Folks,

Rifle scope recommendations for new 308. Less than $250. Something that's not junk (if this exists). Variable up to 16 or 20X.



Anyone found a good one that works ?

16-20x is a lot of zoom. Nikon has some that might work in that price range. The Buckmaster series if I remember correctly.

If you can afford it go Leupold they really take care of you!

I like Nikon Buckmaster 6-18X w/NikoPlex reticle..forget target dot and BDC unless you've actually shot and like them.

Probably a few bucks over your $250 limit however good glass, lifetime warranty..I have several on .223 - .243 predator/varmint rifles.

Good luck with your new SPS.

Nikon Buckmaster has a nice scope for about 285.00. The scope is side A/O, 4/5-14 power, and mil-dot which is easy to use when learned correctly.

I'll check out the nikons. Been looking at Millett also. Need a new bell and carlson stock first, because the stock on the sps varmint is only pillar bedded. Need full aluminum block.

If you don't need quite that level of magnification, check out Bushnell's 4200 3-9x. An extremely nice scope for the money. I've got one on my M70 .308 and a spare for hopefully a .22-250 or .243 in the next year.

Bushnell Elite scopes are great, they are the old Bausch and Lomb factory just under Bushnell holding now.

I heard the Nikon scopes are really good, but like sumoj275a said, the Bushnell Elite scopes are really nice. I have a 3200 Bushnell Elite 3x9x40 on my T/C Encore and its really nice.

I don't know if they are still available, but the Weaver 4-16 x 42mm has semi-target turrets and tracks very well when changing powers. It ain't no Leupold Vari-X III, but it's a good scope for the money. I still have one left that I intend to mount on a CZ-452 in 17 HMR when I get it.

Yes Weavers were very good lightweight scopes for the money....light enough to be popular among the early benchrest crowd in the "Light Gun" category...I would rather spend the money on a good scope than swap a stock which is pillar bedded for an aluminium block bed...a scope that tracks properly and works well in low light together with good mounts will improve your shooting far more than the nuances of difference between a pillar bedding job and a block bedding job...besides which a fiberglass custom bedding job using metal pillars is far superior to a metal on metal aluminium bedding block system....but even then you can only notice that difference with some very rigid actions and heavy barrels...I would hold off on the stock change and see how accurate you can develop the existing rifle first and put all funds into a good scope....although this is just my opinion...but for me a good scope assists accuracy more than anything after the basics of a good barrel and good bullets.

You know your stuff, Peter. I have put $300 scopes on $70 rifles. In any range beyond about 50 yds, the scope becomes at least as important as the rifle. I cringe when I see somebody buy a Weatherby and put a cheap TASCO on it, although some are not bad. As a rimfire shooter, shooting at small targets at closer ranges (40m to 100m) I learned a lot about the importance of a scope that would track well when changing power, elevation adjustments, or parallax adjustments. A new Remington 700 in .308, with the right ammo should be able to shoot 1 to 1.5 moa right out of the box. My last Reminton ADL in .223 shot .75" groups at 100m (.75 moa) without any changes but the trigger pull lightened. A good scope is worth the investment. I know a guy who buys and sells rifles all the time, but he keeps his Swarovsky and Leupold scopes.

Leuopold VX-II

Thats what I have my eyes on for my remington 700 XCR... hell of it is, its $299.99 <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> but its ONE HELLUVA scope man!

Man, how could I forget the Weavers. Very rarely do I regret getting rid of a rifle or pistol. Every once in a while one gets away, and that was my CZ HB 452 in .17 HMR. I can not count how many p-dogs and rabbits that sucker took. In fact, I might try to get it back from the guy that has it now since he is taking a fancy to a couple knives.

Another gun store story--got a ton of them since I was working in one from the time I graduated high school to even helping out now.

When Weatherby first introduced the .30-378 Wrby Mag a guy that had to have all the newest stuff got one. He did not want to wait for our g-smith to mount and bore sight the scope so he thought he could do it. I remember him buying a 100 rds (5 boxs) at the same time. I on't recal the amount of money he dropped but it was a lot. Anyway, he came back in bitching about the rifle not holding zero, etc. Yep, his rings were loose. He had shot all the ammo not thinking to check the tightness of the rings. We ended up selling him a couple more boxes of ammo so he could take that boomer on his elk hunt. What a duffas!

Not a good pic, but there is a Nikon on top of the rifle. The scope was a 6-18x mil-dot. I had no problem with it but sold it with the gun. The pic is about 3 years old and about 40 lbs heavier.

Getting closer sumo

You can get a Super Sniper from SWFA for $299.00. It is a great tactical unit that has been proven in the sand box. They have 10,16,+20X.

Thanks, guys.

I have been looking and reading reviews. Probably need to raise the ante to $500 to get something decent.

Called the guys at Vortex, and they have lifetime warranty for any reason.

Search continues.

I'm sure that $500 will be more than enough to buy a quality scope for your Remington, 87Burban. Take a look at the Weavers, too. I have used them for years on high powered and rimfires. They are well under your new limit. Burris and Bushnell also have some quality models. And for $500, you can get a Leupold, another fine scope. You can spend twice as much, but the scope won't be twice as good. If cost were no object, we'd all have a Zeiss on every rifle.

I don't know if you guys use them but Stoney Point do a very useful 3 legged tripod set of shooting sticks....I like the small ones which can fit on my webbing...great for shooting over obstacles...but when buying a scope I take these along with a bean bag to plonk in the centre and cushion and steady the scope...steady is the main thing....then I ask to take the scope outside the shop and I can anchor the scope without mounting it or marking it on the sticks....I sit up against a wall for this...and track the scope up and down to check for sticking reticles and also to see how it comes back to zero. On a zoom I move up and down the power band very steadily to see if the POA changes on different powers. This is hard to tell but even on top end Nightforce scopes when the power band goes from 12 to 42 power you do get some that move...get one that does'nt and "bingo" you have a great scope.

On 4-16x power bands this is a lot less likely to be an issue...especially if you have a first focal plane reticle which increases in thickness as you increase power...like on a S&B scope...but on second focal plane scopes where the reticle remains a constant size...you want to check for this.

You can also check for paralax as well when going through the power bands at different distances...again not easy to do...but if you get the book I recommended for Recionseed..."The Ultimate Sniper" by Maj John Plaster he has charts in the book designed to be photocopied which can assist in checking out a scope. I take these with me...and because I buy good high end scopes I sometimes get laughed at and told that "these will be perfect"...then when I come back and they are...OK...but I have encountered problems on some Nightforce scopes and I have got to send one March 10-60 x 50 scope back to Japan which has a reticle sticking.

These March scopes are VERY expensive precision custom scopes...but I have to buy them "unseen" from Kelby's in the USA as they are the only people who sell them in the "West". They sell them but don't fix them...you have to send them to Dion in Japan who make them for repairs...and cost the thick end of £2000 by the time I get them here through duty and taxes...so don't let the "name" fool you...any scope can be "off" and need fixing.

Well, Vortex it is.

Got one from Liberty Optics

http://www.libertyoptics.com/

6.5-20 X 50mm. Very nice. With correct Butler Creek flip caps for ~$470. Yes, as usual, more than I wanted to pay. Tough, mil-dot, and transferrable lifetime guarantee.

Now for mounts made - not in China - but in Lewiston, Idaho!

http://www.seekinsprecision.com/

While I am not familiar with Vortex, it sure looks to be a fine scope, Burban. And those rings look solid and strong. You won't regret using good glass. Nice! Keep us posted on how it shoots. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

Thanks for the link, I will have to give them a look.

Please keep us up to speed on the rifle, optic, mounts, and all!

Those are some seriously heavy duty mounts! And I thought the Weigand mounts were heavy duty...

I just learned about Vortex scopes recently on another forum. They look like nice scopes. Please let us know how it works out for you.

Listen to the man, he knows what he's talking about.

There is a reason many good shooters have scopes that usually cost more than the rifles they are on.

Rob