New scope recommendations.......

[Bull Elk]

Well, my eyes are not as good as they were when I was younger. Most of my rifles have VX-1, VX-2 or Vortex 3-9x40 scopes. I'm looking to buy a 4-12
X40 or possibly a 4.5-16x40 or something close to this. My price range is $300-$600. I'd appreciate ideas on scopes in this range. I did consider the Zeiss Terra, but reviews have been mixed. Not interested in BDC. Prefer duplex reticle. Shots are generally limited to 400 yards +/-.

I will likely place the scopes on 7mm-08, .270 and 30.06 rifles. For deer and elk.

Thanks
BE

[hermosabeach]

Purpose of use- really need that to not throw the catalog at you

Our eyes change, especially after 40.....

So for great clarity under $600 I would suggest nikon

Not the most durable so not idea if hunting and scouting from an ATV.


But amazing clarity- read the small print on the target clarity


Bigger tubes let in more light. More light helps with more clarity... especially at higher magnification.



So tell us about
1- the caliber
2- bench / supported shooting only or walking/hunting
(Heavy is ok for bench as is clunky turrets, hunting must be more durable and lower profile turrets)
3- anything else that’s relevant - shooting paper only, don’t reload, etc

[Bull Elk]

1. Mostly for hunting deer and elk.
2. Scopes will be mounted on 7mm-08, .270 and 30.06 rifles.
3. Don't care much for BDC. Prefer duplex reticle.
4. My shots are generally limited to about 400 yards +/-.
5. I don't reload.
6. I walk and hunt from blinds.

Hope this helps.

[Horrendo Revolver]

hermosabeach suggested Nikon. Some people see very well through Nikon and some don’t. A friend that I hunt with the most has Nikon, so does my BIL. Nikons do it for them. My SIL and I see crappy through Nikon relative to some other scope brands so I wouldn’t buy Nikon without looking through one first. If you see great through Nikon then get one.

You said you will be hunting. I place great value on the low light capability of a scope because it seems I always see animals very early and very late. Leupold to my eyes used to not be great in low light but have come a long way the last few years. In your price range you can get a VX-R or a VX-3i. I have one of each.

You can also get a Tract Tekoa made by LOW. Burris and Bushnell to me are good in low light. The worst in low light to my eyes is Vortex(excluding Razor), followed by Nikon.

A bigger tube can give you more elevation and windage adjustment but it’s not going to give you more light. A larger objective can help a little but the quality of the glass is much more important than than objective size.

[Divernhunter]

Leupold is the answer. Duplex reticle and the VX3 in 4.5X14X40 is what I have on my 257W. To be honest I found the VX3 in 3.5X10X40 duplex reticle has done everything I need.
In Africa I used the 257W and when I turned it up all the way I had a harder time if the animal ran in getting off the 2nd shot. Turned it down to 10X and all was well.
The Vx3 has better glass than the VX2.
I also use 3X9X40 Leupold duplex reticle scopes on many of my hunting rifles both the older scopes and the VX2 scopes. Been happy with them.

[JagerDog]

Purpose of use- really need that to not throw the catalog at you

Our eyes change, especially after 40.....

So for great clarity under $600 I would suggest nikon

Not the most durable so not idea if hunting and scouting from an ATV.


But amazing clarity- read the small print on the target clarity


Bigger tubes let in more light. More light helps with more clarity... especially at higher magnification.



So tell us about
1- the caliber
2- bench / supported shooting only or walking/hunting
(Heavy is ok for bench as is clunky turrets, hunting must be more durable and lower profile turrets)
3- anything else that’s relevant - shooting paper only, don’t reload, etc

I was disappointed in the clarity of my Monarch (5 x 20 x 44?). I was quite happy with the clarity of my Vortex Viper (6.5 x 20 x 44) with very similar specs and price point.

No, bigger tubes don't provide more light, bigger objectives do. Bigger tubes allow either bigger internals or more adjustment range with smaller internals.

Those look like hunting calibers, but ya, intended use is needed. My hunting guns have mostly Leupold and I wouldn't consider anything that doesn't wind down to minimum 4X to be a hunting scope. 12X - 14X on the upper end.

[TheReluctantCraftstronaut]

For ~400 yards, I think a 6x fixed power would be excellent.

Close range shots won't be terrible, but field of view will be a bit more limited. But dollar for dollar, a $300 fixed will be clearer and more rugged than a $300 variable, etc.

I have been strongly considering an SWFA SS for my next scope purchase based on reviews from folks using them heavily and reporting on their quality.

SWFA SS 6X42

That's the mil-dot version, which I prefer.They also have an MOA variant for the same price. If you really want a variable power, they start just on the high end of your budget. I'm debating between their fixed 10x or their HD 3-9x42.

I highly recommend watching some of the TiborasaurusRex videos on youtube. His Sniper 101 series is excellent and he has several in-depth videos on scopes that explains key features and he even selects a few of his recommendations from various price points. He does recommend a fixed power SWFA SS for budget and mid-range scopes. His goals are extreme long range shooting, but there's still a ton of good info to take in, no matter your application.

Parts 14 - 22 deal with scope selection. Part 21 is where he compares brands. 22 is where he makes some recommendations.

Part 21 - Scope Brand Comparison

[koshkin]

Honestly, you should be looking for better quality, not more magnification.

For hunting, you really should be looking at one of the Meopta MeoPro scopes, starting with the 3-9x40 and on up from there.

In terms of image quality, MeoPro is a step up from what you have been using and from pretty much everything that has been mentioned in this thread.

If you plan to shoot a bit further out, where you will need to use the turrets with reasonable frequency, consider SWFA SS 3-9x42. It has excellent glass for the money, repeatable turrets and FFP reticle that helps at distance.

ILya

https://www.opticsthoughts.com

[Bull Elk]

Thanks everyone. I decided on the Leupold VX2 4-12x40 for two rifles and a Vortex Diamondback 4-12x40 for another. Not sure which rifle will get the Vortex, but once I mount them up and head to the range, I'll let you know what I think of them.

[elk hunter]

BE if the one your trying doesn't work out for you try the Leupold VX R 4-12 40 30mm tube. The 30mm tube really helps me.

[Guns and guitars]

Everyone is going to have a brand they use and trust. So in reality there are a ton of options.
I own Leupold, US optics, Nightforce and Khales scopes but for hunting I went with Swarovski. ( the z6)

Unequaled light transmission, clarity, tough as nails and it has the ballistic turret.
The ballistic turret lets you chrono the rifle ( or you can use store bought loads ) put the info in the computer and it will give you the exact dope for the scope.
So fast its amazing.

[Horrendo Revolver]

I've recently purchased UTG 3-9X32. It has all the required features that can enhance your performance. You may want to consider other scopes and these reviews https://thetacticalscopes.com/best-scope-for-100-yards/ can be helpful. I sincerely hope this UTG 3-9X32 1" Bug Buster Scope review helps you make a proper decision.

The OP already made his choice. It would be hard to find a worse scope than your recommendation.