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C-dub wrote:

Halfsackzac wrote:Thank you all so much! I have never shot a deer any more then 35 yards because growing up in Iowa you can not hunt deer with rifles so I grew up bow hunting, I am excited to get a scope on my rifle and try a new type of deer hunting.

That sounds unbelievable. Are you talking about a minors or everyone?

There are a number of states where you can't, particularly in the northeast where the population density is fairly high, and even rural population densities are significantly higher than they are here. Rifle rounds carry too far, but lots of people hunt with rifled shotgun barrels with scopes mounted, firing slugs.

SRO1911 wrote:Since it hasn't been mentioned, and im turning into a jinkie - check out athlon optics. You definitely get more than you pay for, particularly with the argos line.

Thanks for the tip. I'll take a look.

bulletslap wrote:Chris that reticle looks like TV test patterns did when I was a kid, less the Indian Chief.

Hahah! It does, doesn't it? I hadn't thought of that. But it is an immensely useful reticle. I've gotten to where I won't buy a scope that doesn't have some kind of milling reticle with matching turret adjustments.

I previously mentioned the Vortex 2.5-10x32mm Viper PST (MRAD, FFP). I cannot recommend this scope highly enough.

MSRP is $999, but real world pricing is between $700-$800, putting it well below $1,000. I paid $799 for mine on Amazon.com.



There is a SFP version that is considerably less expensive, but I prefer FFP because the reticle subtensions are valid at all magnifications. With SFP variable power scopes, the subtensions are only valid at one magnification power. On the SFP version of this scope, I believe that it is at 10X that they are valid. With an FFP scope, you don't have to zoom back and forth between the setting where the reticle is valid in order to range the target.

There are two reticles available for it - an MOA reticle, and an MRAD reticle. They are similar in appearance, but they measure windage and elevation in either MOA, or milliradians. In either case, the turret clicks are matched to the reticle. So if you buy the MOA reticle, your turrets adjust in 1/4 MOA clicks, and if you buy the MRAD reticle, your turrets adjust in .1 mil clicks. The glass is superb. You can buy better glass, but then you're getting into prices in the thousands of dollars. You can buy scopes that are even more precise in their turret adjustments, but then you're getting into prices in the thousands of dollars.

This Viper PST scope also comes with both an ocular lens focus, and a side focus knob. The first brings the reticle into sharp focus to your eye, which is handy if you have a vision prescription. You can shoot with your glasses on, and be able to focus the reticle to match your glasses........OR, you can focus to shoot without glasses and make the reticle clear to your eye. The side focus knob brings the target into focus, so unlike scopes that lack this feature, you don't have to focus only the one and not the other. That makes a HUGE difference, especially if you're eyes are like mine and not nearly so sharp as they where when younger. Another feature is an illuminating reticle, which makes the etched reticle standout better against the background during low-light shooting.......which, face it, describes a LOT of hunting. Lastly, the scope comes with shims that can be installed in the elevation turret once the rifle has been zeroed. Those shims act as a zero stop. That means that no matter how much elevation you crank into the scope after zeroing it, you can spin the elevation knob back down and stop it to within a click or two of your baseline zero. BOTH the MOA and MRAD versions are equipped with these features.

Here is a picture of the MRAD reticle's subtensions:


Most of the Viper PST line comes in at under $1,000 in real world pricing, and you can certainly get one with higher magnification in that price range, but then you are getting into the possibility of overscoping your rifle. For years, military snipers shot out to 1,000 meters with an 8X or 10X fixed power scope. MY eyes won't do that, but it is doable. Certainly, 10X is powerful enough to cover any distance at which you are likely to shoot a game animal, even out in west Texas where the distances can be further. And 2.5X is low enough power to improve situational awareness AND make shooting closer in a lot easier. This is why 3-9x scopes are so popular. This just gives you a little more at each end, and throws in a LOT of additional quality for the price.

Lastly, the scope is light and compact, which will make it much more pleasant to hump around with on your rifle. Here is a picture of mine, mounted to my Ruger Gunsite Scout:

ThelmaScott wrote:Isn't the law against the violence of animal hunting?

No, there is no law against hunting animals. You DO realize that you are on a firearms forum here, and that a LOT of us are hunters, don't you?

You're certainly entitled to your opinion, but understand that it isn't going to be very popular on a discussion board like this one.

......not to mention that it just plain wrong.....

C-dub wrote:IMHO, it is also difficult to compare the quality of a scope's glass inside of a store. I've looked through $500 scopes and $1500 scopes, one right after the other, in a store and had a very difficult time discerning much difference if any. It will become apparent after it is mounted and you are at the range or in the field.

I also think Bulletslap has a point when it comes to folks overscoping. I might be guilty of this, but haven't decided yet. If the OP only wants to extend his range a little, then a 3-4x scope would be more than sufficient and could get a quality scope for reasonable amount.

I agree about overscoping a rifle. My latest scope purchase was a 2.5-10x32mm Viper PST for a carbine-length .308 bolt rifle.....so just a little more spread than a 3-9x. It is more than adequate for that rifle at any distance I'm likely to shoot it. My long range precision rifle has a 5-20x on it, and that's about right for that rifle; but I think that my SCAR 17 is probably overscoped with a 4-16x scope on it, and I'll probably replace that scope some day.

One other comment.....lower powered variable power scopes are likely to have a longer eye-relief, and consequently a more forgiving eye-box than higher powered scopes. If your trying to hit a snap shot, like on a moving hog, that could be important.

I've had good luck with Leupolds and Vortex scopes if you're price conscious. That said, while still being financially responsible about it, resist the temptation to buy a $250 scope if you can afford a $500 scope. Ditto, resist spending $500 if you can afford $1000. I am NOT telling you to spend $1000. What I am getting at is that if you look through two scopes of equal magnification power side by side, and one costs twice what the other costs, you WILL be able to tell why the more expensive scope is the better scope. Quality of glass, light transmission, fineness of reticle, reticle features (i.e. stadia lines and ranging features), amount of eye relief, color shifts, presence/absence of distortion around the circumference of the objective lens...... all of those things play into the price of a scope. You DO get what you pay for, and assuming this is for a hunting rifle, scope quality can give you an extra 20-30 minutes of hunting light at dawn or dusk.