Scope recommendation for coyotes

[Drm50]

I'm in the market for a couple scopes myself and to say Im confused is putting it mildly. I
wish someone would do a book or at least a major article on the brand names now on the
market. Some of these are not worth the box they come in. What is the best mid priced
scopes and what brands to avoid altogether. I need 4 low powers for 44-375w & 45/70.
Staight powers are hard to come by in this class, they have been premoted to Safari scopes
with like price tag. I have been thinking about NIKON or Burris.

[Art Eatman]

I'm as happy with my now-good-used Leupold Vari-X IIs as I was back when they were new, forty years ago. Even bought a used one, fifteen years back, for $150. Same for used Weaver K-4s.

[Dufus]

The new Redfield scopes are worth a look. Put one on the grandson's new rifle over the weekend and it is very nice and clear.

[Picher]

I had a 2.5X Weaver on my first rifle, a Savage 30-06. The only deer that I shot with it was over 200 yards and running up a hill in a hay field. Shot a lot of woodchucks using that rifle/scope, from 15 to 500 yards.

Today, I only want 3-9x on my hunting rifles and they're all Leupold VX2. In the fields I carry the rifle with the scope usually set on 6X, 3X in the woods, and 9X on the range. If a deer is spotted in the woods and I don't have an Any-Deer Permit, I turn the scope power up to see antlers, if they're not visible at 3X.

JP

[Drm50]

I don't believe you can go by CLEAR. I have over a dozen KWeavers that I removed from rifles the last couple years. Most of these Weaver had been on
same rifle since bought new in 60s. I have more rifles & shotguns with KWeavers
on them from same era. They were top shelf back then. I would not hesitate to
use one of these scopes today. The thing is because of advances in optics even
some of the Chinese junk is brighter than scopes from 60s.

[craddleshooter]

I've been talking to a few of my buddies that do a lot of hunting in the same areas I will be, and they all have said that the vast majority of their kills are at 250+ yards, and it's not uncommon to be making kills at the 4-500yard range. I'll also be picking up a bipod, and we do a lot of calling to bring them in to us. That being said, I think I'm going to look for something with a wide range of adaptability to it.

I really like the idea of having the drop compensation of the leupold mark AR and the nikon coyote special have to them for the 5.56 load, although I don't know how accurate the compensation will be at longer distances.
I'm heavily considering the both of them (the mark AR in the 4-12, and the nikon in the 4.5-14) or a used VX3 in 4.5-14), and keep leaning to the mark AR.

Any experience with mounts/rings in the sub $60 range?
I just want something that won't move on me once I have it dialed in. I'm not planning on removing the scope once it's set.

[Art Eatman]

I'm not at all saying "better", but Weaver mounts have never given me a problem on many rifles through quite a few decades. Very reliable, including several thousand rounds of .30-'06.

[Brian Pfleuger]

I’ve used Warne, Weaver and Bushnell rings and mounts. I’ve never had a problem with any of them, except odd coloring on a set of “silver” Warne.

[Paul B.]

I've had three Leupolds go belly up on me. Two at the range and one in the field. Sent them back and they were always repaired free of charge. The one that went out in the field almost cost me my elk. Shot was 350 yards laser measured by the guide. I knew where my rifle, a custom Mauser in .35 Whelen would hit at that distance and held accordingly. I shot and the elk went down. Imagine my surprise when what should have been a moderately high lung shot resulted in a broken neck literally at the base of the skull. Nonetheless I did get my elk. A few days after the hunt I took the rifle to the range as missing by that much bothered me. Well, there wasn't a group, just a pattern. I sent the scope back to Leupold and it came back repaired. The accompanying form said they literally had to replace all the windage and elevation parts.
The affected rifle now wears a Burris FF II as does my .280 Rem. Mauser. The one on the .35 Whelen has been in use for at least five years now. I like it.
Paul B.

[Picher]

I like mounts that use Weaver bases and if going on an expensive hunting trip, would zero two scopes, preferably Leupolds. If your backup scope is reliable and has similar characteristics, it may be okay to have a different make, but would be better for them to be the same.

It may also be a good idea to bring a bore sighter to determine whether that bump the rifle took has thrown the scope off.

[agtman]

Unless you're a struggling Fudley McGoo, with the eye-sight of your average nocturnal mole, you don't need more than a 2x-7x optic to hunt coyotes.

East of the Mississippi, a 1x-6x would suffice for shooting most 'yotes drawn in by a FoxPro-type call.

Out west on longer shots, maybe a 3x-9x is appropriate, ... but that's really stretching the necessary magnification for 'yotes, and only if you're an old fart with eye issues.

[Brian Pfleuger]

“Suffice”, “need” and “necessary” aren’t always the determining factors. Some of us simply like more magnification. I’ve got a 5-25 on my deer rifle... and most shots are within bow range. Only a few are ever 100 yards.

[Ricklin]

As the magnification goes up, the light goes down. I thus like my 9 X scopes to be at least 44 mm objective.
3 X 9 X 44 works well for me. I also like the made in Japan Bushnell's.

The rainguard coating is a godsend here in the PNW.

[the possum]

I'm in the market for a couple scopes myself and to say I'm confused is putting it mildly. I wish someone would do a book or at least a major article on the brand names now on the market.

Yeah, each manufacturer has so many different product lines, it makes it hard to know if you're comparing one maker's entry level cheapie vs. another maker's top tier line. I found this article very helpful when I dug into this subject:
https://www.chuckhawks.com/recommended_riflescopes.htm

[T. O'Heir]

"...any decent 3-9X40 scope will do..." So will any other scope. The size of the objective lens only matters in low light.
"...other than weight..." Higher magnification variables just tend to be heavier and bigger.

[rebs]

I have 3 Leupold scopes a 2-7, a 3-9 and a 4-14 I love them all. I also have 4 Nikons and love them all just as much. You can't go wrong with either brand imho

[Don Fischer]

Originally Posted by Scoits

Go with the Leupold —cry once and use it for the next 20+ years.

I have a Bushnell Banner on my 25-06 I've been using over 30 yrs!

Buy once cry once has got to be the most over worked phrase in the english language. My Bushnell has lasted over 30 yrs. If it breaks tomorrow, what to cry about? If your $1500 scope breaks tomorrow it guaranteed. But, the rifle will be without a scope till the repaired scope get's back. Or maybe the owner will put on his old Bushnell till the buy once cry once scope get's back! Someone tell me, what is the price you have to pay to get one of those buy once cry once scope's? is $400 enough? How about $800? maybe $1000? If you buy a new scope for $200 and it last 10yrs that's not bad and you still have $800 of $1000 left over to buy a new scope with. Another $200 scope goes 10 yrs and you still have the same thing in it that you would have had in the $400 scope and this is 20 yrs down the road! Do the math yourself on the $800 scope. Most people don't have a scope over 20yrs with few exceptions. My two Redfields are pushing 50yrs and if ones breaks down now, where do I get it fixed?

This run around about how much you need to pay for a scope in normal circumstances is horse feather's. Most likely a $200 to $300 scope will get sold with the rifle you put it on! I have only ever had one scope come apart on me and it did it in a matter of days. Inexpesive Tasco Pronghorn 3-9x Shot it right off a 25-06. I mean it just fell apare. Then again as I recall it was only about $50! I replaced it with a Tasco World Class, expensive at $79, that lasted longer than that rifle and a kid in Washington got it as his first scope on a 22! Still working today. My 2-7x Redfields, new, were about $150. My 3-9x Nikons about the same. Even if I could shoot them off, I don't think I shoot enough to do it anymore. And If I do manage to shoot them off, they are all guaranteed for life! I think some people just want other's to know how much their equipment cost them! One 2-7x is on a Mossberg I have about $400 into brand new. Imagine how much better off I'd be with a $1500 scope!