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  #61  
Old 03-16-2018, 10:26 AM
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Bushrat Bushrat is offline
 
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Originally Posted by MK2750 View Post
I am also certain that I hear as many shots in the 1/2 hour before and after legal light as the first and last 1/2 hour of legal light. Perhaps that is a factor in the equation for some, although I am sure none of AOs fine members would partake in such behavior.
Bwaaahaha..........no doubt.
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  #62  
Old 03-16-2018, 11:13 AM
TylerThomson TylerThomson is offline
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Originally Posted by Dick284 View Post
You do know that Bushnell comes in a pletoria of different lines.

Buy cheap and you’ll get cheap crap. Invest in a better product line, and you’ll see a much better product. The oldish 4200 and 6500 and the newer Elite lines are solid performers.

Nowadays I’m swayed by brands like Nikon, and Sightron, best bang for your dollar. IMO.

I am not a Vortex fan, having seeing a disproportionate number of failures for me to not stake the outcome of a hunt or a match on their hap hazard QA & QC.

Sure you can dress a $400 entry level rifle with optics worth double the rifles price. But I could also put Y rated tires on the wife’s mini van, but it still is just a mini van.

I’d a put a Sightron S2, or a Nikon Monarch 3 on that 783, but that’s my opinion.

What ever puts a tilt in yer kilt, as they say.
Oh I realise that but I got turned off Bushnell a long time ago and won't even consider them now. I have been checking out that sightron line though and and would really like the chance to look through one. I look at the glass on that rifle like an investment. If my wife starts to get into it ill but her another rifle and swap the glass. If she doesn't get into it ill buy her a rifle and swap the glass hahahaha.
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  #63  
Old 03-16-2018, 12:58 PM
Fwee6 Fwee6 is offline
 
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Originally Posted by Dick284 View Post
Too much time spent pontificating, and not enough time spent actually shooting.

Most wannabe hyper typer sniper types couldn’t wring the best outta fixed 6 power scope on their best day.

The nuances of harvesting game at extended ranges are so mis represented it’s almost criminal.

Bingo.
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  #64  
Old 03-16-2018, 01:00 PM
Fwee6 Fwee6 is offline
 
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Originally Posted by Smokinyotes View Post
I guess if you have never spent more than $350 on a scope I suspect you probably don’t know what you are missing.
Nope, bad assumption. I've looked through nearly everything, and shot a lot of them on friends' rifles. I have zero reason to think I need to spend more, and have yet to have a chat with an animal laying on the ground in front of me about which scope I used to harvest it.
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  #65  
Old 03-16-2018, 02:48 PM
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abhunter8 abhunter8 is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MK2750 View Post

I do not push legal light and have never had even the slightest problem seeing and hitting animals through my scopes. I am also certain that I hear as many shots in the 1/2 hour before and after legal light as the first and last 1/2 hour of legal light. Perhaps that is a factor in the equation for some, although I am sure none of AOs fine members would partake in such behavior.
I have also heard far too many shots in the 1/2 hour before or after legal light. Hmmmm! lol
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  #66  
Old 03-16-2018, 07:49 PM
sinawalli sinawalli is offline
 
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I have a Nightforce sitting on top of a Ruger M77
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  #67  
Old 03-18-2018, 10:24 AM
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KUDUHNTR KUDUHNTR is offline
 
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I'm going to wade on into this topic here!
All I can say is buy the best glass than you can afford!
Having hunted for over 30 yrs now, I have had bottom drawer optics, and worked my way upto top drawer optics.
My go to main goto optic is my swaro 8x56 SLC binos, My leica rangefinder,
My rifles were built by a friend, who was a professional gunsmith, which are topped with Swarovski, Steiner, leopold, and some vintage redfield, and bausch and lomb. I have been using these same rifle scope combo's for the same amount of time now.

I like to hunt to the last minute of legal light, but still be ethical, and not take a shot where a high probability of not recovering the animal would be present.

Another reason why I bought, and will buy the higher end optics is the quality, and warranty. I dropped my Swarovski bino's halfway down a mountain side 15 years ago, totally my fault. Sent them off to Swarovski in Austria, had them back in less than 1 month, No charge to me !

The same bino's this year, one of the the rubber objective covers cracked, sent email to Swarovski, bingo.......2 new objective covers, no charge!

I'm not knocking any other brand of optics out there, just afford the best you can.

Another reason I like my Swarovski's is that they are di-opter adjustable, and my eyes have changed, and it's good to have an optic that will adjust, and be able to change, as you do.
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  #68  
Old 03-18-2018, 03:31 PM
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Quest206 Quest206 is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dick284 View Post
Too much time spent pontificating, and not enough time spent actually shooting.

Most wannabe hyper typer sniper types couldn’t wring the best outta fixed 6 power scope on their best day.

The nuances of harvesting game at extended ranges are so mis represented it’s almost criminal.
I agree 100%
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  #69  
Old 03-18-2018, 05:39 PM
obsessed1 obsessed1 is online now
 
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I have shot sub MOA at 1000 yds with a BSA huntsman 6-18 on a Parker hale 308. Scope cost me like 180$ 10 years ago. I have shot sub MOA groups to 1300 yds with a crossfire ll 6-18 on another 308. And have another crossfire ll on a 300 wm. Both cost me less than 260$ea.
My longest kill to date was 740 yds with a savage 243 with Tesco 6-24 varmint mil dot. I think that scope was just over 100$. My most expensive scope is a viper hst 1000$ give or take. Mounted on a 700LR in 300WM. I've NEVER missed a shot because of an inferior scope or had issues putting game on the ground due to inexpensive scopes. I seem to do alright with what I have and I don't have the coin to spend more. If money wasn't an issue I'd have NF scopes on everything just because. Ps it's kinda fun to outshoot guys next you who have spent 2-3X more than my gear. Often I end up showing them how to use them:-) most guys would do better spending 1/2 on a scope and buying ammo with the rest.
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  #70  
Old 03-18-2018, 05:50 PM
trigger7mm trigger7mm is offline
 
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Personnally, I would put more money into the quality of optic, than I would the rifle. For example, say a mid range Savage rifle, with a good Leupold scope.
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  #71  
Old 03-18-2018, 08:16 PM
Outhouse Outhouse is offline
 
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The best you can afford, just ensure to have a rifle that does the trick.
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  #72  
Old 04-06-2018, 11:28 AM
kman35ca kman35ca is offline
 
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I like nice optics. But I also like great deals. That's why I picked up a Bushnell elite tactical, 6-24-50 ffp with the illuminated BTR I think ret. They go for 1300$ usually. It popped up on Amazon for 640$ including tax, shipping. It sits on my savage 12 243, in an mdt hs3 chassis, and I had a blast shooting long range coyotes this winter. Tracks great, and the glass is pretty good.
But I also got a meopta 4-16-44 on my 270wsm, and WoW. Especially at dusk, it gives me the feeling of having night vision. Just not a fan of the AO, but it's not that picky, and I haven't made any shots past 200 yards on big game yet. This year it was less than a hundred yards for my deer.
But honestly, I have a fetish for nice scopes. My hunting partners use cheap bushnell's, even those ones you get with package rifles, and they still work. But I can definitely see, how that meopta would be beneficial at dusk. I have held on a deer, that was just over the fence of the property we could hunt on up past shooting light. Too risky to shoot, but I was just awed by how that scope picked up so much detail, when with my own eyes, I could just see the outline of a buck. Meopta is definitely underrated.
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  #73  
Old 04-06-2018, 06:56 PM
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McTrigger McTrigger is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by amosfella View Post
There are a couple of guns that see use in really bad conditions. Cheaper scopes weren't a good option. The Swarovski works a lot better in those conditions than the cheaper scopes I have tried.

Another bonus of the Swaros, I could likely sell them for what I paid for them brand new... Can't do that with a nikon...
Exactly. High quality glass holds it value. No degration in quality over time. Like you said Drops, nicks, bumps you name it, high end components last for decades. My grandchildren will likely enjoy the clarity and exceptional FOV my swaro glass has, same as the day I bought it.
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  #74  
Old 04-30-2018, 02:02 PM
Tpindy Tpindy is offline
 
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CanadianEh, where do you source your Meopta optics from?
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  #75  
Old 05-03-2018, 10:34 AM
bman940 bman940 is offline
 
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Optics change as do rifles. I have a top of the line Leupold scope that my Grandfather put on his 7x57 Husqvarna rifle back in 1959. The rifle only managed 3 MOA on a good day yet my Grandfather took all kinds of Alaskan game. Today I doubt anyone here would be happy with this scope. Technology changes everything. There is always going to be something better if you have the money. I do agree that buying the best optic you can afford from a reliable company is a positive step forward to having a successful hunt. I still have my Grandfather's scope, I gave the rifle to a buddy who had it completely redone only keeping the Mauser action. He now has a sub .5 MOA rifle that is as nice looking as it is accurate. I am sure my Grandfather who was a WW I one pilot would appreciate what his rifle has become.
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  #76  
Old 05-03-2018, 05:35 PM
West O'5 West O'5 is offline
 
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Interesting how in this thread nobody ever needs to shoot more than 300-400 yards max to harvest game....skip to thread on "best caliber/rifle to buy for Alberta" and you'll get 500 recommendations for .300Winnys and 7mm Remmies because apparently most people routinely take their annual WT doe and 3pt elk at 500...600...700 yards+,and nothing short of full on magnumitus will cut the mustard??😝
Fortunately, it would seem that apparently $300 optics are more than capable of making those shots to the far side of the neighbouring 1/4 section with their excellent light transmission and dialing in precise and repeatable elevation and windage corrections.
So glad I stumbled upon this thread before I went ahead and wasted $2000-$3000 on an optic that I deemed worthy to sit atop a semi-custom rifle that I wasted 2x again that much on.....silly me,I shoulda just bought a SKS and topped it with a Barska 3x9 and spent the spare change on a new-to-me/gently used quad to drag all that meat outta the bush with?🤔

In all seriousness though,I would like to thank Kurt505 for prompting me to consider the Z3 3-10x42,because as it I were,I've been flip-flopping almost daily between the VX6 2-12x42 (which I considered to be fairly liteweight as it is) and the NF NXS 2.5-10x42.....decisions,decisions.....argggggg!!

FWIW,I've been hunting for 35+ years and have never been what one might consider a "glass snob"....I've only spent north of $1000 on one other scope in my life and have been plenty satisfied for the most part putting game in the freezer and fur on the stretcher with $300-$500 scopes(oftentimes much less $$ then that on glass "back in the day")....in fact still have 3x Bushnell 3200s on rifles that I use quite regularly.....so that said,I'm not knocking anybody for buying within their budget and/or prioritizing how they spend their hunting gear dollars,again,I've had/still have my share of lower and middle of the road budget optics....but if there's one thing I've learned over decades of outdoors pursuits,be it rifles,bow hunting,fly fishing....wutever...it's always buy the best you can afford,or as others have said...buy once/cry once.
That.....and I've just reached a point in my life where I've said tahellwithit,I'm gonna treat myself to something REALLY FREAKIN NICE for a change,and I just can't imagine myself cheapn out on a $400 scope to go on a rifle that costs 10x that much.......imho,a rifle that costs north of $4K deserves to be topped with $2K worth of glass I figger?
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Last edited by West O'5; 05-03-2018 at 05:41 PM.
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  #77  
Old 05-03-2018, 09:21 PM
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Justfishin73 Justfishin73 is offline
 
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I'm in the medium glass camp. I don't like shots above 3-400 yards either, so no need for steep glass. 2/1 is my gun/scope dollar ratio, no issues. Works even better with clean glasses.
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  #78  
Old 05-04-2018, 12:06 AM
Tactical Lever Tactical Lever is offline
 
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I hate that rule of thumb with a passion. Some gun writer hammered that out in the 60's no doubt and it's been a "rule" ever since.

Regardless of the range, accuracy capability, rifle design, etc. If I put $1500 into wood on a $6000 rifle, that's made to be used at 70 yards, where in the world would I look for a $7500 fixed 2x?? (I'm sure it exists, no need to ferret it out, fellas...)

Or I could buy a black plastic stock varmint gun, or well used older gun that will clover leaf at 100 yd. and it would be a shame to limit that gun with an inexpensive, low powered scope.

Today's "cheap", mid-priced scopes are head and shoulders above expensive scopes 50 years ago.

The "rule" makes as much sense as stating that vehicles should all have 4 wheels. Unless, it's a bike, 3 wheeler, 6x6, one and a half ton, semi truck, boat, sled...
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  #79  
Old 05-04-2018, 04:54 AM
laus laus is offline
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It think this depends on individual preferences, as for me the highest i have spent on optic was 400 for a Leupold and never felt i needed to go for something higher because it works perfectly.
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  #80  
Old 05-04-2018, 04:49 PM
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All I know is that if I were to top all my rifles with $2000. scopes I would have to take out a second mortgage.....
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Trades I would interested in:
- Sightron rifle scopes, 4.5x14x42mm or 4x16x42mm
especially! with the HHR reticle. (no duplex pls.)
- older 6x fixed scopes with fine X or target dot.
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  #81  
Old 05-04-2018, 09:54 PM
srs123 srs123 is offline
 
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This thread reminds of this guy I know who has $18000 gunwerks rifle and scope . That's his deer rifle. A savage off the shelf with a 200 dollar scope is just as accurate for the task. But then again, if you can afford it, then why not.

Power to you
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  #82  
Old 05-05-2018, 01:43 PM
fishtank fishtank is online now
 
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Depending on the purpose of the gun and rifle most of my shots are under 100 yards i shoot a Tikka t3 with a $250 Leupold . Haven’t missed yet
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