in the day i was into car audio, i would tell people you don't put a $1,000 amplifier on a $100 subwoofer or a $100 amp on a $1,000 sub and vice versa...

i will look for a decent scope around $150-$200 then. if anyone else has more info on what i should expect to get between a $100 scope and a $200 scope, let me know. thanks.

Creeper · July 31, 2012, 07:45 PM

You got a firm grasp of the concept.

I'd stay in the $160-$225 sweet spot. Amazingly, that small dollar difference can make quite a difference in optical quality.

The recently resurrected Redfield, which is owned by Leopold, makes a hell of a nice scope for the money, and can usually be had for about 20% less than MSRP.

C

deucelee · July 31, 2012, 08:15 PM

niceeeeeeeee.....thanks for the heads up Creeper...i will consider that scope

Creeper · July 31, 2012, 08:27 PM

Cheers. Have fun with it... and don't over-torque the scope rings!

deucelee · July 31, 2012, 08:50 PM

awesome! thanks for the tips...you my friend have words of gold...appreciate it

Creeper · July 31, 2012, 09:11 PM

Words of gold? Most would say, at best... gold plated excrement. (I have a highly appropriate gif I could put here... but the mods would probably remove it and whack me across the hand with a ruler)

Cheers,
C

saands · August 1, 2012, 01:15 PM

Without really knowing what you want it for, it is hard to make recommendations, but I will say that the Bushnell Elite 3200 10x40 is a nice scope that fits right in that range ... all my long range rifles wear one and I have never had any issues with them.

Saands

deucelee · August 2, 2012, 06:00 AM

thanks guys...this is mainly for squirrel hunting...

i was considering a 3-9x but creeper has made me thought of getting a 12x or a little more now...

flatfoot · August 2, 2012, 05:24 PM

Nikon has some just over $100 that will suit you just fine for culling the squirrels. I wouldn't go too cheap in case you want to use it for other purposes.

Creeper · August 2, 2012, 05:26 PM

Quote:

creeper has made me thought of getting a 12x or a little more now...

Yeah... I'm kind of a jerk that way.

browninghunter86 · August 2, 2012, 07:24 PM

I have 2 nikon prostaff 4-12x scopes that I like and do very well for me

tobnpr · August 3, 2012, 04:03 PM

I would have to disagree with your premise...
The amount to spend on an optic depends on the capability of the rifle, and the type of shooting you do...

You can have a $500 rifle that shoots sub moa, and if you shoot long range with it, $1000 is certainly not too much to spend on an optic.

OTOH, with the same rifle, a whitetail hunter that never takes a shot over 200 yards would be fine with a low power optic that might not cost over $100- as long as it holds zero, it'll do the job needed.

Long range shooting demands precision optics- where the "clicks" are precise (IOW, 1/4" is exactly 1/4"), have a generous amount of internal adjustment, and are repeatable (run the turret 80 clicks up, then 80 back down- and have the exact same POI).

Lots of threads on scope selection, try a search.

jmr40 · August 3, 2012, 04:45 PM

$200-$300. There are a few decent $150 scopes, but the extra $50 of a $200 scope is huge. If anyone can squeeze $300 into their budget you start getting into a seriously good scope. Going above $300 gets you a better scope, but the value for the dollar goes way down. A $400 scope is only slightly better than a $300 scope. A $300 scope is MUCH better than a $250 scope.

Balking at spending $300 on a $400 rifle is not wise. There are lots of $400 rifles that perform just as well as $1,000 rifles. There are no $150 scopes anywhere near the quality of a $300 scope.

July 31, 2012, 07:02 PM	#1
deucelee Member Join Date: December 26, 2011 Location: WI Posts: 28	sweet spot price for rifle scope? Just wondering what you guys think a sweet spot price range for a scope for a $3-400 rifle should be. I have very little scope knowledge. what i mean by sweet spot is a price where you're getting your money's worth, high quality without selling your kidney...for example, in the world of power tools, something like a makita/bosch/dewalt would be sweet spot products. they're good quality products that are not 2x the cost for not much additional gain like festool...they're not cheap like Black and decker which are barely made to do anything. i'm new to rifles and all...i see that scopes can go anywhere from $30 to $600 on amazon with good ratings (4.5 stars+)... I heard nikons are good scopes....they go anywhere between $100 for 4x to $160 and $220 on amazon for 3-9x scopes...even more if you wanted to...i was considering their prostaff 3-9x for $170 but would rather not if a $80-100 would work just as good...thanks

July 31, 2012, 07:10 PM	#2
Creeper Senior Member Join Date: September 9, 2008 Location: Woooooshington Posts: 1,797	Hunting rifle... I'm guessing. Doin' it on a bit of a budget? If you're into the "math" of it all... about 1/2 or more than the price of the gun is a good guide. You don't put a $2000 scope on a $300 rifle... well, you don't unless you have that scope just "laying around". Inversely, you don't put a $150 scope on a $2000 rifle... well, some do, but that's just wrong. Cheers, C __________________ Shoulder Drive Nicholson Club

July 31, 2012, 07:45 PM	#4
Creeper Senior Member Join Date: September 9, 2008 Location: Woooooshington Posts: 1,797	You got a firm grasp of the concept. I'd stay in the $160-$225 sweet spot. Amazingly, that small dollar difference can make quite a difference in optical quality. The recently resurrected Redfield, which is owned by Leopold, makes a hell of a nice scope for the money, and can usually be had for about 20% less than MSRP. C __________________ Shoulder Drive Nicholson Club

July 31, 2012, 08:27 PM	#6
Creeper Senior Member Join Date: September 9, 2008 Location: Woooooshington Posts: 1,797	Cheers. Have fun with it... and don't over-torque the scope rings! __________________ Shoulder Drive Nicholson Club

July 31, 2012, 09:11 PM	#8
Creeper Senior Member Join Date: September 9, 2008 Location: Woooooshington Posts: 1,797	Words of gold? Most would say, at best... gold plated excrement. (I have a highly appropriate gif I could put here... but the mods would probably remove it and whack me across the hand with a ruler) Cheers, C __________________ Shoulder Drive Nicholson Club

July 31, 2012, 07:33 PM	#3
deucelee Member Join Date: December 26, 2011 Location: WI Posts: 28	exactly what i was looking for buddy...i was looking some rule of thumb like that...i agree, back in the day i was into car audio, i would tell people you don't put a $1,000 amplifier on a $100 subwoofer or a $100 amp on a $1,000 sub and vice versa... i will look for a decent scope around $150-$200 then. if anyone else has more info on what i should expect to get between a $100 scope and a $200 scope, let me know. thanks.

July 31, 2012, 08:15 PM	#5
deucelee Member Join Date: December 26, 2011 Location: WI Posts: 28	niceeeeeeeee.....thanks for the heads up Creeper...i will consider that scope

July 31, 2012, 08:50 PM	#7
deucelee Member Join Date: December 26, 2011 Location: WI Posts: 28	awesome! thanks for the tips...you my friend have words of gold...appreciate it

August 1, 2012, 01:15 PM	#9
saands Senior Member Join Date: November 14, 1999 Posts: 1,573	Without really knowing what you want it for, it is hard to make recommendations, but I will say that the Bushnell Elite 3200 10x40 is a nice scope that fits right in that range ... all my long range rifles wear one and I have never had any issues with them. Saands

August 2, 2012, 06:00 AM	#10
deucelee Member Join Date: December 26, 2011 Location: WI Posts: 28	thanks guys...this is mainly for squirrel hunting... i was considering a 3-9x but creeper has made me thought of getting a 12x or a little more now...

August 2, 2012, 05:24 PM	#11
flatfoot Junior Member Join Date: April 19, 2012 Posts: 5	Nikon has some just over $100 that will suit you just fine for culling the squirrels. I wouldn't go too cheap in case you want to use it for other purposes.

August 2, 2012, 07:24 PM	#13
browninghunter86 Senior Member Join Date: November 14, 2011 Posts: 524	I have 2 nikon prostaff 4-12x scopes that I like and do very well for me

August 3, 2012, 04:03 PM	#14
tobnpr Senior Member Join Date: August 1, 2010 Location: Tampa Bay Posts: 4,556	I would have to disagree with your premise... The amount to spend on an optic depends on the capability of the rifle, and the type of shooting you do... You can have a $500 rifle that shoots sub moa, and if you shoot long range with it, $1000 is certainly not too much to spend on an optic. OTOH, with the same rifle, a whitetail hunter that never takes a shot over 200 yards would be fine with a low power optic that might not cost over $100- as long as it holds zero, it'll do the job needed. Long range shooting demands precision optics- where the "clicks" are precise (IOW, 1/4" is exactly 1/4"), have a generous amount of internal adjustment, and are repeatable (run the turret 80 clicks up, then 80 back down- and have the exact same POI). Lots of threads on scope selection, try a search.

August 3, 2012, 04:45 PM	#15
jmr40 Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2008 Location: Georgia Posts: 10,808	$200-$300. There are a few decent $150 scopes, but the extra $50 of a $200 scope is huge. If anyone can squeeze $300 into their budget you start getting into a seriously good scope. Going above $300 gets you a better scope, but the value for the dollar goes way down. A $400 scope is only slightly better than a $300 scope. A $300 scope is MUCH better than a $250 scope. Balking at spending $300 on a $400 rifle is not wise. There are lots of $400 rifles that perform just as well as $1,000 rifles. There are no $150 scopes anywhere near the quality of a $300 scope.